A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Via Zoom - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/98344748824

Contact: Tom Delaney  01572 720993

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

 

2.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND/OR HEAD OF THE PAID SERVICE

Minutes:

Mark Andrews, Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, advised Cabinet that the Council had begun working with regional partners and Rutland’s local network of voluntary organisations in preparation for provision of support for Ukrainian refugees.

 

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Councillor I Razzell joined the meeting at this point.

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3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 

4.

RECORD OF DECISIONS pdf icon PDF 303 KB

To confirm the Record of Decisions made at the meeting of the Cabinet held on 15th February 2022.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2022.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2022 be AGREED.

 

5.

ITEMS RAISED BY SCRUTINY pdf icon PDF 271 KB

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

Minutes:

A report was received from the Growth, Infrastructure and Resources Scrutiny Committee, Councillor J Fox, Chair of the Committee, presented the report which informed Cabinet of several key considerations by the Committee and made several recommendations to officers and Cabinet.

 

In response to the recommendations regarding the Minerals Authority Contract Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport thanked Councillor Fox for the Committee’s work on the topic, and undertook to work with the Committee on the future of the contract and ensure the requested information was provided to Cabinet and the Committee in due course.

 

In response to the recommendation regarding 4Oakham Councillor O Hemsley, Leader of the Council, confirmed he was still waiting to meet the Mayors of Oakham and Uppingham and would do so as soon as convenient, although the Leader set out that any decision regarding the future of 4Oakham should be determined by the town itself. Councillor Fox was thanked for her work on 4Oakham alongside the Chair of the organisation.

 

In response to the recommendations regarding the Grounds Maintenance and Forestry Procurement Councillor L Stephenson, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities, Environment and Climate Change, confirmed that the action to allow Councillors additional time to feed into the consultation had taken place, Councillor Stephenson undertook to progress the remaining actions through the Project Board.

 

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Councillor J Fox left the meeting at this point.

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6.

FUTURE RUTLAND VISION pdf icon PDF 209 KB

To receive Report No. 53/2022 from the Leader of the Council.

Additional documents:

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor O Hemsley, Leader of the Council:

 

1.            NOTED the outputs of the final consultation exercise and the subsequent amendments made to the draft Future Rutland Vision.

 

2.            NOTED the final Future Rutland Vision.

 

3.            RECOMMENDED that Council endorses the Future Rutland Vision as a shared vision for the County as shaped by the community.

 

4.            RECOMMENDED that Council adopt the Future Rutland Vision as a key document which underpins the Corporate Plan and future Council strategies and approaches. 

 

Minutes:

Report No. 53/2022 was presented by Councillor O Hemsley, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy,

Partnerships, Economy and Infrastructure. The report provided Cabinet with a final Future Rutland Vision following the latest consultation exercise and recommended the Vision to Council for approval. Councillor Hemsley thanked all the respondents to the various stages of consultation and to the staff involved in compiling the final Vision.

 

Members strongly welcomed the public involvement throughout the process, the principles of the Vision recognising the need for the Council to operate within its financial means was also welcomed. It was also suggested that following Council approval, Members should use the values of the Vision when representing the Council on external organisations.


RESOLVED

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor O Hemsley, Leader of the Council:

 

1.          NOTED the outputs of the final consultation exercise and the subsequent amendments made to the draft Future Rutland Vision.

 

2.          NOTED the final Future Rutland Vision.

 

3.          RECOMMENDED that Council endorses the Future Rutland Vision as a shared vision for the County as shaped by the community.

 

4.          RECOMMENDED that Council adopt the Future Rutland Vision as a key document which underpins the Corporate Plan and future Council strategies and approaches. 

 

7.

INTERNAL AUDIT DELEGATION pdf icon PDF 366 KB

To receive Report No. 50/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation.

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation:

 

1)    TRANSFERED the internal audit delegation agreement from the existing hosts (Milton Keynes Council, Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council) to North Northamptonshire Council and extended it for a further five years

 

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Resources in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder to finalise the delegation agreement.

 

Minutes:

Report No. 50/2022 was presented by Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation. The report sought  approval to transfer the existing Internal Audit delegation agreement from the current hosts (Milton Keynes Council, Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council) to North Northamptonshire Council following local government reorganisation and to extend the agreement to March 2027. The report and its content were welcomed by Members.

 

RESOLVED

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation:

 

1)    TRANSFERED the internal audit delegation agreement from the existing hosts (Milton Keynes Council, Northamptonshire County Council and Cambridgeshire County Council) to North Northamptonshire Council and extended it for a further five years

 

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Resources in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder to finalise the delegation agreement.

 

8.

DOMESTIC WASTE AND RELATED CONTRACTS - OPTIONS pdf icon PDF 613 KB

To receive Report No. 51/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Communities, Environment and Climate Change.

Additional documents:

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor L Stephenson, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Environment and Climate Change:

 

1)    APPROVED the preferred option 2bii for waste and recycling collections, as set out below:

a)    Dry mixed recycling with paper and cardboard to be collected separately every fortnight

b)    Separate weekly food waste collections

c)     Reduced capacity residual waste bin to be collected fortnightly

 

Minutes:

Report No. 51/2022 was presented by Councillor L Stephenson, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities, Environment and Climate Change. The report outlined the available options for a new waste collectionservice and made recommendations on the best option for waste collection in Rutland, which would be taken for soft market testing before a formal decision came back to Cabinet on the procurement of the contract at a later date. Councillor Stephenson highlighted the need for the Council to operate within it’s means and welcomed the involvement of the Portfolio Holder for Finance and the Section 151 Officer on the Project Board for the procurement.

 

Members welcome the acknowledgement of the need for the Council to live within it’s means given the limited information on government financial support for implementing the required changes from the Resources and Waste Strategy and the Environment Act 2021.


Concerns were expressed regarding the single option recommended in the report and there was a desire for other options to be left available at the current stage, in response it was confirmed that the intention was to go out for soft-market testing to scope out the terms of a future waste contract which could include consideration of other options. Penny Sharp, Strategic Director for Places set out that there was a need for a political steer from Cabinet but reiterated that the final award criteria would be coming back to Cabinet and Council for approval. 

 

RESOLVED

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor L Stephenson, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Environment and Climate Change:

 

1)    APPROVED the preferred option 2bii for waste and recycling collections, as set out below:

a)    Dry mixed recycling with paper and cardboard to be collected separately every fortnight

b)    Separate weekly food waste collections

c)    Reduced capacity residual waste bin to be collected fortnightly

 

9.

HIGHWAYS CAPITAL PROGRAMME - FIRST ALLOCATION 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 615 KB

To receive Report No. 52/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport.

Additional documents:

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport:

 

APPROVED the spend of the Department for Transport (DfT) Capital Highways Maintenance Block funding allocation received to the value of £1,000,000 is used for highway carriageway, footway and drainage work as per Appendix A.

Minutes:

Report No. 52/2022 was presented by Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport. The report sought approval for the first allocation of the Highway Capital Programme, funded from theCapital Highway Maintenance Block needs based allocated, by the Department for Transport for 2022/23.

 

Members welcomed the report and noted the often difficult circumstances faced by officers in maintaining the highways. The FixMyStreet was also celebrated as an effective means for residents to report issues to the Council. 

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport:

 

APPROVED the spend of the Department for Transport (DfT) Capital Highways Maintenance Block funding allocation received to the value of £1,000,000 is used for highway carriageway, footway and drainage work as per Appendix A.

 

10.

FUEL CARD CONTRACT PROCUREMENT AND AWARD pdf icon PDF 482 KB

To receive Report No.25/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport.

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport:

 

1)     APPROVED the procurement mode and criteria for the award of the Council’s Fuel Card contract.

 

2)     DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport to award the contract resulting from this procurement.

 

Minutes:

Report No. 25/2022 was presented by Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport. The report set out the procurement process to be followed and proposed award criteria for the procurement of the Council’s Fuel Card contract, along with a recommendations for approval of delegation of the final award.

 

In response to a query, it was confirmed by Penny Sharp, Strategic Director for Places, that the issuing of fuel cards was closely monitored and signed off by individual line managers.

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor I Razzell, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Highways and Transport:

 

1)    APPROVED the procurement mode and criteria for the award of the Council’s Fuel Card contract.

 

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Places in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Transport to award the contract resulting from this procurement.

 

11.

CLEANING CONTRACT - EXTENSION REQUEST AND PROCUREMENT OF NEW CONTRACT pdf icon PDF 383 KB

To receive Report No. 54/2022 from the then Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy, Partnerships, Economy and Infrastructure .

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor O Hemsley, Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy, Partnerships, Economy and Infrastructure:

 

APPROVED the extension of the existing cleaning contract of Council properties to 31 March 2023 at an estimated cost up to £141,756pa for 12 months ending 31 March 2023, including consumables and laundry but excluding exceptional events such as deep cleaning following a Covid-19 event.

Minutes:

Report No. 54/2022 was presented by Councillor O Hemsley - Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy, Partnerships, Economy and Infrastructure. The report sought approval to extend the existing cleaning contract with S4 Facilities Ltd (trading as Extra Fresh) for cleaning of Council properties, pending procurement of a new cleaning contract following the conclusion of the ongoing property asset review. It was highlighted that there were also many ongoing changes to the Council’s working practices and the proposals would ensure service continuity allowing the contract to be placed with the minimum delay and service disruption.

 

In response to a query, it was confirmed by Penny Sharp, Strategic Director for Places, that the initial report from the asset review was expected by April of 2022 and it was considered possible to have a new contract [prepared in time for the end of the proposed extension in 2023.


RESOLVED

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor O Hemsley, Portfolio Holder for Policy, Strategy, Partnerships, Economy and Infrastructure:

 

APPROVED the extension of the existing cleaning contract of Council properties to 31 March 2023 at an estimated cost up to £141,756 pa for 12 months ending 31 March 2023, including consumables and laundry but excluding exceptional events such as deep cleaning following a Covid-19 event.

 

 

12.

RUTLAND FAMILY HUB pdf icon PDF 240 KB

To receive Report No. 48/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Education & Children Services.

Decision:

Councillor D Wilby, Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services and the Cabinet:

 

NOTED the development of a national and local Family Hub programme and ENDORSES the opportunities the Family Hub provides, to build upon existing services in Rutland.

Minutes:

Report No. 48/2022 was presented by Councillor D Wilby, Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services. The report updated Cabinet on the national and local Family Hub programme and set out the opportunities and actions to develop a Family Hub for Rutland.

 

The paper was welcomed by Members and in particular the focus given to the sizeable Armed Forces community in the county.

 

RESOLVED

 

Councillor D Wilby, Portfolio Holder for Education and Children’s Services and the Cabinet:

 

NOTED the development of a national and local Family Hub programme and ENDORSED the opportunities the Family Hub provides, to build upon existing services in Rutland.

 

13.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

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 1: Information relating to any individual.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor O Hemsley that the meeting continue in a public session as it was felt Cabinet could consider the following item of business without divulging the content of the exempt appendix.

 

This was seconded and upon being put to the vote, the motion was unanimously carried.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the meeting remain in a public session.

 

14.

WRITE OFF OF IRRECOVERABLE DEBTS

To receive Report No. 38/2022 from the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation.

Additional documents:

Decision:

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance,

Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation:

 

1)    NOTED the action taken to recover outstanding debts.

 

2)    APPROVED the write off of the debts shown in Exempt Appendix A.

 

Minutes:

Report No. 38/2022 was presented by Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation. The report sought approval to write off debts, over the value of £2,500, where officers believed that there was little or no prospect of recovering them. It was highlighted that in many of the cases before Cabinet it would not be cost effective to pursue the sums.

 

RESOLVED

 

In consultation with Cabinet Councillor K Payne, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Governance and Performance, Change and Transformation:

 

1)    NOTED the action taken to recover outstanding debts.

 

2)    APPROVED the write off of the debts shown in Exempt Appendix A.

 

15.

ANY ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS

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

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business for consideration.