Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th July 2023

Cabinet Agreed the minutes of the previous meeting.

Cllr Tindall Explained that they would remove the decision from item CA/65/23 and leave only the discussion as this item was deferred.

Cabinet Agreed the Minutes from the previous meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were apologies from Cllr Dhyani and Cllr England

To receive any declarations of interest

A member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered -

(i)            must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent

and, if the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest, or a personal interest which is also prejudicial

(ii)            may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter (and must withdraw to the public seating area) unless they have been granted a dispensation.

A member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Members’ Register of Interests, or is not the subject of a pending notification, must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and prejudicial interests are defined in Part 2 of the Code of Conduct for Members

[If a member is in any doubt as to whether they have an interest which should be declared they should seek the advice of the Monitoring Officer before the start of the meeting]

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest

An opportunity for members of the public to make statements and ask questions in accordance with the rules as to Public Participation.

There was no public participation.

There was no public participation.

There were no referrals to Cabinet

There were no referrals to Cabinet

There were no referrals to Cabinet.

The forward plan was noted

The forward plan was noted, with Mark Brookes explaining that there was a duplicate of the Legal Shared service in October and November, October was removed.

1.    To approve the consultation on the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme from April 2024

2.    To delegate authority to the Head of Revenues & Benefits to:

a.    consult with the major preceptors.

b.    publish a draft CTS scheme

c.   consult with residents

Decision

1.         To approve the consultation on the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme.

2.         To delegate authority to the Head of Revenues & Benefits to:

a.         consult with the major preceptors.

b.         publish a draft CTS scheme

c.         consult with residents

Corporate Priorities

Ensuring economic growth and prosperity

Ensuring efficient, effective and modern service delivery.

Statutory Officer Comments:

Monitoring Officer:

As stated in the report, Schedule 1A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 sets out the process for reviewing the Council’s Support Scheme.  The outcome of the consultation will be reported through scrutiny Cabinet and Council for final approval of the scheme in early 2024

Deputy S151 Officer:

Local Government statute sets out that, both a Local Authority’s council tax base and council tax support policy, are reviewed and approved annually. The changes proposed to the council tax support policy will have an impact on the amount of council tax collected by both Dacorum and its precepting partners.

The financial impact of these proposed changes for the council are minor, but could have a significant impact to those residents that benefit from the scheme. The financial costs of this policy change are circa £38k and will feed into the annual review of council tax base and collection that feeds into the MTFS and 2024/25 budget setting process.

Advice

Cllr Symington introduced the report as circulated with the agenda and opened to questions, of which there were none.

Recommendation agreed

1.         Cabinet agreed the annexed Civil Penalty Policy and Enforcement Policy and delegates future policy revisions and amendments to the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services.

Decision

1) That Cabinet agrees the annexed Civil Penalty Policy and Enforcement Policy and delegates future policy revisions and amendments to the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services.

Corporate Priorities

A clean, safe and enjoyable environment

Providing good quality affordable homes, in particular for those most in need

Statutory Officer Comments:

Monitoring Officer:

The proposed policies provide an effective framework to ensure consistent decision making when considering enforcement action and applying civil penalties. 

Deputy S151 Officer:

Any income received from civil penalties can be retained by the Council, provided that it is used to further the Council’s statutory functions in relation to enforcement activities covering the private rented sector.

Advice

Cllr Tindall introduced the report as circulated with the agenda.

Cllr Bromham observed that there is only 1 month given to deliver the report by the department of levelling up, seems quite a lot of expense, is there funding from the government to do that audit.

NBeresford advised there is no funding for that, it is undertaken within service budget.

Recommendation agreed

1.            Cabinet noted the financial position for 2023-24 as at Quarter 1.

Cabinet

2.            Approved the following revenue budget virement:

·                     £0.100m from the Transformation Service to the Digital service, relating to system licence costs.

3.            Approved the following capital budget virement:

·                     £0.254m from Hemel Garden Community capital projects to support specific capital works at Buncefield Lane (£0.190m) and Grand Union canal improvements (£0.064m).

4.            Approved the following supplementary capital budgets, to be funded by capital grant:

·                     £0.109m for improvement works to tennis courts across the borough.

Resolved to Recommend

5.            Recommend to Council they approve the following additional slippage on the capital programme from 2022-23 :

·                     £1.000m relating to the buy-back of Council Homes purchased under Right to Buy Purchases. 

6.            Recommend to Council they approve the following draw down from the Council’s General Fund revenue reserves:

·                     £0.057m from the Council’s Litigation reserve, to support historic pension settlement costs.

Decision

1. That Cabinet note the financial position for 2023-24 as at Quarter 1.
2. To approve the following revenue budget virement:

·         £0.100m from the Transformation Service to the Digital service, relating to system licence costs.

3. To approve the following capital budget virement:

·          £0.254m from Hemel Garden Community capital projects to support specific capital works at Buncefield Lane (£0.190m) and Grand Union canal improvements (£0.064m).

4. To approve the following supplementary capital budgets, to be funded by capital grant:

·         £0.109m for improvement works to tennis courts across the borough.

5. To recommend to Council to approve the following additional slippage on the capital programme from 2022-23 :

·         £1.000m relating to the buy-back of Council Homes purchased under Right to Buy Purchases. 

6. To recommend to Council to approve the following draw down from the Council’s General Fund revenue reserves:

·         £0.057m from the Council’s Litigation reserve, to support historic pension settlement costs.

Corporate Priorities

A clean, safe and enjoyable environment

Building strong and vibrant communities

Ensuring economic growth and prosperity

Providing good quality affordable homes, in particular for those most in need

Ensuring efficient, effective and modern service delivery

Climate and ecological emergency

Statutory Officer Comments:

Monitoring Officer:

This report forms part of the Council’s regular financial monitoring and provides members with an overview of the Council’s financial position at the close of quarter 1.  The Monitoring Officer has no further comments to add to the report.

Deputy S151 Officer:

This is a Deputy S151 Officer report

Advice

Cllr Symington introduced the report and advised that all 3 OSC have reviewed this (Housing will be meeting tomorrow but have seen the agenda). 

There were no questions.

Councillor Tindall advised he would hear the parking report before the Strategic Risk Register to allow them to go into Part 2 if required.

1.         Cabinet Noted the quarter 4 update of the Strategic Risk Register for 2022-23

Decision

1. That the quarter 4 update of the Strategic Risk Register for 2022-23 be noted.

Corporate Priorities

Ensuring efficient, effective and modern service delivery

Statutory Officer Comments:

Monitoring Officer:

No further comments to add to the report

S151 Officer:

This is a Deputy S151 Officer report.

Advice

Cllr Symington introduced the report, advising this was considered at Audit Committee in July.

Cllr Tindall invited questions, there were none.

Recommendation agreed

Report to follow

1.  Cabinet agreed to progress to informal consultation on the proposed changes to parking tariffs and charging policy as set out in the report. These include:

·                     Off-Street Parking tariff changes for 2024

·                     On-Street tariff changes for 2024 – Minimum hourly tariff for on street parking to be set at £2,

·                     Changing on-street Limited Wait Bays to chargeable spaces,

·                     Extending the current operating hours of the car parks,

·                     Introducing new longer stay off-street tariffs to support extended car park operating hours

·                     Consolidating off-street (car parks) short stay sessions to introduce a new minimum stay of 2 hours

·                     Opening up part of the upper level of the Water Gardens North car park for public use Mon – Fri.

·                     Reducing free parking sessions from 1hr to 45 minutes

·                      

2. That Cabinet agreed to progress the implementation of ‘smart’ technology as part of the re-commissioning of the parking enforcement contract

Decision

1.  Cabinet agreed to progress to informal consultation on the proposed changes to parking tariffs and charging policy as set out in the report. These include:

·                     Off-Street Parking tariff changes for 2024

·                     On-Street tariff changes for 2024 – Minimum hourly tariff for on street parking to be set at £2,

·                     Changing on-street Limited Wait Bays to chargeable spaces,

·                     Extending the current operating hours of the car parks,

·                     Introducing new longer stay off-street tariffs to support extended car park operating hours

·                     Consolidating off-street (car parks) short stay sessions to introduce a new minimum stay of 2 hours

·                     Opening up part of the upper level of the Water Gardens North car park for public use Mon – Fri.

·                     Reducing free parking sessions from 1hr to 45 minutes

·                      

2. That Cabinet agreed to progress the implementation of ‘smart’ technology as part of the re-commissioning of the parking enforcement contract

Corporate Priorities

A clean, safe and enjoyable environment

Building strong and vibrant communities

Ensuring economic growth and prosperity

Ensuring efficient, effective and modern service delivery

Climate and ecological emergency

Statutory Officer Comments:

Monitoring Officer:

The report proposes that a period of informal public consultation will take place regarding the  proposed changes to ensure that the views of affected persons are considered prior to the implementation of the new tariffs and policies. The outcome of the consultation will be further considered by Cabinet before the formal statutory consultation is commenced.

S151 Officer:

The proposed parking policy changes will provide additional income to the Council to support the commercial strategy income generation projections and in line with the approved 2022 MTFS.

Advice

Cllr Symington introduced the report, advising this report was deferred from previous Cabinet in July, to take account of feedback.  New report has now been considered at F&R OSC with no further recommendations.  Proposal to go to 4 week consultation to seek resident and business feedback and will report back to Cabinet.

There were no questions.