Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford Contact Jim Dean Direct Dial 01785 619209 Email [email protected]
Dear Members
Cabinet
A meeting of the Cabinet will be held in the Craddock Room, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford on Thursday 16 January 2020 at 6.30pm to deal with the business as set out on the agenda.
Please note that this meeting will be recorded
Members are reminded that contact officers are shown at the top of each report and members are welcome to raise questions etc in advance of the meeting with the appropriate officer.
Head of Law and Administration
1 CABINET - 16 JANUARY 2020
Chair - Councillor P M M Farrington
A G E N D A
1 Minutes of 5 December 2019 as published in Digest No 262 on 6 December 2019.
2 Apologies
3 Councillors’ Question Time (if any)
4 Proposals of the Cabinet Members (as follows):-
Page Nos
(a) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING PORTFOLIO
(i) New Local Plan - Issues and Options Report 4 - 15
(b) ENVIRONMENT PORTFOLIO
(i) Draft Climate Change Strategy 16 - 46
(c) COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
(i) Community Safety and Wellbeing 47 - 53 Strategy 2020 - 2024
(ii) Compulsory Purchase Orders (a) 27 Tixall Road, Stafford, ST16 3XS 54 - 61 (b) 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford 62 - 71 (iii) Homelessness and Rough Sleeper 72 - 78 Strategy 2020 - 2025 and Allocations Policy Review
(iv) Empty Homes Strategy 79 - 94
(d) RESOURCES PORTFOLIO
(i) Empty Homes Stategy - Council Tax 95 - 103
(ii) General Fund Revenue Budget 104 - 144 2020 - 21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
2
Membership
Chair - Councillor P M M Farrington
P M M Farrington - Leader R M Smith - Deputy Leader and Resources Portfolio J M Pert - Community and Health Portfolio J K Price - Environment Portfolio F Beatty - Economic Development and Planning Portfolio C V Trowbridge - Leisure Portfolio
3 ITEM NO 4(a)(i) ITEM NO 4(a)(i)
Contact Officer: Alex Yendole Telephone No: 01785 619536 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/2020 (Only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR F BEATTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 New Local Plan - Issues and Options Report
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To approve the ‘New Local Plan - Issues and Options Report’ for consultation (attached as a BOOKLET to this report) seeking views on key elements of the new Development Plan due to changes in national policy and the local planning context.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 That the New Local Plan - Issues and Options Report’ is approved for public consultation.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 It is important for the Borough Council to make progress on the New Local Plan for Stafford Borough in order to provide for future development across the Borough through strategic planning policies and specific land allocations, to deliver the new strategy over the Plan period from 2020 to 2040.
3.2 Since the Plan for Stafford Borough 2011-2031 was adopted (Part 1 in June 2014 and Part 2 in January 2017) significant changes have occurred both at a national and local planning context, including the following:
• An increased Corporate focus on delivering new economic growth • Changes in Government policy including for housing development • Reviewing Gypsy and Traveller pitch provision past 2027
3.3 Since the New Local Plan commenced the following key areas of work have been completed in order to support the preparation of the Issues and Options
4 Report, to be subject to public consultation:
• Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report published and consulted upon • Settlement Assessment questionnaire to Parish Councils processed • On-going ‘Call for Sites’ exercise including new development, brownfield land and Local Green Space • Authority Monitoring Report published and evidence gathering from key stakeholders, including confirmation of a 5 year housing land supply • Analysis of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (February 2019) to reflect local implications for the New Local Plan process • Scoping the Issues Report alongside the Settlement Assessment methodology and the associated settlement profiles
3.4 In September 2019 the new Local Plan timetable was established through the updated Local Development Scheme, based on the revised National Planning Policy Framework requirements, progress on the evidence base including the standardised methodology for housing need applied to Stafford Borough, and the Government identifying a potential new Garden Community called Meecebrook to be considered through the statutory planning process.
3.5 As part of the Issues and Options stage the next stage in the process is to go out to public consultation in February and March 2020. This public consultation exercise will seek responses from the local community on Issues and Options Report as part of preparing the New Local Plan for Stafford Borough, based on the latest evidence and Government planning policy including the revised National Planning Policy Framework. Responses will be sought on the consultation documents until 12 noon on Tuesday 31 March 2020. Please refer to the BOOKLET for further details containing the Issues & Options Report. The APPENDIX to this item sets out the latest evidence base to be published alongside the Issues & Options Report including the Non Technical Summary and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan.
3.6 The Issues and Options Report includes the following key elements for public consultation:
• Stafford Borough: A Pen Portrait • Vision and Key Objectives • Sustainability and Climate Change • The Development Strategy • Delivering Economic Prosperity • Delivering Town Centres that address Future Needs • Delivering Housing • Delivering Quality Development including the Natural Environment & Heritage • Environmental Quality • Health and Wellbeing • Connections • Viability and Delivery of Development • Monitoring and Review
5
3.7 Within the Development Strategy section is the settlement hierarchy, which ensures that sustainable locations for new development are identified at the Borough’s towns and villages. At this stage it is important to stress that no decisions have yet been made about the location of new development. The categorisation within the settlement hierarchy is based on a range of factors including population, recent development activity, highway network, employment opportunities, key facilities and services as well as accessibility and technology.
3.8 The New Local Plan proposed settlement hierarchy seeks to replace the existing adopted Plan for Stafford Borough (June 2014) Settlement Hierarchy of Stafford, Stone and the Key Service Villages, and instead introduces 6 new categories (tabled below).
Tier Settlement Description Category 1 Stafford Largest urban area in the Borough with a regionally significant service centre role providing employment, retail and other facilities, and a key role in driving growth. This also include Baswich, Berkswich, Doxey and Walton-on-the-Hill 2 Stone The second largest town in the Borough providing employment, retail and other facilities for a wider area 3 North Staffordshire These areas are located in the north of the Urban Areas Borough and include Clayton, Meir Heath / Rough Close and Blythe Bridge. 4 Large Settlements Large villages of 500 or more dwellings which act as key service centres for the surrounding rural area by virtue of the range of services and facilities they possess. This includes Eccleshall, Gnosall, Great Haywood, Hixon, and Little Haywood and Colwich 5 Medium Settlements Villages of 250 or more dwellings which tend to have a lesser provision of services than larger villages that share services with nearby villages. This includes Brocton A34; Church Eaton; Derrington; Great Bridgeford; Haughton; Hilderstone; Hyde Lea; Weston; Woodseaves 6 Small Settlements Small villages with a definable village nucleus (i.e. not dispersed or ribbon development) of 50 or more dwellings with fewer services available. This includes Adbaston; Aston-by-Stone; Bradley; Cold Meece; Cotes Heath; Creswell; Croxton; Hopton; Milwich; Moreton; Norbury; Norton Bridge; Ranton; Sandon; Salt; Seighford
6 3.9 In terms of the Rest of the Borough (ie settlements and areas not identified in the Settlement Hierarchy) this will contribute limited housing to the overall housing requirement such as through the re-use of rural buildings.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 The New Local Plan will help deliver the Council’s Corporate Business Plan 2018-2021 key objectives:
“To deliver sustainable economic and housing growth to provide income and jobs.”
“To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work and encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and well-being.”
5 Report Detail
5.1 In March 2012 the National Planning Policy Framework was published, and subsequently updated in February 2019 as well as additional information through the Planning Practice Guidance, which sets out the national context for preparing policies in new Local Plans. The purpose of planning was defined as achieving sustainable development, with this approach amplified through core planning principles and a general approach requiring that Local Plans should bring forward sufficient land of a suitable quality in appropriate locations to meet objectively assessed needs.
5.2 On this basis, in order to progress the New Local Plan 2020 - 2040, the following timetable was published in September 2019 through an updated Local Development Scheme for key stages of the New Local Plan process, detailed below:-
Stage Process Stage Proposed Completion Date 1 Commencement of New Completed Local Plan 2 July 2018 to Issues and Options stages March 2020 3 Preferred Options Report January 2021
4 Formal publication of the June 2021 proposed new plan 5 Submission of the proposed new plan to the Planning December 2021 Inspectorate
7 Stage Process Stage Proposed Completion Date 6 Examination of the March 2022 proposed new plan
7 Adoption of the new local October 2022 plan
5.3 This consultation stage on the ‘New Local Plan - Issues and Options Report’ will last for approximately 7 weeks, to take account of the February half term holiday break, and include the following to reflect the Statement of Community Involvement:
• Notify Parish Councils, Members and key stakeholders of publication of the documents and provide an opportunity to make responses. • Copies of the documents provided to all libraries and at the Civic Centre. • Availability to view the documents and the related evidence base via the Council’s website. • Public exhibitions / drop in events across the Borough area • Parish Councils engagement event • The opportunity to make representations via the website, by email or on paper. • Press notice / release
5.4 In terms of next steps the New Local Plan evidence base will be updated, where necessary, in order to prepare the Preferred Options Report, after consideration of the Issues and Options Report consultation exercise. This will subsequently lead to the Council progressing to the Publication formal statutory consultation stage for a six week period, as required by the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.
5.5 The New Local Plan will then be assessed through an independent Examination process to determine if the Plan is ‘appropriate’ based on the NPPF’s latest tests of soundness. Following the Examination process the Council will hope to adopt the New Local Plan, which will replace the adopted Plan for Stafford Borough 2011-2031.
8 6 Implications
6.1 Financial The New Local Plan was allocated a total of £536,000 from Council resources to meet anticipated costs. A total of £166,239 has been spent to date (2017/18 to 2019/20), with £369,761 still available to complete the New Local Plan through to 2022/23. It should be noted, however, that to deliver a robust and sound Plan costs may increase depending upon the level of growth to be promoted in the Borough, including through the potential Garden Community proposals. Therefore further bids may need to be submitted, should additional funds be required.
The Cabinet item on 6 July 2017 considered the overall funding for the New Local Plan. These figures were not considered to be absolute as these are subject to finalised project briefs / scope and tendering to external sources. Having considered the final expenditure figures from the 2007-2014 adopted Plan, and following discussions with other Local Planning Authorities undertaking similar work, a general uplift was agreed alongside recognition that there was an increasing need to use internal expertise across the Council’s services, if possible. Legal New Local Plan to be subject to relevant Planning Acts and Regulations as well as subject to decision by Full Council prior to publication and adoption in line with the Constitution. Human Resources In the first instance the New Local Plan will be delivered by existing staff from within Development Department and the wider organisation. Once all internal resource has been utilised, it may be necessary to look for external support. Human Rights Act None identified Data Protection Consultation responses to be subject to the latest General Data Protection Regulations brought into effect from May 2018 onwards.
9 Risk Management Adopted Plan for Stafford Borough in place. However without progressing with a New Local Plan there is a risk of not having an up-to-date Plan which would lead to Government planning policies overriding local policies and potential intervention. A delay and / or uncertainty at the local level without a New Local Plan could lead to Legal Challenges and / or Appeals with significant costs for the Council.
6.2 Community Impact The New Local Plan will be subject to the Assessment Statement of Community Involvement in order to Recommendations provide the local community of Stafford Borough with an opportunity to be involved in the preparation of planning policy documents. It seeks to ensure no groups and individuals, including hard to reach groups, are excluded.
Previous Consideration - Nil
Background Papers - File available in Development.
10 APPENDIX
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 New Local Plan Issues & Options – evidence base & Non Technical Summary
Introduction
The purpose of this Appendix note is to set out the evidence base and supporting information being made available for publication alongside the New Local Plan 2020- 2040 Issues & Options consultation early in the New Year including the following:
- Non Technical Summary: Please see attached link 1 to the latest document. - Stakeholder Engagement Plan. Please see attached link 2 to the latest document.
The Appendix includes a brief summary of the relevant evidence base / supporting information, requirement through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), its current status, next steps and anticipated publication date for the following studies:
- Economic & Housing Development Needs Assessment - Town Centre Capacity Assessment - Reasonable Alternatives / Strategic Development Options - Sustainability Appraisal - Habitat Regulations Assessment - Nature Recovery Network - Gypsy and Traveller Needs Assessment - Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Strategic Housing & Employment Land Availability Assessment
Economic & Housing Development Needs Assessment (EHDNA) - Please see attached link 3 to the latest document.
• Lichfields consultants have prepared the Stafford Borough EHDNA based on the revised NPPF and latest Planning Policy Guidance alongside updated modelling and latest monitoring figures for housing & employment delivery • The study considers level of housing and employment provision through a range of scenarios, with the starting point being the Government’s Standard Methodology & Local Housing Need calculation. The EHDNA sets out the self contained Housing Market Area and Functional Economic Market Area • Future employment land requirement of 68 to 181 hectares over the Plan period 2020-2040. Future housing land provision of 408 to 746 dwellings per annum. Based on local need 252 to 389 affordable homes are required each year.
11 • Housing = identifies Parish based housing provision across the Borough as well as affordable housing requirements. Higher house prices within a strong market are evident but also worsening affordability ratios and challenges to accessing the market. Greater range of housing types are identified as required in rural areas. • Employment = High economic activity, low unemployment and mix of employment sectors, with moderate job growth. 89% of employment floorspace is industrial, some offices. Greater choice of quality B-class land required by commercial property market stakeholders and mix of sites • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 3, 5 & 6. • Final report available for Cabinet Member consideration on 16 December 2019. To be published week commencing 6 January 2020 alongside Cabinet agenda for 16 January 2020.
Town Centre Capacity Assessment (TCCA) - Please see attached link 4 to the latest document.
• Stantec consultants have prepared the Stafford Borough TCCA based on the revised NPPF and latest Planning Policy Guidance alongside updated survey information for baseline need, catchment modelling and latest monitoring figures for retail & town centre uses • The TCCA identifies the town centre strategic hierarchy of Stafford, Stone and Eccleshall together with potential development sites and a health check for each centre. Furthermore proposed town centre boundaries and Primary Shopping Areas are identified. • Future retail requirement of 13,926 m² comparison across the Borough of each 75% at Stafford town but no convenience provision due to existing commitments. The study supports the continued local impact floorspace thresholds for Stafford town at 1,000 m², Stone town at 500 m² and Eccleshall at 300 m² • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 3 & 7. • Final report available for Cabinet Member consideration on 16 December 2019. To be published week commencing 6 January 2020 alongside Cabinet agenda for 16 January 2020
Strategic Development Site Options - Please see attached link 5 to the latest document.
• AECOM consultants have prepared the Strategic Development Sites Options study in order to assess strategic-scale site options for delivering significant growth through the New Local Plan in line with the revised NPPF. The study sets out the local context and identification of the strategic sites following an area of search approach before considering deliverability, costs and social infrastructure, followed by an assessment of each location. • 6 locations are identified across Stafford Borough for potential new development of between 2,500 to 11,500 houses together with associated employment & infrastructure
12
• The study concludes that Hixon and Meecebrook are potentially most suitable whilst Gnosall North / East, Land between Gnosall & Haughton, Seighford, land north of Redhill, and land west of Weston are all potentially suitable. Further evidence studies & research are advised to inform future plan making including an Infrastructure Delivery Plan and viability updates. • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 3 & 5. • Final report available for Cabinet Member consideration on 16 December 2019. To be published week commencing 6 January 2020 alongside Cabinet agenda for 16 January 2020.
Nature Recovery Network (NRN) – anticipated to be published, subject to further amendments. Please see attached link 6 to the document.
• Staffordshire Wildlife Trust have prepared the Stafford Borough NRN to meet the requirements for biodiversity net gain and ecological networks based on the revised NPPF and latest Planning Policy Guidance alongside updated survey information, existing evidence base, and in the context of international / national and local designations. This work supports cross-border strategic issues with neighbouring authorities and supports the delivery of mitigation measures for Special Areas of Conservation, such as the Cannock Chase SAC, in order to facilitate future development through Local Plans. • The NRN establishes a habitat connectivity opportunity areas for Stafford Borough together with specific focus on woodland, grassland, heathland, wetland, meres & mosses, pasture & arable as well as the urban fabric alongside future conservation projects at Stafford and Stone. It should be noted that this study will also be used to support the draft Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Document out for consultation as well as the Biodiversity Strategy. • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 3 & 15. • Final report available for Cabinet Member consideration on 16 December 2019. To be published week commencing 6 January 2020 alongside Cabinet agenda for 16 January 2020.
Gypsy and Traveller Needs Assessment
• Opinion Research Services (ORS) consultants are currently preparing the Stafford Borough GTNAA to meet the requirements for gypsies and travellers based on the National Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (August 2015) alongside updated survey information collected at both summer and winter seasons, existing evidence base, and the local context. • A draft report awaited from ORS which will need to be assessed by Officers and feedback provided. At this stage it is not envisaged that this study will be completed and finalised in time for the Issues & Options consultation during February & March 2020 so will be published to support a subsequent consultation stage.
13 Sustainability Appraisal
• Sustainability Appraisal is a crucial component for the New Local Plan, to be presented at the Examination stage to demonstrate legal compliance & meets the NPPF tests. A series of SA reports need to be prepared at each stage of the New Local Plan process to assess the evidence produced, development strategy approach, policies & proposals on an independent basis. • The Sustainability Appraisal Framework for Stafford Borough was established through the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report during the Summer 2017. • Stafford Borough Council have engaged AECOM consultants to complete the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) for the Borough as part of the evidence base on the New Local Plan 2020-2040. The SA will ensure that the planned approach to delivering future development in Stafford Borough meets the Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessment processes and associated legislation and other requirements. • The SA will be delivered at each key stage of the New Local Plan process (Issues and Options, Preferred Option, Submission Draft and provide support to the Examination process), providing evidence for future growth and local needs, to demonstrate how these meet the sustainability criteria within Stafford Borough. The SA will also inform the development of the proposals for a new Garden Community / Major Urban Extension as part of the New Local Plan. • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 2 & 3. • An initial Sustainability Appraisal report will be published alongside the Issues & Options report at the end of January 2020 to provide an independent assessment, which will be updated through subsequent stages of the New Local Plan process.
Habitat Regulations Assessment
• The Habitat Regulations Assessment is a crucial component for the New Local Plan due to the number of Special Areas of Conservation and Ramsar site designations across the Stafford Borough area. The HRA will need to be presented at the Examination stage to demonstrate legal compliance & meets the NPPF tests. A series of HRA reports need to be prepared at each stage of the New Local Plan process to assess the development strategy approach, policies & proposals in order to provide a robust mitigation approach for planning. • Stafford Borough Council have engaged Footprint Ecology consultancy to complete a Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) process for the Borough as part of the evidence base for the New Local Plan 2020-2040. The HRA will need to be delivered at each key stage of the New Local Plan process, to ensure legislative requirements are met and evidence provided to deliver future growth and local development needs. • This work will ensure that delivering new development can take place in Stafford Borough within the context of the Habitat Regulations Assessment. • National Planning Policy Framework requirement set out in Sections 2, 3 & 15.
14 • An initial Habitat Regulations Assessment report will be published alongside the Issues & Options report at the end of January 2020 to provide an independent assessment, which will be updated through subsequent stages of the New Local Plan process.
The following links are available to other elements of the New Local Plan evidence base and supporting information through the Stafford Borough Council web-site:
Local Plans and Policies web-page: https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/forwardplans
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment: Level 1 – November 2019 https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/water-management-and-flooding
Please note that further work on the Water Cycle Study will be progressed prior to the Preferred Options stage to assess sites identified for allocation
Strategic Housing & Employment Land Availability Assessment update 2019 https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/strategic-housing-land-availability-assessment-shlaa1
Playing Pitch Strategy & Indoor Sport Facilities – July 2019 https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/open-space-sport-and-recreation
Statement of Community Involvement – November 2018 https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/statement-of-community-involvement
Local Development Scheme – September 2019 https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/local-development-scheme
15 ITEM NO 4(b)(i) ITEM NO 4(b)(i)
Contact Officer: Amanda Holland Telephone No: 01785 619537 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/20 (Only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J K PRICE ENVIRONMENT PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Draft Climate Change Strategy
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To approve the draft Climate Change Strategy 2020-2040 and agree to a public consultation from January 2020.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 To recommend that the draft Climate Change strategy is approved for consultation.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 A climate change emergency was declared by the council on 23 July 2019 and a commitment was made by the authority to become carbon neutral by 2040. It was agreed that a Climate Change Strategy would be developed to support this commitment.
3.2 A draft Climate Change Strategy has been developed by an officer working group and approval is sought from members to consult on the document.
3.3 The document contains an action plan which should be treated as ‘draft’. This will be further developed after the consultation in January.
3.4 Following consultation, it is intended that the document is signed off by Cabinet then full Council in April 2020.
16 4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 Climate change is a cross-cutting issue, which if tacked effectively, will help to achieve the over-arching vision of the Corporate Business Plan; ‘A prosperous and attractive borough with strong communities’. It also contributes to the 3 business plan objectives of:
1. To deliver sustainable economic and housing growth to provide income and jobs.
2. To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work and encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing.
3. To be a well-run, financially sustainable and ambitious organisation, responsive to the needs of our customers and communities and focussed on delivering our objectives.
5 Report Detail
5.1 The council has recognised that it has an important role in responding to the threat of climate change. A number of successful initiatives have already been undertaken to reduce carbon emissions; in fact the council has been recognised as one of leading authorities in the region for its action by a Friends of the Earth Survey last year.
5.2 In order to achieve the commitment of carbon zero by 2040 a Climate Change Strategy has been developed.
5.3 The strategy (attached as APPENDIX 1 to this document) sets out:
• The council’s commitment to achieving carbon neutral by 2040 • A definition of ‘climate change’ and ‘carbon neutrality’ • The authorities’ climate change ‘vision and objectives’ • How the authority will reduce emissions from our own activities • How the authority will work in partnership with other bodies to achieve carbon neutrality • How the authority will mitigate and adapt to climate change • The process of monitoring and reviewing our progress • An action plan
5.4 The strategy recognises current initiatives that are already under way, as well as new actions that the borough will need to take.
5.5 The content of the strategy is very broad ranging and includes actions that we can take internally and in partnership including;
• delivery of sustainability measures through the local plan, • driving forward our green agenda to absorb carbon emissions, • improve recycling rates and waste reduction, • reducing emissions from our buildings and being more energy efficient,
17 • moving towards new technologies including electric vehicles and solar technology, • promoting environmental education in our schools and communities, and developing social responsibility in relation to climate change.
5.6 Importantly, an up to date carbon audit of the authority will need to be undertaken to establish where our greenhouse gas emissions are coming from and then to identify which service areas/activities we need to target. This forms part of the action plan and is a key first step in tackling the problem. This could either be undertaken internally or externally (an audit carried out by an external consultant would incur a cost of around £6,000).
5.7 A public consultation on the draft strategy is proposed following Cabinet approval in January; the details of which are contained in APPENDIX 2. Following this, the responses will be analysed and the strategy updated. A timetable setting out the process is presented in APPENDIX 3.
5.8 The action plan will be developed over time, and updated once the consultation results have been received. The action plan must closely reflect the objectives set out in the strategy, but it is also important to be pragmatic about delivery targets and milestones. Sign-up is critical from all areas of the organisation for successful delivery.
6 Implications
6.1 Financial Yes, but the action plans needs to be further developed in order to assess the financial implications. Service plans will need to be updated to reflect any additional costs. The carbon audit may require a budget allocation of around £6,000 if it is not undertaken internally. Legal No Human Resources No Human Rights Act No Data Protection No Risk Management No
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
Previous Consideration - Nil
Background Papers - File available in Development
18
Draft Climate Change Strategy 2020 – 2040
V10 December 2019
19
Contents Foreword ...... 3
Introduction ...... 4
What is Climate Change? ...... 5
What is Carbon Neutrality?...... 6
Our Vision and Objectives ...... 7
CC1: Reducing emissions from our own activities ...... 8
CC2: Work in partnership with Government, Elected Bodies and Elected Members, Partners and Residents across the Borough to take action that contributes to carbon neutrality and sustainable development within communities ...... 9
CC3: Mitigate And Adapt to Climate Change ...... 12
Monitoring our Progress ...... 14
Appendix 1 - Stafford Borough Council Climate Change Pledge………………………………15
Appendix 2 - Action Plan…………………………………………………………………………...16
20 Foreword
We have a leadership role in achieving a sustainable climate. The council declared a climate emergency on 23 July 2019. We recognise that we cannot achieve this on our own and we will need to work with, and have the support of, the whole community as we believe that this is everybody’s responsibility.
The council has a good reputation for being proactive in respect of climate change and sustainable development and has never shied away from its contribution towards the differing national agendas over the years. The council has been at the forefront of implementing a number of initiatives that support this agenda. Results from the 2019 Friends of the Earth Survey on how climate-friendly local authorities are, places Stafford Borough Council as first in the county.
On 23 July we joined other councils in declaring a Climate Emergency and made the commitment that as an authority we would become carbon neutral by 2040. As part of that commitment the council is updating its Corporate Business Plan to include climate change across all our corporate business objectives. This strategy sets out how we aim to achieve our outcome of carbon neutrality and how we will work with our communities to become a more sustainable borough and reduce our carbon footprint.
Councillor Jonathan Price
Cabinet Member for Environment
21 Introduction
This strategy will support and enhance the work that is currently underway within the council regarding climate change. This document provides direction as to how we will tackle climate change and achieve a more sustainable Stafford Borough by recognising existing activities and identifying future actions.
The future of our planet is of great importance. At a global level, we are faced with the international implications of climate change; population migration, deforestation, oceanic currents and weather changes, depletion of non-renewable resources, desertification, loss of biodiversity and the chemical loading of the atmosphere. At a local level, issues around flooding, summer heat, pollution of the air, land and rivers, loss of wildlife habitats, agricultural yields and diseases, and the effects of waste disposal (including managing plastics). The majority of these problems are caused by the accumulation of local and global impacts.
It is therefore vital that local action is taken to protect our local environment in order to maintain and improve the quality of life of both present and future generations.
Stafford Borough has a key leadership role in tackling climate change. Being smarter and more proactive about our energy management and the reduction of associated emissions of greenhouse gases has been an important focus for the council over the past few years. Although we cannot reverse the impact that climate change has already had on our borough, we can alter what we do in order to limit that impact.
We are already purchasing 10% of green electricity and improving energy efficiency in our buildings in order to ensure long-term sustainability. Solar panel installation at our sites at the Civic Centre and Riverway has generated electricity resulting in a saving of over 200
tonnes of CO2. Since the cremators were replaced in 2013 at Stafford Crematorium the gas consumption has dropped from a high of 2 million kWh in one single year to an average of 750,000 kWh/year.
Long-term sustainability is central to the vision of both our Corporate Business Plan 2018 – 2021 and Local Plan. We are integrating climate change into our Corporate Business Plan to acknowledge the importance of reducing the effects of climate change locally and implementing measures to modify our practices to adapt to the changes that have already occurred. Only by placing this at the core of our business planning process can we ensure that we take climate change into account in the services that we deliver.
A new Local Plan is currently being prepared, with one of the key drivers being to achieve our ambitions for carbon neutrality. The plan will promote sustainable construction and house building, protect and enhance the natural environment, mitigate the risk of flooding, promote carbon reduction in travel and encourage renewable energy production.
22 What is Climate Change?
Climate change refers to changes in the average weather experienced over a long period. This includes temperature, wind and rainfall patterns. The climate of the Earth is not static, and has changed many times in response to a variety of natural causes.
Facts:
• The Earth has warmed by 0.74°C over the last hundred years. Around 0.4°C of this warming has occurred since the 1970s. • The recent Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) leaves us in no doubt that human activity is the primary driver of the observed changes in climate. • According to AR4, mean global temperatures are likely to rise between 1.1 and 6.4°C (with a best estimate of 1.8 to 4°C) above 1990 levels by the end of this century, depending on our emissions. This will result in a further rise in global sea levels of between 20 and 60cm, continued melting of ice caps, glaciers and sea ice, changes in rainfall patterns and intensification of tropical cyclones.
What does this mean for us?
For the UK, climate change means hotter, drier summers (more heat-waves), milder winters, higher sea levels and an increased flood risk to coastal areas. Across the globe, there will be more intense heat waves, droughts and more flooding. There may be severe problems in regions where people are particularly vulnerable to changes in the weather. Population migration, water and food shortages and the spread of disease are commonly predicted. The social, environmental and economic costs of climate change could be huge.
Local impacts are harder to predict but flooding is a significant risk for Stafford. In addition, feeling safe and being able to live independently in your own home and surrounding area are vital to our wellbeing1 and ensuring the conditions to foster good health across the community is already a priority for the Borough Council.
Ozone pollution and an increased incidence of extreme weather events will have a negative effect on the health of those in affected areas. The scale of the health impacts [of climate change] will depend on the success of mitigation and adaptation measures, and will vary between geographical areas and population groups2.
Addressing both the causes and impacts of climate change can bring health improvements — for example, through policies that emphasise the importance of well insulated, affordable homes; that reduce air pollution; or encourage physical activity by active travel and increased access to green space. We have an opportunity to further increase community resilience, enhancing the capacity of residents to mitigate their individual impact on the environment and collectively having better emergency and disaster-preparedness.
1 Corporate Business Plan 2018-2021 2 https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/time-think-differently/trends-broader-determinants-health-climate- change
23 What is Carbon Neutrality?
Carbon neutrality, refers to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. This can be achieved through the employment of two main methods; firstly through the practice of “carbon offsetting”, and secondly through the elimination of carbon emissions altogether.
Carbon Offsetting
Carbon offsetting refers to the process of balancing carbon released into the atmosphere with carbon removed from the atmosphere. This necessitates a rate of removal beyond that which can be achieved from natural processes. Therefore, to successfully achieve carbon neutrality through the balancing of carbon-emissions, efforts must be made to either create or contribute to carbon removal schemes.
Carbon removal is an emerging field, with solutions to carbon removal being increasingly explored. However, there are also pre-existing solutions to carbon removal which can be easily integrated into the built and natural environment. For example, through the provision of a green network which continuously filters carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The removal of carbon from the atmosphere to balance carbon emissions is not an easy task, and requires a commitment to the widespread deployment of a variety of carbon removal measures.
Eliminating Carbon Emissions
Perhaps the most obvious way to achieve carbon neutrality is to eliminate carbon emissions completely. However, this requires the transformation to alternative practices in all human activities which result in the release of carbon emissions. Whilst this will be both time and resource intensive, there are already solutions available which will aid in the realisation of this objective. For example, transforming energy systems through the installation of renewable energy infrastructure eliminates the need for fossil fuel consumption, meaning that our supply of electric will be carbon neutral.
Whilst the aforementioned methods involve different processes, it is important that they are not viewed in isolation from each other. To achieve carbon neutrality, and limit global warming, a holistic approach must be used. These processes work in synergy with each other; if carbon emissions are reduced, there is less carbon to be removed from the atmosphere. Therefore, these approaches must be used in tandem with each other. Only when this is achieved, will the worst effects of climate change be avoided.
24 Our Vision and Objectives
Our Vision is to have a ‘Prosperous and Attractive Borough with Strong Communities’
This is the vision that drives our Corporate Business Plan and this strategy supports reducing the effects of climate change. Over the next few years our delivery will be focused upon the following objectives.
We will:
• Reduce emissions from our own activities to work towards carbon neutrality by 2040 • Work in partnership with government, elected bodies and elected members, businesses, partners and residents across the borough to take action that contributes to carbon neutrality and sustainable development within communities • Mitigate climate change (helping to prevent any worsening of the situation, for example by introducing low carbon energy sources) • Adapt to climate change (accepting that there has been an effect from climate change and introducing measures to overcome the consequences, for example flood risk prevention) • Consider the effects of our policies upon achieving a sustainable economy and employment. • Facilitate healthy communities. • Educating young people about the importance of climate change and engaging them in the changes necessary to make it happen. • Drive a broader green agenda to limit the effects of all local pollution. • Encourage and research waste reduction and recycling methods with an emphasis on plastics and procurement. • Provide leadership and influence in developing social responsibility in responding to a climate emergency.
25 CC1: Reducing emissions from our own activities
The council has been very proactive over the years in reducing emissions from its own activities. We have embraced renewable energy technologies and took advantage of the feed in tariff when it was introduced. The installation of the Civic Centre photovoltaic system has generated £113,259.80, and has generated 244.255 megawatt hours’ worth of energy. Furthermore, 241 tonnes of Co2 has been saved.
There are a number of other initiatives that have contributed to this agenda, for example:
• Replacing cremators at Stafford Crematorium with high efficiency models with heat recycling • Boilers changed in our building to reduce energy consumption • HR initiatives, for example working from home and cycle to work schemes • IT improvements such as staff moving to laptops which reduces emissions • Reduction in printing throughout the organisation • Recycling around 52% of the waste that we collect from households each week • Managing around 1,000 acres of parks and open spaces (carbon absorption) • Installation of EV charging points on car parks • Progressing initiatives to install solar PV panels on the roof of the Waterfront car park in Stafford, provide battery storage and use spare green electricity to sell on to local businesses in the Waterfront development • Wherever appropriate and possible exploring opportunities to install solar powered equivalents to eventually replace existing lighting columns, parking machines, public realm power boxes etc. • Adaptation of our fleet to less polluting vehicles.
When the council was last audited, the carbon balance excluding waste derived emissions was 1,500 tonnes CO2 pa output. In order to achieve carbon neutrality a figure of zero would need to be achieved. In terms of our own activities, policies driven by the council can achieve large carbon saving impacts when compared to a benchmark year.
It is also important that we recognise the challenges of cutting fuel use at the crematorium, waste fleet and vehicle use (including staff commuting), as well as the implications for disposing/treating the waste arising from our residential collections.
Our back office systems within our authority have an important role to play, for example reducing the use of paper (such as the introduction of electronic payslips), improved IT systems which reduce emissions and HR policies which promote more sustainable means of travel and reduce the need to travel (e.g. home working).
Over the next few years our areas of focus will be:
• Undertake a meaningful audit of the council’s carbon footprint to derive the council’s own carbon inputs and output • Reducing our energy and water consumption • Promote green travel and transport for our staff and within our service areas including installation of more EV charging points • Reducing waste and improving recycling (particularly for plastics).
26 CC2: Work in partnership with Government, Elected Bodies and Elected Members, Partners and Residents across the Borough to take action that contributes to carbon neutrality and sustainable development within communities
Climate Change is everybody’s responsibility. To achieve our goals we need to work with a broad range of partners. We will need to lobby central government for resources to assist us in achieving carbon neutrality. We will need to work with elected members and all residents to take action that will contribute to carbon neutrality and sustainable development in all of our communities.
Through the Local Strategic Partnership we will engage with other stakeholders to embed climate change in our activities with the aim of reducing its impact locally. This is also important when working with our economic colleagues through the Staffordshire and Stoke- on-Trent Local Economic Partnership (LEP) and the Constellation Partnership.
We are driving forward a real opportunity, through the New Local Plan, for all members and residents to influence the development of large scale developments, such as a proposed new garden community and Stafford Station Gateway. These large scale developments are where we will achieve most return on our ambition to become carbon neutral.
The council is revising the Local Plan and will include implications of climate change through new developments and policies. This includes working with other Staffordshire districts on sustainable energy and flood risk evidence to inform the New Local Plan as well as supporting parish councils to consider these issues through their preparation of Neighbourhood Plans.
The refresh of the Local Plan will promote:
• Carbon saving installations such as electric vehicle charging points • Closer working with developers to build sustainable/carbon neutral homes and settlements • The installation of renewable energy infrastructure • Designs for community heating • Green Infrastructure and habitat management
The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) recognises local authorities’ ability to use their position to improve the energy efficiency of all homes. The council has recently updated its report for Stafford Borough, and its associated action plan in accordance with guidance issued under HECA. The action plan details local energy ambitions and priorities, planned interventions which take advantage of assistance from central government, plans to work on an area based or ‘street by street’ roll out of improvements and to work together with local communities and partners such as social housing providers, voluntary organisations and parish councils to achieve our goals. There is a commitment to work in partnership with a specialist energy agency to tackle a number of issues including cold homes, fuel poverty and carbon emissions.
27 From 1 April 2018 all privately rented dwellings should be brought up to a minimum energy efficiency standard (Energy Performance Certificate Rating E or above). The authority is working with landlords and tenants to highlight the benefits of energy efficiency work, promote awareness of available assistance to help improve homes, ensure all new tenants are provided with information so that they can consider potential energy costs. In addition the council is working in partnership with a specialised energy agent to develop programmes which improve home energy efficiency and reduce fuel consumption.
Stafford Borough Council’s Eco Schools Network has recently been reintroduced, meetings are held once a term. The network promotes information sharing between schools, organisations and the council about environmental projects and initiatives. The council also provides the Eco Schools with a grant to carry out environmentally friendly projects.
For a number of years the council has worked proactively with residents in Derrington, Penkside and Littleworth to introduce low carbon communities and sustainable development initiatives such as solar photovoltaic schemes on community used buildings, affordable warmth and energy efficiency initiatives, planted wild flower gardens and orchards.
The borough is fortunate enough to be based in one of the most picturesque parts of England, offering a range of high quality attractions and beautiful countryside. Maintaining our natural and built heritage and managing change and well planned, appropriate growth, is essential if we are to achieve sustainable development and create more cohesive and sustainable communities. Green Infrastructure (GI) and the protection of our diverse ecological assets including 16 Site of Scientific Interest (SSSIs) – which include 2 National Nature Reserves (NNRs), 3 RAMSARs (Internationally recognised site for wetland birds), 4 Special Area of Conservation (SACs), 7 Local Nature Reserves and 173 Sites of Biological Interest (SBI’s) have a significant role to play in helping achieve sustainable development and to adapt to and mitigate for climate change. Working locally with the Wildlife Trust, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) partnership, other local authorities and national organisations we can help to preserve and enhance these assets.
Many of our important habitats are under threat from climate change as well as air pollution and visitor and development pressures. We are working closely with our neighbouring authorities, Natural England and national conservation charities to safeguard the future of these habitats and the wildlife which rely on them. Ensuring we maintain functional habitat networks will guarantee the ecosystem services we rely upon and could also help mitigate some of the effects of climate change in Stafford (such as reducing the impacts of flooding). Work with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has produced a Nature Recovery Network map in order to understand the distribution of these habitats and key areas for priority action. Alongside this ground-breaking work is underway to combat the negative affects of atmospheric deposition of Nitrogen.
Promoting and supporting healthy lifestyles is also an important contributory factor in our communities, many health and well-being interventions can also bring about reductions in CO2 emissions. The continuation of this good work will be achieved through the development of sustainable energy sources, carrying out home energy audits, encouraging homes to grow their own produce and encouraging the use of alternative methods of transport such as walking and cycling.
28 Plastics have also been high on the national agenda. The increase of single-use and disposable plastics across the UK has been detrimental to our society and wildlife, with only 10-13% of plastic items being recycled each year. Significant steps have already been taken to reduce plastic waste across the country, with the Resources and Waste Strategy for England (2018) setting out a blueprint to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2050.
Stafford Borough Council recognises the importance of taking action in line with national best practice to ensure the issues of single use plastics is addressed. To ensure this, in September 2019 the council passed a motion committing them to take actions to reduce the use of plastic products both internally within the council and across the borough as a whole. It is critical to Stafford Borough’s society and environmental well-being that we align with these objectives and make a stand against the use of single use plastics, alongside the large-scale, systematic changes required to reach carbon neutrality.
It is important that our economic agenda promotes low carbon technology and a reduction in climate change emissions. We are a member of the Staffordshire Business and Environment Network which encourages energy saving and environmental projects in businesses. Through our council activities we promote the use of local businesses and supply chains to facilitate more sustainable journeys. We are currently looking at opportunities to attract inward investment from environmental technology companies which will bring added value to the local economy, including the production of new battery products and make a contribution to national objectives on carbon reduction. This includes supporting the £23m skills and innovation hub at Stafford College which is generating skills and research to support the electric vehicle sector.
To support the local economy we will promote investment in full fibre/gigabit communications to improve the efficiency of businesses and enable working from home to reduce travel impacts on carbon footprint and support sustainable smaller communities.
We want to encourage all local community groups to sign up to a climate change pledge that will demonstrate their commitment in supporting this very important agenda. Over the next few years we will:
• Work with government and elected bodies to determine best practice • Encourage members to work with their communities and take action • Work to support the poor and vulnerable with energy measures • Adopt our New Local Plan • Continue to work with our local and national partners • Protect and enhance our environment • Support businesses to be more environmentally friendly
29 CC3: Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change
The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states that humankind has 12 years to ensure global warming is limited to a maximum of 1.5°c. Surpassing this threshold would significantly worsen the risks posed to humans and wildlife on a global scale.
Climate change can be mitigated for in a variety of ways. Large scale efforts such as the installation of renewable energy infrastructure and the electrification of transport networks are incredibly important when considering how to limit the effects of climate change.
The importance of the collective efforts of our population should not be underestimated. For example, reducing the individual carbon footprint by a more considerate choice of transportation methods and effective recycling can both contribute positively to the mitigation of climate change. These types of practices should be encouraged wherever possible.
To successfully mitigate the effects of climate change, a united and holistic approach must be adopted. The council’s position as a Local Authority means that it has a duty to establish itself as a front runner when responding to the challenge of mitigating climate change. Therefore, the council must consider how it can facilitate the transition of its operations, and the operations over which it has influence, to the use of more environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.
Statistical climate models produce projected scenarios for future time periods. It is possible to estimate how the climate is likely to change in our borough. This information enables us to ascertain what actions should be taken, in the event that such changes occur.
The council produced its first Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in 2010 and the strategy assessed trends in the following:
• Hotter summer temperatures (more heatwaves). • Milder winter temperatures. • Drier summers (more droughts). • Wetter winters (more fluvial flooding). • Increase in extreme weather events and surface water flooding. • Increase in the incidence of lightning. • Impacts from snow, ice, hail or extreme cold. • Impacts from strong winds.
This comprehensive risk assessment was used to determine what adaptation responses were required in the borough. However, even if the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases stopped tomorrow, the gases already in the atmosphere would continue to drive climate change for at least the next 30 years. Stafford Borough has to continue to adapt to the climate change that is now inevitable.
Worldwide efforts to reduce emissions will have long-term benefits and may allow us to stop short of the dangerous 'tipping points' that will initiate runaway climate change.
30
Measures to adapt to local climate change range from communication and education to the construction or improvement of flood defences. Any adaptation measures selected must be specific to the local environment and must be sustainable.
The council will seek to:
• Identify any opportunities to change how we, our partners and suppliers work to more sustainable practices, and consider how these will be actioned. • Lead and influence communities to participate in environmentally healthier lifestyles • Refresh the climate change adaptation strategy • Undertake a comprehensive risk-based assessment of vulnerabilities to weather and climate
31 Monitoring our Progress
The council has undertaken a commitment to report progress in relation to this Climate Change Strategy to all members at full council on an annual basis. A detailed action plan will be devised and progress against the actions will be reported through Scrutiny Committee. This information will be used to evaluate the action plan and to update it on an annual basis.
An action plan has been appended to the end of this document; it is currently work in progress until a carbon audit of the authority has been undertaken to understand the specific areas of carbon reduction that need to be targeted.
32 Appendix 1 – Stafford Borough Council Climate Change Pledge
The Council agree to:-
(a) Join other Councils in declaring a Climate Emergency and work towards achieving our vision of carbon neutrality by 2040;
(b) Continue to concentrate on activities that reduce emissions from its own activities and will work towards carbon neutrality by 2040;
(c) Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2040 target possible.
(d) Work with other elected bodies (both within the UK and internationally) to determine best practice methods to limit Global Warming to less than 1.5°c and consider how this could be addressed through the Local Plan process;
(e) Continue to work with partners across the Borough to deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans and initiatives;
(f) Explore through the Local Plan process, the expansion of community energy with a view to keeping the benefits of our local energy generation in our local economy;
(g) Report progress to scrutiny at the appropriate time to include a report within 12 months as to the actions the Council has taken and proposes to take;
(h) Encourage elected Members to work with their communities and local business enterprises and empower them to;
- Sign up to the Climate Emergency pledge; - Take action that helps to improve the sustainability of their neighbourhoods, the health and wellbeing of residents and the energy efficiency of community and domestic buildings.
33 Appendix 2 – Draft Action Plan
Ref We will: Performance Indicators Target Outcome Resources Budgets/ Sources of funding CC1 Reduce greenhouse gas Net emission balance of Target to be Carbon neutrality by To be determined emissions from our own council operations confirmed following 2040 following carbon audit activities to work towards carbon audit carbon neutrality by 2040 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions
Auditing our Carbon Balance 1.1 Audit the carbon balance of our 1. Set a baseline year 1 month from 1.4.20 Tracy Redpath All All service areas council activities, set a baseline, 2. Audit energy use 6 months from 1.4.20 identify sources of emissions and 3. Audit fleet and car emissions 12 months from 1.4.20 explore solutions to reduce them 4. Audit contractors impacts 12 months from 1.4.20 (including aligning actions with the 5. Compare emission sources 12 months from 1.4.20 council’s transformation process) 6. Prioritise cost/benefit actions 15 months from 1.4.20
34 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Reducing our Energy and Water Consumption
1.2 Reduce energy consumption and 1. Audit organisational energy 6 months from 1.4.20 Paul Gerrard / 1.1 All service areas emissions for our buildings and use by service areas Property Services investigate opportunities for 2. Prioritise savings by sectors 6 months from 1.above renewable energy throughout the such as lighting council and its operations. 3. Research alternative 6 months from 1. sources/technology for invest to save. 1.3 Reduce water use through the 1. Set a baseline year 12 months for all Paul Gerrard N/a Street Scene recycling of ‘Grey Water’. 2. Audit water use 3. Identify savings 4. Options appraisal 1.4 Achieve ISO 14001: Environmental Accreditation complete Within 12 x months of Phil Bates/Gary TBC QMS, Corporate and Management for Operations. the adoption of the Withington Operational action plan Services. (01/04/2020) Promote green travel and transport for our staff and within our service areas 1.5 30% journey reduction from baseline 1. Commuting baseline defined 6 months from 1.4.20 HR 1.1 Service managers Reduce number of commuting 2. Asses journeys by service 12 months from 1.4.20 journeys by car through agile/flexible area 3. Report the percentage 13 months from 1.4.20 working. change Car sharing mode of transport cycling
35 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Reducing Waste and Improving recycling (particularly for plastics)
1.6 Reduce emissions from fleet vehicles 1. Establish fleet vehicle Within 12 months of Shaun Baker 1.1 Service managers emissions baseline 1.4.20 2. Audit fleet vehicle emissions 3. Devise emissions reduction strategy
1.7 Work with communities to continue to 1. The promotion of home 1. April 2020 for the Communications 2.2 / 2.3 Contractors, public minimise waste and improve the composting. blue bag scheme team, waste and and suppliers. quality of recycling 2. The reduction of unwanted or 2. January 2021 for recycling section non-recyclable items through CGW. a communications campaign. 3. Community 3. The consultation of the blue awareness bag recycling scheme and programmes of chargeable green waste communication both (CGW). corporately and locally. 4. Members involvement in customer awareness programmes
1.8 Reduce the amount of plastics within 1. Review the amount of Within 12 months of Service managers 1.9 Shared services and the authority, in particular single use plastics, particularly single the 01/04/2020. for each identified procurement plastics and continue to minimise use, that SBC utilises area and partners. throughout procurement waste and improve the quality of 2. To audit all uses/users. teams. recycling 3. To look at alternative products and services. 4. To look at internal procedures for usage and identify green procurement practices.
36 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions 1.9 Work with contractors, communities 1. Work with partners. Within 12 months of Service Managers 1.8 Contractors, and suppliers to minimise single use 2. Work with contractors and the 01/04/2020. for each identified suppliers and plastics items. suppliers. area and internal/external 3. Gauge spend on low and procurement procurement teams. hierarchical suppliers and teams. contractors via procurement rules 4. New or insertions into the procurement guide. 5. Promote the reduction of single use plastics with letters and calendars. 6. Work with partners to prepare campaigns through the waste collection service.
37 Ref We will: Performance Indicators Target Outcome Resources Budgets/ Sources of funding CC2 Work in partnership with Contribute to the development 12 months from To deliver actions TBC Government, Elected Bodies of a partnership strategy 1.4.20 identified in the and Elected Members, Partners partnership strategy and Residents across the Borough to take action that contributes to carbon neutrality and sustainable development within communities.
Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Work with government and elected bodies to determine best practice 2.1 Work with other elected bodies (both Contribute to the development of 12 months from 1.4.20 Leadership Team 2.5 / 2.9 Staffordshire within the UK and internationally) to a partnership strategy. partners determine best practice methods to limit Global Warming to contribute to the development of a partnership strategy.
38 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Encourage members to work with their communities and take action
2.2 Encourage elected Members to work 1. Members to work with their 1 month from 1.4.20 Andy Bailey, 2.3 / 2.4 Elected members with their communities and local communities to sign up to the Victoria Cooper, business enterprises and empower climate change emergency Martyne Manning & them to take action that helps to pledge. 6 months from 1.4.20 Heath and Housing improve the sustainability of their 2. Information pack to be neighbourhoods, the health and created 1 year from 1.4.20 wellbeing of residents and the energy 3. Members to facilitate climate efficiency of community and domestic change buildings.
2.3 Encourage elected members to work 1. Members to work with their 1 month from 1.4.20 Andy Bailey, 2.2 / 2.4 Elected members with their communities to encourage communities to facilitate the Victoria Cooper, them to reduce the use of all single reduction in single use Martyne Manning use plastic products. plastics. 6 months from 1.4.20 Heath and Housing 2. Information pack to be created 1 year from 1.4.20
2.4 Encourage elected members to take Elected members to help to 12 months from 1.4.20 All service areas 2.2 / 2.3 Elected members action that helps to improve the improve the health and wellbeing sustainability of their neighbourhoods of residents and the energy efficiency of community and domestic buildings
39 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Work to support the poor and vulnerable with energy measures
2.5 Work with a specialist energy agency Annual contract targets set for Specialist energy Health and Housing Housing Specialist energy to target fuel poor or vulnerable volume of households supported agent contract period Strategy / agent, Staffordshire households with energy efficiency to improve energy efficiency 2020-2022 Community County Council, measures. and/or reduce/remove fuel Safety and Community poverty, through measures Wellbeing Wellbeing installed and advice provided. Strategy Partnership.
Adopt our New Local Plan
2.6 Refresh of the Local Plan including Issues & Options – February & From December 2019 Development 2.1 / 2.9 Statutory consultees provision for carbon neutral new March 2020 to October 2022 and relevant settlement Preferred Option – January 2021 landowners Publication – June 2021 Adoption – October 2022
Continue to work with our local and national partners
2.7 Continue to work with partners across 1. Working with our Staffordshire 6 months from Tracy Redpath / 2.4 / 2.5 / Staffordshire LEP / the Borough to encourage the based partners to support the 01.04.20 Karen Tierney 2.7 / 2.9 Staffordshire Local reduction of carbon through all joint climate change evidence Strategic Partnership relevant strategies, plans and base / Staffordshire Chief initiatives. 2. Working with the LEP and Ongoing Executives other Staffordshire authorities to support joined actions and strategies
40 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Protect and enhance our environment
2.8 Work in partnership to improve air Monitor and review air quality Preparation of DEFRA Shaun Baker/ Stafford Key partners and quality. across the borough to determine annual monitoring Regulatory services Borough community groups whether national air quality report Council such as Staffordshire objectives are being met Air Quality Annual Air County Council and Status Report Quality The University of the Strategy Third Age. 2.9 Investigate the opportunity for council 1. Assess and map potential Summer 2021 Jenny Boulton 1.1 / 2.9 Key partners include owned land to be utilised for carbon council owned sites Bill Waller Staffordshire Wildlife offsetting 2. Investigate tree planning Summer 2021 Trust and Natural opportunities England 2.10 Increase the Green Network of the 1. Develop a tree strategy, an 2 years from 1.4.20 Bill Waller / Jenny 2.8 / 2.5 / Key partners include Borough, increasing carbon removal increase of community Boulton / Karen 2.1 Staffordshire Wildlife and providing a space for biodiversity woodlands/orchards and Tierney Trust and Natural policies in the local plan that England promote carbon-offsetting. 2. Progress work relating to the Nature Recovery development and Network work ongoing implementation of Nature Recovery Networks. 3. Update the Local Nature 5 year rolling Reserves Management Plan. programme Homes England 4. Develop a carbon neutral Programme TBD community. Support businesses to be more environmentally friendly
2.12 Work with business to promote more 1. Integrate sustainable 6 months Martyne Manning / 2.6 Town Centre sustainable practices to improve their practices into the Community Ella Smith Partnership / SBEN carbon footprint Awards Scheme 2. Use information pack created 1 year for Staffordshire Business and Environment Network (SBEN) and Town Centre Partnership
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Ref We will: Performance Indicators Target Outcome Resources Budgets/ Sources of funding CC3 Mitigate and Adapt to Climate 1. Integration of climate As below Reduction in effects of TBC Change change principles into climate change the procurement NOTE: Some mitigation and process to timescale adaptation measures are 2. Identification of covered elsewhere in the action relevant campaigns to As below plan. Those listed below are in timescale addition to the ones already 3. Progress of As below Publication of Adaptation identified. Adaptation Strategy Strategy
Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Identify any opportunities to change how we, our partners and suppliers work to more sustainable practices, and consider how these will be actioned 3.1 Align procurement processes to Review the procurement process 2 years Contracts Manager / 1.8 / 1.9 Service areas sustainable practices from suppliers Finance Lead and Influence communities to participate in environmentally healthy lifestyles
3.2 Initiate community campaigns to Identify relevant campaigns with 1 year Health and Housing / 1.7 / 2.2 / Local communities promote environmental sustainability key partners Sports Development 2.3 and carbon reduction
42 Links to Ref Actions Milestones Timescale Owner other Working with actions Adapt to Climate Change
3.3 Refresh the Climate Change 1. Produce a Climate Action Autumn 2021 Jenny Boulton All SBC Adaptation Strategy Plan Colleagues/Sections 2. Work with council Services SCC External Partners and Partners to ensure vulnerabilities and opportunities not yet addressed are featured in strategies and action plans 3. Production of an action plan of next steps in addressing significant vulnerabilities and opportunities 4. Delivery of a comprehensive risk-based assessment of vulnerabilities to weather and climate- now and future 5. Identification of priority risks for all council services 6. Identification of the most effective adaptive responses
43 The Council recognises that it has a leadership role in achieving a sustainable climate which is why it signed up to the climate change emergency on 23 July 2019. We would like to capture your views on how you can work with us to help us achieve a more sustainable borough and reduce our carbon footprint. We have made a commitment to reduce emissions from our own activities focusing on: • Conducting an audit of the councils carbon footprint • Reducing our energy and water consumption • Promoting green travel and transport for our Staff • Reducing waste and improving recycling (particularly for plastics)
What else could we be doing to reduce emissions from our own activities to achieve our 2040 target?
We need to work in partnership with Government, Elected Bodies and Elected Members, Partners and Residents across the Borough to take action that contributes to carbon neutrality and sustainable development within communities so we will: • Work with government and elected bodies to determine best practice • Encourage members to work with their communities and take action • Work to support the poor / fuel poverty and vulnerable with energy measures • Adopt our New Local Plan • Continue to work with our local and national partners • Protect and enhance our environment • Support businesses to be more environmentally friendly
How can communities (including local residents, businesses, and organisations) be encouraged and supported to achieve carbon neutrality and become more sustainable?
If there are any projects that you are aware of in your local community that already contribute to this, please list them here.
As a resident and/or volunteer how can you support your community to achieve carbon neutrality and become more sustainable?
44 We aim to work with partners to mitigate and adapt to climate change so we will: • Identify any opportunities to change how we, our partners and suppliers work to more sustainable practices, and consider how these will be actioned. • Lead and influence communities to participate in environmentally healthier lifestyles • Refresh the climate change adaptation strategy • Undertake a comprehensive risk-based assessment of vulnerabilities to weather and climate
How could communities be encouraged to participate in environmentally healthier lifestyles?
How could you support this?
What activities could you support in your local community to mitigate and adapt to climate change?
45 Appendix 3 – Climate Change Strategy Timetable
• Cabinet (sign-off for consultation) – 16 January 2020
• Consultation: Monday 20 January – Wednesday 26 February
• Community Wellbeing Scrutiny (for consultation) - To be Determined
• Cabinet – Thursday 2 April 2020 (Agreement of Strategy for submission to
council)
• Council – Tuesday 21 April 2020
46 ITEM NO 4(c)(i) ITEM NO 4(c)(i)
Contact Officer: Victoria Cooper Telephone No: 01785 619 385 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/1/20 (Only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J M PERT COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Community Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 - 2024
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To present members with a rewritten draft Stafford Borough Community Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 - 2024 (attached SEPARATELY).
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 That members:
- Consider the draft strategy - Agree for a formal consultation exercise to be conducted which will commence on 30 January 2020
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 The Council has a statutory responsibility to ensure that it formulates, with partners, and implements a community safety plan and that this plan is published on its website. This is also one of the main stipulations of the annual Locality Deal Funding (LDF) funding it receives from the Staffordshire Commissioner (SC) to support the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour in the Borough.
3.2 There are a number of contributory factors that have been taken into consideration in the revised draft strategy and these are:
- the current strategy comes to an end in March 2020 - it introduces a more holistic approach to community safety and identifies the importance of, and impact it has upon an individuals wellbeing
47 - the Government introduced a new statutory duty for the Council in relation to Serious Violence, adopting a public health approach, and this has been incorporated into the new draft strategy - it details how the partnership will focus on the prevention and early help support to individuals who are vulnerable and at risk of crime, exploitation and criminal behaviour
3.3 Approval is sought to conduct a formal 6 week consultation exercise. A set of consultation questions has been prepared and are contained in appendix One along with a list of potential consultees. The consultation will be in the form of a survey monkey and will be published on the Council’s website.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 Community Safety interlinks with all corporate priorities but primarily sits within objective 2; To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work and encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing
5 Report Detail
5.1 Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) known as the Community Wellbeing Partnership in Stafford Borough (CWP) are an important feature of the network of partnerships that help to tackle crime and disorder. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 has created a flexible framework for partnership working. This includes two inter-related duties to co-operate which set out a clear aim for partnership working across partners involved in community safety and criminal justice. The community safety duty specifies that a Police Crime Commissioner and the responsible authorities on a CSP must co-operate and take account of one another’s priorities.
5.2 There are five ‘responsible authorities’ that must work together by law to form the CWP, they must work together to reduce crime in the local authority area and these are the Local Authority; Police; Fire and Rescue; Probation and Clinical Commissioning Groups. These responsible authorities are under a statutory obligation to work together to tackle crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour; alcohol and substance misuse, reduce reoffending and tackle any other behaviour which has a negative effect on the local environment.
5.3 The SC implemented his ‘Safer, Fairer, United Strategies during his first term which focused upon four main priority areas: Early Intervention; Supporting Victims and Witnesses, Managing Offending and Public Confidence. A fifth priority, Modern Policing, has now been included. The Council receives Locality Deal Funding from the SC on an annual basis to support the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour in the Borough. The funding has certain stipulations, (outlined in paragraph 3.2), and if the locality deal funding evaluation satisfies the requirements of the SC then the Council receives the full amount of funding, which it has done since the first full allocation made in 2014.
48 5.4 Priority areas for 2020 have been identified through the evidence outlined in the Community Safety Strategic Assessment that was produced by the insight team. Evidence from the strategic assessment has formed the basis of the Safer Communities Partnership Strategy 2020 - 2024 The strategic assessment identified the following issues for the Borough:
• Alcohol and mental health • Domestic Abuse • Anti-social behaviour • Criminal Exploitation (Modern Day Slavery)
The CWP agreed the issues identified above as priority areas and that it would continue its focus on prevention and early intervention. This means that it will continue the work with schools, support the sanctuary scheme and commission diversionary activities for those at risk of committing anti-social behaviour.
5.5 The government will amend the crime and Disorder Act (1998) to ensure that serious violence is an explicit priority for Community Safety partnerships by making sure we have a strategy in place to tackle violent crime. The new duty will hold organisations to account.
The serious violence strategy will look at root causes of the problem and how to support young people to lead productive lives away from violence. Action in the government strategy is centred on 4 main themes:
• Tackling county lines and misuse of drugs • Early intervention and prevention • Supporting communities and local partnerships • Law enforcement and the criminal justice response
5.6 This revised draft strategy covers a number of areas from tackling serious violence to preventing and reducing domestic abuse, exploitation and substance misuse. It also represents a commitment by partners as well as voluntary groups to work to improve the safety and wellbeing of the residents of Stafford Borough. It is important that we have a greater and clearer focus on those areas we think are more important to our residents and community.
5.7 The issues associated with young people being drawn into activity such as knife carrying, drug use or sexual exploitation are both complex and varied. Through the partnership with others, and in particular schools, the CWP is working to support more early intervention opportunities and ways to engage young people to divert them away from harmful activity. We are working to improve collaborative working across third sector partners, schools and the Police to maximise use of resources, as well as working with families, communities and other organisations to understand the drivers of such activity.
49 5.8 The duty will ensure that relevant services work together to share data, intelligence and knowledge. It will allow agencies to target interventions to prevent and stop violence. We will work to enhance relationships with statutory and voluntary partners. More timely data sharing will enable us to understand trends and address issues more efficiently
5.9 We will work to engage our communities who must be at the forefront of this strategy to help us achieve our aims. Our communities have a wealth of knowledge about their locality, the root causes of issues, what’s available to help and support, what will work to combat issues.
5.11 Using a placed based approach model we will look at the area not just individuals to understand the problems. This will enable us to identify potential victims and perpetrators earlier. We will also be better informed to use disruption activity to prevent the serious harm before it has opportunity to develop. A public health approach will work to ensure adults feel physically and mentally healthy and well.
5.13 In addition to this, the revised draft strategy aligns with the priorities of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent serious violence strategy. The consultation period will last for a period of six weeks to allow residents, visitors, people who work in the borough, members, statutory and 3rd sector organisations to consider the strategy. We will publish an online survey (Appendix One) but will make paper copies available to anyone who may need one. It is therefore recommended that agreement is given to implement the consultation process.
6 Implications
6.1 Financial The allocation of funding to the Council, as responsible authority for community safety, is at risk if there is no evidence of a current partnership plan on the website and also if the evaluation does not meet the SC requirements. Funding (£5,000 maximum) is top-sliced from the part 2 payment of the locality deal funding to support the production of the strategic assessment. The new duty will have implications on work load for the team Legal The Safer Communities Partnership is a statutory body (under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 with further regulation being provided by the Police Reform Act 2002 and the Police and Justice Act 2006) required by law to work with Police; Fire and Rescue; Probation and Clinical Commissioning Groups to tackle crime and anti- social behaviour in the Borough.
Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 puts a statutory duty on local authorities to tackle
50 crime and disorder as part of their core or 'mainstream' work and requires them to consider the impact of their services in reducing crime and disorder Human Resources Not applicable Human Rights Act The reforms are designed to put victims at the hear of the response and provide professionals with the flexibility to deal with any given situation Data Protection There is a requirement that agencies will share intelligence. The council are a signatory to the Staffordshire One information Sharing protocol Risk Management The council have and will continue to implement the requirements of the Act in order to adhere to its statutory duty. If we do not have a strategy in place there is a risk to the funding we receive from the Commissioners office
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
Previous Consideration - None
Background Papers - Corporate Business and Partnerships
51 APPENDIX
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Community Safety and Wellbeing Strategy 2020 - 2024
Consultation Questions
• Do you feel re-assured that the CWP are working collaboratively enough to reduce crime and vulnerability through prevention programmes? • To be truly successful we need communities to engage and work with agencies to prevent vulnerability and crime, do you agree? • Do you have any suggestions on how this is best achieved? • What types of support do you think communities need to address low risk antisocial behaviour? • Are there local resources in your area that you think may be able to support communities in responding to concerns of antisocial behaviour? • Are there any other comments that you would like to make about our proposed approach?
Consultee’s
• Elected members • Staffordshire Police • Staffordshire Fire and Rescue • Stafford and rural homes • Probation • Staffordshire Commissioners Office • CCG’s • Staffordshire County Council • Support Staffordshire • Town Centre Partnership • Cach • Staffordshire Women’s Aid • New Era • Youth Net • Street Pastors • Entrust • Schools • Right Stuff Boxing • Re-solv • SCYVS
An online survey will be produced however paper copies will be made available.
52 Timeline
Date Action Thursday 16 January Cabinet meeting Tuesday 28 January Call in Ends Thursday 30 January Proposed Start date of Consultation Thursday 12 March End of consultation Thursday 2 April Cabinet meeting Tuesday 21 April Full Council Monday 27 April Strategy published
53 ITEM NO 4(c)(ii)(a) ITEM NO 4(c)(ii)(a)
Contact Officer: Charlotte Birks Telephone No: 01785 619384 Ward Interest: Littleworth Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/20 (Only) Key Decision: No
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J M PERT COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 257 Tixall Road, Stafford, ST16 3XS
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To seek the approval of Cabinet to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) under Part 2 of the Housing Act 1985 in respect of an empty property at 257 Tixall Road, Stafford.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 To consider the problems associated with the empty property known as 257 Tixall Road, Stafford and review the options available for dealing with these problems.
2.2 That the land shown on the plan attached as APPENDIX 1 being 257 Tixall Road, Stafford is compulsory acquired under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985.
2.3 For the property to then be disposed of through the open market when the Council has compulsorily acquired the property.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 257 Tixall Road has been empty for approximately 13 years and has generated a number of complaints from local residents regarding the condition of the property during this time. It is visually detrimental to the area and is a cause of concern for the local residents.
3.2 The owner died in 2013 and attempts to contact the next of kin have proved fruitless.
54 3.4 The property is not registered at HM Land Registry, although there is a caution against first registration lodged by Staffordshire County Council in respect of a legal charge on the property. The Empty Homes Officer has been in dialogue with Staffordshire County Council and they have confirmed that they are not going to be pursuing any enforcement action to collect the debt outstanding. However, once the property is sold, the debt to Staffordshire County Council would have to be paid.
3.5 The Council has considered all of the available options to bring the property back into use but considers a Compulsory Purchase Order under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 to be the only realistic solution.
3.6 Should the CPO be approved, the Council would seek to sell the property on the open market, by auction, with appropriate obligations on the buyer that it be brought back into use within a defined period of time.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 By tackling empty homes and bringing them back into use, the Authority is working in line with its Corporate Priorities, in particular the Corporate Business Plan’s second objective: -
To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work, encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing’.
4.2 This action is in line with the draft Empty Homes Strategy, which has been consulted on and is recommended for Cabinet approval on 16 January 2020.
5 Report Detail
5.1 257 Tixall Road is located in the Littleworth Ward of Stafford. The property is located approximately one mile from the town centre. It is a 3 bedroom semi – detached house which dates from between 1920 -1945. The owner moved in 2005 and the property has remained empty from that date. He died in 2013 and attempts have been made to contact his known next of kin without success.
5.2 The property is not registered at HM Land Registry, although there is a caution against first registration lodged by Staffordshire County Council in respect of a legal charge of £90,000. The Empty Homes Officer has been in dialogue with Staffordshire County Council and they have confirmed that they are not going to be pursuing any enforcement action to collect the debt outstanding. The owner’s interest in the property vests in the Public Trustee until such time that probate is obtained for the deceased owner’s estate.
5.3 The property has been empty for approximately 13 years. The Council has received complaints from local residents about its empty status and how overgrown the front and rear garden are. Concern has been raised regarding the property attracting anti-social behaviour and / or squatters.
55
5.4 The property had several broken windows at the front and the rear of the premises. To prevent any unlawful entry into the building, the Council has served a boarding up notice under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. Work was carried out in August 2019 to board up these windows and a charge was subsequently put onto the property for the works completed.
5.5 The Council has been advised by a local valuer that the guide price for the property if it were to be sold at auction in its current condition would be £100,000. The average house price of properties on Tixall Road is £182,887.
5.6 The value of the property, once renovated is estimated to be between £190,000 and £200,000. There is the potential for the Council to carry out renovation works to the property in order to realise the uplift in the value upon sale. If approval for this CPO is given, this is something that will be explored, along with the risks associated with taking this approach.
5.7 The Council has the power to acquire land pursuant to Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985.
‘A local housing authority may… (b) acquire houses…, together with any land occupied with the houses...’
5.8 Section 17 provides that the Council may do this by purchasing the land by agreement with the owner or by making a Compulsory Purchase Order (“CPO”) with the authorisation of the Secretary of State.
5.9 Once the CPO has been made and published by the Council then it must be confirmed by the Secretary of State to be effective. The Secretary of State will consider any objections that are made by any person to the CPO, which ultimately may be dealt with by way of an inquiry or hearing. If the Secretary of State confirms the CPO then the Council will be able to take steps to implement it and take possession of the property.
5.10 If the CPO is implemented then anyone with an interest in the property is entitled to claim compensation. Owners are entitled to claim the open market value of the property as well as statutory compensation, which may include basic loss, disturbance payments and any legal and surveyor’s fees they have incurred. Unless probate is obtained then only the Public Trustee will be entitled to claim compensation. The Council will need to repay the legal charge secured by Staffordshire County Council on the property. Despite the County Council not pursuing any enforcement action to recover the debt themselves, Stafford Borough Council would still have to repay the legal charge on the property to the County Council.
56
6 Options
6.1 There are a number of options that are available in order to bring properties back into use, consideration of these are set out in the next paragraphs.
6.2 Continue to monitor
This approach would be highly unlikely to bring the property back into use. Attempts to make contact with the deceased owner’s next of kin have proven unsuccessful. The property is deteriorating and so to simply monitor the property, is not a viable option.
6.2 Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a local planning authority with the power, in certain circumstances, to take steps requiring land to be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area. This enables a notice to be served on a site owner and occupier requiring specified works to remedy the condition of the land within a defined period. The current external condition of the property would give the Council scope to consider serving a notice under section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, however, as the Council has been unable to trace an owner and the property is unoccupied it is not considered a notice under section 215 could be served in the circumstances.
6.3 Improvement Notices
Improvement notices are served on owners of properties to carry out remedial works onto a property if they are causing concerns for health and safety at the property. If the owner fails to comply with the notice, then the Council can complete the works in default. The Council has not been able to gain entry to the property but based on the exterior of the property and the fact that the property has been empty since 2005, it can be assumed that works would need to be completed on the house. With this in mind, the Council would be able to serve an Improvement Notice but without the details of the next of kin, the notice would have to be served onto the property and in the eventuality of it not being adhered to, the Council would have to complete the works in default. This again, would prove costly to the Council and the authority would be no further forward in bringing the property back into use.
6.3 Empty Dwelling Management Order
An Empty Dwelling Management Order enables the Local Authority to manage the rental of an empty property on behalf of the owner. From external inspection of the property, the property would require major works, resulting in a large financial outlay for the local authority to bring the property up to standard. The Council does not manage a housing stock so a partner agency would be required to manage the property on the Council’s
57 behalf. An Interim EDMO lasts 12 months and so this would not make financial sense to pursue as it would prove very costly to the local authority.
6.4 Enforced Sale
An Enforced Sale is used where there is a debt owing to the Council on a property and so the Council can enforce the sale to recover this debt. The Local Authority does have a debt on the property for boarding up works. However, the cost of these works is less than £2000 and so the authority could not pursue an Enforced Sale. The County Council do have a debt on the property however following discussions they have confirmed that they do not carry out enforcement action to recover their debts in situations such as this.
6.5 After considering the above options, the only reasonable enforcement option to bring the property back into use would be to pursue a Compulsory Purchase Order for the property. The Council would subsequently seek to sell the property on the open market, by auction, with appropriate obligations on the buyer that it be renovated to an acceptable standard within a defined period of time.
7 Implications
7.1 Financial No provision currently exists within the Capital programme for the acquisition of the property via a CPO .The General Fund Revenue and Capital Programme report included on this Agenda recommends that Council approves a self-funding rolling programme Capital Budget enabling approved CPO’s to be acquired to be funded from the disposal of each property. Whilst costs may be incurred relating to the property to bring it back into use, these costs would be charged against the property so that it is anticipated that such costs would be recouped on any future sale. The Council will also potentially incur costs in relation to the purchase e.g. Compensation payments, legal and surveyors fees, public notices and advertisements and disposal costs e.g. legal and auctioneers fees, and where they cannot be directly recovered from the sale such costs will be met from the revenue budget and associated earmarked reserve for this purpose. Legal The Council has the power under Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 to compulsorily acquire land, houses or other properties for the provision of housing accommodation, subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State. “Guidance on Compulsory purchase process and The Crichel Down Rules” published by the
58 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (July 2019) identifies section 17 as the appropriate power for bringing empty properties into housing use. Human Resources Human Rights Act Data Protection Risk Management Without compulsory purchasing the property, it is highly unlikely that it would be brought back into use. At auction, the property would be sold with appropriate obligations requiring all necessary works to be undertaken within 12 months of purchase.
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
By Compulsory Purchasing the property, the Council is not adversely impacting on any section of the community. Bringing the property back into use will have a positive impact on the local neighbourhood and may have positive health benefits to those living close to the empty property.
Previous Consideration - Nil
Background Papers - File available in Developement
59 APPENDIX 1
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Compulsory Purchase Order of 257 Tixall Road, Stafford, ST16 3XS
60 APPENDIX 2
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Compulsory Purchase Order of 257 Tixall Road, Stafford, ST16 3XS
61
ITEM NO 4(c)(ii)(b) ITEM NO 4(c)(ii)(b)
Contact Officer: Charlotte Birks Telephone No: 01785 619384 Ward Interest: Forebridge Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/20 (Only) Key Decision: No
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J M PERT COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To seek the approval of Cabinet to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) under Part 2 of the Housing Act 1985 in respect of an empty property at 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 To highlight the problems associated with the empty property, 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford and the options for dealing with these problems, with the recommendation of pursuing a Compulsory Purchase Order.
2.2 The land shown on the plan attached as APPENDIX 1 being 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford is compulsory acquired under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985.
2.3 For the property to then be disposed of through the open market when the Council has compulsorily acquired the property.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford has been empty for approximately 6 years and has generated a number of complaints from neighbours about its condition during this time.
3.2 The property is not registered at HM Land Registry, there is a caution against first registration lodged by a third party.
62 3.3 Substantial renovation works were commenced on the property some years ago but have not been completed. The family of the current owner have expressed an interest to move back into the property, or to rent it out, but the property is not in a habitable state and there isn’t confidence this work will be completed.
3.4 The Council has considered all of the available options to bring the property back into use but considers a Compulsory Purchase Order under section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 is the only realistic solution. The other possible options are addressed below at paragraph 6.
3.5 Should the CPO be approved the Council would seek to sell the property on the open market, by auction, with appropriate obligations on the buyer that it be renovated to an acceptable standard with a defined period of time and brought back into use.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 By tackling empty homes and bringing them back into use, the Authority is working in line with its Corporate Priorities, in particular the Corporate Business Plan’s second objective:- ‘To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work, encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing’.
4.2 This proposed action is in line with the draft Empty Homes Strategy which has been consulted on and is recommended for Cabinet approval on 16th January 2020.
5 Report Detail
5.1 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford is located in the Forebridge Ward of Stafford. The property, a pre 1920s mid terrace, is approximately ½ mile from the town centre.
5.2 The property has been owned by the same family since 1979. Various family members have lived in the property over the years and after the death of the owner (date unknown), it is believed to have passed into the ownership of his widow (but documentary evidence has not been produced for the Council to prove this).The property is not registered at HM Land Registry, although there is a caution against first registration lodged by a third party (believed to be a family member) who claims an interest in the property.
5.3 The property has been empty for at least 6 years. It had previously been up for sale in 2014 and was due to be brought by a landlord who wished to convert the property into a House of Multiple Occupation. This sale fell through and there has been no progress with the property since then. Substantial renovation works were commenced on the property some years ago but have not been completed.
63 5.4 The Council’s Empty Homes Officer has been liaising with a family member regarding the property being brought back into use. Throughout this dialogue, dates for the property being brought back into use have consistently been postponed. The family member has also consistently changed what the plans are for the property, initially stating that the property was going to be rented out, but later advising that family members would be moving back into the property.
5.5 The property is in a poor state of repair and the Council understands the family are unable to raise sufficient funds in order to bring the property back into use. Estimates supplied by a local builder have put the cost of works at £30,000, although the builder has not had any instructions to commence such works. There are also ongoing repairing issues at the property which are not being addressed. For example, lead from the bay window had been stolen some time ago and as this has not been replaced, water has now seeped in through the window and is causing the ceiling to the kitchen below to become rotten. The property is not currently habitable.
5.6 The Council has received complaints from local residents about its empty status and given the property’s central location, there has been concern raised that it will attract anti-social behaviour or squatters. The property is in a prominent location on the Lichfield Road, one of the main routes into Stafford town. Its empty status is obvious, and the condition of the property is detrimental to the local area.
5.7 The Council has been advised by a local valuer that the guide price for the property if it were to be sold at auction in its current condition would be £80,000. The average house price for a property on the Lichfield Road is £154,000.
5.8 The Council has the power to acquire land pursuant to Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985. ‘A local housing authority may … (b) acquire houses, or buildings which may be made suitable as houses, together with any land occupied with the houses or buildings’.
5.9 Section 17 provides that the Council may do this by purchasing the land by agreement with the owner or by making a Compulsory Purchase Order (“CPO”), with the authorisation of the Secretary of State.
5.10 Once the CPO has been made and published by the Council then it must be confirmed by the Secretary of State to be effective. The Secretary of State will consider any objections that are made by any person to the CPO, which ultimately may be dealt with by way of an inquiry or hearing. If the Secretary of State confirms the CPO then the Council will be able to take steps to implement it and take possession of the property.
5.11 If the CPO is implemented then anyone with an interest in the property is entitled to claim compensation. Owners are entitled to claim the open market value of the property as well as statutory compensation, which may include basic loss, disturbance payments and any legal and surveyor’s fees they have incurred.
64 6 Options
6.1 There are a number of options that are available in order to bring properties back into use, consideration of these are set out in the next paragraphs.
Continue to monitor and encourage the owner
6.2 This approach would be the least costly option. However, it is highly unlikely that any progress would be made due to the apparent lack of funds to complete the necessary renovation works which are estimated to be in the region of £30,000. Consideration has been given to support the family with an interest free loan however; the cost of the renovation works is far in excess of the maximum loan amount (£10,000) the Council is able to give. The Council has been told that there are ongoing disagreements with a third party who has a financial interest in the property, and so this has also affected the family’s decision to sell. As the property has been empty long term, it is not reasonable to believe that the property would be brought back into use through monitoring and encouragement alone, as this has so far failed.
Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
6.3 Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a local planning authority with the power, in certain circumstances, to take steps requiring land to be cleaned up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area. This enables a notice to be served on a site owner and occupier requiring specified works to remedy the condition of the land within a defined period. Serving a Section 215 has been given consideration. The Council could serve a notice on the owner of the property to remedy the issues of water leaking through the bay window causing the ceiling to the kitchen to become rotten. However, the condition of the bay window is not the only concern for this property as there are many other repair issues within the building. From the information gathered, it is clear that the owner does not have the funds to complete repair works to the property and so even if they adhered to the section 215 it would resolve the leak, but it would not facilitate bringing this property back into use.
Improvement Notices
6.4 Improvement notices are served on owners of properties to carry out remedial works onto a property if they are causing concerns for health and safety at the property. If the owner fails to comply with the notice, then the Council can complete the works in default. Given the condition of the property an Improvement Notice could be served. However, it has already been established that the owner is financially unable to complete the works on the property and so the Council would have to complete the works in default. Given that the builder has already given an estimate of £30,000 to complete the refurbishment to the property, it is not cost effective for the Council to pursue this enforcement action. Although an Improvement Notice would deal with the hazards within the property, it would not necessarily bring the property back into use.
65 Empty Dwelling Management Order
6.5 An Empty Dwelling Management Order enables the Local Authority to manage the rental of an empty property on behalf of the owner. From internal inspection of the property, the property requires substantial and costly works; this would then fall to the Council to bring the property up to standard. In addition, the Council does not directly manage a housing stock and so a partner agency would be needed to manage the property. An Interim EDMO lasts 12 months and this would not make financial sense to pursue in this instance.
Enforced Sale
6.6 An Enforced Sale is used where there is a debt owing to the Council on a property and so the Council can enforce the sale to recover this debt. Currently there is no debt on the property owed to the Council and so an Enforced Sale would not be a viable route.
6.7 On this basis, the principal option open to the Authority to bring the property back into use is a Compulsory Purchase Order. A Compulsory Purchase Order would allow the Authority to buy the property and sell to a new owner, on the proviso that the property is brought back into use in a timely manner.
66
7 Implications
Financial No provision currently exists within the Capital programme for the acquisition of the property via a CPO .The General Fund Revenue and Capital Programme report included on this Agenda recommends that Council approves a self funding rolling programme Capital Budget enabling approved CPO’s to be acquired to be funded from the disposal of each property. Whilst costs may be incurred relating to the property to bring it back into use, these costs would be charged against the property so that it is anticipated that such costs would be recouped on any future sale. The Council will also potentially incur costs in relation to the purchase e.g. Compensation payments, legal and surveyors fees, public notices and advertisements and disposal costs e.g. legal and auctioneers fees, and where they cannot be directly recovered from the sale such costs will be met from the revenue budget and associated earmarked reserve for this purpose.
Legal The Council has the power under Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985 to compulsorily acquire land, houses or other properties for the provision of housing accommodation, subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State. “Guidance on Compulsory purchase process and The Crichel Down Rules” published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (July 2019) identifies section 17 as the appropriate power for bringing empty properties into housing use. Human Resources Nil Human Rights Act Nil Data Protection Nil Risk Management Nil
67
7.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
By Compulsory Purchasing the property, the Council is not adversely impacting on any section of the community. Bringing the property back into use will have a positive impact on the local neighbourhood and may have positive health benefits to those living close to the empty property.
Previous Consideration – Nil
Background Papers - File available in Development
68
APPENDIX 1
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Compulsory Purchase of 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford, ST17 4LL
69 APPENDIX 2
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Compulsory Purchase of 30 Lichfield Road, Stafford, ST17 4LL
70
71
ITEM NO 4(c)(iii) ITEM NO 4(c)(iii)
Contact Officer: Hayley Smith Telephone No: 01785 619554 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/1/20 (Only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J M PERT COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020 - 2025 and Allocations Policy Review
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To get approval for the adoption of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020-2025 along with associated amendments to the Allocation Policy.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 To approve the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020-2025 along with associated amendments to the Allocation Policy.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 In 2015, Stafford Borough Council published the Homeless Strategy 2015- 2019. Since this time there have been substantial changes in homeless legislation including the implementation of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 and the Government’s commitment to end rough sleeping by 2027, as outlined by the Rough Sleeper Strategy published by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in August 2018. These changes require us to review our current homelessness strategy and formulate a Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy by Winter 2019.
3.2 Following a detailed evidence review in February 2019 to inform the homelessness and rough sleeper strategy it was recognised that key changes needed to be made to our Allocation Policy that would ensure that households owed a statutory homeless duty were placed in urgent priority banding and that there were adequate prevention incentives within the policy to stop
72 homelessness at the earliest opportunity. Both changes would contribute to reducing pressures on emergency accommodation.
3.3 Consultation on both the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020- 2025 and associated changes to the Allocation Policy took place in Spring 2019 with partner agencies, those with experience of homelessness and the public. Taking into account the consultation responses, final documents were drafted and are in the appendices for approval.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 The Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020-2025 and Allocation Policy supports Corporate Business Objective Two ‘To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work and encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing.’
4.2 The commitments that are most closely aligned to the delivery of the homelessness and rough sleeper strategy are:
- Work towards everyone having access to safe and suitable accommodation - Encourage and support our residents to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and lifestyle; and - Develop a Health in All approach with our partners, ensuring that the health of local people is paramount in everything we do.
5 Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020 - 2025
5.1 The Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2020-2025 (Appendix 1. circulated separately) has six key priorities to address the challenges that have been identified in the review of evidence. These priorities have been refined following consultation with a wide range of partners and the public.
5.3 Stafford Borough has a healthy supply of affordable homes and a buoyant private rented sector. It is not a lack of general needs accommodation that is the driving force behind homelessness in the Borough – instead it is recognised that households are either losing tenancies, or unable to access accommodation, due to unaddressed support needs. There are increasing presentations from households with a number of complex needs that need to be addressed in order for accommodation to be sustained in the long-term. The result is that the Housing Options Service are now dealing with acute support needs, where housing is often a small symptom of a variety of different structural and social factors that are impacting on an individual. Such factors include drug and alcohol dependence, mental health problems, a lack of life skills, social isolation, problems with welfare benefits and offending behaviour.
73 5.5 Although the statutory function of the Housing Options Service has widened as a result of the Homeless Reduction Act, our legal duty remains to provide options to households to prevent and relieve homelessness and to allocate social housing, making best use of housing stock. The Strategy must strike a balance between recognising that homelessness is intrinsically linked with other support services (both statutory and community-based) but maintain its identity as a local housing authority that has a defined statutory function.
5.6. Although supply of housing hasn’t been the driving cause behind homelessness, there are emerging challenges that need to be addressed. There are increasing waiting times for certain sizes of social property, especially one bedroom self-contained flats and, local housing allowance hasn’t kept up with private rents, making much of that sector unaffordable for people on a low income. In relation to the support issues already detailed, there is a continuing need for supported accommodation for people with higher level needs, who do not meet the criteria for other services within the Borough.
5.4 The key priorities reflect the holistic nature of housing services in Stafford Borough – recognising that housing and support needs are intrinsically linked. Whilst support is crucial, we must remain focused on providing suitable housing options and addressing the causes of homelessness through early prevention.
5.5 The six key priorities are:
1. Early Help and Prevention - a commitment to working with partners to further understand the root causes of homelessness and upstream prevention to the earliest possible opportunity. 2. Empowerment - a commitment to improving the resilience of households experiencing homeless and to enable personal responsibility for housing and support needs; 3. Rough Sleeper Pathway - a commitment to clear processes to enable rough sleepers to access support and sustainable accommodation; 4. Robust Partnerships - a commitment to creating and developing partnerships in order to address underlying causes of homelessness and promote sustainable tenancies; 5. Expanding Housing Options - a commitment to providing suitable and sustainable options to resolve housing issues for households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness; 6. Sustainment - a commitment to long-term tenancies that enable individuals to access support services, integrate into the local community and obtain and maintain training and employment.
5.7 Full details of the key priorities, with relevant actions, are in APPENDIX 1 (circulated separately).
74 5.8 The Homelessness Strategy is delivered within current budget commitments and the team will continue to look and apply for funding opportunities to continue many of the activities that are currently in place. The Strategy includes actions to achieve our six priorities and will be supported by a more detailed action plan.
5.9 The most substantial change to come from the Strategy involves a review of the Allocation Policy which has been undertaken and outlined in detail below.
6 Allocation Policy
6.1 The Allocation Policy sets out who is, and who is not, eligible for social housing in Stafford Borough and how the Council will make this assessment. It covers how applicants can apply for and access social housing, the priority they will be given, and the order in which any offer of social housing will be made.
6.2 Despite not owning housing stock, Stafford Borough Council retains its function as a local housing authority to allocate social housing and prevent and relieve homelessness in accordance with Part 6 and Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. Stafford and Rural Homes owns 80% of social housing within Stafford, with a number of other national and regional housing providers with smaller numbers of stock present. Stafford Borough Council has entered into nomination agreements with Housing Associations with stock in the Borough and this policy determines how applicants are ‘nominated’ by the Council to available properties. Applicants who are registered with Stafford and Rural Homes will receive a nomination, which will allow them to bid for properties, via Stafford and Rural Home’s HomeChoice System, with the same housing priority banding. Although we have nomination rights to properties, the Housing Association has the final decision as to which is suitable for housing in accordance with their own policies and procedures.
6.3 Allocation Policies must be transparent, reasonable and legally compliant and are subject to judicial review proceedings where challenged.
6.4 The revised Allocation Policy provides considerable procedural detail as to how the system of nominating applicants to properties operates in practice. This provides improved transparency for both customers, and Officers, and is legally compliant, albeit lengthy. In light of this we will be providing an executive summary that will be made available in conjunction with the new Allocation Policy.
6.5 Changes to the Allocation Policy are highlighted below with the full document attached (APPENDIX 2 circulated separately):
(a) Applicants must be ready for nomination before they will be put forward for a social housing property. Current letting criteria for Housing Associations mean that households, who have outstanding rent arrears, high levels of debt, previous tenancy failures or a lack of skills such as budgeting are unlikely to be offered a tenancy. The housing options service will work with these clients to address those concerns.
75 If the housing association can see that they are working to resolve such issues, they have more chance of being offered a tenancy. If the team know a client won’t be accepted by the housing association, they may lose the opportunity to nominate to that property again.
Applicants who refuse to work with the Housing Options Team to address their needs may be disqualified from applying for social housing.
It is noted that we are not proposing to implement a blanket rule to exclude households with housing-related debt or unacceptable behaviour like many other allocation policies have following Localism Act. Instead, we have maintained the position that the local housing authority will work with households who have a housing need and are willing to address the core issues relating to their previously failed tenancies, allowing those who are most vulnerable access to social housing.
(b) Persons with substantial equity, or financial resource, which will allow them to resolve their own housing situation are disqualified from applying for social housing (except in exceptional circumstances where there is a care and support need).
(c) Homeless priority banding has been split in order to allow the Housing Options Team to prioritise those that we will owe a main housing duty (this includes a temporary accommodation duty) from the outset of the application. It will ensure that those households who could ultimately end up in emergency accommodation are provided with the highest priority banding from the outset of their homeless application with a view to reducing pressures on bed and breakfast and temporary accommodation.
(d) Homeless prevention banding has been separated from homeless relief. This recognises that we currently have a blockage in Band B due to homelessness priorities being grouped together which is making it difficult for other bandings to be allocated accommodation but also means that those who may be homeless imminently, or are currently in temporary accommodation, are in the same banding as those who are at the early stages of being served notice and being threatened with homelessness.
Homeless prevention for such households has been reduced to Band C. This recognises that the focus of homeless prevention needs to be keeping the household in their current property – and not rehousing in alternative social housing. Currently our prevention figures are impressive but they are mostly re-housing. This lower banding will put the focus back on finding means to keep an individual in their current property and also allow those who are at imminent risk of having no legal right to occupy a property a higher priority banding. If prevention is not successful, we are able to accept a relief duty and increase the priority banding to reflect this. Throughout the process the Housing
76 Options team always encourage households to look for their own property.
(e) Entrenched rough sleepers accessing ‘housing first’ style accommodation have been included in urgent housing need. This reflects current work within the housing options team to house individuals who are unable to access mainstream accommodation options due to chaotic lifestyle and history of failed tenancies.
(f) Sharing facilities, planned move and affordability have been added to the allocation policy in order to encourage ‘homeless prevention’ techniques. These provisions encourage households to access accommodation without relying on the homeless application route.
(g) Applicants will be provided with three offers of suitable accommodation before they are disqualified from the list, with the exception of applicants under homeless legislation who will be provided with one suitable offer of accommodation only. This is to promote best use of housing stock and recognise that households who have been awarded priority banding for housing need should accept suitable offers of accommodation.
6 Implications
6.1 Financial The new Homelessness strategy does not have any direct financial implications on the Council’s resources. It is expected that the new Homelessness Strategy will be delivered within the current budgets available and the team will continue to look at and apply for funding opportunities to continue providing many of the activities which are currently in place. Should the Council be unsuccessful in bidding for any of these alternative funding streams, the team will need to manage its activities within the resources provided as part of the Council’s budget allocation. Legal Nil Human Resources Nil Human Rights Act Nil Data Protection Nil Risk Management
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race,
77 religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
The Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy recognises that homelessness has a wide reaching impact on individuals with protected characteristics. A priority within the Strategy focuses on engagement with individuals, both in accessing the service and quality of service provided. The Options Team complete person- centred holistic housing and support assessments that address the specific needs of those with protected characteristics. Relevant signposting and referrals are made in partnership with core agencies within the Borough, including but not limited to mental health services, adult safeguarding and children’s services. The assessments will also inform the offers of accommodation provided to ensure they are suitable for the needs of the individual household.
Partnership working extends to local community groups to help identify those households who are least likely to access core services, due to age, physical or mental disability or other, in order to promote access to services and upstream homeless prevention.
Previous Consideration - Permission to consult on the Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy, along with the Allocation Policy review, was requested via Cabinet Briefing on 11 March 2019.
Background Papers - Papers are available in Development.
78 ITEM NO 4(c)(iv) ITEM NO 4(c)(iv)
Contact Officer: Charlotte Birks Telephone No: 01785 619284 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/20 (only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR J M PERT COMMUNITY AND HEALTH PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Empty Homes Strategy
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To seek approval from Cabinet to adopt the Empty Homes Strategy.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 That the Empty Homes Strategy be approved and implemented.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 Consultation on the draft Empty Homes Strategy finished at the end of October. There were no objections to the proposals and support for the aim of bringing properties back into use. Adoption of the strategy will enable work to bring empty homes back into use to proceed.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 Bringing Empty Homes back into use supports all three priorities in the Corporate Business Plan.
- To delivery sustainable economic and housing growth to provide income and jobs; - To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live an work and encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing; and - To be a well run, financially sustainable an ambitious organisation, responsive to the needs of our customers and communities and focussed on delivering our objectives.
79
5 Report Detail
5.1 A draft Empty Homes Strategy was produced using local data and an understanding of the interventions required and available to bring properties back into use. The strategy has three objectives:
- To bring empty homes back into use using a range of advice, assistance and support; - To use enforcement action where appropriate to bring empty homes back into use; and - To better understand why homes are being left empty in the Borough and where possible, prevent homes from becoming empty for long periods of time.
5.2 The draft Empty Homes Strategy was out for consultation for a period of 12 weeks. There were no objections to the proposals and support for the aim of bringing properties back into use. It is therefore recommended that the strategy is adopted (copy at APPENDIX) and the action plan is further developed and monitored by the Health and Housing Team. Reporting on the number of empty homes brought back into use forms part of the quarterly performance indicator set which is scrutinised at Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee.
5.3 This strategy is in line with and supported by the proposals in the Empty Homes and Council Tax report, also being recommended for approval by Cabinet on 16 January 2020.
6 Implications
6.1 Financial There is capital budget provision of £50,000 per annum covering the period 2019/20 to 2021/22, with £20,000 allocated to 2022/23 for implementation of the empty homes strategy. Legal NIL Human Resources NIL Human Rights Act NIL Data Protection NIL Risk Management NIL
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
The Empty Homes Strategy does not treat any
80 person more or less favourably than another person, whether or not either person has any form of protected characteristic. Bringing empty homes back into use can have a positive impact on resident’s health and wellbeing, reducing stress and anxiety associated with living in close proximity to an empty property. For owners there is the financial strain of owning an empty property and case studies have shown that uncertainty of what action to take can lead to stress and anxiety. Bringing empty homes back into use also removes the potential for crime, anti-social behaviour and arson which is often associated with empty properties. Making full use of housing stock is one element in ensuring everyone has a suitable home and isn’t in the position where they are facing homelessness, or periods in temporary accommodation.
Previous Consideration - Nil
Background Papers - File available in development
81
Empty Homes Strategy
2019 - 2024
82 Contents
PAGE Introduction 3
Strategic Ambitions 4
Current Position 5
Going Forward 2019 - 2024 7 • Objective 1: To promote the range of advice, assistance and support available to bring empty homes back into use and develop new solutions. • Objective 2: To use enforcement action in bringing long term problematic empty homes back into use. • Objective 3: To better understand why homes are being left empty in the Borough and where possible, prevent homes from becoming empty for long periods of time.
Action Plan 2019 - 2024 11 Delivering the Strategy 12 Monitoring & Reviewing the Strategy 13
83 Introduction
Stafford Borough Council’s Empty Homes Strategy sets out what the council will do, with partners, to bring homes back into use, to make best use of housing stock in the Borough and to reduce the negative impact empty homes have on surrounding homes, communities and neighbourhoods.
By having an Empty Homes Strategy and a clear programme of actions and interventions, we can:-
• Improve neighbourhoods and create better environments for local communities. • Reduce vandalism and anti-social behaviour. • Improve the health and wellbeing of communities and individuals. • Help meet housing need by providing additional housing options for the local community. • Ensure best use of assets. • Improve housing conditions. • Increase New Homes Bonus (which can be reinvested into the local area). • Increase income and capital value to home owners and reduce the costs of council tax liability.
Homes are left empty for a variety of reasons and plans to bring properties back into use need to be tailored to each circumstance. This Strategy recognises there is no one simple solution to the problem of empty homes and outlines a range of options to bring properties back into use.
84 Strategic Ambitions
Stafford Borough Council’s vision is to have ‘a prosperous and attractive Borough with strong communities’.
Our Corporate Business Plan 2018 – 2021 sets out the Council’s key objectives which are:-
1. To deliver sustainable economic and housing growth to provide income and jobs. 2. To improve the quality of life of local people by providing a safe, clean, attractive place to live and work, encouraging people to be engaged in developing strong communities that promote health and wellbeing. 3. To be a well-run, financially sustainable and ambitions organisation, responsive to the needs of our customers and communities and focussed on delivering our objectives.
The Council’s vision and each of the three objectives are supported through this Strategy by aiming to bring 50 empty properties back into use each year and 250 in total through the lifetime of the Strategy.
To achieve these ambitions, Stafford Borough Council has invested in an Empty Homes Officer with the sole focus of bringing empty homes back into use.
Achieving our Ambitions
This Strategy will focus on three objectives in order to achieve our ambitions in bringing empty homes back into use. These are: -
1. To bring empty homes back into use using a range of advice, assistance and support. 2. To use enforcement action on bringing long term, problematic empty homes back into use. 3. To better understand why homes are being left empty in the Borough and where possible, prevent homes from becoming empty for long periods of time.
85 Current Position
There are two types of empty properties – those that are empty for short periods of time and problematic longer term empty properties. The majority of short term vacant properties are re-occupied relatively quickly and are necessary for the housing market to function. These properties rarely require intervention to bring them back into use; they are generally reoccupied within six months. However, by encouraging early engagement with owners who do not have imminent plans to bring the dwellings into use, we will help to prevent more homes from becoming empty for longer and thereby causing the issues described in this strategy.
Longer term problematic vacancies are properties that have remained empty for over six months and usually cause complaints from neighbours or are detrimental to the neighbourhoods; they are the focus of this strategy. The Council is keen to stop short term empty properties from becoming long term, problematic empties.
National Context
There are approximately 23,950,000 dwellings in England1. Latest figures show that in 2017, 605,891 dwellings (2.53% of all properties) are classed as empty homes. Of these, 205,293 are long term vacant dwellings (unoccupied 6 months+). This equates to 34% of empty properties and 0.86% of all properties nationally2.
The percentage of empty homes has been steadily decreasing since 2013, yet has risen again slightly in 2017. Overall, the number of homes that are long term vacant has decreased by 5% since 2013, from 216,050 to 205,293 in 20172.
Regional Context
In Staffordshire, there are approximately 379,950 dwellings1, of which 2.67% are empty homes (10,123). Of these, 3,241 are reported as long term empty (32% of those empty; 0.85% of total dwellings). Staffordshire has a slightly higher percentage of empty homes overall than the national rate. However, from 2013 the percentage of long term empty homes in Staffordshire has decreased and fallen lower than the national average2.
Local Context
There are approximately 60,580 homes in the Borough1, of which approximately 3.16% are reported as empty. This compares unfavourably to both the regional and national averages of 2.67% and 2.53% respectively. In latest figures, 1,962 properties are listed as empty, of which 670 have been empty for more than 6 months. This equates to 1.08% of all dwellings and 34% of all empty homes in the Borough2.
The number of empty homes in Stafford has increased by 16.8% since 2013, from 1,680 empty homes in 2013 to 1,962 empty homes in 20182. The proportion of the Borough’s homes vacant for 6 months+ has increased by almost 5% meaning that over a third of empty properties in the area are long term unoccupied. The Council has allocated resources to address the issue of empty properties and is committed to reducing the number of long term empties.
1 MHCLG Table 100: number of dwellings by tenure and district, England, April 2017, published 25 May 2018 2 MHCLG Table 615: vacant dwellings by local authority district: England, from 2004, Oct 2018, published March 2019
86 Data collected in January 2018 for a Freedom of Information Request found that Stafford Borough Council had the tenth highest percentage of empty homes for more than 10 years (including Scotland and Wales)3, with 21% of the Borough’s long-term empty homes in 2016 being empty for more than a decade.
Figure 1: Empty Homes as a % of all dwellings 4.00% 3.36% 3.50% 2.89% 3.07% 3.23% 3.16% 2.80% 2.86% 2.70% 3.00% 2.63% 2.73% 2.61% 2.55% 2.49% 2.67% 2.50% 2.53% Stafford 2.00% Staffordshire 1.50% England 1.00% 0.50% 0.00% 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Figure 2: Number of Empty Homes in Stafford and proportion long-term vacant 2,500 1,875 1,927 1,915 1,962 2,000 1,680 1,797 1,500 Empty Homes 1,000 Long-term vacants 500
0 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Figure 3: Long-Term Empty Properties in Stafford
Number of Empty % all homes Long Term % of empty homes Long Year Homes for 6 months+ Empty Term Empty 2013 500 0.86% 29.76% 2014 538 0.92% 29.94% 2015 589 1.05% 31.41% 2016 661 1.11% 34.30% 2017 653 1.08% 34.10% 2018 670 N/A* 34.15% * At the time of reporting, 2018 statistics on number of dwellings had not been released.
3 https://lattepapa.blog/2018/01/04/empty-homes-vacant-stats-and-a-bugbear/ The original work is subscriber only.
87 Going Forwards 2019 – 2024
Stafford Borough Council wants to improve the current position and bring the percentage of empty properties more in line with the national and regional average; recognising it has no control over these wider figures, the Council has set a target of bringing at least 50 empty homes back into use each year. There will also be a focus on reducing the number of properties that have been empty for long periods of time.
The Empty Homes Officer works closely with all departments within the Council and coordinates activity around empty properties. This ensures that all relevant departments are sharing information on empty homes giving a seamless journey for the customer.
Objective 1: To bring empty homes back into use using a range of advice, assistance and support.
The Empty Homes Officer provides advice and support to home owners on a one-to-one basis and works closely with the owner to understand the reasons the property is empty. With the owner’s agreement, the Officer will determine the best course of action to bring the property back into use. An advice and guidance leaflet is available for all empty home owners in the Borough to highlight what the Council can offer.
The different types of advice or assistance available are as follows:-
• Advice on selling / renting the empty property
The Empty Homes Officer can offer advice on local estate agents, lettings agents or auctioneers who can assist in the sale or letting of the property. The Empty Homes Officer can also inspect the property and assess it according to the Housing Health and Rating System. The Officer will then be able to give the necessary advice as to what the health and safety risks are and how these can be rectified.
• Develop partnership loans
The Council currently offers an interest free loan (up to £10,000) to empty home owners to enable them to complete repairs on their property so they can bring the property back into use. This loan will be reviewed to ensure it meets the needs of home owners and provides good value for money for the Council.
• Bringing properties up to a lettable standard
The Empty Homes Officer, working with the Housing Options Team will explore potential incentives to bring empty properties to a lettable standard in exchange for nomination rights to help households who may be facing homelessness.
• Provide assistance with garden or house clearances
Stafford Borough’s StreetScene team can offer a garden and house clearing service for empty home owners. The service includes:- pest control, garden clearances, house clearances, graffiti removal or removing sharps / needles. The team will go out to the property and give a quote for the works. If the owner wants the work to proceed, it is completed at a time to suit all parties. If the owner is not willing to work with the Council, then
88 the Empty Homes Officer can arrange for the property to be cleared as ‘works in default’. Once the work is completed, a charge is placed on property which will be paid when the property is sold.
• Consider Developing a Private Sector Leasing Scheme
A Private Sector Leasing Scheme is where a Council can enter into a lease with a private landlord. The Council will then use the property as an affordable decent home for local households who face homelessness.
• Consider a Tenant Finder Scheme
This scheme is to assist the owner of an empty property through the lettings process whilst providing good quality homes for local residents who need somewhere to live. The scheme will guide the empty home owner through the process of letting their property and assist with finding suitable tenants through our Housing Options Team. The Council will work with established local lettings agents and we will inspect the property to ensure that it is at a lettable standard.
• Signpost to energy efficiency partner agents
The council has a partner agency who can advise empty home owners on the available public grants that they may be eligible for, in order to bring the property up to a suitable standard.
Case Study
The empty property is in a popular rural village, it has been empty for four years and the owner has been suffering from various health issues. The property had been the family home and the owner was reluctant to sell the property and the process of dealing with it was overwhelming. The garden was severely overgrown and the house was in a poor state of repair with large amounts of rubbish throughout. There had been many complaints about its condition and the impact it was having on the local area. The Empty Homes Officer was persistent and after numerous failed appointments, finally got to meet the owner. By listening to the owners concerns, being sympathetic and understanding, the Empty Homes Officer was able to support the owner by arranging viewings and estimates by various local auctioneers and estate agents. As the owner was working with the Council, the Auction Company agreed that all fees could to be paid after the sale of the property. The property was sold at auction, has been renovated and is about to become the home of a new family.
Objective 2: To use enforcement action to bring long term, problematic empty homes back into use.
The Council has many Regulatory powers that it can utilise in order to address the impact an empty property has on neighbours and the local area. With the legislation available the Council can serve a notice on the home owner to ensure that these issues are addressed and in, turn, encourage the owner to bring the property back into use.
Where all attempts of intervention has failed or if there is an immediate risk to health or safety, the Empty Homes Officer will consider a number of enforcement options that are
89 available to them. These options include Compulsory Purchase Orders, Empty Dwelling Management Orders and Enforced Sale.
Compulsory Purchase Orders – Housing Act 1985 Section 17 When other attempts to work with the empty home owner has failed, the Council can compulsory purchase a property as a last resort. The Council has to prove that it is in the public interest to bring the property back into use and that they have the resources to see the CPO through. In making an application for a CPO, the Council must show what their intention for the property is and that they have made all other attempts to bring the property back into use. This is not a quick process and it can take many months to complete. The owner of a compulsory purchased property may be entitled to compensation for the loss at a level equivalent to the open market value.
Case Study of CPO
Stafford Borough Council had received numerous complaints about an empty mid terrace property which was in a poor state of repair and was creating problems for neighbouring properties because of vermin. The property had been empty for a number of years. Continued attempts were made to work with the home owners including offering the incentive of renting the property to a local registered provider. The owner was not willing to work with the Council and did not comply with any notices served. After persistent attempts over a long period of time, the Council used their enforcement powers and completed a Compulsory Purchase Order. The property was then sold at auction and bought by a private owner who is currently completing the refurbishments needed to bring the property back into use.
Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) – Housing Act 2004 EDMOs allow local authorities to take management control of certain empty properties for initially up to 1 year (under an interim EDMO) and then up to 7 years (under a final EDMO). Under an interim EDMO the Council can only grant tenancies with the permission of the owner, but under a final EDMO the owner’s consent is not required. The local authority must apply to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for an EDMO. The Property Chamber must be satisfied that there is no reasonable prospect that the property will be reoccupied in the near future without the imposition of the EDMO and that there is an element of “nuisance” being caused by the property. The Property Chamber will take into account the interests of the community and the effect the order will have on the rights of the relevant proprietor and may have on third parties. There are, however, certain properties that are exempt from an EDMO. These include: • Second homes • Holiday lets • Flats and houses normally occupied by students • The owner is in prison • The owner is receiving or giving care • The owner is in the armed forces • The relevant proprietor is temporarily residing elsewhere • The property is on the market for sale or let
Enforced Sale – Law of Property Act 1925 A local authority has a right to sell a property where, acting under a statutory power, the Council has had to incur costs as a result of works it has taken in default. Provided such costs are capable of being deemed a charge against the property, then a power of sale
90 arises in favour of the Council. For example, if the owner has large council tax debts and has failed to make payments to clear these arrears then the Council can consider an Enforced Sale. It must be noted though that the owner must have debts owed to the Council which are sufficient enough to warrant enforcement action. However, before such a power can be exercised, the Council must serve a formal notice on the owner demanding payment of the monies owed. If the payment still outstands after the service of the notice, then the Council can proceed to sell the property.
Objective 3: To better understand why homes are being left empty in the Borough and where possible, prevent homes from becoming empty for long periods of time.
As well as bringing empty homes back into use, the Council wants to stop properties becoming long term empty in the first place, or reduce the time they are empty. Advice and guidance will be sent out with letters by Council Tax to empty home owners approaching the six month and two year empty date. This will open communication with empty home owners and reduce long term empties in the Borough.
Prior to April 2020, the Stafford Borough Council policy provides that unoccupied and unfurnished properties are entitled to 6 months exemption from Council Tax, after 6 months, normal charges apply. From April 2019, legislation has enabled councils to charge an extra premium on properties unoccupied and unfurnished for more than 2 years as a way of encouraging property owners to bring them back into use. From April 2019, Stafford Borough Council implemented the additional 100% premium on these properties; therefore the charge is 200% of normal liability.
The same legislation has enabled a 200% premium to be charged from 2020 for properties empty for between 5 and 10 years and a 300% premium to be charged from 2021 for properties empty for more than 10 years.
Action Plan 2019 - 2024
91 Action Organisation/s Outcomes 1. Review and revise the • SBC • Improved offers of advice and assistance • RSL’s/Housing assistance to empty home available to empty home Associations owners. owners. • Estate agents • Revised empty homes loan • Lettings agents scheme. • Auctioneers 2. Explore opportunities for • SBC • Affordable properties for private sector leasing • RSL’s /Housing homeless families in the scheme, Tenant Finder Associations area. Schemes and social • Lettings Agents • Less demand for temporary letting. accommodation. 3. Review the Council’s • SBC • Financial assistance for Empty Homes loan. empty home owners to bring property into use. • Improved assistance for empty home owners. 4. Explore opportunities for • SBC • Nomination rights for SBC’s partnership working with • RSL’s Housing Options Team. local registered • Additional affordable providers. properties for the local community. 5. Develop links with • SBC • A seamless customer internal and external • Lettings agents journey by partnership agencies i.e. lettings • Estate agents working with internal agents. • Auction houses departments. • House clearance • Possible discount companies incentives for empty home owners. 6. Development of policies • SBC • Clear and consistent and procedures of approach when considering enforcement options enforcement action. which include: • Increase in the number of Compulsory Purchase problematic empty homes Orders, Empty Dwelling brought back into use as a Management Orders result of enforcement and Enforced Sales. action. 7. Development of • SBC • Easier access for local reporting mechanisms residents to report an for empty homes. empty home. • Increased awareness of the service. 8. Review mailshots to be • SBC • Increased communication sent to Empty Home with empty home owners owners when a dwelling • Early identification of is empty for between 1 potential problems and 6 months and when • Possibility of ‘quick wins’ of it has been empty for 2 bringing an empty back into years. use. 9. Review of Council Tax • SBC • Initial free period reduced charging rates for from 6 months to 28 days Empty Homes. • Increased premium
92 charges to be implemented from April 2020 and 2021 as permitted by legislation
Delivering the Strategy
In order to deliver the Empty Homes Strategy, the Council has appointed an Empty Homes Officer to ensure that the three objectives are met, demonstrating the Council’s commitment to tackling the nuisance of empty homes.
The Council has set aside funding to carry out the interventions and enforcement actions highlighted in this strategy, but the Empty Homes Officer can’t do this alone; close working relationships between other departments in the Council and stakeholders in the Borough will be essential for the objectives of this strategy to be achieved.
Data Analysis
The Empty Homes Officer receives monthly data on empty properties within the Borough. The data is analysed to understand the flows of empty properties including how many become empty and how many are brought back into use. Continued analysis of this data will look at whether there are trends or issues to explore further. For example, it will highlight if there are certain areas in the Borough that are experiencing higher levels of long term empties than others. The empty homes in Stafford Borough are mapped and will be updated biannually to identify clusters of empty properties that could lead to neighbourhood decline and also to identify whether certain owners have multiple empty properties in specific geographical locations. Each empty property is risk assessed and interventions are prioritised accordingly.
Reporting Empty Properties
The Empty Homes Officer will explore the effectiveness of creating an online reporting tool, so members of the public can report a property in real time and not have to phone, or email the Council. Links could also be created to this tool, from electronic notifications to the Council Tax department, that a property has become empty. This will ensure that the Council is made aware of any issues quickly and will have all the relevant information at hand.
The Vulnerabilities Hub
The Empty Homes Officer will work closely with colleagues in Community Safety and the Police and will facilitate partnership working on this issue through the Vulnerabilities Hub. The Hub is a multi agency meeting which aims to prevent and reduce harm to vulnerable persons and families and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough. The agencies that attend these meetings include the police, Probation, Mental Health Team, Housing Options and local registered providers (not an exhaustive list). When it is identified that action is needed on an empty property and concerns are raised regarding possible anti social behaviour at the property, the Empty Homes Officer can work with partners through the Vulnerabilities Hub to develop multi agency solutions.
Monitoring and Reviewing the Strategy
93 In order for the Strategy to remain effective and relevant, it is important that it is continually monitored throughout the period of the Strategy.
Monitoring the strategy will be carried out by the following means:-
• Monthly data tracking (data received from Council Tax and analysed by the Health and Housing Team). • Quarterly reporting to the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee. • The detailed action plan to be monitored by the Health and Housing Team and reviewed annually to ensure it is relevant and up to date.
94 ITEM NO 4(d)(i) ITEM NO 4(d)(i)
Contact Officer: Rob Wolfe Telephone No: 01543 464397 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/1/20 Council 28/1/20 Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR R M SMITH RESOURCES PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 Empty Property Strategy - Council Tax
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To explain the Council’s discretions as to the level of council tax charges that can be levied on empty properties.
1.2 To recommend to Council that the level of charges included in the Appendices to this report are adopted, with effect from 1 April 2020 as included in the Council’s Empty Property Strategy.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 That Council at its meeting on 28 January 2020 adopts the schedule of charges and discounts contained in APPENDIX 1 to this report, with effect from 1 April 2020.
2.2 That Council at its meeting on 28 January 2020 adopts the schedule of charges and discounts contained in APPENDIX 2 to this report, with effect from 1 April 2021.
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
Key Issues
3.1 Empty dwellings are a wasted resource in terms of reducing the supply of housing within the area and potentially lost council tax yield for the council.
95 3.2 Council Tax and Housing Officers work closely together to address this issue and to align our policies relating to the management of empty homes and council tax charges.
3.3 The Council’s Empty Homes Strategy includes the charges referred to in this report. Introducing the increased empty property charges, allowed by legislation, has been one of the ways in which we encourage owners to bring empty homes back into use.
Reasons for Recommendations
3.4 The changes to discount levels contained in this report are proposed in conjunction with the Empty Homes Strategy recommended for adoption on 16 January. Full Council approval is required for changes to our Council Tax charges and discounts.
3.5 Early identification of empty homes and early interaction with the owners will help to prevent dwellings from becoming empty for long periods and becoming problematic in the longer term.
3.6 The table below demonstrates that Stafford Borough Council’s empty homes discounts are generous when compared to other councils. The changes being recommended are intended to be beneficial to the occupation rate of dwellings and income to the Council.
Authority Free Void Period
Cannock Chase DC 3 months (under review - 28 days being proposed)
East Staffs BC 1 month
Lichfield DC No free period allowed.
Newcastle 28 days
South Staffs 1 month (to be implemented from April 2020
Stafford 6 months (under review - 28 days proposed)
Staffs Moorlands 3 months (currently under review)
Stoke On Trent No free period allowed.
Tamworth 2 months
96 3.7 The reduction of the free period from 6 months to 28 days, is designed to encourage landlords to bring empty homes back into use as quickly as possible in order to provide additional housing capacity. Approximately 3,400 properties would be affected which would mean that if owners did not brings their homes back into use within the 28 days, they would be subject to an average charge of £235 per bill.
3.8 The additional premium charges to longer term empty properties will give greater incentive for owners to make use of their properties, particularly the most problematic dwellings that have been empty for many years.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 The proposals contained in this report will encourage landlords to bring empty dwellings back into use thereby improving the local environment, and providing additional housing capacity and choice.
5 Report Detail
5.1 When council tax was introduced in 1993, the rate of charges to be made in respect of empty properties was prescribed. Exemptions were available for certain categories of property, for which no council tax was payable.
5.2 Subsequent legislation has allowed Billing Authorities to increase the amounts charged on empty properties and we have been encouraged to do so, in order to bring empty properties back into use. Our options are;
• To prescribe the free period in respect of newly vacated empty dwellings, or to offer no free period. We currently allow 6 months. • To prescribe the percentage discount in respect of uninhabitable empty dwellings, or to offer no discount. We currently allow 100% discount for the prescribed 12 month period. This discount cannot be applied for a property that has been empty for more than 2 years and has attracted an empty property premium as described below. • To charge 100% in respect of second homes. We currently charge this and propose to continue. • To charge 200% Council Tax for property empty for more than 2 years. We currently charge this. • From 2020, we can increase this to 300% for property empty for more than 5 years. This charge is proposed. • From 2021, we can further increase this to 400% for property empty for more than 10 years. This charge is proposed to be implemented from 1 April 2021.
5.3 We have discretion to determine our own, local categories of dwelling for which we can offer a rate of discount. The Billing Authority would have to meet the cost of those discounts in full and would not share the cost with other preceptors. No such categories are proposed.
97 5.4 We can also award local discretionary discounts to individual council taxpayers, based on the specific merits of their individual circumstances. Again the Billing Authority would have to meet the cost of those discounts in full and would not share the cost with other preceptors. A discretionary discount can be applied to any occupied or unoccupied dwelling. Such a discount might, for example, be appropriate to alleviate exceptional hardship or to reduce an empty property premium, in exceptional circumstances.
5.5 By their nature discretionary discounts will involve an unpredicted set of circumstances which cannot be pre-determined or specified. The Head of Finance or the Local Taxation and Benefits Manager will determine applications for these discounts, based on the merits of individual applications and having regard for the impact on the Council’s General Fund.
5.6 The following categories of property are protected and statutory council tax exemptions still exist:
Class Description B Unoccupied dwellings owned by a charity (up to 6 months) D A dwelling left unoccupied by people who are in prison. E An unoccupied dwelling which was previously the sole or main residence of a person who has moved into a hospital or care home. F Dwellings left empty by the estate of deceased persons (6 months from date of probate). G An unoccupied dwelling where the occupation is prohibited by law. H Unoccupied clergy dwellings. I An unoccupied dwelling which was previously the sole or main residence of a person who is the owner or tenant and who has moved to receive personal care. J An unoccupied dwelling which was previously the sole or main residence of a person who is the owner or tenant and who has moved in order to provide personal care to another person. K An unoccupied dwelling where the owner is a student who last lived in the dwelling as their main home. L An unoccupied dwelling which has been taken into possession by a mortgage lender. M A hall of residence provided predominately for the accommodation of students. N A dwelling which is occupied only by students, the foreign spouses of students or school and college leavers O Armed forces’ accommodation P A dwelling where at least one person who would otherwise be liable has a
98 Class Description relevant association with a Visiting Force.
Q An unoccupied dwelling where the person who would otherwise be liable is a trustee in a bankruptcy. R Empty caravan pitches and boat mooring. S A dwelling occupied only by a person, or persons, aged under 18. T A dwelling which forms part of a single property which includes another dwelling and may not be let separately from that dwelling, without a breach of planning control. U A dwelling occupied only by a person, or persons, who is or are severely mentally impaired who would otherwise be liable to pay the council tax or only by one or more severely mentally impaired person V A dwelling in which at least one person who would otherwise be liable is a diplomat. W A dwelling which forms part of a single property, include at least one or other dwelling, and which is the sole or main residence of a dependent relative of a person who is resident is the other dwelling.
5.7 The remaining categories of empty dwellings and the proposed changes to the charges are summarised as follows.
Current Charge and Charge and Discount Discount from 1 April 2020 Property which is 100% discount for 6 100% discount for 28 unoccupied and months. days substantially unfurnished 0% discount thereafter 0% discount thereafter Property which is 0% discount 0% discount unoccupied and (No change) substantially furnished (referred to as second homes) Property which is 100% discount for 12 100% discount for 12 unoccupied, substantially months. months. unfurnished, uninhabitable 0% discount thereafter 0% discount thereafter and in need of or (No change) undergoing major repairs or structural alterations which are to make it habitable Property which is 100% Premium 100% Premium unoccupied, substantially (200% council tax (200% council tax due) unfurnished and has been due)
99 Current Charge and Charge and Discount Discount from 1 April 2020 so for between 24 months and 5 years Property which is 100% Premium 200% Premium unoccupied, substantially (200% council tax (300% council tax due) unfurnished and has been due) so for 5 years or more
The following changes will then be applied rom 1 April 2021:
Current Charge and Charge and Discount Discount from 1 April 2021 Property which is 100% Premium 200% Premium unoccupied, substantially (200% council tax (300% council tax due) unfurnished and has been due) so for between 5 years and 10 years Property which is 100% Premium 300% Premium unoccupied, substantially (200% council tax (400% council tax due) unfurnished and has been due) so for over 10 years
5.8 All of the changes above will encourage owners of properties to bring them into use more quickly. Significant income will also be achieved by the reduction in the free period.
5.9 The increased premiums will affect 181 properties, as follows:
• Empty 2 - 5 years 99 • Empty 5 - 10 years 42 • Empty over 10 years 40
5.10 It is anticipated that the income from increased Premiums will be minimal. The intention is that the properties are brought into use, thereby paying the standard rate of council tax, rather than the increased Premium rates. Some outlay may also be needed if properties cannot be brought into use and it is deemed appropriate to reduce or remove the Premiums.
100
6 Implications
6.1 Financial The changes to the charges made on empty properties will have a positive impact on the Council’s finances. As well as encouraging the early occupation of empty homes, the changes are estimated to raise additional revenue to the Council’s General Fund, in the region of £80,000 per year.
Legal The level of charges that can be raised and discounts awarded in respect of empty dwellings is provided by the Local Government Finance Act 2012.
Human Resources None Human Rights Act None Data Protection None Risk Management None
6.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:-
Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
Previous Consideration - Nil
Background Papers - Nil
101 APPENDIX 1
CABINET 16 JANUARY Empty Property Strategy - Council Tax
Council Tax
Empty Property Charges and Discounts 1 April 2020
Category of Dwelling Charge and Discount from 1 April 2020 Property which is unoccupied and 100% discount for 28 days. 0% substantially unfurnished discount thereafter. Property which is unoccupied and 0% discount substantially furnished (referred to as second homes) Property which is unoccupied 100% discount for 12 months. 0% substantially unfurnished, discount thereafter. uninhabitable and in need of or undergoing major repairs or structural alterations which are to make it habitable Property which is unoccupied, 100% Premium (200% council tax substantially unfurnished and has due) been so for between 24 months and 5 years Property which is unoccupied, 200% Premium (300% council tax substantially unfurnished and has due) been so for 5 years or more
102 APPENDIX 2
CABINET 16 JANUARY Empty Property Strategy - Council Tax
Council Tax
Empty Property Charges and Discounts 1 April 2021
Category of Dwelling Charge and Discount from 1 April 2021 Property which is unoccupied and 100% discount for 28 days. 0% substantially unfurnished discount thereafter. Property which is unoccupied and 0% discount. substantially furnished (referred to as second homes) Property which is unoccupied 100% discount for 12 months. 0% substantially unfurnished, discount thereafter. uninhabitable and in need of or undergoing major repairs or structural alterations which are to make it habitable Property which is unoccupied, 100% Premium (200% council tax substantially unfurnished and has due) been so for between 24 months and 5 years Property which is unoccupied, 200% Premium (300% council tax substantially unfurnished and has due) been so for between 5 years and 10 years Property which is unoccupied, 300% Premium (400% council tax substantially unfurnished and has due) been so more than10 years
103
ITEM NO 4(d)(ii) ITEM NO 4(d)(ii)
Contact Officer: Bob Kean Telephone No: 01785 619241 Ward Interest: Nil Report Track: Cabinet 16/01/20 (Only) Key Decision: Yes
SUBMISSION BY COUNCILLOR R M SMITH RESOURCES PORTFOLIO
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 General Fund Revenue Budget 2020-21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To propose to the Council the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2020-21 to 2022-23 and the updated Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23.
2 Proposal of Cabinet Member
2.1 That the following be recommended to the Council:-
(a) the Budget Requirement for the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2020-21 be set at £17.133 million (with indicative requirements for 2021-22 and 2022-23 of £14.223 million and £14.417 million respectively); (b) that the detailed portfolio budgets as set out in APPENDIX 1 be approved; (c) the detailed capital programme as set out in APPENDIX 2; be approved; (d) that the Council Tax for 2020-21 be increased by 1.9% to £159.27; (e) the Council’s Tax Base be set at 48,260.69 (as determined by the Head of Finance);
3 Key Issues and Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 This report sets out the current position on the General Fund Revenue Budget for 2020-21 as well as indicative budgets for 2021-22 and 2022-23. It also sets out the position on the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2020-21, New Homes Bonus Grant allocation, the position on
104 the Council’s Collection Fund, the Council’s Tax Base for 2020-21 and the consequential Council Tax for 2020-21.
3.2 Indicative budgets have been set out for 2021-22 and 2022-23, however it should be noted that a new funding regime for local government is intended to apply from the 1 April 2021 and no indicative figures can be provided by the Government with the Fair Funding and 75% Business Rates Retention scheme still at design/ outline consultation stage.
4 Relationship to Corporate Priorities
4.1 The revenue budget and the capital programme have been based on the Council’s priorities.
5 Report Detail
5.1 Individual draft portfolio budgets for each of the Council’s five portfolios together with a capital programme including details of new capital schemes were proposed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 5 December 2019. The respective Portfolio Budgets were submitted to the Resources Scrutiny Committee on the 7 January 2020; Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on the 13 January 2020 and Economic Development and Planning Scrutiny Committee on 14 January 2020 as part of the Budget consultation process.
5.2 The results of the consultation with each committee will be tabled at the meeting.
5.3 Local Government Finance Settlement 2020-21
5.3.1 The Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement for 2020-21 was received by the Council on 20 December 2019. The settlement only relates to 2020-21 , pending the introduction of 75% Business Rates and a Fair Funding review to determine both core funding and Business Rate Baselines for future years.
5.3.2 The Draft General Fund Revenue Budget as considered by Cabinet on the 5 December 2019 reflected the proposals as contained in the Technical Consultation on the 2020-21 Settlement by Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local government(MHCLG) .
5.3.3 The provisional settlement re-affirmed the details as contained in the Technical consultation in relation to New Homes Bonus; Business Rates Retention and Negative Revenue Support Grant.
5.3.4 The 2020-21 Settlement is only a one year settlement and, in light of a new funding regime coming into place from 2021-22, will shed no light on the level of government support (core and incentive based) for future years.
105 5.4 New Homes Bonus
5.4.1 Provisional allocations for the New Homes Bonus Grant (NHB) scheme for 2020-21 were announced by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on the 20 December 2019.
5.4.2 The provisional allocations show an increase in funding resources of £0.070 million for New Homes Bonus for 2020-21 with NHB now amounting to £ 3.230 million as compared to a Draft Budget allocation of £3.159 million. The increase in allocation consisting of a reduction in the empty homes provision and the funding stream per unit for net new properties reflecting the national increase in Council Tax of 4.469% for 2019-20. In accordance with current budget policy to reduce the dependency on variable grant funding the additional resources have been transferred to an earmarked reserve.
5.4.3 It should be noted that in accordance with the Technical Consultation on the Local Government Settlement the 2020-21 allocation would not be subject to legacy arrangements and would be for one year only rather than the normal four year payment period.
5.4.4 A new housing incentive scheme is due to be implemented in 2021-22 and reference was made in the provisional settlement to “ moving to a new, more targeted approach that rewards local authorities where they are ambitious in delivering the homes we need, and which is aligned with other measures around planning performance” . A 2020 Spring consultation has been announced in relation to a new scheme with the budget assuming, at this stage, a prudent approach with no additional grant income from the new scheme and that existing legacy payments re the 2017-18 to 2019-20 will fall out at the end of their respective four year entitlement
5.5 Business Rates Retention
Business Rates Pilot 2020-21
5.5.1 The Technical consultation on the Settlement stated that only Devolution areas would be subject to pilot status in 2020-21 with all other pilots terminating as at 31 March 2020. Representations were made to the Secretary of State for the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent to continue in 2020-21.
5.5.2 The provisional settlement however confirmed that the 2019-20 pilots would cease as proposed. APPENDIX 3 provides an analysis of the Retained Business Rates Income for the Counci
Negative Revenue Support Grant
5.5.3 In accordance with the 2016-17 Settlement the Business Rates Tariff (reduction in business rates retained)for authorities, subject to government funding reductions in excess of Revenue Support Grant (RSG) was to be increased to include Negative Revenue Support Grant.
106 5.5.4 The Provisional Settlement reaffirmed, as in previous years, that the Negative RSG adjustment would be eliminated from the 2020-21 Settlement.
6 Revenue Budget 2019-20 to 2022-23
6.1 The Portfolio Budget position set out below reflects the detailed budgets that were presented to the Cabinet on 5 December 2019, and subsequently subject to consultation with the relevant Scrutiny Committees, as updated for expenditure and financing changes.
6.2 No material changes have arisen in relation to Net Expenditure with the only change relating to the finalisation of shared services costs between Cannock Chase and Stafford Borough with adjustments of £ (1,430), £ (780) and £11,520 for 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
6.3 Details in relation to the Housing Benefit Administration Subsidy and Local Council Tax Support are still awaited however as in previous years an increased reduction, as compared to the 2019-20 allocation, is anticipated.
6.4 The impact in the short term can be addressed from the Localisation of Council Tax Reserve however the continuation of the Efficiency element of the grant Reduction but more importantly the progressive reduction to Universal Credits in the Admin Subsidy will require the service to downsize as part of (or in advance of ) the 2022-23 budget process.
Table 1 : Revenue Budget Recommended to Council Budget Budget Budget 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 £000 £000 £000 Net Expenditure Portfolio budgets 14,911 13,939 14,519 Investment income & technical financing adjustments 2,222 284 (102) Net Spending 17,133 14,223 14,417 Less: Government Grants Levy Account Surplus - Rural Services Grant (25) NNDR Multiplier – Section. 31 (113) (115) (118) New Homes Bonus (3,230) (1,852) (1,100) Budget Requirement 13,765 12,256 13,199
Financing Business Rates (6,095) (4,396) (4,808) Revenue Support Grant Collection Fund surplus (147) Council Tax Income (7,686) (7,950) (8,182) Transfer from Balances (209) Total Financing (13,928) (12,346) (13,199)
Transfer to Working Balances 163 90
107
6.5 No amendments have been made to the assumptions as contained in the Approved Financial Plan in relation to the new funding regime. The Business Rates Scheme in particular carries the greatest uncertainty with a 75% Retention Scheme to be designed; core funding as per the Fair Funding review determined and a reset of baselines all due. In light of the uncertainty as reflected in various sections of this report it is difficult to identify the true overall position going forward.
6.6 Table 2 incorporates the changes as identified above together with the changes in funding arising from the provisional allocations.
Table 2 : Movement in Transfer (to)/from Working Balances 5 December 2019 to Recommended Budget Budget Budget Budget 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 £000 £000 £000 5 December (Surplus)/deficit (161) (87) 198 Portfolio Holder Budgets (2) (1) 12 Provisional Settlement (71) (2) (1) Reserve Transfer 71 Recommended Budget (163) (90) 209
6.7 The Table shows that a balanced budget exists throughout the 2020-21 to 2022-23 Medium Term Financial Plan, although a transfer from Working Balances could be required in 2022-23, subject to the caveats that exist in relation to the funding levels for New Homes Bonus and Business Rates Retention.
7 Reserves and Balances
7.1 Reserves and balances comprise general reserves, the Working Balance and Earmarked Reserves. They help the Council to cope with unpredictable financial pressures and plan for future spending commitments and are an essential part of good financial management.
7.2 The Working Balance - the current policy has for a number of years been to maintain the level of the General Fund balance at a minimum of £1 million. The General Fund balance at 1 April 2019 was £1.313 million. resulting in £0.313 million remaining to support the revenue Budget.
7.3 Table 2 identifies a further net transfer of £0.044 million to Working Balances to 2022-23, with the current year forecast showing a further transfer of £0.773 million.
7.4 A revised surplus on Working Balances of £0.960 million is now forecast as at 31 March 2023 as follows:-
108 Table 3 : Movement on Working Balances 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 B/fwd. 1,313 0.916 1.079 1.169 Minimum Requirement (1.000) Generated in Year 0.773 0.163 0.090 (0.209) Offset Borrowing (0.170) Requirement Balance c/fwd. 0.916 1.079 1.169 0.960
7.5 The Council holds a number of earmarked reserves for specific purposes. A summary of earmarked reserves and capital funds incorporating their planned use over the next four years formed part of the report to Cabinet in December.
7.6 APPENDIX 4 sets out the required report on the robustness of the budget estimates and the adequacy of the Council’s reserves.
8 Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
8.1 The proposed Capital Programme for 2019-20 to 2022-23 formed part of the budgets referred to the relevant Scrutiny Committees for consultation.
8.2 The Capital Programme has been updated to reflect the requirement to replace the Financial Management System with effect from 1 April 2021 and to provide a self funding Empty Homes CPO rolling programme scheme.
8.3 The Financial Management System forms part of shared services arrangements with Cannock Chase Council and a shared replacement system is now required with software support being withdrawn by the provider for 2021-22.
8.4 It is not possible to identify at this stage whether an upfront capital cost will be required or whether the system costs are to be recovered as part of an annual license charge. Draft provision for this Councils share of indicative capital costs have been included in the capital programme to be financed from earmarked reserves pending the outcome of the procurement process.
8.5 The draft Empty Homes Strategy, as contained elsewhere on the Agenda, includes provision to use enforcement action to bring long term problematic empty homes back into use. The use of Compulsory Purchase Orders represents one of the options available and it is therefore necessary to make earmarked provision in the Capital Programme for such acquisitions, to be funded from the proceeds of the sale.
9 Council Tax Base and Collection Fund
9.1 The final part of the consideration of the Budget is the Council Tax Base. This is the number of properties in the borough expressed in terms of Band D equivalents.
109 9.2 The Council’s Tax Base is now estimated to be 48,260.69 an increase of 1.6% on 2019-20 reflecting new properties being built in the borough combined with a reduced cost of the LCTR scheme.
9.3 The Tax Base has been calculated as follows:-
Council Tax base for budget setting purposes 51,205.30 Less: impact of Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (2,944.61) 48,260.69
9.4 Details of the tax base, broken down over parishes are set out in APPENDIX 5.
9.5 Council at its meeting on the 28 January 2020 will consider a new Banded Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTR) together with amendments to the Schedule of Charges and Discounts arising from the Empty Homes Strategy. The overall impact of the changes is financially neutral and no amendments have been made to the Council Tax base for each parish, with the empty homes strategy aimed at bringing empty homes back into use. In relation to the LCTR scheme variances may arise in the actual implementation of the scheme therefore, as with previous years, future tax bases will be amended to ensure parish council’s are not disadvantaged by the existing LCTR scheme or the new scheme. A grant allocation is credited to Parish Councils to ensure that in setting their precepts no additional charge is required due to the implementation of the LCTR or the proposed Banded Scheme. No reductions have been made in the 2020-21 allocation to parishes.
9.6 The Council’s Collection Fund has been reviewed as part of the budget process and is expected to break even in 2020-21.
10. Council Tax 2020-21
10.1 In determining the level of Council Tax for 2020-21 Cabinet will need to take into account the medium term financial position and the Council Tax Referendum Thresholds.
10.2 The current approved budget of the Council assumed that Council Tax would increase by 1.9% for 2020-21 and 2021-22 and this was reaffirmed as part of the consideration of the Financial Plan in November 2019 and the Draft General Fund Revenue Budget presented to Cabinet on the 5 December 2019.
10.3 This proposed increase was within the guidelines as contained in the Technical Consultation on the 2020-21 Settlement with an increase of 2% or more ( or up to and including £5) whichever is the higher requiring a referendum. The provisional settlement confirmed that these referendum thresholds will apply to district councils for 2020-21
110 10.4 The proposed level of Council Tax for 2020-21 is £159.27 for a Band D property with the overall level of Council Tax subject to final determination by Council on 25 February 2020. The figures set out in this report may require minor amendment if any further information emerges before then.
10.5 The total Council Tax for the Borough will reflect the spending decision made by the County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Fire Authority. In addition, in certain areas, parish council precepts are also added to the overall bill.
11 Implications
11.1 Financial Contained within the report Legal Nil Human Resources Nil Human Rights Act Nil Data Protection Nil Risk Management Set out in full in APPENDIX 5 of the report to Cabinet on 5 December 2019
11.2 Community Impact The Borough Council considers the effect of its Assessment actions on all sections of our community and has Recommendations addressed all of the following Equality Strands in the production of this report, as appropriate:- Age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation. The Proposed Budget in particular maintains all services at their existing levels with no service reductions included.
Previous Consideration - Cabinet - 5 December 2019 - Minute No CAB56
Background Papers - File available in Financial Services
111 Appendix 1 Resources Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 1 Public Buildings Employee Expenses 60,530 63,970 65,640 67,320 Premises Related Expenditure 1,200,080 1,192,550 1,203,290 1,214,300 Transport Related Expenditure 30 30 30 30 Supplies & Services 124,870 128,130 130,370 132,660 Total Expenditure 1,385,510 1,384,680 1,399,330 1,414,310 Income (785,660) (557,090) (745,090) (745,090) Total Income (785,660) (557,090) (745,090) (745,090) Public Buildings Net Expenditure 599,850 827,590 654,240 669,220 2 Facilities Management Employee Expenses 189,340 195,500 202,960 210,730 Transport Related Expenditure 7,380 7,380 7,380 7,380 Supplies & Services 3,840 3,840 3,840 3,840 Total Expenditure 200,560 206,720 214,180 221,950 Facilities Management Net Expenditure 200,560 206,720 214,180 221,950 3 Executive Management Employee Expenses 168,370 173,940 179,680 185,480 Transport Related Expenditure 2,550 2,600 2,600 2,600 Supplies & Services 39,170 39,170 39,170 39,170 Total Expenditure 210,090 215,710 221,450 227,250 Executive Management Net Expenditure 210,090 215,710 221,450 227,250 4 Corporate Business and Partnerships Employee Expenses 272,890 268,450 280,400 291,790 Transport Related Expenditure 2,240 2,280 2,280 2,280 Supplies & Services 45,590 45,400 45,090 45,480 Total Expenditure 320,720 316,130 327,770 339,550 Corporate Business and Partnerships Net Expenditure 320,720 316,130 327,770 339,550 5 Communications Employee Expenses 124,450 128,560 132,870 137,270 Transport Related Expenditure 80 80 80 80 Supplies & Services 16,140 25,140 25,140 25,140 Total Expenditure 140,670 153,780 158,090 162,490 Communications Net Expenditure 140,670 153,780 158,090 162,490 6 Customer Services Employee Expenses 300,910 326,270 360,030 370,800 Supplies & Services 8,810 8,810 8,810 8,810 Total Expenditure 309,720 335,080 368,840 379,610 Customer Services Net Expenditure 309,720 335,080 368,840 379,610 7 Out of Hours Service Supplies & Services 6,840 6,980 6,980 6,980 Total Expenditure 6,840 6,980 6,980 6,980 Out of Hours Service Net Expenditure 6,840 6,980 6,980 6,980 112 Appendix 1 Resources Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 8 Law and Administration Employee Expenses 1,149,310 1,202,310 1,243,400 1,286,470 Premises Related Expenditure 2,280 2,330 2,380 2,430 Transport Related Expenditure 9,140 7,260 7,260 7,260 Supplies & Services 121,260 139,960 140,270 140,580 Third Party Payments 36,790 37,180 37,640 38,540 Total Expenditure 1,318,780 1,389,040 1,430,950 1,475,280 Income (373,920) (384,910) (396,680) (409,170) Total Income (373,920) (384,910) (396,680) (409,170) Law and Administration Net Expenditure 944,860 1,004,130 1,034,270 1,066,110 Finance9 Supplies & Services 1,560 1,560 1,560 1,560 Third Party Payments 554,730 573,380 591,840 612,230 Total Expenditure 556,290 574,940 593,400 613,790 Finance Net Expenditure 556,290 574,940 593,400 613,790 10 Human Resources Services Employee Expenses 559,760 578,330 602,340 623,720 Transport Related Expenditure 11,950 11,950 11,950 11,950 Supplies & Services 173,490 152,880 152,880 127,880 Total Expenditure 745,200 743,160 767,170 763,550 Income (307,080) (313,840) (325,200) (335,410) Total Income (307,080) (313,840) (325,200) (335,410) Human Resources Services Net Expenditure 438,120 429,320 441,970 428,140 11 Technology Employee Expenses 949,930 983,730 1,019,210 1,055,440 Transport Related Expenditure 17,660 17,660 17,660 17,660 Supplies & Services 659,990 640,300 641,140 641,140 Total Expenditure 1,627,580 1,641,690 1,678,010 1,714,240 Income (787,660) (783,050) (800,130) (820,870) Total Income (787,660) (783,050) (800,130) (820,870) Technology Net Expenditure 839,920 858,640 877,880 893,370 12 Members Services Employee Expenses 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 Transport Related Expenditure 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 Supplies & Services 279,830 284,990 290,250 295,620 Total Expenditure 293,830 298,990 304,250 309,620 Members Services Net Expenditure 293,830 298,990 304,250 309,620
113 Appendix 1 Resources Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 13 Revenues & Benefits Supplies & Services 95,260 106,050 106,050 106,050 Third Party Payments 1,411,670 1,351,330 1,379,160 1,422,950 Total Expenditure 1,506,930 1,457,380 1,485,210 1,529,000 Income (957,210) (830,920) (813,140) (813,370) Total Income (957,210) (830,920) (813,140) (813,370) Revenues & Benefits Net Expenditure 549,720 626,460 672,070 715,630 14 Housing Benefit Payments Supplies & Services 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 Transfer Payments 21,020,270 19,212,140 17,640,840 16,198,390 Total Expenditure 21,030,270 19,222,140 17,650,840 16,208,390 Income (21,030,270) (19,222,140) (17,650,840) (16,208,390) Total Income (21,030,270) (19,222,140) (17,650,840) (16,208,390) Housing Benefit Payments Net Expenditure - - - - 15 Parish Councils Supplies & Services 51,000 51,000 51,000 51,000 Total Expenditure 51,000 51,000 51,000 51,000 Parish Councils Net Expenditure 51,000 51,000 51,000 51,000 16 Corporate and Democratic Core Supplies & Services 129,770 126,770 126,770 126,770 Total Expenditure 129,770 126,770 126,770 126,770 Corporate and Democratic Core Net Expenditure 129,770 126,770 126,770 126,770 17 Non-Distributed Costs Employee Expenses 247,710 252,660 257,710 262,860 Third Party Payments 40,000 40,000 40,800 41,620 Total Expenditure 287,710 292,660 298,510 304,480 Non-Distributed Costs Net Expenditure 287,710 292,660 298,510 304,480 18 Asset Management/Energy Conservation Supplies & Services 40,560 32,560 32,560 32,560 Total Expenditure 40,560 32,560 32,560 32,560 Asset Management/Energy Conservation Net Expenditure 40,560 32,560 32,560 32,560 19 Electoral Registration Employee Expenses 2,150 2,150 2,150 2,150 Supplies & Services 79,900 41,050 41,050 41,050 Total Expenditure 82,050 43,200 43,200 43,200 Income (38,850) - - - Total Income (38,850) - - - Electoral Registration Net Expenditure 43,200 43,200 43,200 43,200
114 Appendix 1 Resources Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 20 Elections Employee Expenses 100,000 - - - Premises Related Expenditure 30,000 - - - Supplies & Services 65,000 39,500 39,500 39,500 Total Expenditure 195,000 39,500 39,500 39,500 Income (155,500) - - - Total Income (155,500) - - - Elections Net Expenditure 39,500 39,500 39,500 39,500 21 Items to be Allocated Employee Expenses (30,000) (80,000) (110,000) (110,000) Total Expenditure (30,000) (80,000) (110,000) (110,000) Income - (45,000) (45,000) (45,000) Total Income - (45,000) (45,000) (45,000) Items to be Allocated Net Expenditure (30,000) (125,000) (155,000) (155,000) 22 Audit, Risk, Resilience and Procurement Supplies & Services 150 150 150 150 Third Party Payments 229,200 234,250 240,540 247,370 Total Expenditure 229,350 234,400 240,690 247,520 Audit, Risk, Resilience and Procurement Net Expenditure 229,350 234,400 240,690 247,520 23 Insurance Premiums Third Party Payments 175,490 175,900 179,420 183,010 Total Expenditure 175,490 175,900 179,420 183,010 Insurance Premiums Net Expenditure 175,490 175,900 179,420 183,010
Resources Net Expenditure 6,377,770 6,725,460 6,732,040 6,906,750
115 Appendix 1
Resources Portfolio
Variation Statement 2020/2021 to 2022/2023
Real Terms Real Terms Real Terms 2020/2021 2020/2021 2021/2022 2021/2022 2022/2023 / Efficiency / Efficiency Inflation / Efficiency Indicative Budget Indicative Budget Budget Variations Variations Variations
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 Employee Costs 4,104 - 4 4,100 4,218 22 4,240 78 70 4,388
Premises Related Costs 1,216 - 21 1,195 1,240 - 34 1,206 25 - 14 1,217
Transport Related Costs 64 - 5 59 64 - 5 59 - - 59
Supplies and Services 1,985 - 101 1,884 1,993 - 100 1,893 8 - 25 1,876
Third Party Payments 2,413 - 1 2,412 2,469 - 2,469 49 28 2,546
Transfer Payments 20,251 - 1,039 19,212 18,594 - 953 17,641 - - 1,443 16,198
Total Expenditure 30,033 - 1,171 28,862 28,578 - 1,070 27,508 160 - 1,384 26,284
Income - 23,346 1,209 - 22,137 - 21,710 934 - 20,776 - 30 1,429 - 19,377
Net Expenditure 6,687 38 6,725 6,868 - 136 6,732 130 45 6,907
116 Appendix 1
Resources Portfolio
Proposed Real Terms / Efficiency Variations
2020/21 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Items to be allocated - Apprenticeship Levy / Contract Inflation / Income changes Employees -17 Supplies and services -152 -169 Housing benefits review of spend following implementation of Expenditure - 1,039 Income 1,039 - Civic Centre Reduced running costs -17 Sport across Staffordshire hosting income falling out 27 Rephased additional income from lettings 188 198 Chargeable garden waste support (part year) 8 minor variations 1 38
2021/22 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Items to be allocated - Apprenticeship Levy / Contract Inflation / Income changes Employees -17 Supplies and services -152 -169 Housing benefits review of spend following implementation of Expenditure - 953 Income 953 - Civic Centre Reduced running costs -30 Sport across Staffordshire hosting income falling out 27 -3 Chargeable garden waste support 30 minor variations 1 Increase in pension costs 5 - 136
117 Appendix 1
2022/23 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Increments 8 Housing benefits review of spend following implementation of Expenditure - 1,442 Income 1,442 - Shared services additional cost 26 Shared service additional income -13 Civic centre reduced running costs -15 Revenue bids falling out Member Development training -5 Organisational Development plan -20 -25 Increase in pension costs 63 minor variations 1 45
118 Appendix 1 Planning and Regeneration Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 1 Management and Support Employee Expenses 447,600 438,750 453,130 467,960 Transport Related Expenditure 8,320 8,320 8,320 8,320 Supplies & Services 95,560 72,290 72,290 72,290 Total Expenditure 551,480 519,360 533,740 548,570 Income (50,540) (27,710) (28,160) (28,620) Total Income (50,540) (27,710) (28,160) (28,620) Management and Support Net Expenditure 500,940 491,650 505,580 519,950 2 Building Control Supplies & Services 2,180 2,180 2,180 2,180 Third Party Payments 135,720 141,930 148,730 155,230 Total Expenditure 137,900 144,110 150,910 157,410 Building Control Net Expenditure 137,900 144,110 150,910 157,410 3 Development Management Employee Expenses 742,790 825,100 857,910 888,160 Transport Related Expenditure 40,640 40,640 40,640 40,640 Supplies & Services 206,890 193,390 193,390 193,390 Total Expenditure 990,320 1,059,130 1,091,940 1,122,190 Income (781,660) (839,040) (840,830) (840,830) Total Income (781,660) (839,040) (840,830) (840,830) Development Management Net Expenditure 208,660 220,090 251,110 281,360 4 Forward Planning Employee Expenses 243,880 222,120 216,000 225,120 Transport Related Expenditure 11,560 11,560 11,560 11,560 Supplies & Services 366,020 228,900 122,820 147,820 Total Expenditure 621,460 462,580 350,380 384,500 Income (215,200) (134,250) (75,000) (100,000) Total Income (215,200) (134,250) (75,000) (100,000) Forward Planning Net Expenditure 406,260 328,330 275,380 284,500 5 Land Charges - Local Searches Employee Expenses 41,750 43,950 45,440 46,960 Supplies & Services 76,220 76,070 74,580 73,060 Total Expenditure 117,970 120,020 120,020 120,020 Income (122,020) (120,020) (120,020) (120,020) Total Income (122,020) (120,020) (120,020) (120,020) Land Charges - Local Searches Net Expenditure (4,050) - - -
119 Appendix 1 Planning and Regeneration Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 6 Off Street Parking Services Employee Expenses 34,940 36,090 37,330 38,580 Premises Related Expenditure 790,940 795,520 828,000 846,100 Transport Related Expenditure 2,830 2,860 2,890 2,930 Supplies & Services 100,840 100,350 100,770 100,970 Third Party Payments 329,030 330,420 331,340 337,970 Total Expenditure 1,258,580 1,265,240 1,300,330 1,326,550 Income (2,490,590) (2,608,700) (2,623,700) (2,623,700) Total Income (2,490,590) (2,608,700) (2,623,700) (2,623,700) Off Street Parking Services Net Expenditure (1,232,010) (1,343,460) (1,323,370) (1,297,150) 7 Land & Properties Premises Related Expenditure 58,950 59,940 61,130 62,350 Supplies & Services 2,010 2,010 2,010 2,010 Total Expenditure 60,960 61,950 63,140 64,360 Income (52,990) (53,140) (53,290) (53,290) Total Income (52,990) (53,140) (53,290) (53,290) Land & Properties Net Expenditure 7,970 8,810 9,850 11,070 8 Economic Development Employee Expenses 279,220 355,150 302,980 291,020 Premises Related Expenditure 32,760 34,120 34,800 35,500 Transport Related Expenditure 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 Supplies & Services 775,130 314,190 34,190 30,690 Total Expenditure 1,089,610 705,960 374,470 359,710 Income (796,420) (225,700) (117,540) (99,450) Total Income (796,420) (225,700) (117,540) (99,450) Economic Development Net Expenditure 293,190 480,260 256,930 260,260 9 Borough Markets Employee Expenses 112,050 118,990 122,930 126,960 Premises Related Expenditure 133,540 143,820 146,710 149,530 Transport Related Expenditure 850 850 850 850 Supplies & Services 75,230 71,330 71,630 71,930 Total Expenditure 321,670 334,990 342,120 349,270 Income (278,250) (260,540) (261,860) (262,570) Total Income (278,250) (260,540) (261,860) (262,570) Borough Markets Net Expenditure 43,420 74,450 80,260 86,700
Planning and Regeneration Net Expenditure 362,280 404,240 206,650 304,100
120 Appendix 1
Planning and Regeneration Portfolio
Variation Statement 2020/2021 to 2022/2023
Real Real Real 2020/2021 Terms / 2020/2021 2021/2022 Terms / 2021/2022 Terms / 2022/2023 Inflation Indicative Efficiency Budget Indicative Efficiency Budget Efficiency Budget Variations Variations Variations £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Employee Costs 1,861 179 2,040 1,910 126 2,036 36 13 2,085
Premises Related Costs 1,015 18 1,033 1,035 35 1,070 21 2 1,093
Transport Related Costs 67 - 67 67 - 67 - - 67
Supplies and Services 1,005 56 1,061 971 - 297 674 - 20 694
Third Party Payments 188 284 472 196 284 480 10 3 493
Total Expenditure 4,136 537 4,673 4,179 148 4,327 67 38 4,432
Income - 3,747 - 522 - 4,269 - 3,761 - 359 - 4,120 - 1 - 7 - 4,128
Net Expenditure 389 15 404 418 - 211 207 66 31 304
121 Appendix 1
Planning and Regeneration Portfolio
Proposed Real Terms / Efficiency Variations
2020/21 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Economic Development restructure Employees 97 Income -97 - Parking (budget realignment) Supplies -285 Third Party 285 - Local Plan Expenditure & Rephasing Supplies 66 Income -66 - Garden Community project Employees 80 Supplies 50 Income -130 - Parking Premises 10 Income -279 -269 Markets reduced income 50 Revenue Bid - Economic Growth Strategy 80 Revenue Bid - Station Gateway 150 minor variations 4 15
2021/22 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Economic Development restructure Employees 97 Income -97 - Parking (budget realignment) Supplies -285 Third Party 285 - Local Plan Expenditure & Rephasing Supplies -5 Income 5 - Garden Community project Employees 20 Income -20 - Parking Premises 27 Income -279 -252 Capital bid - Victoria Street Car park income -15 Markets reduced income 50 minor variations 6 -211
122 Appendix 1
2022/23 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Increase in pension costs 27 Staffing variations 5 Garden Community project grant falling out Employees -20 Income 20 - Local Plan Expenditure & Rephasing Supplies 25 Income -25 - minor variations -1 31
123 Appendix 1 Community Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 1 Private Sector Housing (Standards) Employee Expenses 131,160 132,120 136,930 141,840 Transport Related Expenditure 4,320 4,320 4,320 4,320 Supplies & Services 20,170 25,170 25,170 10,170 Total Expenditure 155,650 161,610 166,420 156,330 Income (16,050) (17,440) (32,490) (22,540) Total Income (16,050) (17,440) (32,490) (22,540) Private Sector Housing (Standards) Net Expenditure 139,600 144,170 133,930 133,790 2 Housing Act Sewerage Works Premises Related Expenditure 2,110 2,150 2,190 2,230 Total Expenditure 2,110 2,150 2,190 2,230 Housing Act Sewerage Works Net Expenditure 2,110 2,150 2,190 2,230 3 Private Sector Hsg (Loans & Mortgages) Premises Related Expenditure 5,560 5,670 5,780 5,900 Total Expenditure 5,560 5,670 5,780 5,900 Income (11,420) (10,910) (11,140) (11,310) Total Income (11,420) (10,910) (11,140) (11,310) Private Sector Hsg (Loans & Mortgages) Net Expenditure (5,860) (5,240) (5,360) (5,410) 4 Partnerships Supplies & Services 136,420 25,290 25,290 25,290 Third Party Payments 16,000 - - - Total Expenditure 152,420 25,290 25,290 25,290 Income (127,130) - - - Total Income (127,130) - - - Partnerships Net Expenditure 25,290 25,290 25,290 25,290 5 Homelessness & Housing Advice Employee Expenses 398,600 406,450 422,390 437,720 Premises Related Expenditure 31,210 34,340 34,990 35,690 Transport Related Expenditure 12,170 12,170 12,170 12,170 Supplies & Services 419,910 128,310 129,650 131,770 Total Expenditure 861,890 581,270 599,200 617,350 Income (352,100) (57,000) (57,000) (57,000) Total Income (352,100) (57,000) (57,000) (57,000) Homelessness & Housing Advice Net Expenditure 509,790 524,270 542,200 560,350 6 Glover Street Premises Related Expenditure 10,040 10,250 10,460 10,670 Supplies & Services 650 650 650 650 Total Expenditure 10,690 10,900 11,110 11,320 Income (17,680) (19,170) (25,670) (26,190) Total Income (17,680) (19,170) (25,670) (26,190) Glover Street Net Expenditure (6,990) (8,270) (14,560) (14,870) 124 Appendix 1 Community Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 7 Grants & Contributions Supplies & Services 128,960 128,960 128,960 128,960 Total Expenditure 128,960 128,960 128,960 128,960 Grants & Contributions Net Expenditure 128,960 128,960 128,960 128,960 CCTV8 Premises Related Expenditure 3,510 4,670 4,760 4,860 Supplies & Services 23,980 16,480 16,480 16,480 Third Party Payments 95,520 97,120 98,900 100,880 Total Expenditure 123,010 118,270 120,140 122,220 Income (7,500) - - - Total Income (7,500) - - - CCTV Net Expenditure 115,510 118,270 120,140 122,220
Community Net Expenditure 908,410 929,600 932,790 952,560
125 Appendix 1
Community Portfolio
Variation Statement 2020/2021 to 2022/2023
Real Real Terms Real Terms 2020/2021 2020/2021 2021/2022 Terms / 2021/2022 2022/2023 / Efficiency Inflation / Efficiency Indicative Budget Indicative Efficiency Budget Budget Variations Variations Variations £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Employee Costs 544 - 5 539 542 17 559 11 10 580
Premises Related Costs 54 3 57 55 3 58 1 - 59
Transport Related Costs 16 - 16 16 1 17 - - 17
Supplies and Services 272 53 325 273 53 326 2 - 15 313
Third Party Payments 89 8 97 91 8 99 2 - 101
Total Expenditure 975 59 1,034 977 82 1,059 16 - 5 1,070
Income - 76 - 28 - 104 - 77 - 49 - 126 - 1 10 - 117
Net Expenditure 899 31 930 900 33 933 15 5 953
126 Appendix 1
Community Portfolio
Proposed Real Terms / Efficiency Variations
2020/21 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Energy efficiency two year programme (funded from reserves) Supplies 15 Income -15 - Homelessness Additional bed and breakfast costs 38 Additional costs recovered through housing benefit -20 18 Glover street reduced income from pitches 6 CCTV - new contract cost 8 minor variations -1 31
2021/22 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Energy efficiency two year programme (funded from reserves) Supplies 15 Income -15 - Extension to Empty homes officer (transferred from capital) Employees 15 Income -15 - Homelessness Additional bed and breakfast costs 38 Additional costs recovered through housing benefit -20 18 CCTV - new contract cost 8 minor variations 7 33
2022/23 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Increase in Superannuation 8 Energy efficiency bid falling out Supplies -15 Income 15 - minor variations -3 5
127 Appendix 1 Environment Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 1 Management & Support Employee Expenses 284,830 308,980 319,970 331,250 Transport Related Expenditure 8,080 5,420 5,420 5,420 Supplies & Services 30,180 30,180 30,180 30,180 Total Expenditure 323,090 344,580 355,570 366,850 Income (2,650) (2,700) (2,750) (2,810) Total Income (2,650) (2,700) (2,750) (2,810) Management & Support Net Expenditure 320,440 341,880 352,820 364,040 2 Regulatory Services Employee Expenses 494,470 508,770 525,620 544,420 Premises Related Expenditure 3,800 3,880 3,960 4,040 Transport Related Expenditure 36,110 36,240 36,240 36,240 Supplies & Services 73,110 67,840 67,840 67,840 Total Expenditure 607,490 616,730 633,660 652,540 Income (266,140) (262,270) (262,770) (263,050) Total Income (266,140) (262,270) (262,770) (263,050) Regulatory Services Net Expenditure 341,350 354,460 370,890 389,490 3 Strategic Health Delivery Employee Expenses 96,290 77,190 57,510 53,620 Transport Related Expenditure 4,100 4,100 4,100 4,100 Supplies & Services 15,060 1,930 1,230 - Total Expenditure 115,450 83,220 62,840 57,720 Income (63,120) (29,180) (6,820) - Total Income (63,120) (29,180) (6,820) - Strategic Health Delivery Net Expenditure 52,330 54,040 56,020 57,720 4 Partnerships Environmental Management Employee Expenses 39,590 40,370 41,200 42,030 Premises Related Expenditure 90 90 90 90 Transport Related Expenditure 190 190 190 190 Supplies & Services 24,210 24,210 24,210 24,210 Total Expenditure 64,080 64,860 65,690 66,520 Income (9,500) (9,500) (9,690) (9,880) Total Income (9,500) (9,500) (9,690) (9,880) Partnerships Environmental Management Net Expenditure 54,580 55,360 56,000 56,640
128 Appendix 1 Environment Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 5 Waste & Recycling Employee Expenses 90,830 130,090 135,320 140,680 Premises Related Expenditure 6,000 - - - Transport Related Expenditure 3,580 5,080 5,080 5,080 Supplies & Services 262,790 117,850 107,850 107,850 Third Party Payments 4,415,250 4,274,470 3,973,760 4,102,990 Total Expenditure 4,778,450 4,527,490 4,222,010 4,356,600 Income (1,705,320) (1,747,010) (1,988,430) (1,928,070) Total Income (1,705,320) (1,747,010) (1,988,430) (1,928,070) Waste & Recycling Net Expenditure 3,073,130 2,780,480 2,233,580 2,428,530 6 Bereavement Services Employee Expenses 295,100 302,160 284,000 290,890 Premises Related Expenditure 157,870 162,330 165,570 168,880 Transport Related Expenditure 6,960 6,960 6,960 6,960 Supplies & Services 244,430 246,050 246,900 247,760 Total Expenditure 704,360 717,500 703,430 714,490 Income (1,857,440) (1,934,520) (1,971,770) (2,008,830) Total Income (1,857,440) (1,934,520) (1,971,770) (2,008,830) Bereavement Services Net Expenditure (1,153,080) (1,217,020) (1,268,340) (1,294,340) 7 Misc Highways Functions (ex Planning) Premises Related Expenditure 37,900 40,880 41,700 42,540 Supplies & Services 630 630 630 630 Total Expenditure 38,530 41,510 42,330 43,170 Income (5,000) (5,000) (5,000) (5,000) Total Income (5,000) (5,000) (5,000) (5,000) Misc Highways Functions (ex Planning) Net Expenditure 33,530 36,510 37,330 38,170 8 Drainage Services Premises Related Expenditure 4,200 4,280 4,370 4,460 Supplies & Services 103,710 106,100 108,500 111,690 Total Expenditure 107,910 110,380 112,870 116,150 Drainage Services Net Expenditure 107,910 110,380 112,870 116,150 9 Street Scene Employee Expenses 1,720,560 1,774,960 1,829,510 1,885,520 Premises Related Expenditure 115,230 352,540 43,350 44,180 Transport Related Expenditure 298,750 304,320 310,030 315,850 Supplies & Services 499,160 469,260 470,800 472,370 Total Expenditure 2,633,700 2,901,080 2,653,690 2,717,920 Income (757,210) (736,200) (749,660) (763,790) Total Income (757,210) (736,200) (749,660) (763,790) Street Scene Net Expenditure 1,876,490 2,164,880 1,904,030 1,954,130
129 Appendix 1 Environment Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 10 Cleansing Services Premises Related Expenditure 43,010 41,300 42,130 42,960 Supplies & Services 31,420 18,790 18,810 18,830 Total Expenditure 74,430 60,090 60,940 61,790 Income (12,970) (330) (340) (350) Total Income (12,970) (330) (340) (350) Cleansing Services Net Expenditure 61,460 59,760 60,600 61,440 11 Pest Control Employee Expenses 147,920 160,840 168,020 175,490 Transport Related Expenditure 9,440 9,630 9,820 10,020 Supplies & Services 44,070 44,070 44,070 44,070 Total Expenditure 201,430 214,540 221,910 229,580 Income (149,480) (167,830) (170,580) (174,000) Total Income (149,480) (167,830) (170,580) (174,000) Pest Control Net Expenditure 51,950 46,710 51,330 55,580 12 Dog Warden Service Supplies & Services 7,150 9,050 9,050 9,050 Third Party Payments 14,330 15,420 15,890 16,210 Total Expenditure 21,480 24,470 24,940 25,260 Income (11,180) (11,190) (11,200) (11,420) Total Income (11,180) (11,190) (11,200) (11,420) Dog Warden Service Net Expenditure 10,300 13,280 13,740 13,840
Environment Net Expenditure 4,830,390 4,800,720 3,980,870 4,241,390
130 Appendix 1
Environment Portfolio
Variation Statement 2020/2021 to 2022/2023
Real Terms / Real Terms Real Terms / 2020/2021 2020/2021 2021/2022 2021/2022 2022/2023 Efficiency / Efficiency Inflation Efficiency Indicative Budget Indicative Budget Budget Variations Variations Variations £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Employee Costs 3,307 - 4 3,303 3,356 5 3,361 58 45 3,464
Premises Related Costs 292 313 605 298 3 301 6 - 307
Transport Related Costs 377 - 5 372 383 - 5 378 6 - 384
Supplies and Services 1,142 - 6 1,136 1,148 - 18 1,130 5 - 1 1,134
Third Party Payments 4,466 - 176 4,290 4,601 - 611 3,990 77 52 4,119
Total Expenditure 9,584 122 9,706 9,786 - 626 9,160 152 96 9,408
Income - 4,852 - 53 - 4,905 - 4,810 - 369 - 5,179 - 91 103 - 5,167
Net Expenditure 4,732 69 4,801 4,976 - 995 3,981 61 199 4,241
131 Appendix 1
Environment Portfolio
Proposed Real Terms / Efficiency Variations
2020/21 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Strategic health delivery Health and Wellbeing Support Officer -3 Reserve funding for Health and Wellbeing Support Officer 3 - Waste chargeable garden waste (3 months) Supplies 10 Third Party -146 Income -104 -240 Waste Additional pension costs 27 Schedule 2 trade waste additional costs 89 Additional recycling credits -3 Additional second bin income -8 Reduced income sale of dry recycling materials 16 121 Waste removal of bring sites -44 Waste blue bag scheme -110 Rephasing of Annual Tree maintenance programme 310 Reduced Bereavement income 45 Dog warden reduced costs - Supplies -2 Third Party -8 -10 minor variations -3 69
2021/22 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Strategic health delivery Health and Wellbeing Support Officer 6 Reserve funding for Health and Wellbeing Support Officer -6 - Waste chargeable garden waste (full year) Third Party -584 Income -415 -999 Waste Additional pension costs 27 Schedule 2 trade waste additional costs 90 Additional second bin income -8 Reduced income sale of dry recycling materials 16 125 Waste removal of bring sites -44 Waste blue bag scheme -110 Reduced Bereavement income 45 Dog warden reduced costs - Supplies -2 Third Party -8 -10 minor variations -2 -995
132 Appendix 1
2022/23 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Increase in pensions costs 46 Strategic health delivery Health and Wellbeing Support Officer -6 Reserve funding for Health and Wellbeing Support Officer 6 - Waste Property growth 50 Reduced income recycling credits reflecting agreed value 98 148 minor variations 5 199
133 Appendix 1 Leisure and Culture Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 1 Leisure Section Employee Expenses 80,550 95,090 98,750 102,520 Transport Related Expenditure 3,180 3,180 3,180 3,180 Supplies & Services 24,000 10,150 10,150 10,150 Total Expenditure 107,730 108,420 112,080 115,850 Income (45,370) (31,560) (31,560) (31,560) Total Income (45,370) (31,560) (31,560) (31,560) Leisure Section Net Expenditure 62,360 76,860 80,520 84,290 2 Allotments Premises Related Expenditure 3,520 3,590 4,450 4,540 Supplies & Services 13,080 13,420 14,040 14,040 Total Expenditure 16,600 17,010 18,490 18,580 Income (1,160) (1,180) (1,200) (1,200) Total Income (1,160) (1,180) (1,200) (1,200) Allotments Net Expenditure 15,440 15,830 17,290 17,380 3 Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Supplies & Services 7,240 7,590 - - Total Expenditure 7,240 7,590 - - Income (7,240) (7,590) - - Total Income (7,240) (7,590) - - Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Net Expenditure - - - - 4 Ancient High House Premises Related Expenditure 9,840 10,040 10,440 10,650 Total Expenditure 9,840 10,040 10,440 10,650 Ancient High House Net Expenditure 9,840 10,040 10,440 10,650 5 Broadeye Windmill Premises Related Expenditure 1,920 1,950 1,980 2,010 Supplies & Services 70 70 70 70 Total Expenditure 1,990 2,020 2,050 2,080 Broadeye Windmill Net Expenditure 1,990 2,020 2,050 2,080 6 Alleynes Sports Centre Premises Related Expenditure 37,140 37,140 - - Supplies & Services 200 200 - - Third Party Payments 41,750 42,590 - - Total Expenditure 79,090 79,930 - - Alleynes Sports Centre Net Expenditure 79,090 79,930 - - 7 Izaak Walton Cottage Premises Related Expenditure 11,830 8,230 8,400 8,570 Total Expenditure 11,830 8,230 8,400 8,570 Izaak Walton Cottage Net Expenditure 11,830 8,230 8,400 8,570
134 Appendix 1 Leisure and Culture Outturn Budget Budget Budget 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 £ £ £ £ 8 Stafford Castle Premises Related Expenditure 12,340 12,340 12,840 13,090 Total Expenditure 12,340 12,340 12,840 13,090 Stafford Castle Net Expenditure 12,340 12,340 12,840 13,090 Tourism9 Supplies & Services 18,520 16,640 16,640 16,640 Total Expenditure 18,520 16,640 16,640 16,640 Tourism Net Expenditure 18,520 16,640 16,640 16,640 10 Leisure Management Contract Supplies & Services 102,860 70,380 92,950 160,590 Third Party Payments 1,007,190 861,260 692,760 669,490 Total Expenditure 1,110,050 931,640 785,710 830,080 Income (305,330) (207,920) (54,690) (87,530) Total Income (305,330) (207,920) (54,690) (87,530) Leisure Management Contract Net Expenditure 804,720 723,720 731,020 742,550 11 Leisure Strategy Employee Expenses 301,460 385,150 430,770 477,820 Premises Related Expenditure 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,100 Transport Related Expenditure 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 Supplies & Services 96,510 98,230 90,230 90,230 Total Expenditure 404,470 489,880 527,500 574,650 Leisure Strategy Net Expenditure 404,470 489,880 527,500 574,650 12 Parks & Open Spaces Employee Expenses 246,780 245,370 254,530 259,710 Premises Related Expenditure 442,320 385,190 442,370 399,480 Transport Related Expenditure 4,980 5,070 5,160 5,250 Supplies & Services 180,980 144,930 144,560 148,390 Total Expenditure 875,060 780,560 846,620 812,830 Income (207,780) (164,840) (166,810) (168,860) Total Income (207,780) (164,840) (166,810) (168,860) Parks & Open Spaces Net Expenditure 667,280 615,720 679,810 643,970
Leisure and Culture Net Expenditure 2,087,880 2,051,210 2,086,510 2,113,870
135 Appendix 1
Leisure Portfolio
Variation Statement 2020/2021 to 2022/2023
Real Real Real 2020/2021 Terms / 2020/2021 2021/2022 Terms / 2021/2022 Terms / 2022/2023 Inflation Indicative Efficiency Budget Indicative Efficiency Budget Efficiency Budget Variations Variations Variations £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Employee Costs 759 - 33 726 814 - 30 784 7 49 840
Premises Related Costs 418 45 463 476 9 485 8 - 50 443 ` Transport Related Costs 10 - 10 10 - 10 - - 10
Supplies and Services 377 - 16 361 386 - 17 369 - 71 440
Third Party Payments 811 93 904 641 52 693 14 - 37 670
Total Expenditure 2,375 89 2,464 2,327 14 2,341 29 33 2,403
Income - 465 52 - 413 - 308 54 - 254 - 3 - 32 - 289
Net Expenditure 1,910 141 2,051 2,019 68 2,087 26 1 2,114
136 Appendix 1
Leisure Portfolio
Proposed Real Terms / Efficiency Variations
2020/21 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations HLF Victoria Park (rephased) Employees 5 Supplies -3 Income -2 0 Riverway 3G pitch (budget realignment) Employees -40 Premises 6 Supplies -19 Income 53 0 Reduced income Riverway 3G pitch (SBC share) 8 Transfer from Items to be allocated (Resources) Contract inflation 54 Reduced contract inflation -5 Alleynes - provision for continued operation of dryside Premises 37 Third Party 43 80 minor variations 4 141
2021/22 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations HLF Victoria Park (rephased) Employees 5 Supplies -3 Income -2 0 Riverway 3G pitch (budget realignment) Employees -40 Premises 7 Supplies -21 Income 54 0 Reduced income Riverway 3G pitch (SBC share) 8 Transfer from Items to be allocated (Resources) Contract inflation 54 Reduced contract inflation -3 Increase in pension costs 2 minor variations 7 68
137 Appendix 1
2022/23 Change
£'000 £'000 Real Term Variations Increase in pension costs 52 Leisure management contract Base contract change -37 Equalisation reserve 35 -2 Revenue bid - Victoria Park renewal of safety surfacing - falling out -50 minor variations 1 1
138
APPENDIX 2 CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 General Fund Revenue Budget 2020-21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
DRAFT GENERAL FUND CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2019/20 TO 2022/23
Progamme but not 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 allocated £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 ENVIRONMENT Streetscene equipment 66 - - - 101 Streetscene Fleet replacement * - 105 - - - Waste Contract - replacement wheeled bins 224 150 150 150 - Riverway Site Improved Depot Facilities - - - - 101 Total 290 255 150 150 202 COMMUNITY Disabled Facilities Grants 900 1,478 1,037 1,037 1,335 Private Sector Housing Assistance 30 125 - - - Improvements at Glover St caravan site - 171 - - - CCTV Operating system * - 49 Empty Homes 50 50 50 20 - Total 980 1,824 1,087 1,057 1,384 LEISURE Stone Leisure Strategy (part s106) 502 400 - Stone Leisure Strategy Phase 2 (part s106) 200 - - - 1,212 Stafford Castle - H&S Works 6 - - - 16 Stafford Castle Motte 21 - - - - Victoria Park Refurbishment 1,667 300 50 - - Victoria Park Pedestrian Bridge 95 - - - - Charnley Road Destination Park (s106) 385 - - - - Gatehouse - MET rigging 78 - - - - Holmcroft Leisure Facilities (part s106) 483 - - - - Jubilee Playing Field Leisure Facilities (s106) - 104 - - - Gnosall Leisure Facilities 47 - - - - Total 3,484 804 50 - 1,228 PLANNING AND REGENERATION Growth Point capital - 50 - - - Stafford Town Centre Enhancement 25 - - - - Pearl Brook Path Improvements - 75 - - - Stafford Western Access Route - 2,500 - - - Victoria Street Car Park Improvements * - - - - 48 New Gypsy & Traveller Site - 150 - - - Total 25 2,775 - - 48 RESOURCES Corporate IT equipment 58 50 - - - Contact Centre Phone system - - - - 30 Civic Centre Generator - - - - 50 Financial Management System * 125 - Accommodation transformation & rationalisation 40 42 - - 670 Total 98 217 - - 750 TOTAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME 4,877 5,875 1,287 1,207 3,612 * New scheme
139
APPENDIX 3 CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 General Fund Revenue Budget 2020-21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
Business Rates Retention 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 50% Scheme 75% Scheme A.Business Rates Collection Fund £ £ Gross Rates -62,217,280 -63,461,630 -64,730,860 Less Reliefs etc. 0 Mandatory Relief 6,527,860 6,658,420 6,791,590 Discretionary relief 398,100 406,060 414,180 Exemptions 2,058,480 2,039,650 1,664,350 Cost Of Collection 173,310 176,780 180,320 Losses on collection 1,663,270 1,596,540 1,180,640 Business Rates Collectable -51,396,260 -52,584,180 -54,499,780 Less amount due to Government 25,698,130 13,146,050 13,624,950 County 4,625,660 17,878,620 18,529,930 Fire 513,960 540,070 545,000 Net Business attributable to SBC -20,558,510 -21,019,440 -21,799,900 B. General Fund determination of retained Business Rates Net Business Rates attributable to SBC -20,558,510 -21,019,440 -21,799,900 less Tariff 14,735,030 15,040,190 15,340,990 Reset 1,485,120 1,485,120 Core Funding 2,824,420 2,891,410 2,949,240 Growth -2,999,060 -1,602,720 -2,024,550 Plus New Burdens funding subject to Levy Small Business Rates Relief -1,365,340 -1,392,350 -1,420,200 Amount subject to Pool levy -4,364,400 -2,995,070 -3,444,750 Pool Levy 2,182,200 Business Rates Growth -2,182,200 -2,995,070 -3,444,750
S&SOT Redistribution of Levy -872,880 -1,400,680 -1,305,032 Retained Business Rates Core Funding -2,824,420 -2,891,410 -2,949,240 Growth -2,182,200 -103,660 -553,340 S&SOT Redistribution -872,880 -1,400,680 -1,305,030 Pooling agreement -215,000 ThTAL wetained Lncome -6,094,500 -4,395,750 -4,807,610
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APPENDIX 4
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 General Fund Revenue Budget 2020-21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
Report of the Chief Finance Officer on the Robustness of the Budget Estimates and the Adequacy of the Council’s Reserves
Introduction
Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 places a duty on the Chief Financial Officer (Head of Finance) to make a report to the Council on the robustness of budget estimates and the adequacy of the Council’s reserves. The Council must have regard to this report when making its decisions about budgets and council tax for the forthcoming year. This is because the Council is setting the council tax before the commencement of the year and cannot increase it during the year. An understanding of the risks of increased expenditure during the year in terms of likelihood and impact is therefore important.
Robustness of Budget Estimates
The Council’s budget estimates for 2020-21 to 2022-23, including the forecast outturn for 2019-20, have been prepared by appropriately qualified and experienced staff in consultation with service managers. Budgets have been discussed and fully managed by the Leadership Team. The budgets are considered to accurately reflect likely expenditure in 2020-21, being based on historic information, experience of expenditure in previous years and latest projections where appropriate. The indicative budgets for 2021-22 and 2022-23 are similarly based upon the best information available at this moment in time.
A full risk assessment of the Council’s Budget 2020-21 has been carried out and it was reported to Cabinet on 5 December 2019 (See Item 4(a) (i) General Fund Revenue Budget 2019-20 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23 - APPENDIX 1).
Provision for Pay Award Inflation has been made in accordance with the projected level of inflation and affordability reflecting the level of council tax increase for 2020- 21. The impact of the National Living Wage has been incorporated into the budget. Allowance has also been made for staff incremental progression. Sufficient provision has been built in for current employer pension contributions, in line with the 2019 actuarial valuation. Different vacancy rates have been assumed for Council services based on past experience.
141 Inflation on contractor costs has been allowed based on the projected retail/ consumer prices index increases and on energy budgets based on anticipated tariff increases. However, no other inflation has been provided for other expenditure budgets.
Some fees and charges have been increased from January 2020. Given the demand led nature of some of the more significant income budgets, such as for parking, development control and land charges, prudent but realistic assumptions have been made about estimated income. Major sources of income will continue to be closely monitored throughout the year with a view to protecting overall income to the Council as far as possible.
Investment income of £312,000 has been included within 2020-21 budgets. This has been based on current projections of bank rate increasing to 1% during the second half of 2020-21 from its current rate of 0.75%. Investment income also includes the saving arising from the prepayment of the fixed cash lump sum element of the 2020- 21 Employers Superannuation Contribution. Prudent assumptions about cash flow have been made and the advice of the Council’s treasury management consultants has been taken into account in determining the average rate of return.
No specific contingency budget is provided in 2020-21 as it is considered that the Council’s overall revenue balances are sufficient to act as an overall contingency (see below). However, robust budget monitoring arrangements, including Business Rates Monitoring and the potential new Housing Incentive Scheme are in place and will continue throughout the year. In addition to budget monitoring by officers, all Cabinet members will continue to receive a monthly update and there will be quarterly reports to the Cabinet and Scrutiny Committees via “Performance Reports”.
Significant expenditure and income budgets will be monitored closely during the year. Any projected variances will be addressed in a timely manner.
The Council has a Risk Management Strategy and has identified its key corporate risks. Significant financial risks will be managed appropriately. In addition, some financial risks will be mitigated by the Council’s insurance arrangements.
I can therefore confirm that the budget estimates as presented are robust.
Adequacy of the Council’s Reserves
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has issued guidance on local authority reserves and balances. It sets out three main purposes for which reserves are held:-
• A working balance to help cushion the impact of uneven cash flows and avoid unnecessary temporary borrowing;
• A contingency to cushion the impact of unexpected events or emergencies;
• A means of building up funds to meet known or predicted liabilities, known as earmarked reserves.
142 The Council held General Fund revenue balances of £1.313 million at 31 March 2018. In addition to this, earmarked revenue reserves amounting to £5.860 million are forecast to be held at 31 March 2019.
The Council also has a planned four year capital programme which is financially sustainable based on current capital resources and a prudent assessment of future capital resources. The financial strategy includes the use of unallocated reserves and a Revenue Contribution to Capital Outlay to supplement capital resources and mitigate any borrowing requirement; nevertheless Prudential Borrowing to finance the Council’s capital programme will be used where there is a robust business case.
The Council has set a policy of a minimum level of general reserves of £1.000 million. The Budget for 2020-21 has been constructed on the basis that there will be a level of general reserves at 31 March 2020 in excess of £1.000 million.
I can therefore confirm that the Council’s reserves are adequate.
Bob Kean Head of Finance 7 January 2020
143
APPENDIX 5
CABINET 16 JANUARY 2020 General Fund Revenue Budget 2020-21 to 2022-23 and Capital Programme 2019-20 to 2022-23
2020-21 Tax Parish Base ADBASTON 233.68 BARLASTON 1,009.32 BERKSWICH 792.18 BRADLEY 216.18 BROCTON 554.11 CHEBSEY 249.42 CHURCH EATON 286.97 COLWICH 1,841.71 CRESWELL 497.34 DOXEY 916.09 ECCLESHALL 2,107.91 ELLENHALL 61.94 FORTON 140.40 FRADSWELL 84.26 FULFORD 2,294.89 GAYTON 76.06 GNOSALL 2012.62 HAUGHTON 461.84 HIGH OFFLEY 388.89 HILDERSTONE 280.05 HIXON 734.41 HOPTON AND COTON 845.80 HYDE LEA 183.95 INGESTRE 86.97 MARSTON 94.25 MILWICH 197.11 NORBURY 194.14 RANTON 181.19 SALT AND ENSON 187.12 SANDON AND BURSTON 164.89 SEIGHFORD 773.32 STAFFORD 19,349.16 STANDON 326.67 STONE 6,133.24 STONE RURAL 724.91 STOWE-BY-CHARTLEY 189.43 SWYNNERTON 1,358.50 TIXALL 123.43 WESTON 479.08 WHITGREAVE 88.52 YARNFIELD & COLD MEECE 830.74 MOD 508.00 4 8,260.69
144