Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council Cabinet Meeting

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no urgent matters.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2023 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

The following motion referred from Council on 20 July 2023 was considered:

Council requests Cabinet to:

1.      Write to the Valuation Agency, calling for revisions to the council tax bands of these properties, given the impact of problems with the development on the value of these properties. 

2.      Establish a task force within the Council to ensure rapid completion of cladding and remedial works at Crown Heights. This task force will collaborate with relevant authorities put pressure on the responsible parties to deliver chance for residents. 

3.      Provide of a single point of contact at the Council for Crown Heights, streamlining the process for its residents to receive guidance and support. 

4.      Provide fortnightly updates on progress against this Motion to the ward members of Brookvale and Kings Furlong. 

It was agreed that Cabinet would take forward actions within the council’s authority and would lobby and work with other organisations to carry out actions within their responsibility.

The Leader stated he had met with the Chair of the Crown Heights Residents Association and had agreed to convene a meeting with ward councillors to scope out a way forward to address some of the issues faced by residents.

The following motion referred from the council meeting held on 20 July 2023 was considered:

Council resolves to request Cabinet to:

1.     Write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, seeking change to relevant national policy, requiring housing associations to provide safe and decent floor coverings in new-let social properties. 

2.     Convene a meeting with social housing providers in the borough, making clear to them that the provision of decent and safe floor coverings throughout new-let properties is a minimum standard expected in our borough. This would follow other social landlords who have adopted higher lettings standards across all homes, such as Thirteen, and L&Q.

3.     Convene a coalition of district councils to lobby the Secretary of State for changes in the law and the Decent Homes Standards, and to require social landlords across the region to adopt higher letting standards, which includes the provision of decent and safe flooring throughout new-let properties. 

4.     Outline progress made against this Motion through a Portfolio Holder report to the Economic, Planning, and Housing Committee within 12 months.

Cabinet agreed that where possible they would undertake the actions as requested in the motion.

The Co-Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property introduced the report which presented the forecast 2023/24 outturn position for capital expenditure at 30 June 2023.

He stated that the forecast outturn for capital expenditure was on target with the revised programme for the year. He further highlighted the request for additional funding to be added to the programme for the installation of HVO Fuel Tanks at depots for the council’s waste fleet to transition to fuel with a reduced CO2 emission, additional vehicles for the Street Cleansing and Grounds Maintenance Teams and an increase to the Local Authority Housing Fund scheme.

Resolved: Cabinet

Note:

1)     The forecast capital expenditure for 2023/24 of £35.496M which is aligned with the latest agreed capital programme budget

2)     The 2023/24 significant outturn variations and explanations for them as shown in section 4 of the report.

3)     The quarter one forecasts and impact of scheme variances for 2023/24 on future years’ capital expenditure were reported to the Capital Programme Board in August 2023.

4)     The latest forecast of capital receipts, grants and contributions for 2023/24 in section 5 of the report.

5)     The risks associated with the capital forecasts are as detailed in section 8 of the report.

6)     The latest approved capital programme for 2023/24 to 2026/27 and its financing as shown in section 6 and detailed in Appendix 1of the report.

7)     The capital programme remains fully funded from the council’s own resources up to 2026/27, based on the latest forecast of available resources.

Recommend Council to approve:

8)     A budget virement as detailed in paragraph 1.5 of the report to move £0.014M from Basing View Plot J Norden House scheme to the Basing View Hotel (Plot W scheme).

9)     Additions to the capital programme to support the delivery of Council Plan Priorities as set out in section 9 of the report to fund:

·         the installation of HVO Fuel Tanks at depots £0.062M in 2023/24;

·         additional vehicles for the Street Cleansing and Grounds Maintenance Teams of £0.225M in 2024/25; and

·         an increase to the Local Authority Housing Fund scheme of £0.780M in 2023/24.

The Co-Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property introduced the report which presented the revenue position for the first quarter of the financial year which showed a favourable variance of £0.03 million against the latest approved revenue budget for 2023/24.

He highlighted an increase in the budget for 2023/24 of £0.32 million to support reviewed Council Plan Priorities.  New proposals included the creation of a new Housing Association Liaison Officer to strengthen partnership working with registered housing providers, additional staffing funded by the Home Office in response to the refugee crisis, additional staffing within the Housing Register Team, increased resources for street cleansing and grounds maintenance for the Make a Difference Teams, a dedicated Geographic Information Systems (GIS) officer post and funding to support costs associated with mapping out public and private sector land development opportunities.

Visiting speaker, Councillor Rhatigan referred to resources for street cleansing and expressed disappointment that no resource had been allocated to the removal of graffiti which he considered was becoming more prevalent.  He requested Cabinet to consider a graffiti team or graffiti week to eliminate graffiti from buildings and property.

The Cabinet Member for Residents Services and Housing responded.  She was pleased that an additional 12 members of staff would be recruited to the street cleansing team with 6 of the posts creating a hit squad team to target priority areas which included graffiti removal.  She added that some graffiti was on private land and referred to the work that would be undertaken by a new GIS officer to enhance digital mapping which would allow identification of land ownership and make it easier for reporting issues and operational teams to develop work schedules.  She also highlighted 3 additional posts in the Make a Difference Team within grounds maintenance  to enhance and support the ongoing maintenance of key sites in the borough.  She added that Cabinet were committed to investing in the grounds maintenance and street cleansing service which had been under resourced for a number of years.

She further summarised other key priorities detailed in the report particularly in relation to increased resource to improve relationships and partnerships with registered providers to drive forward improvements in social housing,  building capacity to address the pressures resulting from the refugee crisis and work to map out development opportunities particularly identifying residential land for development to increase socially rented accommodation.

Cabinet were supportive of the proposals and conveyed commitment to resourcing frontline services to improve services for residents.

Resolved: To

1)     Note the financial position for quarter 1 of 2023/24 and the forecast for the financial year as set out in section 2 of the report.

2)     Note the budget virements amounting to £0.50M were processed during the first quarter, as summarised in section 5 of the report.

3)     Note the 2023/24 savings, income and investment in services position detailed insection 7 of the report.

4)     Approve the additional expenditure of £0.32M in 2023/24 to support delivery of the Council Plan to be initially funded from Council Plan Priority Funding held within the MTFS Risk Reserve for this purpose or external grant funding as detailed in section 8 of the report.

5)     Note the risks associated with the revenue forecasts are detailed in section 9 of the report.

Cabinet considered a report which set out options for Kingsclere Youth Performing Arts Company (KYPAC) to either acquire 24 Swan Street at a discounted purchase price or take an overriding lease of 25 years at a discounted rent to operate and deliver community outputs from the building.

The Co-Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Property gave a brief summary of the history of the property and its importance as a community asset.  He considered the proposal a good compromise which would not prevent the option for purchase of the building and would ensure the community continued to benefit from the facility and activities available.

Visiting speaker, Councillor Rhatigan thanked Cabinet for the flexibility to move the proposal forward.  He paid tribute to former Councillor Frost, Councillor Morrow and all those that contributed to putting together a business case for the community asset transfer to KPAYC, together with the dance school who through their performances had generated community interest.  He was pleased that the facility would be run by the community for the community and would also provide parking that was much needed in the village.  He commended the report and hoped it would be supported.

Cabinet discussed the proposal and thanked officers and councillors involved in the project.  It was commented that the proposal would provide some respite for residents from the uncertainty of the future of the property.  The community would benefit from the provision of community projects, youth hub, a safe place for learning, a place to socialise and performing arts, as well as preserving a historic building for the community.  It was also commented that the proposal demonstrated a commitment to dance, arts and education and that the council had listened to the community. 

Cabinet unanimously supported the recommendations.

Resolved: To

1)      Approve the proposal to offer the entire Property of 24 Swan Street to Kingsclere Youth Performing Arts Company Limited by way of either a) a discounted freehold price or b) a 25-year lease at a discounted rent.

2)      Note the flexibility built into the leasehold offer which contains an option for the Company to buy at a discount off Open Market Value at a future date or to break the lease.

3)      Should the documentation not be completed by 31^st March 2024 (or shortly thereafter if completion is imminent) the property will be sold on the open market.

4)      Note the outputs that are anticipated to be generated by the proposed lessees/purchasers.

5)      Note that should the proposed lessees/purchasers make a profit this will be reinvested in community provision in consultation with the Council.