There were no apologies for absence.

Mark Andrews, Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, announced to Cabinet that officers were currently working to address significant business continuity issues within the Highways Team due to vacancies and recruitment issues. It was confirmed senior officers had met and agreed short term interventions to provide additional resource whilst accelerating planned investments in the customer journey aimed to reduce undue pressures on the 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 11^th July 2023.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2023.

RESOLVED

a)    That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 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 suggestions from the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group regarding the proposed strategy.

The Chair confirmed that the Task and Finish Group had been involved since the early stages of the process of preparing the strategy, and that the suggestions would be taken into consideration during the drafting of the strategy which was due for consideration by Cabinet in October.

To receive a verbal update from the Leader of the Council.

The Chair presented the item which was for Cabinet to discuss the proposals from the Department for Transport to close the ticket office at Oakham train station. Members of Cabinet felt the proposals for closure of Oakham’s ticket office presented significant issues for residents requiring additional assistance in navigating an already complicated ticketing system.

It was proposed by Councillor C Wise and seconded that the Leader be asked to respond to the ongoing consultation on behalf of the Council setting out the concerns raised, and to also write to the Secretary of State for Transport on the matter, copying in the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton.

Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

a)    That the Leader be asked to respond to the ongoing consultation on behalf of the Council setting out the concerns raised, and to also write to the Secretary of State for Transport on the matter, copying in the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Melton.

Report No. 114/2023 was received from Councillor A Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Resources. The report presented a proposed Reserves Strategy & Policy which would provide the context of use of the reserve balances to support the delivery of a sustainable financial position for the Council.

It was moved by Councillor P Browne and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 114/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

That Cabinet:

a)    RECOMMENDED to Council the approval of the Reserves Strategy & Policy which set the future direction of travel and planned use of reserves.

To receive Report No.116/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Resources.

Report No. 116/2023 was received from Councillor A Johnson, Portfolio Holder for Resources. The report provided Cabinet with the forecast outturn position for both the revenue budget and capital programme for 2023/24.

Councillor Johnson moved an amendment for the recommendations to include approval of the requested adjustment to the Adults Fair Cost of Care budget as set out in section 3.2 of the report. This was seconded and upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the amendment was unanimously carried.

The motion as amended was then moved by Councillor T Smith and seconded. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion as amended was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)    NOTED the forecast year end position as at the end of June (first quarter) for:

i) Revenue Position (Section 3)

ii) Capital Position (Section 4)

iii) Dedicated Schools Grant (Section 6)

b)    NOTED the update on the Financial Sustainability Strategy (Section 7)

c)    NOTED performance against the Treasury Management Prudential Indicators was in line with or better than the Strategy set (Appendix B)

d)    APPROVED the request for a budget adjustment for Adults Fair Cost of Care, as set out in section 3.2 of the report.

To receive Report No.118/2023 from the Leader of the Council.

Report No. 118/2023 was received from Councillor G Waller, Leader of the Council. The report sought approval to access Levelling Up Fund (LUF) capital grant monies to procure the technical design phases of Rutland’s LUF projects up to RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) stage 4.

The recommendations of Report No. 118/2023 were moved by Councillor A Johnson and seconded. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously approved.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

a)    APPROVED the commissioning of works using Levelling Up Fund (LUF) capital grant to enable delivery of Rutland’s three capital projects to RIBA Stage 3: The Medi-Tech Centre; The Mobi Hub; and the investment in cultural and visitor economy related to the Ichthyosaur and roman villa.

b)    RECOMMENDED to Council that approval be given in due course to the commissioning of works to RIBA stage 4 and beyond to procure necessary design, build and constructions partners to deliver on LUF capital projects.

c)    DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Places in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Levelling Up Grant & Economic Development to approve associated procurement and spend.

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 Chair set out that as it was expected both of the following items would require information in the exempt appendices to be discussed, the relevant Portfolio Holders would provide a brief introduction to Report Nos 115/2023 and 117/2023 before a motion to exclude the press and public was considered. Following discussions, the public session would then resume for the Cabinet’s votes on the matters.

Following introductions to the items it was moved by Councillor C Wise and seconded that the press and public be excluded, upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED

a)    That 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 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

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The meeting moved to an exempt session at 10:52 am and returned to a public session at 11:19 am.

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To receive Report No.115/2023 from the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport, and the Environment

It was moved by Councillor C Wise and seconded that the recommendations of Report No. 115/2023 be approved. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously approved.

a)    AUTHORISED the Strategic Director for Places, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport, and the Environment and Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance, to agree to fund the purchase of vehicles to provide the fleet for the contract, to be initially financed by the Contractor so that orders may be placed without delay.

b)    AUTHORISED the Strategic Director for Places, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and the Environment to agree the fleet replacement programme with the Contractor.

c)    APPROVED the required capital contribution to the Contractor for the purchase of vehicles up to £2.069m as per the financial implications in Appendix B paragraph 2.

d)    AMENDED the Treasury Management Performance Indicators as per Appendix B paragraph 3.

e)    AUTHORISED the Strategic Director of Resources in consultation with the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance to incorporate the financing of the capital contribution into the Medium-Term Financial Strategy making best use of reserves and borrowing options to mitigate risks as outlined in paragraph 8 and Appendix B.

f)     NOTED the risk to service continuity if a replacement fleet was not available by May 2024.

To receive Report No.117/2023 from the Leader of the Council.

An amendment to the recommendations was moved by Councillor G Waller and seconded to add ‘stage of’ to the third recommendation. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the amendment weas unanimously carried.

The recommendations of Report No. 117/2023, as amended, were then moved by Councillor G Waller and seconded. Upon being put to the vote, with six votes in favour the motion was unanimously carried.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

a)    NOTED the outcome of the Initial Tender Stage of the procurement for a leisure operator.

b)    AGREED to proceed to Stage 2 of the procurement of a leisure operator, and NOTED that Contract Award will be a decision for either Cabinet or Council depending on value.

c)    DELEGATED authority to the Strategic Director for Places, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance to determine the approach to energy risk to be specified in the Final stage of Tender for the operation of the site.

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

There were no items of urgent business for consideration.

Tuesday, 12 September 2023.

This was noted to be Tuesday, 12 September 2023.