Rushmoor Borough Council Cabinet Meeting

Having regard to the Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors, no declarations of interest were made.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 23rd July, 2024 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Cabinet received Report No. ACE2408, which set out progress in delivering the Council Plan projects during the first quarter of 2024/25. Members were informed that progress against key activities and projects was included in the Report, along with the Council’s business performance monitoring information and the Council’s Corporate Risk Register. It was reported that, at the end of the first quarter, 60% of projects/activities were on track, with 30% showing an amber status and 10% a red status.

In considering the Report, it was noted that these performance figures showed a small improvement since the previous report, which had shown 50% of projects on track, with 30% on amber and 20% on red. Members confirmed that, in relation to the project with a red status, a new leisure facility would be provided in Farnborough but that the scale of this project would be commensurate to what could be afforded. It was reaffirmed that the Cabinet would be carrying out a fundamental review of the Council Plan to reflect the priorities of the new administration.

The Report also introduced the Council’s Productivity Plan that summarised the Council’s plans to design and deliver services to make better use of resources, to use technology and data to improve decision making, service design and use of resources and to reduce expenditure.

The Cabinet NOTED

(i)           the progress made towards delivering the Council Plan and the changes highlighted in the Corporate Risk Register, as set out in Report No. ACE2408;

(ii)          the development and submission of the Council’s Productivity Plan, as set out in Annex D of the Report; and

(iii)         the plans to review and refresh the key performance indicators and measures for the next quarter, so that these would be presented in line with the priorities of the new administration.

The Cabinet considered Report No. ACE2407, which set out the work carried out by the Council’s Policy and Project Advisory Board Group in respect of the provision of defibrillators and bleed kits in the Borough. The Chairman welcomed Cllr M.J. Roberts, Chairman of the Policy and Project Advisory Board, who was attending to report on the Board’s considerations and recommendations.

The Policy and Project Advisory board (PPAB) had met on 13th February, 2024 and 21st March, 2024 to consider its recommendations to the Cabinet. The Board had received information on the existing provision of defibrillators and the costs of providing additional units. A needs assessment and survey had been carried out and, as a result of that, it was recommended that accessible defibrillators and bleed kits should be installed in priority areas to mitigate the dangers of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

In discussing this proposal, Members noted the deficiency of provision in more deprived areas. The Cabinet was supportive of the proposal and noted that community groups would be responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the units once these had been procured and installed. The Cabinet expressed gratitude to PPAB for its work in producing these recommendations.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that

(i)           the already approved allocation of £10,000 from the existing UKSPF neighbourhood level interventions project budget, for the purchase of up to six Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) in the priority areas identified, as set out in Report No. ACE2407, be endorsed;

(ii)          the prioritisation of the purchase of PADs above the relocation of existing Council-owned defibrillators be approved;

(iii)         the work with First Responders to arrange and co-ordinate daily checks on new defibrillators be approved; and

(iv)         working with partners and providing defibrillator awareness training sessions, be approved.

The Cabinet considered Report No. OS2411, which set out a new Mobile Homes Fit and Proper Person Determination Policy for the Council.

Members were informed that the policy had been adopted previously under delegated powers and had been in operation since March, 2023. For this reason, mobile home site operators were already familiar with the contents of the policy, which was unchanged from the original version.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the adoption of the Mobile Homes Fit and Proper Person Determination Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 of Report No. OS2411, be approved.

The Cabinet considered Report No. LEG2402, which set out an update to the Council’s Corporate Sanctions and Enforcement Policy.

Members were informed that the purpose of this policy was to set out what should be expected from the Council’s regulatory services when sanction and enforcement action was being considered. Whilst much of the policy remained unchanged, it was confirmed that some information and cross references had been updated.

The Cabinet RESOLVED that the adoption of the Corporate Sanctions and Enforcement Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 of Report No. LEG2402, be approved.