Apologies were received from Councillor C Wise and Councillor T Smith.

There were no announcements from the Chairman or Head of Paid Service.

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are required to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the Minutes and Decisions made at the meeting of the Cabinet held on 12^th September 2023.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2023.

RESOLVED

a)    That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 September 2023 be APPROVED.

To receive items raised by members of scrutiny which have been submitted to the Leader and Chief Executive.

A report had been received from the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the report set out recommendations on the Transport Network Review Business Case & Post-16 Travel Options item and the need for Rutland County Council to provide the non-statutory Post-16 transport services.

The Chair confirmed that the Transport Network report was on the agenda for the meeting and that Cabinet would refer to Post 16 when that report was discussed.

To receive Report No.125/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

Report No.125/2023 was introduced by Councillor P Browne, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

The report asked for Cabinet’s authorisation to agree a Statement of Common Ground relating to the potential proposed development at Stamford North and to agree the establishment of a Joint Board with South Kesteven District Council to oversee the future planning of this potential development and to consider other strategic matters of mutual interest.

It was moved by Councillor D Ellison and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 125/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet AGREED:

a)    The Chief Executive was authorised to sign the Stamford North Statement of Common Ground as set out in Appendix A.

b)    A Joint Board was established with South Kesteven District Council to oversee the potential proposed development of Stamford North and to consider other strategic planning matters of mutual interest, taking account of the Terms of Reference as set out in Appendix B.

c)    The representatives of the County Council are invited to attend meetings of the Joint Board as set out in the Terms of Reference.

To receive Report No.152/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

Report No.152/2023 was introduced by Councillor P Browne, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

The report asked for Cabinet’s comments on matters raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the contract to provide minerals planning advice.

The Portfolio Holder confirmed the planning functions around Minerals and Waste were recognised as important and are explicitly identified within the responsibilities of the Portfolio Holder for Planning.

The Leader was pleased and felt it was an excellent step forward that the Council’s Planning Officers could upskill and deal with minerals.

The Leader also felt that Cabinet had adequately dealt with the Scrutiny recommendations at the current stage as it is still currently ongoing.

It was moved by Councillor P Browne and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 152/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Committee:

CONSIDERED the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee alongside the updated information set out in the report.

To receive Report No.153/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

Report No.153/2023 was introduced by Councillor P Browne, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Property.

The report sought approval for public consultation to be undertaken on the Local Plan “Preferred Options” document. The proposed document for consultation was appended to the report.  The report also sets out elements of the updated evidence base for the Rutland Local Plan which were considered to be material considerations for the determination of planning applications pending the adoption of the Local Plan.

In addition, the report provided an updated position for the budget to deliver the Local Plan and to deal with the identified pressures of the planning service operating without a local plan.

Councillor A Johnson proposed an amendment to recommendation 2 to include the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development. This was seconded and upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

Through questioning it was confirmed that the Council’s current Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Policy would not be updated due to a proposal for a National Infrastructure Levy therefore the current CIL would potentially be replaced by that at some stage in the future.

It was moved by Councillor A Johnson and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 153/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)   APPROVED the Rutland Local Plan “Preferred Options” consultation document (Appendix A) for the purposes of public consultation;

b)   DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director of Places, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Planning and the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Economic Development, to make any factual corrections and minor changes to finalise the consultation document and facilitate the requirements of setting up consultation material, software and mapping as well as to make any changes agreed at Cabinet;

c)   AGREED that elements of the Local Plan evidence base, as set out in Appendix 2, were considered to be potential material considerations for the determination of planning applications;

d)  Subject to budget provision, AGREED that a separate Development Plan Document was prepared for the St. George’s Barracks site; and 

e)   NOTED the updated budget position in Section 5 of the report.

To receive Report No.129/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Resources.

Report No.129/2023 was introduced by Councillor A Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Resources.

The report asked Cabinet for approval to continue with the existing Local Council Tax Support Scheme (LCTS) and the Discretionary Fund (DF) from 2024/25 financial year. To note that the Strategic Director for Resources (s151 officer) in consultation with the Cabinet member with the Portfolio for Resources, can make minor changes to the LCTS and the DF because of best practice, guidance or legislation and to note the intention of the Strategic Director for Resources to explore alternative schemes in 2024/25 and report to Cabinet.

It was moved by Councillor A Johnson and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 129/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)      RECOMMENDED to Council to continue with the existing Local Council Tax Support scheme (LCTS) and to continue to adjust it annually for inflation in line with Governments Adjudications and Operations Circulars from 2024/25 financial year.

b)      RECOMMENDED to Council to continue with the existing Discretionary Fund Policy (DF) from 2024/25 financial year.

c)      NOTED that Council has approved that the Strategic Director for Resources (s151 officer), in consultation with the Cabinet member with the Portfolio for Resources, can make minor changes to the LCTS and the DF because of best practice, guidance or legislation.

d)      NOTED the intention of the Strategic Director for Resources to explore alternative schemes in 2024/25 and report to Cabinet.

e)      NOTED the update provided for the managed migration to Universal Credit (UC) of tax credit claimants.

To receive Report No.131/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health.

Report No.131/2023 was introduced by Councillor D Ellison, Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health.

The report asked Cabinet for approval to undertake a review of the Charging for Care and Support Policy for Rutland, with the aim of providing a new transparent and consistent policy for charging adults receiving care and support services in Rutland. To seek approval to launch a public consultation necessary to inform the content of the final policy, and to seek approval to delegate the final public consultation content to the Strategic Director for Adult Services and Health in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health.

It was moved by Councillor D Ellison and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 131/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)   APPROVED a review of the Charging for Care and Support Policy for Rutland with the aim of providing a new transparent, and consistent policy for charging adults receiving care and support services in Rutland.

b)   APPROVED the proposal to launch a public consultation necessary to inform the content of the final policy.

c)  APPROVED the delegation of the final public consultation content to the Strategic Director for Adult Services and Health in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health.

Cabinet is recommended to determine whether the public and press be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, and in accordance with the Access to Information provisions of Procedure Rule 239, as the following item of business is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The meeting remained in a public session at this juncture as it was felt Cabinet would be able to consider the public aspect of Report No.139/2023 without divulging into the contents of the exempt report.

The Chair then moved after initial discussions that the meeting would move to private session to discuss the exempt report. This was seconded and upon being put to the vote the motion was unanimously carried.

To receive Report No.139/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and the Environment. (REPORT TO FOLLOW)

Report No.139/2023 was introduced by Councillor A Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Resources.

The report provided an update on the review of transport provision undertaken since the previous Cabinet Report in February 2023 on the Public Bus Network Delivery Review and Post 16 (P16) Transport options review.

Prior to debate, Councillor Waller proposed an amendment to recommendation 4 for it to read ‘Delegates authority to the Strategic Director of Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport and Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance, to approve associated procurement and spend.’ This was seconded and upon being put to the vote, with four votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

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At 10.44am the meeting entered an exempt session

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At 10.55am the meeting returned to a public session

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RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)      APPROVED the recommendation as set out in exempt Appendix C.

a)      NOTED the outcomes of the post-16 (P16) transport options review (stage 1) as set out in exempt Appendix B.

b)      APPROVED next steps of the P16 transport options review (stage 2).

c)      DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director of Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport and Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance, to approve associated procurement and spend.

To receive items of urgent business which have previously been notified to the person presiding.

There were no items of urgent business.

Tuesday, 14^th November 2023.

Tuesday, 14^th November 2023.