Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 14 November 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corpoate Services is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the projected revenue and capital budget positions for the year of £193,000 revenue efficiencies and £7,439,000 from capital scheme re-phasing and potential savings be noted.

b)    the £5.75 million originally allocated for the schemes at land north of Bingham and at the former RAF Newton be removed from the 2017/18 Capital Programme.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented the report of Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services, to provide an update on the Council’s budget position for both revenue and capital accounts as at 30 September 2017, as well as on projected outturns.

The Portfolio Holder noted that there were currently projected revenue efficiencies of £193,000 and a capital programme position of £7,439,000 due to capital scheme re-phasing and projected potential savings. The Portfolio Holder noted that the projected savings from revenue efficiencies were mainly due to a number of staffing vacancies, increased property income and increased income from the green garden waste bins. It was also noted that the capital programme position of £7,439,000 was mainly due to the original schemes of the land North of Bingham and RAF Newton totalling £5.45 million no longer proceeding.

The Portfolio Holder noted that the Bardon warehouse property investment which had been completed in October, 2017 was a key part of the Council’s asset investment strategy and commercial approach finding new ways of generating revenue, and would help ensure that the Council was able to continue to deliver high quality services to the residents of the Borough at a time when grants from Government were reducing rapidly. The Portfolio Holder noted that the £1.8 million investment that had been made on the Bardon warehouse property would give an estimated 5.57% return on investment and a yield of 6.25%.

Councillor Robinson in seconding the recommendations noted that the Council was currently in a good financial position and thanked the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services, and his team for managing the Council’s finances effectively. Councillor Robinson also noted the Council’s investment of the Bardon warehouse would provide an additional sum of £120,000 to the Council’s revenue account annually.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the projected revenue and capital budget positions for the year of £193,000 revenue efficiencies and £7,439,000 from capital scheme re-phasing and potential savings be noted.

b)    the £5.75 million originally allocated for the schemes at land north of Bingham and at the former RAF Newton be removed from the 2017/18 Capital Programme.
 

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

To demonstrate good governance in terms of scrutinising the Council’s ongoing financial position and compliance with Council Financial Regulations.

The schemes at land north of Bingham and at the former RAF Newton are no longer proceeding so the allocated £5.75 million can be removed from the Capital Programme for 2017/18.

The Report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the proposed Nottinghamshire Joint Enforcement Protocol for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and Drivers be approved and implemented.

b)    the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods be delegated authority to sign the protocol on behalf of the Council and authorise Rushcliffe Borough Council officers accordingly.

Councillor Moore, on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure, presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods seeking approval for proposed changes to Taxi Licensing enforcement across Nottinghamshire. The report recommended that Rushcliffe Borough Council follow an agreed enforcement protocol drawn up by all Nottinghamshire Councils with relevant licensing functions and that enforcement officers were authorised to take enforcement action on vehicles and drivers licensed by other protocol partner authorities.

The report noted that the current legislation of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, only allowed authorised enforcement officers from the local authority which had licensed vehicles (either Hackney Carriage or Private Hire) and drivers to take enforcement action against them.  Councillor Moore noted that these restrictions on enforcement activity meant that currently no enforcement action could be carried out when a vehicle or driver was seen to be operating illegally in a different local authority area to where the licence had been issued. 

In order to enable wider enforcement action, it was proposed that Rushcliffe Borough Council should follow an agreed Joint Enforcement Protocol drawn up by the Nottinghamshire Councils which would enable enforcement officers to be granted authorisation to take enforcement action on vehicles and drivers licensed by any of the other Councils when operating in Rushcliffe. The proposed protocol would facilitate cross border enforcement activity by allowing officers to require inspection of licence/badges under Section 53 (3) Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1976, inspect and test vehicles and suspend if not satisfied as to fitness under Section 68 and provide for the offence of obstruction of the authorised officer under Section 73.

Councillor Moore noted that the development of the Joint Enforcement Protocol for Private Hire and Hackney Carriage Vehicles and Drivers would be a positive step in maximising all the signatory Councils’ enforcement powers, which would enable enforcement action to be carried out in a consistent and coordinated manner across the county which would boost public confidence in the relation of an important and high profile industry.

Councillor Upton in seconding the recommendations noted that the Joint Enforcement Protocol would improve public safety across the county and welcomed the positive innovation of the protocol.

Councillor Robinson noted his approval for the Joint Enforcement Protocol and advised that the Council were looking into working with other neighbouring authorities in Leicestershire and Derbyshire with regard to joint enforcement action and hoped that councils in these areas would sign up to the Joint Enforcement Protocol in the future.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the proposed Nottinghamshire Joint Enforcement Protocol for Hackney Carriage Vehicles and Drivers be approved and implemented.

b)    the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods be delegated authority to sign the protocol on behalf of the Council and authorise Rushcliffe Borough Council officers accordingly.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

To provide a positive step in maximising the signatory Council’s enforcement powers.

To enable officers to take appropriate enforcement action in a consistent and coordinated manner across Nottinghamshire.

The Report of the Executive Manager – Communities is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the initiatives for tree protection and promotion in Rushcliffe, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report be approved.

b)    a three year £50,000 revenue budget, commencing in April 2018, allocated to support the new initiatives, be approved.

c)    annual monitoring reports on activity levels in relation to the new initiatives be presented to Community Development Group. 

Councillor Robinson, on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities seeking approval for a range of initiatives regarding tree protection and promotion to be implemented across the Borough. Councillor Robinson noted that the report presented to Cabinet was the outcome of work carried out by the Community Development Group who had been looking at ways of how best the Council could enable greater tree protection and promotion across the Borough.

A list of potential options for tree protection and promotion was attached as an appendix to the officer’s report. Councillor Robinson provided details of some of the proposed schemes including the Tree Warden Scheme, co-ordinated by The Tree Council, which was a national initiative enabling residents to play an active role in conserving and enhancing trees and woods in their area and a ‘free tree scheme’ which was currently in operation in North West Leicestershire, where residents were supplied with trees to plant in their area.

Councillor Robinson advised that if approved by Cabinet, the recommended initiatives in the report would be supported with a three-year revenue budget of £50,000 which would commence in April 2018 and that monitoring reports on the implementation of the initiatives would be presented to Community Development Group on an annual basis for their consideration.

Councillor Moore in seconding the recommendations noted that he was in favour of tree conservation protection and promotion becoming a material planning consideration when determining planning applications, especially for large developments. Councillor Upton welcomed the report and noted that the positive steps that the Council was taking in regard to tree protection and promotion would be received with enthusiasm by local nature conservation organisations.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the initiatives for tree protection and promotion in Rushcliffe, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report be approved.

b)    a three year £50,000 revenue budget, commencing in April 2018, allocated to support the new initiatives, be approved.

c)     annual monitoring reports on activity levels in relation to the new initiatives be presented to Community Development Group. 

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To support and develop initiatives for tree promotion and protection in the Borough.

The Report of the Executive Manager – Communities is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    a delivery partnership with Trent Bridge Community Trust be established to enable the future delivery of YouNG.

b)    the Executive Manager Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure, be delegated authority to agree the final Governance arrangements, ‘in kind’ staff resources and associated Service Level Agreements, income and performance targets.

c)    the existing budget provision of £82,000 per year for YouNG continues to be allocated until December, 2020.

d)    the proposed Governance arrangements for the delivery partnership, as detailed at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, be approved.

Councillor Upton, on behalf of the Portfolio Holder for Community and Leisure presented the report of the Chief Executive on the work that had been carried out regarding the options for the future delivery of YouNG and seeking approval for a proposed delivery model that would ensure that the initiative could be delivered sustainably in the future.

The report noted that in 2016, to assist the Council in determining its future commitment and involvement in the YouNG initiative an independent report had been commissioned and produced by Internet Guru Ltd. This report had been considered by Cabinet in January 2017, where it had been resolved that the Community Development Group be requested to evaluate and scrutinise its findings and to make recommendations back to Cabinet regarding the future delivery of YouNG (Minute No.35 2016/17). The report provided details of the outcome of the work of the Community Development Group and recommended how YouNG could be delivered in the future to ensure that it was both sustainable as well as being able to meet its objective of supporting and improving the opportunities for young people in the Borough. 

Councillor Upton advised that as a result of the work carried out by the Community Development Group it was recommended that the Trent Bridge Community Trust (TBCT) be commissioned as a partner agency to deliver and grow the YouNG brand and project. Councillor Upton noted that it was essential that the future delivery of YouNG was sustainable, and that the proposed partnership with TBCT would provide this sustainability as it would benefit from the trust’s current networks and infrastructure deployed in delivering both Positive Futures and other initiatives.

The report noted that the Trent Bridge Community Trust had agreed, in respect of delivering YouNG, to:

·       provide 30 dedicated hours per week management of the programme.

·       develop an accreditation scheme for businesses to be young person friendly and provide work experience placements.

·       deliver a weekly YouNG ambassadors programme which includes a YouNG ambassador representative from each of the seven secondary schools across Rushcliffe and provides: mentoring support, accreditations, educational workshops, careers advice and guidance and employability activities via digital channels into schools.

·       redefine and develop a range of work experience placements.

·       to deliver existing projects, such as YouNG Goes Euro.

·       deliver the YouNG markets initiative across Rushcliffe.

·       recruit and develop Interns annually.

The report also contained details of alternative options for the future delivery of YouNG which had been considered as well as their reasons for rejection.

Councillor Robinson, in seconding the recommendations, noted the importance of investing in young people’s futures as well as the Council’s excellent record in working with young people and helping them to achieve their goals. Councillor Moore noted how impressed he had been with how well the TBCT had delivered the Positive Futures project and that he was confident that the TBCT would be able to develop and grow the YouNG initiative.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    a delivery partnership with Trent Bridge Community Trust be established to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

The Report of the Executive Manager – Operations and Transformation is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the land at Rushcliffe Country Park, as shown at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, be leased to the Nottingham Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Ltd for a period of 21 years (with breaks).

b)    the details of the proposed lease be advertised for two consecutive weeks in the Nottingham Post, and that any objections received be considered by the Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy prior to the Council formally enacting the lease.

Councillor Robinson, on behalf of Portfolio Holder for Economy and Business presented the report of the Executive Manager - Transformation and Operations, seeking approval for a lease to be granted for a period of 21 years on a piece of land adjacent to Rushcliffe Country Park to the Nottingham Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Ltd (NSMEE) to allow an extension of the model railway at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre in Ruddington.

Councillor Robinson noted that the NSMEE had been actively looking to extend the model railway and had been working with Rushcliffe Borough Council to develop its plans for some time. The proposed lease would allow for construction of an 800ft extension loop at the eastern end of the existing ground level 7 ¼” gauge track onto part of Rushcliffe Country Park. The area of land that the track would extend around was a largely tree covered area adjacent to the current track and was not currently accessed by the public, meaning that construction works would have a minimal impact on visitors to the park. Councillor Robinson advised that NSMEE would pay Rushcliffe Borough Council a small annual fee for leasing the land for the railway extension, following the completion of the extension. The officer’s report included information on the proposed terms of the lease agreement. As the proposed lease was for a period of 21 years the report noted that Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 required that where a Council proposed make a disposal of land, which was either open space or was part of open space, notices must be published in two consecutive weeks in a local newspaper and any that any objections received should considered before a lease was made.

Councillor Robinson noted that the Council had a priority to maximise its assets and that the proposed scheme would support the enhanced use of a part of Rushcliffe Country Park which was not currently utilised and that the scheme would also support the Heritage Railway site and maximise its potential as a visitor attraction.

Councillor Upton in seconding the recommendations noted the importance of the miniature railway in attracting visitors to Rushcliffe Country Park.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the land at Rushcliffe Country Park, as shown at Appendix 1 of the officer’s report, be leased to the Nottingham Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Ltd for a period of 21 years (with breaks).

b)    the details of the proposed lease be advertised for two consecutive weeks in the Nottingham Post, and that any objections received be considered by the Portfolio Holder for Business and Economy prior to the Council formally enacting the lease.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS

The Council has a priority to maximise its assets and this scheme will support the enhanced use of a part of the Country Park which is not

currently utilised.

The scheme would support the Heritage Railway site maximise its potential as a visitor attraction.