Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Helen Howell and Councillor Steven North.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2021 were approved as a correct record.

It was noted that there had been no requests to address the meeting.

The Chair invited those who wished to do so to declare interests in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations were made.

To set out an indicative process and timeline for the development and adoption of a Corporate Plan for North Northamptonshire Council.

(KEY DECISION)

a)    That the purpose, importance and potential contents of the Corporate Plan be noted.

b)    That the indicative process and timetable set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(Reason for Decision:

To enable the timely development and adoption of a Corporate Plan for North Northamptonshire Council.)

Councillor Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council, introduced a report of the Assistant Chief Executive which set out an indicative process and timeline for the development and adoption of a Corporate Plan for North Northamptonshire Council.

A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 5’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

It was noted that in bringing forward this report, a period of meaningful consultation would now take place. The Executive highlighted that dialogue would not just be part of the consultation phase, but meaningful consultation with councillors and partners would continue through the life of the plan.

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

a)    That the purpose, importance and potential contents of the Corporate Plan be noted.

b)    That the indicative process and timetable set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(Reason for Decision:

To enable the timely development and adoption of a Corporate Plan for North Northamptonshire Council.)

To set out the material financial issues identified since the 2021/22 budget was set in February 2021.

(KEY DECISION)

a)    That the Council’s forecast outturn position for 2021/22 and the associated risks and considerations be noted;

b)    That it be noted and approved into the budget the final allocation of Public Health Grant for 2021/22 of £17.6m which was notified to the Council on 16 March 2021 and after the budget was set.

c)    That the current deliverability assessment of 2021/22 saving proposals in Appendix A be noted;

d)    That the transfer of the forecast overachievement of Business Rates against budget to the business rates reserve as referenced in paragraph 7.3 be approved;

e)    That it be noted that the Covid Local Support Grant arrangements have now been extended by the Government to cover the period up to 30th September and approve that the final determination of the grant allocation for the voucher scheme is delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and Education in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services with any grant funding not required to support the voucher scheme to be used to support individuals and families in line with the requirements of the grant being delegated to the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Director of Place and Economy to be used as part of the provision for Emergency Planning.

f)     That a virement of £50k be approved from contingency to the Place and Economy Directorate in relation to Highways as set out in paragraph 7.49;

g)    That approval be given to a virement of £400k from contingency to enabling and support services to allow budget realignment within overall available resources, as set out in paragraph 7.56 of the report.

(Reason for Decision – to note the forecast financial position for 2021/22 as at Period 2 and consider the impact on this year and future years budgets.)

Councillor Lloyd Bunday, Executive Member for Finance and Transformation, introduced a report of the Executive Director of Finance which set out the forecast outturn position for the Council based on the Period 2 monitoring forecasts for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account.

A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 6’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

It was noted that:-

i)             the report was an early assessment of the Council’s financial performance against the approved 2021/22 budget;

ii)            it should be recognised that the forecast outturn position was based on very early indications of spend and that further work was being undertaken to assist in understanding the longer-term spend implications as part of the medium-term financial planning;

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

a)    That the Council’s forecast outturn position for 2021/22 and the associated risks and considerations be noted;

b)    That it be noted and approved into the budget the final allocation of Public Health Grant for 2021/22 of £17.6m which was notified to the Council on 16 March 2021 and after the budget was set.

c)    That the current deliverability assessment of 2021/22 saving proposals in Appendix A be noted;

d)    That the transfer of the forecast overachievement of Business Rates against budget to the business rates reserve as referenced in paragraph 7.3 be approved;

e)    That it be noted that the Covid Local Support Grant arrangements have now been extended by the Government to cover the period up to 30th September and approve that the final determination of the grant allocation for the voucher scheme is delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and Education in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services with any grant funding not required to support the voucher scheme to be used to support individuals and families in line with the requirements of the grant being delegated to the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Director of Place and Economy to be used as part of the provision for Emergency Planning.

f)     That a virement of £50k be approved from contingency to the Place and Economy Directorate in relation to Highways as set out in paragraph 7.49;

g)    That approval be given to a virement of £400k from contingency to enabling and support services to allow budget realignment within overall available resources, as set out in paragraph 7.56 of the report.

(Reason for Decision – to note the forecast financial position for 2021/22 as at Period 2 and consider the impact on this year and future years budgets.)

To request approval for capital schemes that have come forward for inclusion in the Council’s Capital Programme. 

(KEY DECISION)

That approval be given to the following changes into the capital programme totalling £2.877m:-

a)    East Kettering (Hanwood Park) Off-site Junctions (Junctions D and E) £2.843m funded from Section 106 (S106) contributions; and

b)    Xpress Merge electoral register scheme £34k funded from capital receipts.

c)     

(Reasons for Decision:

·         The local authority has a legal obligation to deliver S106 related works in accordance with the signed S106 agreement;

·         The recommended course of action will allow the timely progression of capital works;

·         The recommended course of action will enable one electoral register for North Northamptonshire. This is a directive from the Cabinet Office.

Councillor Lloyd Bunday, Executive Member for Finance and Transformation, introduced a report of the Executive Director of Finance, the purpose of which was to request approval for capital schemes that had come forward for inclusion in the Council’s Capital Programme. 

A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 7’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

It was noted that approval of the funding would allow the two schemes detailed in the report to move forward to procurement and delivery.

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

That approval be given to the following changes into the capital programme totalling £2.877m:-

a)    East Kettering (Hanwood Park) Off-site Junctions (Junctions D and E) £2.843m funded from Section 106 (S106) contributions; and

b)    Xpress Merge electoral register scheme £34k funded from capital receipts.

(Reasons for Decision:

·         The local authority has a legal obligation to deliver S106 related works in accordance with the signed S106 agreement;

·         The recommended course of action will allow the timely progression of capital works;

·         The recommended course of action will enable one electoral register for North Northamptonshire. This is a directive from the Cabinet Office.

To inform of the section 106 funded schemes designed to mitigate consented development at Hanwood Park (east of Kettering) and to seek approval for its commitment to the capital programme.

(KEY DECISION)

That approval be given to the S106 funding to be utilised to deliver the scheme, as outlined in section 6.1.1 of the report, and for the scheme to be placed on the North Northamptonshire Council’s Capital programme.

(Reason for Decision:

The schemes have been identified as being required mitigation for the consented development at Hanwood Park which has been  the subject of previous planning committee approval. The schemes are funded wholly by the developers S106 contributions with no capital requirements on the part of the Authority.)

Councillor Graham Lawman introduced on behalf of Councillor Steven North – Executive Member for Growth and Regeneration,  a report of the Executive Director of Place and Economy, the purpose of which was to seek approval for Section 106 funded schemes, designed to mitigate consented development at Hanwood Park (East of Kettering), to be committed to the capital programme as required to proceed with construction.

A copy of the report, marked ‘Agenda Item 8’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

It was noted that improvements detailed in the report were being paid for by the S106 funds which had been received from the developer. Consultation had also been undertaken with Wicksteed Park and in order to mitigate against the loss of trees due to the works to be undertaken.

Councillor Edwards noted, as a local ward member to the development, that both junctions were currently oversubscribed in terms of traffic and that he welcomed both the proposed schemes, and the constructive way in which the Council had worked with Wicksteed Park in preparing them.

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

That approval be given to the S106 funding to be utilised to deliver the scheme, as outlined in section 6.1.1 of the report, and for the scheme to be placed on the North Northamptonshire Council’s Capital programme.

(Reason for Decision:

The schemes have been identified as being required mitigation for the consented development at Hanwood Park which has been  the subject of previous planning committee approval. The schemes are funded wholly by the developers S106 contributions with no capital requirements on the part of the Authority.)

It was reported that there were no urgent items of business to be transacted.

The Chair, Councillor Jason Smithers, informed members of the press and public that the remaining business for the meeting would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information and he was therefore proposing that the press and public now be excluded in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting in order that consideration could be given to the following item of business which was exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:-

·         Highways Procurement; and

·         Lease Renewal – Corby Innovation Hub Offices

(KEY DECISION)

a)     That the continued progress to procure new arrangements for highways and transport services be noted;

b)     That authority be delegated to the Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and the Executive Director for Place and Economy and the Monitoring Officer to take decisions related to the procurement process in order to enable progress as outlined in this report; and

c)      That extension of the current hosting of highways and transport services by West Northamptonshire Council until the new contracts are in place be approved.

(Reasons for Decision:

·           The Council has a statutory duty to provide highways services as set out in the Highways Act 1980, which are met by the hosting arrangement with West Northamptonshire Council that are currently due to end on 31 March 2022;

·           The Council must provide these services and the Council is procuring a new contract in order to do so in the future;

·           Due to extending the procurement process to enable the consideration of a variant, collaborative bid, the existing arrangements must be renewed to ensure continued delivery;

·           The delegations requested will enable the procurement process to proceed with appropriate governance and so that the procurement process can progress in a timely manner.)

Councillor Graham Lawman, Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets, introduced a report of the Executive Director of Place and Economy, which provided an update on the project to procure a new highways contract for North Northamptonshire Council. 

A copy of the exempt report, marked ‘Agenda Item 10a’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

a)     That the continued progress to procure new arrangements for highways and transport services be noted;

b)     That authority be delegated to the Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance and the Executive Director for Place and Economy and the Monitoring Officer to take decisions related to the procurement process in order to enable progress as outlined in this report; and

c)      That extension of the current hosting of highways and transport services by West Northamptonshire Council until the new contracts are in place be approved.

(Reasons for Decision:

·           The Council has a statutory duty to provide highways services as set out in the Highways Act 1980, which are met by the hosting arrangement with West Northamptonshire Council that are currently due to end on 31 March 2022;

·           The Council must provide these services and the Council is procuring a new contract in order to do so in the future;

·           Due to extending the procurement process to enable the consideration of a variant, collaborative bid, the existing arrangements must be renewed to ensure continued delivery;

·           The delegations requested will enable the procurement process to proceed with appropriate governance and so that the procurement process can progress in a timely manner.)

(KEY DECISION)

That the occupier be granted a lease of Office 1, Office 12, and Office 4 on terms outlined in Appendix 1 to the report.         

(Reason for Decision: The option proposed is the most cost-effective option available to the council, securing annual income, and supporting the local economy.)

Councillor Graham Lawman, Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets, introduced a report of the Executive Director of Place and Economy, which requested the consideration of granting a lease of certain offices at the Corby Innovation Hub, Corby at a market rent.

A copy of the exempt report, marked ‘Agenda Item 10b’, was provided as part of the agenda document pack provided to members prior to the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(KEY DECISION)

That the occupier be granted a lease of Office 1, Office 12, and Office 4 on terms outlined in Appendix 1 to the report.         

(Reason for Decision: The option proposed is the most cost-effective option available to the council, securing annual income, and supporting the local economy.)