Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18^th June 2009.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 18th June 2009 were approved as correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda item.  Please see notes 1 and 2 below.

No declarations were received.

To receive a report by the Head of Financial Services.

Noted the spending variations for the revenue budget 2008/09, the first forecast of the 2009/2010 outturn and the position on debts collected and written off as set out in Annex C to the report.

A report by the Head of Financial Services was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which contained details of the outturn of revenue expenditure for 2008/09 and the variations between the original and the revised budget for that year.

In considering the contents of the report, Executive Councillors raised concerns over the increasing cost of concessionary fares and recycling gate fees. Having noted a summary of debts received and amounts written off during April to June 2009, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the spending variations for the revenue budget 2008/09 be noted;

  (b)  that the first forecast of the 2009/2010 outturn be noted; and

  (c)  that the position on debts collected and written off as set out in Annex C to the report now submitted be noted.

To receive a report by the Head of Financial Services.

Noted the capital schemes monitoring report and the spending variations.

A report by the Head of Financial Services was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) detailing outturn of capital expenditure during 2008/09 and adjustments for 2009/2010.

Having noted variations in the programme, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the capital schemes monitoring report reproduced at Appendix B to the report now submitted be noted; and

  (b)  that the spending variations referred to in paragraphs 2.3 and 2.4 of the report be noted.

To consider a report by the Head of Law, Property and Governance on the future marketing of land at Huntingdon Street, St Neots.

approved the preparation of a development brief and the commencement of a marketing exercise for the disposal of the leasehold of this site.

(Councillor R S Farrer, Ward Member for St Neots – Eaton Ford was in attendance and spoke on this item.)

A report by the Head of Law, Property and Governance was submitted (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval for the marketing of land at the former fire station site and waste recycling centre, Huntingdon Street, St. Neots.

Having noted that the Domestic Waste Recycling Centre was due to be relocated by Cambridgeshire County Council by the end of the year, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the preparation of a development brief and the commencement of a marketing exercise for the disposal of the leasehold of this site be approved.

To consider a report by the Director of Operational Services regarding the collaboration agreement for the Great Fen.

Agreed in principle to the entering of a Collaboration Agreement subject to its redrafting to include reference to all potential costs such as severance or personal injury claims in Clause 7 and amendments to Section 14 confidentiality to enable scrutiny and open transparency in the management of the project.   Also authorised the Director of Environmental and Community Services, after consultation with the relevant Executive Councillor, to sign the resulting revised Collaboration Agreement.

Further to Minute No. 08/94 consideration was given to a report by the Director of Environmental and Community Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was attached a draft Collaboration Agreement in respect of the Great Fen Project. 

The Cabinet were advised that the Collaboration Agreement would strengthen the existing Memorandum Agreement by defining the relationship between the partners, setting out the projects aims and objectives and summarising certain managerial/financial matters. 

In discussing the contents of the Collaboration Agreement Members’ attention was drawn to the conclusions reached by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Environmental Well-Being) on the matter.  In that respect, Executive Councillors concurred with the Panel that Clause 7.1 did not refer explicitly to all potential costs such as severance or personal injury claims and the confidentiality provisions in Section 14 might prevent scrutiny and transparency in the management of the project.  Executive Councillors were of the opinion that the Collaboration Agreement should be redrafted to reflect these sentiments. Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that the principle of entering into a Collaboration Agreement in respect of the Great Fen Project, for a renewable five year fixed term, be approved; and

(b)  that the Director of Environmental and Community Services, after consultation with the relevant Executive Councillor, be authorised to sign the resulting revised Collaboration Agreement.

To receive a report of the meeting of the Safety Advisory Group held on 10^th June 2009.

Agreed to defer consideration of the findings of a report by HM’s Ergonomics Specialist Inspector into the Eurobin manual handling arrangements which had concluded that the task of emptying the bins should be carried out by two employees rather than the current one and requested further information on the health and safety aspects of the report.

In receiving and noting the report of the Safety Advisory Group held on 10th June 2009 attention was drawn to the findings of  a report by HM’s Ergonomics Specialist Inspector into the Eurobin manual handling arrangements which had concluded that the task of emptying the bins should be carried out by two employees rather than the current one.  Having requested further information on the health and safety aspects of the report, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the matter be deferred.

that the press and public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains exempt information relation to the financial affairs of particular persons (including the authority holding that information).

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains exempt information relating to an individual/organisation and is likely to reveal their identity/terms of the contract.

To consider a report by the New Accommodation Project Co-ordinator on the delivery of the new headquarters.

approved the accommodation of all headquarters based staff in future years in buildings B, C, D and E together with the suspension of the marketing of the site of Building A, to enable the Chief Executive to investigate the available options for the disposal of Castle Hill House and report thereon to a future meeting; agreed the reservation of sums to meet contractual claims and to fund variations within the financial forecast and noted the requirement to revise the Medium Term Plan provision for the project at its next review.

By way of a report by the New Accommodation Project Co-ordinator (a copy of which is appended in the Annex to the Minute Book) the Cabinet were apprised of progress made to-date on the delivery of the new District Council headquarters and other accommodation. 

Having considered issues associated with the future use of Castle Hill House, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the accommodation of all headquarters based staff in future years in buildings B, C, D and E be approved together with the suspension of the marketing of the site of Building A, to enable the Chief Executive to investigate the available options for the disposal of Castle Hill House and report thereon to a future meeting.

  (b)  that the reservation of sums to meet contractual claims and to fund variations within the financial forecast, as outlined in Annex A, be agreed; and

  (c)  that the requirement to revise the Medium Term Plan provision for the project at its next review, to accord with the financial forecast for Annex A, be noted.