Agenda and decisions

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 14 March 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 propose a new approach for managing regeneration of the Council-owned Bond Riverside estate, by closing-down the existing programme dating from June 2022 and bringing the regeneration of sites on the Bond Riverside estate which are under Council control within the management of the wider Newbury Town Centre Masterplan programme.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Close-down the existing Bond Riverside Programme.

·       Merge elements of the Bond Riverside programme with the Newbury Town Centre Masterplan programme, as detailed in section 6: Proposals.

·       Note establishment of a Newbury Project Board to provide oversight of the town centres programme including Bond Riverside sites, which will then report into the Prosperous West Berkshire Priority Delivery Board for oversight.

·       Withdraw the Council’s Reg 19 representations as landowner to the Local Plan Review, which had sought to extend the LRIE Designated Employment Zone to include Faraday Road football ground; now that the site will no longer be redeveloped for commercial use.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 3 June 2024, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to publish the results of the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge for West Berkshire Council and inform that an Action Plan to address the recommendations will be presented to the next meeting of the Executive.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Note the Corporate Peer Challenge report produced by the LGA.

·       Note that an Action Plan will be presented to the next meeting of the Executive.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·     Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Purpose: the Council commissioned a review into the CIL Customer Journey which was undertaken by the Planning Officers Society (POS) and this identified a number of opportunities to improve the CIL process in West Berkshire.  There are a number of priority recommendations included in the POS report and this report proposes the adoption of a CIL Enforcement Policy - Householder Applications, which will be applied with immediate effect.

It also proposes a process by which the Council will undertake a discretionary review of CIL payments for Housholder applications previously made against the new CIL Enforcement Policy - Householder Applications. 

Resolved that: Executive

·       Adopt the CIL Enforcement Policy – Householder Applications (Appendix 2) which will apply with immediate effect to future householder cases and any current householder cases awaiting a decision on exemption.

·       Approve the Discretionary CIL Householder Review Scheme at Appendix 3.

·       Delegate to the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Leader or Deputy Leader delegated authority to consider requests received between 1^st June 2024 and the 31^st May 2025, that the Council undertake a discretionary review of CIL liabilities that have previously been paid by householders.  Where appropriate having regard to the CIL Enforcement Policy – Householder Applications, the Executive Director, Place may agree to cancel CIL Liability Notices and refund CIL payments made.

·       Delegate to a Member Panel comprised of three Members of the Administration (including at least two Members of the Executive), to determine In-Person Reviews of a discretionary review of CIL Liabilities, where a householder is not satisfied with the outcome of the initial discretionary CIL review.  Where appropriate having regard to the CIL Enforcement Policy – Householder Applications, the Member Panel may agree to cancel CIL Liability Notices and refund CIL payments made.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 31 May 2024, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to provide an overview and update in relation to the Armed Forces Act 2021 and specifically request that West Berkshire Council sign the Armed Forces Covenant and form an Armed Forces Task and Finish group to ensure ongoing compliance and appropriate support to the military ‘family’ in the community.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Note this report and the ambition of this Council in relation to the planned actions relating to the Armed Forces Covenant and compliance with the Armed Forces Act 2021.

·       Approve the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant. 

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 31 May 2024, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to request approval of funds that will be matched by Greenham Trust to set up a new fund to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and adults across West Berkshire. The fund ‘Lets Get Mindful’ will support projects that help reduce anxiety and improve mental health and wellbeing of adults, children and young people, aiming to reduce inequalities and improve educational attainment and school readiness.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Executive to agree for officers to work in partnership with Greenham Trust to set up ‘Lets Get Mindful’ to launch in Spring 2024 in line with the commitment in the Council Strategy delivery plan. The aim will be to enable voluntary and community sector organisations to apply for funding to set up new projects or contribute to existing projects to improve the mental health and wellbeing of adults, children and young people across West Berkshire.

·       Executive to approve funds from the public health and wellbeing ring-fenced grant that will be matched by Greenham Trust to create total fund of £100,000.

·       Executive to note action 2023 in the Council Strategy Delivery Plan, 2023-27, “Set up a new fund in partnership with Greenham Trust for mental health support initiatives”. This is one of the actions that aims to deliver on priority area 5, goal 5.B. “Help our residents lead fulfilled and active lives”. The fund will also help to achieve priority area 2, 2.A. “Prioritise support for those who need it most” and 2.2. “Vulnerable children and families supported at early stages to prevent the need for more critical or statutory social services”.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 31 May 2024, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to request that the Executive adopt the proposal that being a ‘care experienced’ person will be viewed as a protected characteristic by West Berkshire Council and afforded the same protections and rights as other groups who are considered to have a protected characteristic in the Equalities Act 2010.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Adopt the motion agreed at Full Council on 26^th March 2024 (Attachment 1) that enshrines the term ‘care experienced’ as a protected characteristic.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 31 May 2024, then it will be implemented.

Purpose: to provide feedback on the statutory consultation in relation to the hackney carriage table of fares.

Resolved that: Executive

·       Note the objections, supporting statements and comments received during the statutory consultation.

·       Resolve not to modify the existing tariffs from the rates agreed in 2023.

·       Resolve to modify the maximum fouling charges to those set out in paragraph 5.21.

·       Resolve that the effective date of implementation be the 27^th May 2024.

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.

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 financial/business affairs of a particular person)

Purpose: to obtain Executive approval to take action to ensure the delivery of the redevelopment project of Northcroft Leisure Centre.

Resolved that: Executive approve the recommendations in the exempt report.

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.