Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

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There were no declarations of interest made.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 9 July 2024 were agreed as a true record and were signed by the Chair.

To answer questions submitted by citizens on the Council or its services.

There were no citizens’ questions.

To answer questions submitted by Opposition Group Leaders on items on the agenda.

There were no questions from Opposition Group Leaders.

The report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

It was RESOLVED that the report be approved and the following be noted:

a)               the expected revenue budget efficiency for the year of £1.106m and proposals to earmark this for cost pressures given at Paragraph 4.5 and Table 2 to the report be incorporated into the 2025/26 Medium Term Financial Strategy for Full Council;

b)               the projected capital budget efficiencies of £5.968m including the reprofiling of provisions totalling £3.756m at Paragraph 4.8 and Table 3 to the report; and

c)                the expected balanced outturn position for special expenses at Paragraph 4.6 of the report.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance, Transformation and Governance, Councillor Virdi, presented the report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services, which set out the budget position for revenue and capital as at 30 June 2024.

In introducing the report, Councillor Virdi confirmed that the report was positive in relation to the general public finances but said that given some of the challenges that had been discussed at recent Cabinet and Council meetings, the Council could not be complacent.

Councillor Virdi provided Cabinet with a breakdown of the report highlights. He noted that the Council had an overall predicted net revenue efficiency of £1.106m, with details of the variances provided in Appendix B. He referred to paragraph 4.4 of the report which set out the main efficiencies arising from investment income, for example interest on income of £250k from Treasury activities and savings on leisure and depot contracts.

In relation to underspends, Councillor Virdi referred to Table 2 of the report which set out where some of the underspends could be used to meet pressures in the budget and support opportunities for economic growth in the Borough. In particular, he noted an allocation towards a proposal to create a West Bridgford Town Centre reserve, which would be taken to Full Council with the intention for it to lever in funding from other avenues. He also noted the Treasury Depreciate Reserve which was to protect against market fluctuations.

In relation to Special Expenses, Councillor Virdi referred to Appendix B which set out a minor overspend.

In relation to the Capital Programme 2024/25, Councillor Virdi referred to Appendix C and D which set out the overall position and noted that the Council had an underspend of £5.968m, of which £3.756 would be rephased to 2025/26, as summarised in Table 3. He said that this left a £2.212m underspend which had in the main arisen from the £1m travellers site reserve which was yet to be allocated and from Rushcliffe Oaks Crematorium and Bingham Arena budget allocations for post opening enhancement works and potential VAT liability.

In conclusion, whilst noting the Council’s healthy financial position, Councillor Virdi said that things could change and there were longer term challenges and as such, the Council was ensuring that it had reserves available to mitigate ongoing risks.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor J Wheeler said that the report showed how the Council was constantly looking for ways to be as efficient as possible to be able to reinvest money to achieve other priorities. He said that the Council was constantly looking at not just generating income but also in efficiently delivering services. He referred in particular to work carried out in relation to management of contracts for the Leisure Centres and the work of the Communities Teams in improving bookings to make best use of the Council’s facilities. In relation to Edwalton Golf Course, he noted the loss but said that due to bad weather they had experienced flooding but that much hard work had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The report of the Director – Development and Economic Growth is attached.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)               all of the Examiner’s recommended modifications to the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan with the exception of Modifications 5, 6 and 20 be accepted; 

b)               the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan Decision Statement and its publication be approved;

c)               it be agreed that six weeks consultation should be undertaken on the proposed decision not to accept Modifications 5, 6 and 20; and

d)               it be agreed not to proceed to referendum on the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan at this time, pending a further report to Cabinet once the consultation has been completed.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning and Housing, Councillor Upton, presented the report of the Director – Development and Economic Growth, which detailed the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan.

In introducing the report, Councillor Upton explained that this Neighbourhood Plan had followed a different process to some others, in that not all of the Examiner’s recommended Modifications were being proposed for approval and therefore further consultation was required before another report would come back to Cabinet concerning a referendum. He confirmed that the Neighbourhood Plan had been produced by Tollerton Parish Council in conjunction with the local community and had been assessed by an independent examiner whose report was published in January 2024. He said that there had been much discussion around the Examiner’s recommended Modifications 5, 6 and 20 which the Parish and Borough Councils had agreed not to include these relatively minor modifications.  He confirmed that to comply with statutory requirements, a further six week public consultation was to take place before the Plan could proceed to referendum, as set out at paragraph 4.6 of the report.

In conclusion, Councillor Upton advised that the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan draft decision statement had been prepared and was detailed at Appendix 3 which provided comment on each of the Examiner’s recommendations and also whether other Modifications were considered necessary.

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Inglis said that he fully supported villages having the desire, aspiration and commitment from local people to produce a neighbourhood plan for their area and appreciated the hard work involved. He confirmed, however, that they did need to meet the objectives of the Parish Council, fulfil the statutory requirements of the Borough Council and comply with the legalities of the Examiner. He noted the three parts of the Neighbourhood Plan, at 5, 6 and 20 of the Examiners Modifications referred to by Councillor Upton and considered these to be valid reasons that needed to be addressed in order to protect the Council’s legal obligations.

Councillor J Wheeler thanked the Parish Council and the local community for their work in putting together the Neighbourhood Plan and said that it was important to take the time to make sure that the Plan was right for the community and whilst these Modifications may seem minor, it was important that the time was taken to make sure that the community was aware of what was going into their Neighbourhood Plan and that it was right for them.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)             all of the Examiner’s recommended modifications to the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan with the exception of Modifications 5, 6 and 20 be accepted; 

b)             the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan Decision Statement and its publication be approved;

c)             it be agreed that six weeks consultation should be undertaken on the proposed decision not to accept Modifications 5, 6 and 20; and

d)             it be agreed not to proceed to referendum on the Tollerton Neighbourhood Plan at this time, pending a further report to Cabinet once the consultation has been completed.