Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 19 March 2015.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2015 were approved as a true and correct record and signed by the Leader.

There were no declarations of interest received.

There were no public questions submitted.

Councillors or Members of the public may present any petition which they have received. These will normally be referred to the appropriate Committee without discussion.

The following petition will be presented to the Executive:

·         Car Parking Charges at Burdwood Centre off Station Road in Thatcham (Bob Morgan)

Councillor Gordon Lundie introduced this item by explaining that as the pre-election ‘purdah’ period was ongoing, he requested that petitioners limit their presentation to the title of the petition and the number of signatories.

Councillor Mollie Lock presented a petition containing 20 signatures which asked that free transport be reintroduced to Willink School for Ufton Nervet children. The petition was referred to the Head of Education for a response.

Mr Bob Morgan presented a petition containing 161 signatures requesting that parking charges be removed at the Burdwood Centre Car Park, off Station Road in Thatcham. The petition was referred to the Head of Highways and Transport for a response.

(CSP: 4 & 6)

Purpose: To seek Executive approval for a funding proposal to replace the Council’s street lighting stock with LED lighting units.

Resolved that approval be given to the borrowing of £2.17m to supplement the £5.07m grant from the Department for Transport Challenge Fund and that authority be given for the project to proceed.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 30 April 2015, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 6) which sought approval for a funding proposal to replace the Council’s street lighting stock with LED lighting units.

By way of background, Councillor Garth Simpson explained that since 2010 the Highways and Transport street lighting team had gradually been replacing lighting units with more energy efficient LEDs using the available revenue and capital budgets. By the end of 2014/15 approximately 15% of the total stock of some 12,600 lighting units had been converted to LED. Work completed to date had been very well received by the general public and had reduced the Council’s energy consumption. 

On 9 February 2015, the Highways and Transport Service submitted a bid to the Department for Transport’s Challenge Fund for £5.07m for LED replacement. On 24 March 2015, confirmation had been received that the bid had been successful. The bid was made on the basis that 30% of the total cost would be contributed by the Council.

The proposal to use this funding would enable the replacement programme to be accelerated so that all lamps would be converted to LED within the next two financial years.

The total project cost was £7.24m, made up of the £5.07m grant and a £2.17m contribution from the Council. It was proposed that this sum would be borrowed from the Public Works Loan Board and repaid over a 25 year period.

The cost of repaying the loan would be met from savings in the existing revenue budget for street lighting energy and reduced maintenance costs. It was forecast that net savings of approximately £310,000 would be achieved by 2017/18 as a result of implementing this proposal.

Councillor Alan Macro congratulated Officers on achieving the grant funding for this proposal, which would achieve savings. He did however advise the Executive that street lights in his Ward (Theale) were being replaced with conventional lights and queried why LED lighting units were not being used. Councillor Gordon Lundie agreed that a written response would be provided to this point.

Councillor Lundie also gave his thanks to Officers and to Councillor Simpson for progressing this excellent initiative which would significantly reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.

RESOLVED that approval be granted to borrow £2.17m to supplement the £5.07m grant from the DfT Challenge Fund and authorisation be given for this project to proceed.

Reason for the decision:

(i)            To reduce energy consumption and costs

(ii)          To improve the standard of lighting

(iii)         To reduce maintenance costs

Other options considered: None

(CSP: 2, 6, 8)

Purpose: To seek Executive approval to include an additional £5.6m of highway improvement works in the Highways and Transport Capital Programme in the 2015 to 2018 financial years following the successful bid to the DfT Challenge Fund.

Resolved that the inclusion of £5.6m of highway improvement works in the Highways and Transport Capital Programme be approved as profiled in paragraph 2.6 of the report.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      a delay in implementing the decision could cause the Council serious financial implications.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 7) which sought Executive approval to include an additional £5.6m of highway improvement works in the Highways and Transport Capital Programme in the 2015 to 2018 financial years following the successful bid to the Department for Transport (DfT) Challenge Fund. 

Councillor Alan Law explained that a £10.7m bid was submitted in February 2015 for investment in the A339 from the A34 to the Hampshire boundary. Of the £10.7m, £5.1m had already been identified in the current five year Highways Capital Programme, the majority of which was funded from Section 106 contributions and the Thames Valley Local Enterprise Growth Fund. This £5.1m represented West Berkshire Council's local contribution to the project. The funding bid to the DfT Challenge Fund was for £5.6m and would address the maintenance of the carriageway and highway structures throughout the route. The DfT announced on 24 March 2015 that the Council's bid had been successful and an additional £5.6m over the next three financial years (2015 to 2018) had been awarded to the Council.

Councillor Law congratulated Officers on this successful bid from Central Government funding.

Councillor Roger Hunneman raised air quality as a concern on the A339 and sought some assurance that alongside these improvement works, efforts would be made to improve air quality. Councillor Hilary Cole responded by advising that she did not expect that this funding, achieved for highway improvement works, could be used to improve air quality, which was an area of responsibility for Environmental Health. Councillor Hunneman was hopeful that, at the very least, the level of traffic movements could be retained as much as possible whilst works were ongoing, in order to help air quality.

Councillor Alan Macro noted from the report that works would include 64,215m² of surface dressing and sought assurance that this would be suitably rolled. Mark Edwards explained that purpose built rollers would be used to undertake this work.  

RESOLVED that the inclusion of this funding in the Capital Programme be approved as profiled in paragraph 2.6 of the report.

Reason for the decision: To ensure the future structural integrity of the A339 Corridor.

Other options considered: None.

“What is the current position regarding the sale of the Pound Lane Depot site in Thatcham?”

A question standing in the name of Councillor Alan Macro querying the current position with regard to the sale of the Pound Lane Depot site in Thatcham was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Economic Development, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Pensions and Property.

“What influence will the Tilehurst Neighbourhood Plan have on the selection of housing sites for the Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD)?”

A question standing in the name of Councillor Alan Macro on the subject of the influence the Tilehurst Neighbourhood Plan would have on the selection of housing sites for the Housing Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Transport (Policy), Culture, Customer Services, Countryside, Waste, Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing.

“What plans are there to abolish payment by cash in existing Council car parks?”

A question standing in the name of Councillor Alan Macro querying what plans were in place to abolish payment by cash in existing Council car parks was answered by the Portfolio Holder for Emergency Planning, answering on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport (Operational) and Newbury Vision.

Prior to the exclusion of the press and public from the meeting, Councillor Gordon Lundie took the opportunity to thank both Executive and Shadow Executive Members for their work over the past four year term. While some Members were likely to return post the elections on 7 May 2015, Councillor Irene Neill was not standing for re-election to the Council and Councillor Pamela Bale, should she be re-elected, had indicated that she would not continue as an Executive Member. Councillor Lundie gave particular thanks to Councillor Neill for her work within Education and Children’s Services, and to Councillor Bale for her work within Highways and Emergency Planning. It was unfortunate that Councillor Bale’s recovery from a recent accident had been slower than expected.

Councillor Roger Hunneman also added particular thanks to Councillors Neill and Bale, and passed on best wishes to Councillor Bale.

RESOLVED that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the under-mentioned items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as contained in Paragraphs 3, 5 and 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation) Order 2006. Rule 8.10.4 of the Constitution also refers.

(Paragraph 3 - information relating to financial/business affairs of particular person)

(Paragraph 5 - information relating to legal privilege)

(Paragraph 6 - information relating to proposed action to be taken by the Local Authority)

(CSP:  1-3, 5, 7-8)

Purpose: To request delegated authority to enter into contract for the provision of the Health Visitor and Family Nurse Services to commence on 1 October 2015 directly to Berkshire Health Foundation Trust.

Resolved that the recommendations set out in the exempt report be approved.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 30 April 2015, then it will be implemented.

(Paragraph 3 – information relating to financial/business affairs of particular person)

(Paragraph 5 – information relating to legal privilege)

(Paragraph 6 – information relating to proposed action to be taken by the Local Authority)

The Executive considered an exempt report (Agenda Item 10) which requested delegated authority to enter into contract for the provision of the Health Visitor and Family Nurse Services, to commence on 1 October 2015, directly to Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED that the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

Reason for the decision: as set out in the exempt report.

Other options considered: as set out in the exempt report.

(Paragraph 3 - information relating to financial/business affairs of particular person)

(CSP:  2-3, 5-7)

Purpose: To inform the Council of the context of a recent tendering exercise and to seek permission to award the two year contract.

Resolved that the recommendations set out in the exempt report be approved.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      the item is deemed as an Urgent Key Decision as set out in Rule 5.4.7 of the Constitution.

·      a delay in implementing the decision could cause the Council serious financial implications or could compromise the Council's position.

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

(Paragraph 3 - information relating to financial/business affairs of particular person)

The Executive considered an exempt report (Agenda Item 11) which informed Members of the context of a recent tendering exercise and which sought permission to award the two-year contract.

RESOLVED that the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

Reason for the decision: as set out in the exempt report.

Other options considered: as set out in the exempt report.