Decisions

1.     To create the post of Communities Support Officer, for a 12-month fixed term

2.     To delegate authority to the Director for Housing and Communities to arrange for the post of Communities Support Officer to be extended after a 12-month period, subject to receipt of additional external funding or income to offset the costs of the post

1.     Authority to award the contract for damp proof work at a Council owned property.

2.     Authority to award and complete the relevant documentation to affect the legal agreement.

1. To award the contract for the preparation of an Indoor Sport Facilities and Playing Pitch Strategy to Knight Kavanagh & Page (KKP).

2. To enter into any necessary documentation to effect the award

1.     To receive support from Harborough District Council on a temporary basis to provide leadership cover for Environmental Health and Licencing functions

To set out the latest proposals for Cabinet consider for inclusion in the Investment Plan.  Due to the tight timescales and ongoing development work, the Investment Plan will be will be finalised through a delegated decision prior to the submission deadline.

Cabinet

(1)  NOTED and ACKNOWLEDGED the significant ongoing progress to develop the UKSPF Investment Plan;

(2)  SUPPORTED in principle the proposals set out in the latest version of the plan but recognised that development and refinement of the plan would continue prior to the submission deadline of 1 August 2022;

(3)  APPROVED submission of the UKSPF Investment Plan and DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity, to finalise the plan prior to submission.

To report corporate performance data and the current position with regard to delivery against the Council’s priorities.

Cabinet

(1)  NOTED the contents of the report and PROVIDED any observations or actions to the relevant officers accordingly.

To inform on how the Council is performing against its revenue and capital budgets.

Cabinet

(1)  NOTED the provisional year end position variations to the 2021-22 approved budget and the resultant effect on the Council’s balances and reserves for the General Fund and Special Expenses for both revenue and capital;

(2)  APPROVED the transfer of £116k in 2022-23 from the Corporate Priorities Reserve to the General Fund Working Balance to bring the level to £850k.

To inform on how the Council is performing against its revenue and capital budgets.

Cabinet

(1)  NOTED the provisional year end position variations to the 2021-22 approved year end position and the resultant effect on the Council’s balances and reserves for the HRA for both revenue and capital.

A summary of the Treasury activities in 2021/22 - also covering the actual position on the Prudential Indicators in accordance with the Prudential Code.

Cabinet RECOMMENDED to Council that

(1)  The Treasury Management Annual Report for 2021-22 be approved;

(2)  The actual position on Prudential Indicators for 2021-22 be noted.

·       Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2022-2052

Cabinet AGREED to have regard to Scrutiny Committee’s feedback.

·       Affordable Housing Development Plan 2022-2026

Cabinet AGREED to have regard to Scrutiny Committee’s feedback.

·       Draft UKSPF Investment Plan Development

Cabinet AGREED to have regard to Scrutiny Committee’s feedback.

That Cabinet

(1)  APPROVED the publication of the report in accordance with the requirements established in paragraph 74 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF, 2021);

(2)  NOTED that the minimum required in terms of housing delivery is not only met, but widely surpassed;

(3)  NOTED that the number of years’ worth of housing supply identified in future annual reports is likely to decrease in the next years;

(4)  NOTED that the short-term impact as consequence of Covid-19/Brexit and other external factors were negligible for this exercise.

To seek approval to go to formal consultation on the extension of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to dogs and dog control (following initial consultation with the Police) in accordance with the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (the Act).

Cabinet

(1)  APPROVED formal consultation for the extension of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

To provide an overview of the actions being taken by the Council to support residents with the increased cost of living.

Cabinet

(1)  NOTED the contents of the report and ENDORSED the proposed areas of focus and associated programme of work to mitigate the impacts of cost-of-living increases;

(2)  NOTED and ENDORSED the work the Council would do with partners to secure additional external funding and deliver appropriate community support, for example through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

There is currently a shortage of affordable homes in Melton. To help address this need, the Council is undertaking a Housing Development Programme to increase the supply of homes.

The Affordable Housing Development Plan (AHDP) sets out the criteria for the way new council homes will be delivered and supports the adoption of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2022-2052.

Cabinet:

(1)  APPROVED the Affordable Housing Development Plan 2022-26, which would confirm the Council’s approach for the delivery of additional homes to add to its housing stock.

Cabinet

(1)  APPROVED the signing of the Leicester & Leicestershire Statement of Common Ground relating to Housing and Employment Land Needs, June 2022.

Introducing the Council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2022 to 2052.  The purpose of the Plan is to set out the Council’s expectations and plans for council homes for the next 30 years and the financial sustainability of the Council’s housing services.

Cabinet:

(1)  ENDORSED the HRA Business Plan 2022 to 2052;

(2)  RECOMMENDED to Council that:

(a)  The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan 2022 – 2052 and associated policy recommendations be approved;

(b)  Delegated authority be given to the Director for Housing and Communities in consultation with the Director for Corporate services and the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to review           and update the financial modelling within the HRA Business Plan on an annual basis to reflect the most up to date stock condition data;

(c)   Delegated authority is given to the Director for Housing and Communities in consultation with the Director for Corporate services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services to access the HRA Development and Regeneration Reserve to progress projects and activities in support of the HRA up to a limit of £100k per project and up to a maximum of £500k in any one year subject to the financial viability of the HRA Business plan not being undermined;

(d)  The target working balance of the HRA be revised to £1m with effect from 1 April 2023;

(e)  That the affordability of new borrowing be measured using industry standard indicators, and these be tracked alongside the HRA business plan;

(f)    That the current policy of not providing for the repayment of debt within the HRA be continued in respect of existing and any new borrowing;

(g)  The rent for re-let properties is set to the 5% upward

           tolerance allowed on formula rent;

(h)  That the Director for Housing and Communities is designated as the nominated person with responsibility for compliance with landlord health and safety on behalf of the Council;

(i)    That the Assistant Director for Housing Management is designated as

the nominated person with responsibility for ensuring that the consumer

           standards, as set out by the Social Housing Regulator are met;

(j)    That the following finance principles set out at Section 9.8 are agreed

·       that overhead recharges remain as is with annual uplift for inflation

·       that any growth in management and maintenance costs is met by reductions elsewhere within the HRA

·       that actual rent increases are in line with Government policy to maximise income to the HRA.

Cabinet

1)    NOTED the criteria and requirements for submitting a Levelling Up Fund bid;

2)    APPROVED the submission of a joint bid with Rutland County Council to maximise the chances of success, noting the shared emphasis on innovation and regenerating rural market towns;

3)    NOTED that Melton’s intended bid submission contains 3 town centre projects, 1 overseen by the Council to develop the Stockyard at the Cattle Market and 2 other town centre projects due to be delivered by partner agencies;

4)    APPROVED incorporation of all 3 projects within the bid submission, subject to them demonstrating they meet all requirements and maintain comparable confidence of delivery;

5)    DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to finalise the configuration of the bid, ensuring the strongest possible submission.  Where individual projects do not meet the requirements set out in 2.4, to remove them from the submission;

6)    NOTED that should the Levelling Up Fund bid be successful, the Council will be required to include match funding of up to £1m which will need to either be met through capital receipts or borrowing. Confirmation of this funding will be through a subsequent decision and consideration of more detailed business case(s) setting out the financial and other implications;

7)    DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to agree with Rutland Council, who the accountable body on behalf of both councils will be.  Notes that appropriate joint governance, resource requirements and legal agreements will be developed to support this arrangement.

Cabinet NOTED the contents of the report.

Cabinet

1)    NOTED and ENDORSED the consultation version of the Town Centre Vision and considers any amendments required following feedback received from the Council’s Scrutiny Committee and through the public Consultation;

2)    DELEGATED authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Prosperity to make any necessary amendments to the Town Centre Vision following the consultation and to finalise the document;

3)    ACKNOWLEDGED that formal adoption of the Town Centre Vision will underpin the submission of the Council’s round 2 Levelling Up Fund bid.