Agenda and decisions

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 08 February 2023.

Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

No items have been referred from Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities to submit a report on the current position update including an overview of achievements to date, continued partnership engagement, ongoing activities and the work proposed over the next 3-6 months, as part of the Council’s Cost of Living action plan.

Cabinet:

1.    NOTED the actions completed to date to support communities with rising costs of living.

2.    ENDORSED the proposed actions for the next 3-6 months through a programme of work to mitigate the impacts of cost-of-living increases for households across the Borough.

3.    DELEGATED to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for People and Communities, authority to finalise a scope and progress procurement and project management arrangements to enable enhanced access to household provisions across the borough through a mobile solution funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to submit a report providing an update on the Council’s approach and response to damp and mould both with council homes and the rented sector.

Cabinet:

1.    NOTED the approach to preventing, assessing, and responding to damp and mould in the rented sector and action plan to further strengthen this approach.

2.    NOTED the positive compliance position in relation to damp and mould in Council Homes.

3.    APPROVED the damp and mould policy for Council Homes.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement to submit a report on a service leadership and collaboration arrangement proposal with a neighbouring authority to improve resilience, achieve better use of resources and better enable a shared approach to preparations for legislative and regulatory change.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services from 1st April 2023.

2.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

2.1      Determine and conclude the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post.

2.2      Review the shared leadership and collaboration arrangements for Waste and Environmental Maintenance Services within six months, to determine whether a shared approach is extended and to enter into required arrangements to enact this.

3.    APPROVED a service leadership and collaboration arrangement between Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council for delivery of Regulatory Services from 1st April 2023.

4.    DELEGATED to the Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to:

4.1. Determine and conclude the actions required to establish arrangements for a shared leadership post and any subsequent reviews.

4.2. Agreed the terms of a reciprocal arrangement for mutual aid with Harborough District Council and record the same in a memorandum of understanding.

4.3. Amend the establishments as identified in section 9.10 of this report and undertake recruitment to resource the teams fully.

5.    NOTED the practical actions required to give lawful effect to the mutual aid arrangement.

The Leader of the Council to provide an update on the risk management arrangements and outline the current significant risks that have been captured by the recent review of the Council’s Strategic Risk Register.

Cabinet:

NOTED the content of the report and the updated Strategic Risk Register and associated risk management action plan, as attached at Appendix A.

The Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to provide an update on the successful Levelling Up Funding Programme, to identify governance requirements and implications and to seek approval to accept the money and commence the work for implementation.

Cabinet:

1.    NOTED the successful outcome from the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) bid.

2.    NOTED that in line with prior approvals and the bid submission, that, subject to Rutland County Council (RCC) approval, RCC will be the ‘Lead Authority’ and accountable body for the funding and endorse their acceptance of the required grant agreements with DHLUC.

3.    Subject to council approval of recommendation 4:

3.1. APPROVED entry into the necessary and relevant legal agreements with Rutland County Council to enable Melton Borough Council to access its share of the Levelling Up Fund.

3.2. APPROVED entry into an agreement with SMB Group to enable delivery of the theatre project as set out within the bid.

3.3.  DELEGATED authority to the Director for Corporate Services, in consultation with Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity, to develop, finalise and sign any associated legal documentation in relation to the agreements set out in 2.3.1 and 2.3.2

3.4. DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree any necessary amendments with DLUHC to enable the funding to be secured for Melton’s projects, should Rutland County Council be unable to fulfil the accountable body role.

3.5. NOTED that regular updates on progress on the LUF programme will be provided to the LUF Executive Board 

4.    RECOMMENDED to Council:

4.1. The acceptance of Melton’s proportion of the LUF funding and approval to enter the capital scheme for the Stockyard project totalling £11.1m to the capital programme for 2023/24 to enable its delivery.

4.2. The Approval to provide match funding of £1m through capital receipts, and if not possible, fund through borrowing.

4.3. That authority be delegated to the Director for Corporate Services to update the capital programme with the spend profile across the relevant financial years for the Stockyard project once the detailed budget plan has been prepared.

The Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity is to submit a report which recommends to Cabinet, that Council proceeds with the disposal of Cemetery Lodge at auction to generate a capital receipt.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED the freehold disposal of Cemetery Lodge in accordance with the Asset Disposal Policy.

2.    DELEGATED authority for the Director for Growth and Regeneration to finalise and effect the legal documentation in relation to the conditions of sale and transfer of the property.

The Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement to provide an update on the Council’s Community Grants Scheme and seek approval for the award of Community Grants for the financial year 2023/24.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED the award of Community Grants in line with the Community Grants Policy as set out in the report and detailed in Appendix A.

2.    APPROVED utilisation of allocated UKSPF funding to support additional community grant allocations as detailed in Appendix A.

3.    DELEGATED to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate, Access and Engagement, authority to assess and award community grants for the one-off King’s Coronation Grants Scheme with the remaining Community Grants budget (£8,796)

The Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to provide an overview of the work undertaken to date since the Council secured investment to deliver its UKSPF investment plan.

Cabinet:

1.    CONFIRMED commitment to delivery of the UKSPF Investment plan as previously submitted to Government.

2.    DELEGATED Authority to Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity, to authorise spend and undertake decisions, approvals and awards of contract that ensure continued delivery of the UKSPF programme in line with the investment plan. This is to include, not only council led projects, but also where funding needs to be released for delivery by a third party (via grants, commissioning, procurement of services etc).

3.    DELEGATED authority to Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity, to make amendments to the plan, as required, and to submit change requests to Govt, relating to the delivery of Melton’s UKSPF programme, in accordance with the requirements of the fund.

4.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Growth and Regeneration, in consultation with the Portfolio holder for Growth and Prosperity, to agree and implement the Council’s Business Grant policy and to make any future amendments required to continue to deliver the UKSPF investment plan.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities to submit a report on the leisure procurement framework and to seek approval to commence the procurement of an operator for the Council’s leisure facilities from 1st April 2024.

Cabinet:

1.    APPROVED the Leisure Procurement Framework (Appendix A).

2.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities, in consultation with the Portfolio holder for People and Communities, to make minor amendments to the leisure procurement framework and to finalise the associated procurement documentation.

3.    DELEGATED authority to the Director for Housing and Communities to commence a procurement process to seek a leisure operator for the Council’s Leisure Facilities from 1st April 2024.