Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 24^th May 2018

(Note: If any Member wishes to propose an amendment to the minutes they should submit this in writing to committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk at least 24 hours before the meeting.  Where applicable, the audio recording of the meeting will be checked to ensure the accuracy of the proposed amendment.)

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 24^th May 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Cabinet

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements from the Leader, Cabinet Members or the Chief Executive

The Cabinet Member for Waste, Recycling and Cleansing advised Cabinet of a letter he had received from a member of the public complimenting the Council on the new bin collection service, with particular reference to bins only needing to be put out on one day a week.

To receive questions from and provide answers to the public in relation to matters which in the opinion of the person presiding at the meeting are relevant to the business of the meeting

No questions had been received.

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the content of the consultation responses submitted to the Council be noted.

(ii)           That the comments of the Policy Development Advisory Group and consequent amendment of the Design Statement be noted.

(iii)          That the Heath Common Design Statement be approved and adopted, as submitted, as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to supplement the Development Plan and to replace the Heath Common Village Design Statement SPG 1999.

(iv)          That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes to the SPD.

REASONS

(i)            To take account of all consultation responses made in relation to the draft Heath Common Design Statement SPD.

(ii)           To enable the amended Heath Common Design Statement SPD, which takes into account the representations submitted, to be adopted as planning guidance to be used as a material consideration in the determination of relevant planning applications.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Development reported that the existing Heath Common Village Design Statement, which had been adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance by the Council in 1999, had limited planning weight as it referred to out of date planning documents and pre-dated the National Planning Policy Framework.  Residents of Heath Common had therefore updated the Design Statement, in consultation with the Council, with a view to its adoption as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The draft Heath Common Design Statement SPD was then published for a four week consultation in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.  The document was subsequently amended taking into account the representations submitted.

The Design Statement would provide officers and stakeholders with further information and guidance in relation to policies in the Horsham District Planning Framework and the emerging Storrington, Sullington & Washington Neighbourhood Plan.

The Cabinet Member therefore proposed that the updated Design Statement be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.  If adopted, the document would be used by the Council to aid the determination of planning applications.

The Planning and Development Policy Development Advisory Group supported the proposal and had suggested the inclusion of text in the design statement to address its planning status, which had now been added.

Members discussed the process and value of ‘local listing’ for properties of special architectural interest or character which did not meet the criteria for listing by English Heritage.  It was suggested that some expansion of local listing might be an appropriate project for the Year of Culture and the Cabinet Member agreed to investigate the potential for this.

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the content of the consultation responses submitted to the Council be noted.

(ii)           That the comments of the Policy Development Advisory Group and consequent amendment of the Design Statement be noted.

(iii)          That the Heath Common Design Statement be approved and adopted, as submitted, as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to supplement the Development Plan and to replace the Heath Common Village Design Statement SPG 1999.

(iv)          That the Cabinet Member for Planning and Development be authorised to agree minor editorial changes to the SPD.

REASONS

(i)            To take account of all consultation responses made in relation to the draft Heath Common Design Statement SPD.

(ii)           To enable the amended Heath Common Design Statement SPD, which takes into account the representations submitted, to be adopted as planning guidance to be used as a material consideration in the determination of relevant planning applications.

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the transfer of £500,000 from the General Fund reserve to an earmarked transformation reserve be approved.

(ii)           That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to use the transformation fund as appropriate.

REASON

To top up the earmarked transformation reserve for projects that will help transform the Council in the future.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets reported that the Council had delivered a £621,000 revenue surplus in 2017/18 after allowing for budgets that would be carried over to 2018/19 to cover essential expenditure which had been unavoidably delayed.

The Council was currently forecasting small surplus budgets in 2018/19 and 2019/20.  This relied on the implementation of a range of actions to help deliver further income generation and efficiency measures, which required further investment in transformational projects.  Budget deficits were forecast in the 2020s.

It was therefore proposed that £500,000 should be transferred from the General Fund reserve to the earmarked transformation reserve to help with transformation projects in the future.  Effectively, this would be funded from the 2017/18 budget surplus.

The Finance and Assets Policy Development Advisory Group had been consulted and supported the proposal.

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the transfer of £500,000 from the General Fund reserve to an earmarked transformation reserve be approved.

(ii)           That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to use the transformation fund as appropriate.

REASON

To top up the earmarked transformation reserve for projects that will help transform the Council in the future.

To consider any matters referred to Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee – there are no matters outstanding

There were no matters currently outstanding for consideration.

To note the Forward Plan

The Forward Plan was noted.

There were no matters of special urgency to be considered.

            RESOLVED

That, under Regulation 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements)(Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 by virtue of paragraph 3 and, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

(Exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the whole project for exterior maintenance works at The Forum be approved in the sum of £543,000.

(ii)           That the sum of £160,000 of advance funding to the residential service charge reserve fund for The Forum be included in the 2019/20 budget to enable the works to be carried out in the Spring of 2019, to be recovered/funded as reported.

(iii)          That the Chief Executive be authorised to accept the tender and enter into a contract for the works, subject to the whole project expenditure being no more than £543,000.

REASONS

(i)            To enable essential maintenance works to the Forum to be undertaken.

(ii)           To avoid delaying the works and to meet the Council’s lease obligations.

(iii)          To allow residents to spread the burden of the cost of the works over three financial years.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Assets submitted a report seeking approval for advance funding of The Forum residential service charge account in order that repair works to the exterior of the premises could be progressed in Spring 2019.  Details of the split of the cost of the works between retail, residential and the car park were submitted together with information on how the expenditure would be recovered/ funded.

The Finance and Assets Policy Development Advisory Group had been consulted and supported the proposal.

            RESOLVED

(i)            That the whole project for exterior maintenance works at The Forum be approved in the sum of £543,000.

(ii)           That the sum of £160,000 of advance funding to the residential service charge reserve fund for The Forum be included in the 2019/20 budget to enable the works to be carried out in the Spring of 2019, to be recovered/funded as reported.

(iii)          That the Chief Executive be authorised to accept the tender and enter into a contract for the works, subject to the whole project expenditure being no more than £543,000.

REASONS

(i)            To enable essential maintenance works to the Forum to be undertaken.

(ii)           To avoid delaying the works and to meet the Council’s lease obligations.

(iii)          To allow residents to spread the burden of the cost of the works over three financial years.