Agenda and decisions

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 15 April 2024.

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

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

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 (see attached guidance and flowchart)

To receive oral questions from Members, if any

To consider any recommendations referred to the Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for consideration by the Cabinet in accordance within the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

The following recommendation was made to Cabinet by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee at the meeting held on 17^th April:

1.     East of England Water Summit:

That Cabinet provide advice on what it would like the Council to take forward on water issues following the East of England Water Summit.

2.     Call-in of Cabinet decision:

There is an extraordinary meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 8^th May to consider a call-in request to review the following Cabinet decision made at the meeting held on 15^th April:

Agenda Item 11: Rocket House, Cromer

Cabinet RESOLVED

1.1       To delegate to the Asset Strategy Manager (Estates), in consultation with the s.151 officer, the existing allocated capital budget to action remedial works as soon feasibly possible to the property, as outlined in the Intrusive Inspection and Damp Investigation Report, subject to the vacation of the tenant (RNLI).

1.2       Delegate to the Asset Strategy Manager (Estates), in consultation with the s.151 officer, to utilise any remaining capital budget to undertake energy improvement works to the property in order to increase the energy performance rating to the required standard for leasing.

1.3       Delegate authority to the Asset Strategy Manager to commence negotiation of terms for a new lease, with the existing RNLI tenant, with a further report back to Cabinet in accordance with governance procedures.

Reason for the decision:

To address the ongoing issues with damp in the building and increase the energy performance of the building.

This decision has been called-in to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for the following reasons:

The Call-In request is made because of concerns over the decision taken by Cabinet to undertake significant works to the Rocket House Building, Cromer without sufficient supporting evidence being made available in public in respect of the following:-

·       A developed options appraisal showing the costs, advantages, disadvantages, and risks associated with each option;

·       A detailed business case showing the historical income and revenue and capital costs for the building to date; and the future projected income and revenue and capital costs together with the forecast payback period and full risk assessment arising from a decision to proceed.

payback period and full risk assessment arising from a decision to proceed.

Please note that the agenda for the Cabinet meeting of 13^th May is published before the extraordinary meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 8^th May. The outcome of the call-in request is therefore not known at the time of publication. Any recommendations will be reported at the Cabinet meeting on 13^th May.

Supporting information submitted to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee regarding the call-in is attached to this agenda. Any further information regarding previous Cabinet decisions on this matter can be found on the Council’s website: Home | Committee structure (north-norfolk.gov.uk)

Decision

RESOLVED

That Cabinet agree to the short-term lease as outlined in the exempt appendix.

Reason for decision:

To have a lease in place for a short period to enable the existing tenant to be in operation.

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 paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”

Information in this appendix involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3, Part 1 of schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972.

This paragraph relates to:

Para 3.  Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

The public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure for the following reasons:

The information is commercially sensitive, relating to commercial options being considered by the authority. Releasing this information would be likely to have a prejudicial impact upon third parties as well as the Council in obtaining best value.