Agenda item

To receive the recommendations from the meeting of Cabinet held on 26 November 2020 and, if approved, to adopt the recommendations therein:

Update on the Council’s financial position (report of the Cabinet Member for Finance & Assets is online at:  Agenda Item 6 )

Horsham’s First Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) (report of the Cabinet Member for Horsham Town is online at:  Agenda Item 8)

Approval of amendment to Business Cases for Horsham District Homes for affordable homes in Billingshurst (report of the Cabinet Member for Community Matters & Wellbeing (Agenda Item 14) is exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information))

Update on the Council’s Financial Position

Councillor Ray Dawe, Leader of the Council, presented the report on the Council’s current and future financial position.  He advised that, because of the degree of uncertainty caused by the pandemic and Brexit it was impossible to prepare a full Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) at this stage, and when it is produced in January or February 2021 there would be a degree of uncertainty.  

The overspend of £5m this Financial Year, as set out in the report, had risen to £5.4m due to the November lockdown and it was recognised that substantial action was still required to achieve a balanced budget in 2021/22.  He outlined the recommendations from the Cabinet meeting on 26 November relating to the pricing structure for Southwater County Park, and the proposed capital budget for bin-weighing software to make trade waste collections more efficient. 

RESOLVED

i)     That the new pricing structure at Southwater County Park car park as set out in Appendix A of the Cabinet report be approved.

ii)    That the transfer of the budget and associated operational responsibilities for the Southwater Country Park car park to Parking Services for 2021/22 be approved.

iii)    That a £89k capital budget in 2020/21 for business waste bin weighing technology and equipment be approved.

    REASON

i)     The Council needs to acknowledge the highly unpredictable nature of the national and local situation occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge impact this is having on its financial position both in the short and longer term. This has moved the Council from what has been a long term healthy financial position to one with predicted large deficits unless action is taken.

ii)    To standardise parking hours across the year and help manage demand for car parking at Southwater Country Park during busy periods.

iii)    To streamline internal reporting processes and have all parking related services within the Parking service budgets.

iv)   The bin weighing technology and equipment will help the business waste service more accurately and efficiently manage the service by identifying trends and overladen bins, ensuring the Council is not subsidising customer disposal costs.

Horsham’s First Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)

Councillor Peter Burgess presented the recommendation from Cabinet to adopt the proposed LCWIP. West Sussex County Council had approached local authorities with a view to creating LCWIPs for major towns in West Sussex and the adoption of Horsham’s LCWIP would feed into a cycling and walking network for the county. 

The plan focused on cycling and walking corridors within Horsham town, or into town from surrounding settlements, that were the result of evidence based research and consultation. Councillor Burgess confirmed that local authorities with LCWIPs would be better placed to secure future funding.  Councillor Liz Kitchen seconded the motion.

Councillor Ruth Fletcher stated that in the light of the level of competition for funding, a more detailed priority list of routes was required to be able to take advantage of funding opportunities. She therefore moved an amendment to the recommendation by way of the addition of the following recommendation, the wording of which was agreed after further debate:  

iv)   To develop a prioritised programme of practical schemes and a network plan to match potential funding opportunities and start implementation of the LCWIP. 

Councillor John Milne seconded the motion.  On being put, the amendment was declared lost. 

Following further debate, the substantive motion was put and declared carried. 

RESOLVED

ii)    That the content of the Summary of Stakeholders and Public Consultation document, October 2020 be noted.

ii)    To delegate authority for any minor editorial amendments to the Cabinet Member for Horsham Town.

REASON

i)     The LCWIP is a key tool in helping to deliver local improvements to increase both cycling and walking in the District and puts the Council in a strong position when bidding for cycling and walking improvement grants for the Government;

ii)    The Summary of Stakeholders and Public Consultation is an important background document in setting out the proposed response to the comments received;

iii)    To allow minor changes only. Any substantive change would need to be agreed by all Members.

Approval of amendment to Business Cases for Horsham District Homes for Affordable Homes in Billingshurst

The Cabinet Member for Community Matters & Wellbeing outlined the reasons why the business cases for three affordable homes in Billingshurst, which had been approved by Council in December 2019, needed to be revised.  These included measures to achieve high standards of sustainability and unforeseen works caused by poor ground conditions. Approval of the recommendation would allow for the transactions to be completed so the affordable rental properties could be delivered for the benefit of households on the housing list. 

RESOLVED

i)     That the transfer of s106 funds to Horsham District Homes (Holdings) for the purchase of the three properties in Billingshurst be approved

REASON

i)     Approval of the recommendations will allow the details of the transactions to be completed so that the affordable rental properties can be delivered for the benefit of households on the housing list.