Agenda, decisions and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor S Pickering.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

None.

To approve as a correct record and the Leader to sign the attached Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 26 October 2023.

RESOLVED - That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 October 2023 were approved.

Report of Councillor P Kerry, Deputy Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

RESOLVED –

That Cabinet recommend to Council:

(1)  The budget in respect of the General Fund as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

(2)  The budget in respect of the HRA as set out in Appendix 3 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

(3)  The Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

REASONS FOR DECISION – To prepare revised budgets as early as possible within the financial year to provide sufficient time to allow any planned changes to be delivered. The Council has faced financial challenges this year, putting pressure on the ability to set a balanced General Fund budget but careful budget management, use of reserves ringfenced for providing resilience when needed, and the ongoing progression of the transformation agenda has mitigated this.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – There are no alternative options being considered at this time. How resources are utilised is ultimately a decision Members will take as part of the 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Planning process.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision so can be implemented by officers with immediate effect.

The report to Cabinet set out the proposed revisions to the Budget for 2023/24, which had been approved by Council in January 2023. Cabinet was asked to endorse the proposed revisions and to recommend them to Council for approval.

Cabinet heard how the original budget had included a contribution of £0.784 from the Resilience Reserve. The report explained that because of greater income growth, and the efficiency savings which had been achieved, significantly less would now be required from the Resilience Reserve to support the budget.

Cabinet discussed the proposed revisions to the Budget. Members welcomed the progress which had been made in achieving savings and securing income growth during the financial year. However, they also recognised that because of the continuing funding challenges facing the Council, further savings through the Transformation Agenda would be required in the future years covered by the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

RESOLVED – That Cabinet recommended to Council:

(1)      The budget in respect of the General Fund as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

(2)      The budget in respect of the HRA as set out in Appendix 3 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

(3)      The Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 4 of the report be approved as the Current Budget for 2023/24.

REASONS FOR DECISION – To prepare revised budgets as early as possible within the financial year to provide sufficient time to allow any planned changes to be delivered. The Council has faced financial challenges this year, putting pressure on the ability to set a balanced General Fund budget but careful budget management, use of reserves ringfenced for providing resilience when needed, and the ongoing progression of the transformation agenda has mitigated this.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – There are no alternative options being considered at this time. How resources are utilised is ultimately a decision Members will take as part of the 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Planning process.

Report of Councillor N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

RESOLVED – That Cabinet noted progress against the Council Plan 2023-2027 objectives.

REASONS FOR DECISION – This is an information report to keep Members informed of progress against the Council Plan objectives.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision so can be implemented by officers with immediate effect.

The report to Cabinet set out the progress achieved towards the Council Plan 2023-2027 Objectives to create:

·      A great place that cares for the environment

·      A great place to work

·      A great place to live well

·      A great place to access good public services

As part of this, Cabinet was informed that the Clay Cross Rail Feasibility Study had now been completed and that the Council and its partners were actively seeking to provide rail access through the proposed Barrow Hill line. Members were also informed about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Shopfront grants which had been awarded to businesses in the District, the ongoing work to commission a Young Peoples Mental Health Project, with Bolsover District Council and Derbyshire County Council, and the upgrades to Council owned housing in the District that had taken place.

Cabinet discussed the report and the progress made towards achieving the Council Plan Objectives. Members welcomed the new approach to reporting performance on the Council Plan, and in particular, the more extensive narrative to explain the action which had been taken to achieve the Objectives and to complement the detailed statistical information on what had been delivered.

RESOLVED – That Cabinet noted progress against the Council Plan 2023-2027 objectives.

REASONS FOR DECISION – This is an information report to keep Members informed of progress against the Council Plan objectives.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – Not applicable as the report provided an overview of progress against the Council Plan objectives.

Report of Councillor S Pickering, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place

The report to Cabinet sought approval for the Planning Authority Monitoring Report 2022-23 (AMR), the Brownfield Land Register Update 2023 and the Infrastructure Funding Statement 2022-23 (IFS) to be now published on the Council’s website. This action would discharge the Council’s statutory responsibilities to produce and publish the monitoring information.

Cabinet discussed the report. As part of this, it heard that in overall terms the policies in the current Local Plan were performing well, with only a limited number of areas requiring further scrutiny. In this context, Members heard that housing land supply might fall below the required 5 years supply by April 2025. The report made clear that this would be a significant issue that could impact on the location of future developments in the District and the lead in times for preparation of a new or updated Local Plan. Members asked that the future Land Supply in the District be closely monitored and reported to Cabinet as necessary.

RESOLVED – That Cabinet noted the contents of the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR19) for the period of 1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023, and approved its publication on the Council’s website.

REASONS FOR DECISION – This report set out the key findings of the 2023 Authority Monitoring Report, Brownfield Land Register Update and Infrastructure Funding Statement. This enabled the Council to understand the effectiveness of its policies and trends over time. Publication of these documents on the Council’s website would fulfil the Council’s statutory duties to prepare and publish the required annual monitoring datasets.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – The Council has a statutory duty to prepare these documents and there is no reasonable alternative.

Report of Councillor S Pickering, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place

Please note that this was not a Key Decision so can be implemented by officers with immediate effect.

Cabinet was asked to endorse the proposed ‘Statement of Common Ground’ on Strategic Planning, prepared by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Cabinet heard that the Localism Act 2011 placed a duty on local planning authorities, county councils, and other public bodies to co-operate in order to maximise the effectiveness of Local Plan preparations, in the context of strategic cross boundary matters. The proposed Statement of Common Ground had been prepared in consultation with the Council’s Planning officers and the officers of other planning authorities covered by the Mayoral Combined Authority and also Derbyshire County Council. Each of these authorities had now been asked to sign the proposed Statement, the text of which was appended to the report as Appendix 1.

Cabinet considered the report. Members heard that other Statements of Common Ground had been agreed by different authorities on specific strategic issues. The Council was party to some of these Agreements. The Combined Authority Statement, had, it was explained, been prepared in light of this existing work, in order to avoid duplication or conflict, and enable a more streamlined approach for the planning authorities to operate in the future.

 Members welcomed the proposed approach. In particular, they felt that the areas of strategic focus within the Statement of Common Ground would link with the Council’s own Council Plan objectives. There was a consensus that the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority Statement of Common Ground should be supported.

RESOLVED –

(1)      That Cabinet endorsed the contents of the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority Statement of Common Ground.

(2)      Cabinet authorised the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place to sign the document on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council.

REASONS FOR DECISION – The Council will be able to demonstrate that it has addressed the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 with regards to the duty to co-operate.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – Not signing the statement of common ground would risk being found to have not addressed the requirements of the Localism Act when submitting a future Local Plan for examination by the Planning Inspectorate. This would result in significant delays in the delivery of an updated Local Plan for the District, with the knock-on effect being weaker defence against speculative development.

To consider any other matter which the Leader is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 2012 No 2089, Regulation 11.

None.

The Leader to move:-

That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).  [The category of exempt information is stated after each item]. 

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, (as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006).

Report of Councillor N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

                                                                                           (Paragraphs 3 and 5)

RESOLVED –

(1)  That Cabinet agreed to the proposed redevelopment of non-traditional homes around the Cleveland Road area at Stonebroom.

(2)  That Cabinet recommended to Council the approval of the necessary borrowing to fund the above the scheme.

(3)  That Cabinet recommended to Council the inclusion of this scheme in the HRA Capital Programme.

REASONS FOR DECISION–  The regeneration scheme at Stonebroom supports the Council’s commitment in its Council Plan to build, acquire and facilitate the delivery of more high-quality social housing for rent in the district. 

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – To refurbish existing properties, which was rejected as it was not a viable option.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision so can be implemented by officers with immediate effect.

The report to Cabinet sought approval to progress with the proposed redevelopment of non-traditionally built homes in Stonebroom. It also explained the next steps that would be taken if Cabinet endorsed this approach. Members discussed the report and supported progress on the scheme.

RESOLVED –

(1)      That Cabinet agreed to the proposed redevelopment of non-traditional homes around the Cleveland Road area at Stonebroom.

(2)      That Cabinet recommended to Council the approval of the necessary borrowing to fund the above the scheme.

(3)      That Cabinet recommended to Council the inclusion of this scheme in the HRA Capital Programme.

REASONS FOR DECISION – The regeneration scheme at Stonebroom supports the Council’s commitment in its Council Plan to build, acquire and facilitate the delivery of more high-quality social housing for rent in the district.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED – To refurbish existing properties, which was rejected as it was not a viable option.

To consider any other matter which the Leader is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with the provisions of Statutory Instrument 2012 No 2089, Regulation 11.

None.