Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall. View directions

Contact: Stephen Boyd  01597 826374

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor MC Alexander.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 84 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 19th September 2017 as a correct record.

 

 

3.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes:

County Councillor Phyl Davies declared an interest in item 8 Taxi Metering – Review of Regulated Fares as a director of Celtic Travel who ran taxis.

4.

Waste & Recycling Logistics - Route Optimisation pdf icon PDF 115 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Phyl Davies, Portfolio Holder for Property and Waste.

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Property and Waste advised that the logistics review of services carried out by Waste and Recycling had already delivered £417k in efficiency savings, leaving £258k to find in 2017/18. He presented options to achieve further savings of £275k through route optimisation of collection rounds. The Portfolio Holder explained that this would deliver savings with minimum disruption to the public and maintain the current 5 day working pattern (3 weekly residual collections and weekly recycling collections).

 

 

RESOLVED:

Reason for Decision:

To approve Option 3 – Optimise all domestic collection routes and maintain the current 5 day working pattern (3 weekly residual collections and weekly recycling collections).

To make W&R collections more efficient which will help to achieve part of the savings proposed in the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2015-18.

 

The Leader asked for the thanks of the Cabinet to be passed on to all the staff involved in the logistics project.

5.

DRAFT Annual Performance Evaluation 2016 - 17 (One Powys Plan and Powys CC Corporate Improvement Plan) pdf icon PDF 80 KB

To consider a report by the Leader, County Councillor Rosemarie Harris.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader presented the draft Annual Performance Evaluation which set out progress made by the Council in delivering the objectives of the Corporate Improvement Plan and the One Powys Plan (2014 – 2017) commitments during its third and final year. In presenting the report the Leader drew Cabinet’s attention to the comments made by the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice Chairs, acknowledging the need to build in cost benefits analysis in future reporting. Going forward, the commitments of the One Powys Plan had been integrated into the council’s own CIP for 2017-18 and would correlate with the Cabinet’s 2025 Vision.

 

 

RESOLVED 

Reason for Decision:

To approve the DRAFTAnnual Performance Evaluation 2016 – 2017 in Appendix A to the report and recommend to County Council for approval on 19th October 2017.

To ensure the report gives a balanced and open account of the Powys Public Service Board’s performance during the 2016-17 financial year, against the commitments and measures that were set out in the One Powys Plan 2014-17.

 

To ensure the report gives an open account of the Council’s performance against its CIP objectives.

 

To ensure the Council meets its statutory obligations as outlined in the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 and Shared Purpose – Shared Delivery guidance.

 

 

 

6.

Financial Overview and Forecast as at 31st August 2017 pdf icon PDF 166 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance.

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder for Finance reported a deteriorating financial position particularly in the People Directorate which, if not addressed, would seriously impact on reserves. Cabinet noted that People Directorate dealt with the most vulnerable people and had to deliver safe services whilst coping with an increase in demand. The Strategic Director – Resource confirmed that a budget recovery plan was being worked on and he advised that there may be a case to call on the budget management reserve and the social care reserve before the end of the financial year. The Portfolio Holder for Adult Services asked for Management Team to take a view on whether the saving on reablement would have to be delivered in one year or spread over a number of years.  

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision

1.    The contents of the report are noted by Cabinet;

2.    Cabinet supports appropriate action by services to curtail or reduce the reported forecasted service deficits

3.    That a budget recovery plan is prepared for consideration by the Cabinet at the next meeting on 7th November.

To monitor the council’s financial performance and ensure that spending remains within approved limits and that the 3% minimum general fund reserve is maintained.

 

 

7.

Capital Programme Update for August 2017 pdf icon PDF 95 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Aled Davies, Portfolio Holder for Finance.

Minutes:

Cabinet received and considered the updated Capital report.

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

1.    The contents of this report are noted by Cabinet;  and

2.       The Capital virement set out in Section 3 of the report in respect of Crickhowell High school be submitted to Council for approval.

To outline the capital budget position as at 31st August. To ensure appropriate virements are carried out.

 

 

8.

Taxi Metering - Review of Regulated Fares pdf icon PDF 93 KB

To consider a report by County Councillor Jonathan Wilkinson, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Countryside Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

County Councillor Phyl Davies declared a pecuniary interest in this item and left the meeting while it was being considered,

 

Cabinet considered revised hackney carriage tariffs. An initial online survey of licensed drivers showed support for revising tariffs which had remained unchanged since 2011. 

 

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

(i) That the table of hackney carriage fares set out at Annex B is approved for consultation and will be published in relevant local newspapers to enable a fourteen day period for objections to be received.

To commence public consultation on a 2017 table of fares for hackney carriages licensed by Powys County Council.

(ii) In the event that objections are raised in the consultation period a further report be  brought to Cabinet for consideration  

 

(iii) In the event no objections are raised in the consultation period the table of fares set out at Annex B of the report shall take effect in Powys from the date that the new fares are communicated in writing to the trade after the close of the consultation.

To ensure a current set of fares are agreed at a level with which the trade and public are satisfied.

 

County Councillor Phyl Davies returned to the meeting.

9.

Correspondence

9.a

Appointment to the River Wye Special Area of Conservation Nutrient Management Plan Board pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a request to appoint a member to the River Wye Special Area of Conservation Nutrient Management Plan Board.

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Phyl Davies be appointed.

 

9.b

To consider such other items of correspondence as in the opinion of the Leader are of such urgency as to warrant consideration.

10.

Delegated Decisions Taken Since the Last Meeting pdf icon PDF 39 KB

To note the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting.

Minutes:

Cabinet received details of delegated decisions taken by Portfolio Holders since the last meeting.

11.

Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 86 KB

To consider the Cabinet forward work programme.

Minutes:

Cabinet received the forward work programme.

12.

Exempt Items

The Monitoring Officer has determined that categories 3 & 5 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following items. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to:

 

(i)   information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

(ii) Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

 

 

These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under categories 3 and 5 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).

 

13.

Additional MTFS Savings Required - Staylittle Outdoor Centre & Llanfair Caereinion Leisure Centre

To consider a report by County Councillor Rachel Powell, Portfolio Holder for Leisure.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Leisure.

 

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

 

To approve the recommendations in the report.

 

This option will realise the necessary savings required and will also enable the new Cabinet to consider alternative uses and opportunities for the buildings.

 

Most financially viable option for the Council.

 

14.

Powys County Council Care Homes

To consider a report by County Councillor Stephen Hayes, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder Adult Services set out the Council’s options following BUPA’s announcement of its intention to sell the Council owned residential care home contracts they held to HC-One. Cabinet noted the legal advice received and questioned officers on the due diligence work being undertaken and the steps being taken to ensure a smooth transition. Cabinet also noted the comments of the Chair of Scrutiny Committee A and of County Councillor Gibson-Watt who had led the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Group.

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

To approve the recommendations in the report save that Recommendation 2 was amended to add the Leader as a decision maker and the Chief Executive as a consultee.

1.    To ensure that HC-One are a suitable contractor.

2.    To secure continuity of a safe, reliable service within existing budgets.