Agenda and decisions

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 7 November 2024.

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by members of the public in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

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.

Purpose: to present the forecasted outturn position for financial year 2024/25 against the approved capital programme and financing implications for financial year 2025/26.       

Resolved that: Executive notes

·         The forecast outturn position of planned expenditure of £60.1 million against the annual budget of £64.9m, creating a forecast £4.8 million underspend.

Executive approves:

·         The proposed reprofiling of planned expenditure from 2024/25 into 2025/26 of £8.1 million, detailed by service in appendix B.

·         The proposed transfer of council funded expenditure budget totalling £0.47 million from 2025/26 into 2024/25 for support of the Playing Pitch action plan.

·         £2.9 million of external funding relating to the Superfast Broad Band project is allocated and the planned project expenditure is funded accordingly. 

Purpose: to report on the financial performance of the Council’s revenue budgets, as at Quarter Two for the 2024/25 financial year. The report highlights the financial position at each quarter of the financial year and impact on the Council’s General Fund position.

Resolved that: Executive notes

·       The Quarter Two budget manager forecast of £11.1m overspend (Q1 £9.3m) against a net revenue budget of £164.6 million.

·       The actions to reduce the overspend totalling £5m and Service Action Plans containing further mitigations and transformation of £4m, which if achieved would reduce the forecast overspend to £2.1m (Q1 £2.1m) and result in a General Fund balance of £3.9m.

·       The key areas of pressure relating to demand led services driving the forecast overspend position detailed in section 5.5 of this report.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: to provide details of forthcoming supply, service and works contract awards that will have a contract value in excess of £2.5m and as such will require approval from Executive during the next quarter.  The report provides Executive with visibility of all high value contracting activity and the opportunity to request further information regarding the contract identified.

Executive delegate authority to an individual (Service Director) to proceed with the award of the contract in table 4.5 in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, following the completion of the appropriate procurement process and Procurement Board approval of a Contract Award report.           

Resolved that: Executive

·         delegate authority to the relevant Service Director in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, s.151 officer and Monitoring Officer to proceed with award of the forthcoming contract that has been identified in this report for award approval during the next quarter of the financial year.

·         delegate authority to the Service Director and Democratic in consultation with the relevant Monitoring Officer to finalise the terms of any agreement as set out in the procurement documents and make any necessary drafting or other amendments (such amendments not to be substantial or material) to the terms of the agreement necessary to produce a final agreement for execution and to enter into that agreement.

Purpose: the annual report of the West Berkshire Corporate Parenting Panel, details the Panel's activities during the 2023–24 period and outlines developments planned for the coming year.

The report provides corporate parents with an overview of the panel's work, the council’s commitments to children in care and care leavers, and to ensure corporate parenting duties are fulfilled.

Resolved that: this annual report is noted, and that this supports further awareness raising around corporate parenting duties.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the report presents the work of the service more broadly, raising awareness about the support provided to Care Leavers and fulfilling our corporate parenting responsibilities.

The report is intended to give all corporate parents insight into the council's commitments to children in care and Care Leavers, ensuring corporate parenting duties are fully met.

Resolved that: the annual report is noted, supporting greater awareness of our work with Care Leavers. 

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the report provides an annual update of the West Berkshire Early Response Hub, detailing activities during the period April 2023–March 24.

The purpose of the report is to provide Executive Board with an overview of the Early Response Hubs wide and varied work, bringing earlier help and support to children in need across West Berkshire.

Resolved that the annual report is noted, supporting greater awareness of our work with Care Leavers

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: to seek approval for the disposal of the Council owned investment property, Units 1 and 2 Cleveland Gate Retail Park, Guisborough, TS14 7FE in accordance with the Property Investment Strategy and to seek delegated authority to consider and accept any offers received in compliance with the Council’s S123 LGA best consideration duty and to negotiate, agree and enter into the relevant documents necessary to complete the disposal of the property.

Resolved that: Executive delegate authority to:

·       the Service Director – Finance, Property & Procurement in consultation with Executive Member for Finance & resources (Risk Management & Procurement) and the Service Director for Strategy & Governance to consider, review and accept any appropriate offer made in accordance with this report and in the parameters of the information contained in the Part II appendix to this report and;

·       the Service Director (Strategy & Governance) having consulted with the Service Director  (Finance, Property & Procurement) to enter into the relevant sale documentation in accordance with agreed sales heads of terms for the disposal of: Units 1 and 2 Cleveland Gate Retail Park, Guisborough TS14 7FE.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

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

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the report presents the Council’s Risk Management Strategy for the future. It is important that the Council has an overarching strategy for how it manages risk; risk can never be eradicated, but it is important that the Council is clear on how it proposes to manage different risks. This report proposes a changed risk management matrix to a ‘5x5’ matrix as well as a new Risk Appetite.

Resolved that: the Executive approve the Risk Management Strategy.

Purpose: to provide assurance that the priority areas in the Council Strategy 2023-2027 are being managed effectively, and where performance has fallen below the expected level, present information on the remedial action taken and the impact of that action.

Resolved that: Executive

·         Note the progress made in delivering the Council Strategy Delivery Plan 2023-2027 priorities scheduled for this financial year.

·         Review those areas where performance is below target i.e., reporting as ‘Red’ or ‘Amber, and note that the appropriate remedial action is in place.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·         Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Members of the Executive to answer questions submitted by Councillors in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules contained in the Council’s Constitution.

RECOMMENDATION: That members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information of the description contained in the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 specified in brackets in the heading of each item. Section 10 of Part 10 of the Constitution refers.

(Paragraph 3 – information relating to proposed action to be taken by the Local Authority)

Purpose:  to provide an update to the contract included and referenced in the above report, including on this meeting agenda.

Resolved that: the recommendations within the exempt report be approved.

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

Purpose: to seek approval for the disposal of the Council owned investment property, Units 1 and 2 Cleveland Gate Retail Park, Guisborough, TS14 7FE in accordance with the Property Investment Strategy and to seek delegated authority to consider and accept any offers received in compliance with the Council’s S123 LGA best consideration duty and to negotiate, agree and enter into the relevant documents necessary to complete the disposal of the property.

Resolved that: the recommendations within the exempt report be approved.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

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

therefore it will be implemented immediately