Agenda and decisions

Cabinet - Monday, 7th September, 2020 10.00 am

Venue: remotely via Zoom. View directions

Contact: Emma Denny  Email: emma.denny@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 242 KB

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3rd August 2020.

3.

Public Questions and Statements

To receive questions and statements from the public, if any.

4.

Items of Urgent Business

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972

5.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda. The Code of Conduct for Members requries that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest

6.

Members' Questions

To receive oral questions from Members, if any

7.

Overview & Scrutiny Matters pdf icon PDF 179 KB

To consider any matters referred to the Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for reconsideration by the Cabinet in accordance within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

Decision:

Decision

Resolved

 

To support the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s request for cabinet to

share its proposals for closing the future income/expenditure gaps with the Committee at the earliest opportunity for a pre-scrutiny review that would enable OSC’s own proposals to be considered alongside Cabinet’s, offering a collective approach to the challenge. This pre-scrutiny review should include the wide ranging concerns around people’s needs, corporate priorities and viable options, to be conducted at the Oct/Nov 20 meetings, based on detailed delivery plans for the next 3 years.

 

 

8.

Recommendations from Governance, Risk & Audit Committee pdf icon PDF 262 KB

To consider recommendations from the meeting of the Governance, Risk & Audit Committee held on 4th August 2020.

Decision:

Decision

 

COUNTER FRAUD, CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY POLICY

 

RESOLVED

 

To approve the updated Counter-Fraud, Corruption and Bribery Policy

 

EGMERE PROJECT AUDIT REPORT

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    To note the comments from the Governance, Risk & Audit Committee regarding the establishment of project boards.

2.    To monitor and review the progress of a new model for the management of projects and to request that the Governance, Risk & Audit Committee has oversight of this.

 

 

 

 

9.

Recommendations from Cabinet Working Parties pdf icon PDF 423 KB

To consider recommendations made at the meeting of the Planning Policy and Built Heritage Working Party held on 17 August 2020.

Decision:

Decision

Resolved

 

1.      To endorse the identified sites for inclusion in the Local Plan.

2.       That the final policy wording is delegated to the Planning Policy Manager.

3.      That all other sites are discounted at this stage.

4.      That the green open space designations shown on the site assessment maps are agreed.

 

Also:

 

That the Planning Policy Manager be authorised to progress the Great Ryburgh Neighbourhood Plan to the next stage, in consultation with the Chairman of the Working Party.

 

 

 

10.

2019/20 Outturn Report (Period 12 Budget Monitoring Report) pdf icon PDF 439 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options considered:

This report presents the provisional outturn position for the 2019/20 financial year which shows a General Fund underspend of £97,114. This includes a General Fund Net Operating overspend of £358,979 which includes a reduction in investment/borrowing interest of £124,683. There is a small deficit of £153,601 on the Collection Fund in respect of Council Tax. The total deficit of £512,580 has been offset by surplus Business rates income in respect of pilot gain of £609,694. It also provides an update in relation to the Council’s capital programme. Details are included within the report of the more significant year-end variances compared to the current budget for 2019/20. The report also makes recommendations for contributions to reserves.

 

The report provides a final budget monitoring position for the 2019/20 financial year. Whilst there are options available for funding the overspend in the year, the report makes recommendations that provide funding for ongoing commitments and future projects.

 

Conclusions:

 

The revenue outturn position as at 31 March 2020 shows an overall underspend of £97,114. The final position allows for £276,660 from budget and grant underspends to be rolled forward within Earmarked Reserves to fund ongoing and identified commitments for which no budget has been allocated in 2020/21. The position as reported will be used to inform the production of the statutory accounts which will then be subject to audit by the Council’s external auditors.

 

Recommendations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reasons for

Recommendations:

 

Members are asked to consider the report and recommend the following to Full Council:

 

a)  The provisional outturn position for the General Fund revenue account for 2019/20;

b)  The transfers to and from reserves as detailed within the report (and appendix C) along with the corresponding updates to the 2020/21 budget;

c) Allocate the surplus of £97,114 to the General Reserve;

d)  The financing of the 2019/20 capital programme as detailed within the report and at Appendix D;

e) The balance on the General Reserve of £2.404 million (after allocation of the underspend per recommendation c);

f)  The updated capital programme for 2020/21 to 2023/24 and scheme financing as outlined within the report and detailed at Appendix E;

g)  The outturn position in respect of the Prudential Indicators for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix F and;

h) Agree the award of the new cleaning contract to Eco Cleen Services Ltd.

To approve the outturn position on the revenue and capital accounts that will be used to produce the statutory accounts for 2019/20.

 

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS AS REQUIRED BY LAW

(Papers relied on the write the report and which do not contain exempt information)

 

Budget Monitoring Reports, NNDR returns

 

Cabinet Member(s):

Cllr Eric Seward

Ward(s) affected All

Contact Officer, telephone number and email: Duncan Ellis, 01263 516330, Duncan.Ellis@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

To recommend the following to Full Council:

 

a)  The provisional outturn position for the General Fund revenue account for 2019/20;

b)  The transfers to and from reserves as detailed within the report (and appendix C) along with the corresponding updates to the 2020/21 budget;

c) Allocate the surplus of £97,114 to the General Reserve;

d)  The financing of the 2019/20 capital programme as detailed within the report and at Appendix D;

e) The balance on the General Reserve of £2.404 million (after allocation of the underspend per recommendation c);

f)  The updated capital programme for 2020/21 to 2023/24 and scheme financing as outlined within the report and detailed at Appendix E;

g)  The outturn position in respect of the Prudential Indicators for 2019/20 as detailed in Appendix F and;

h) Agree the award of the new cleaning contract to Eco Cleen Services Ltd.

 

Reasons for the decision:

 

To approve the outturn position on the revenue and capital accounts that will be used to produce the statutory accounts for 2019/20.

 

11.

North Norfolk District Council's actions in the Recovery phase of the Coronavirus Pandemic pdf icon PDF 299 KB

Summary:

 

This report details the actions taken by North Norfolk District Council in the Recovery phase of the Coronavirus Pandemic at a strategic, local and organisational level over the period July – mid August 2020.

 

This includes:-

 

·         rolling out the “You are Welcome” reassurance programme to support local retail, hospitality and tourism businesses re- open through the implementation and ongoing review of practical social distancing measures and hand washing facilities so as to create and maintain safe, attractive town centre and seafront environments, in accordance with Government guidance through the Re-opening the High Street Safely Fundprogramme

·         with our cleansing contract partner, SERCO, responded to large numbers of visitors to the District through increasing the frequency of toilet cleansing, beach and foreshore cleansing and litter bin emptying in response to unprecedented levels of demand / rubbish

·         managing the re-opening of Council playgrounds following Government announcements on the phased easing of lockdown restrictions from 20th July

·         purchasing a fogging machine which has been deployed to reduce the potential transmission of Coronavirus on “high-touch” surfaces within the District Council’s public conveniences, playgrounds, foreshore shelters and on CromerPier

·         completing the paying out of Small Business Grants on behalf of the Government and operating a £2.76million Discretionary Grant Scheme over two phases and recently extended to provide support to some town and parish councils which have lost sources of regular income due to COVID.

·         Providing temporary accommodation for 55 individuals / households at a cost to date in this financial year of £317,000

·         making a successful bid for £330,000 under the Norfolk Tourism Sector Support Programme of the Norfolk StrategicFund

·         making a successful bid to the Government’s Getting Building Fund administered locally by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership for the North Walsham Heritage Action Zone Programme securing an additional £1.17million to support the early delivery of this important project to strengthen the appeal and vitality of North Walsham’s historic towncentre

·         supporting the Council’s leisure contractor, Everyone Active, with the re-opening of gym and fitness classes from 15th July and swimming facilities from 20th August

·         participating in regular meetings of the Norfolk Health Protection Board and Norfolk Health Engagement Board arrangements which are monitoring, reviewing and responding to local outbreaks of Coronavirus in the county in preparation for an anticipated increase of COVID infections in the coming months and by working with partners in Winter Preparedness arrangements

 

      Options Considered:

 

The report details the Council’s actions in the Recovery phase of the Coronavirus pandemic during July and August. Actions taken are outlined in thereport.

  Conclusions:

The report details the actions taken by the District Council during July and August in the Recovery phase of the Coronavirus Pandemic and of the ongoing preparations being made to support local communities and businesses adapt to a “new normal” as well as preparing for an anticipated increase in infections levels in the coming autumn and winter months.

  Recommendations:

Cabinet is asked to note and comment upon the Council’s actions during July and  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

To note and comment upon the Council’s actions during July and August in supporting communities and businesses across North Norfolk in managing Recovery from the Coronavirus Pandemic; and in preparing for an anticipated increase in infections during the autumn and winter months ahead.

 

Reasons for the Recommendations:

 

To inform corporate learning from experience gained through the Recovery phase of the pandemic, and preparedness to respond toan anticipated increase in levels of infection in the months ahead

13.

North Walsham Town Centre Public Realm Improvements pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options considered:

The Council has been successful in its bid for funding from the Getting Building Fund to support a programme of townscape improvements for North Walsham Town Centre. This will augment the proposals made under the North Walsham Town Centre Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) programme, for which the Council has been successful in winning a grant from Historic England.

 

This funding provides a significant amount of match funding that will allow a critical element of the project to proceed – North Walsham town centre public realm improvements – with greater haste and more certainty than would otherwise have been the case. This will allow for work to progress on engaging stakeholders and designing a suitable scheme to remodel public spaces within North Walsham town centre. This will be referred to as town centre ‘place-making.’

 

This should clearly set in sufficient detail all feasible alternatives. This will go in the minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusions:

 

The HAZ programme requires significant levels of match funding in order to achieve its objectives. The funding approved previously by the Council would not have been sufficient to deliver all of the improvements that are hoped to be made to the townscape. This funding will allow that specific project element to proceed, and indeed bring it forward in the overall HAZ programme. There is currently no identified alternative source of funding to deliver this element of the scheme and realistically the only other option is to review the programme in the hope of gaining sufficient funding from elsewhere to deliver it at a later date.  This is not considered a sensible option as it would increase the uncertainty over the delivery of this scheme which, given the current economic circumstances, is considered to be optimal timing. The only other alternative is to not deliver this part of the HAZ programme, which itself might jeopardise the whole initiative.

 

The proposals contained in this report aim to capitalise on external funding opportunities to deliver a key aspect of the revitalisation of North Walsham town centre. 

 

Recommendations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reasons for

Recommendations:

 

It is recommended that:

1.    Cabinet Recommend to Full Council that the success of bid by this Council be noted and that the sum of £1,170,000 (from a grant received from the Getting Building Fund) be allocated in the budget towards the town centre place-making elements of North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone.

 

2.    Authority be delegated to Cabinet, in consultation with the North Walsham Town Centre Heritage Action Zone Working Party, to determine the terms of the implementation of the scheme, including the involvement of interested parties, scheme design and implementation.

 

To capitalise on the external funding opportunity in order to deliver improvements to North Walsham town centre in a timely fashion.

 

 

               

Cabinet Member(s)

Cllr Richard Kershaw

Ward(s) affected

North Walsham Market Cross Ward

Contact Officer, telephone number and email:

Robert Young; 01263 516162; robert.young@north-norfolk.gov.uk

 

 

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

1.    To recommend to Full Council that the success of bid by this Council be noted and that the sum of £1,170,000 (from a grant received from the Getting Building Fund) be allocated in the budget towards the town centre place-making elements of North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone.

 

2.    That authority be delegated to Cabinet, in consultation with the North Walsham Town Centre Heritage Action Zone Working Party, to determine the terms of the implementation of the scheme, including the involvement of interested parties, scheme design and implementation.

 

 

Reasons for the decision:

 

To capitalise on the external funding opportunity in order to deliver improvements to North walsham town centre in a timely fashion.

 

 

14.

Options regarding a property pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

Options considered:

To consider all options regarding a property owned by the Council.

 

 

Two further key options were considered:

1)    A freehold disposal, however this would have resulted in a lost opportunity to provide temporary accommodation locally.

2)    Further development of the property, however this had risks around planning and financial viability.

 

Conclusions:

 

This proposal would help to deliver the objective of “Local Homes for Local Need” and the council’s statutory duty to provide accommodation for homeless households.

 

A small financial yield would be generated from retaining the property, refurbishing and letting it as temporary accommodation alongside on going savings by not placing families in to more costly accommodation and meet its housing obligations.

 

Officers recommended that a capital budget and allocation of existing funding to be provided to delivery this proposal.

 

 

Recommendations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reasons for

Recommendations:

 

It is recommended that Cabinet:

1)    Support the proposal to retain and refurbish the property

2)    To utilise the property for temporary accommodation

3)    To allocate the funding as described in the exempt Appendix for the project

 

To provide authority for expenditure over £100,000.

 

               

Cabinet Member(s)

Councillor Greg Hayman and Councillor Andrew Brown

Ward(s) affected

Sculthorpe

Contact Officer, telephone number and email:

Renata Garfoot Asset Strategy Manager, Tel: 01263 516086

Email: Renata.garfoot@north-norfolk.gov

Additional documents:

Decision:

Decision

Resolved

 

1)    To support the proposal to retain and refurbish the property

2)    To utilise the property for temporary accommodation

3)    To allocate the funding as described in the exempt Appendix for the project

 

Reasons for the decision:

 

To provide authority for expenditure over £100,000

15.

Officer Delegated Decisions pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Summary:

 

 

 

 

Options considered:

This report details the decisions taken by Senior Officers under delegated powers from 25th July to 27th August 2020

 

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Recommendations:

 

 

 

Reasons for

Recommendations:

 

To receive and note the report and the register of officer decisions taken under delegated powers.

 

 

The Constitution: Chapter 6, Part 5, sections 5.1 and 5.2. details the exercise of any power or function of the Council where waiting until a meeting of Council or a committee would disadvantage the Council. The Constitution requires that any exercise of such powers should be reported to the next meeting of Council, Cabinet or working party (as appropriate)

 

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS AS REQUIRED BY LAW

(Papers relied on to write the report, which do not contain exempt information and which are not published elsewhere)

 

 

Delegated decision forms – as completed by the relevant officer

 

 

 

               

Cabinet Member(s)

All

 

Ward(s) affected

All

Contact Officer, telephone number and email:

Emma Denny, Democratic Services Manager, 01263 516010

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Decision

Resolved

 

To receive and note the report and the register of officer decisions taken under delegated powers.

 

Reasons for the decision:

 

The Constitution: Chapter 6, Part 5, sections 5.1 and 5.2. details the exercise of any power or function of the Council where waiting until a meeting of Council or a committee would disadvantage the Council. The Constitution requires that any exercise of such powers should be reported to the next meeting of Council, Cabinet or working party (as appropriate)

 

16.

Exclusion of Press and Public

To pass the following resolution:

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs _ of Part I ofSchedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”

17.

Private Business

18.

Sheringham Leisure Centre Options

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

To approve the recommendations as set out in the report

 

(This report was exempt)

19.

Leisure Contract - Covid Impacts and Proposed Settlement

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

To approve the recommendations as set out in the report

 

(This report was exempt)

 

20.

Property Transaction - commercial acquisition

Decision:

Decision

Resolved:

 

To approve the recommendations as set out in the report

 

(This report was exempt)