Cabinet 21st October 2009 Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd September 2009 Cabinet Committee Item No/Paper 21st October 2009 12.30 pm 3 Public MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 23RD SEPTEMBER 2009 10.00 am. – 12.20 pm. Responsible Penny Chamberlain Officer e-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01743 252729 Present: K. Barrow (Leader) C. Motley and P. Nutting (Deputy Leaders) G. Butler, A. Caesar-Homden, S. P. Jones, M. Price, D. Roberts and M. Taylor-Smith 1. Apologies for Absence 1.1 There were apologies for absence from Mr S Charmley. 2. Declarations of Interest 2.1 Mr Butler declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 9 – Capital Monitoring Report – Quarter 1 2009/2010 – as he had applied for a grant from the Private Sector Assistance (Regional Housing Pot). He left the room during the consideration and voting on this item. 2.2 Mrs Caesar-Homden declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 19 – The Future of the Coroner’s Service within Shropshire – because the Mid and North Shropshire Coroner was a family friend and due to her husband’s work links with the Coroners Service. She left the room during the consideration and voting on this item. 2.3 Mr Roberts declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 19 – The Future of the Coroner’s Services within Shropshire – as a friend of the Mid and North Shropshire Coroner. He left the room during the consideration and voting on this item. 3. Minutes 3.1 The Minutes of the meeting held on 15th July 2009 were approved and signed by the Leader as a correct record. 4. Public Questions 4.1 No public questions, petitions or statements had been received. Contact: Penny Chamberlain on 01743 252729 1 Cabinet 21st October 2009 Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd September 2009 5. Matters Referred from Scrutiny/Council 5.1 No matters had been referred from Scrutiny or Council. 6. Scrutiny Committee Report Following Consideration of the Independent Policy Commission Report 6.1 The Chairman of the Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Committee presented a report by the Interim Chief Executive – copy attached to the signed minutes – on an update from the Committee’s recent consideration of the Independent Policy Commission’s report and the recommendations arising from that meeting. In commending the report prepared by the Commission, she asked members to take a holistic approach to the matter and support the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations. 6.2 During the ensuing discussion a member referred to paragraph 104 of the Commission’s report and sought clarification regarding Cabinet’s position on closures particularly in respect of the smaller primary schools where the number of pupils on the roll had fallen to below 50. In response the Leader indicated that it was not the intention to close any schools except for educational reasons and pending further consultation and discussion, it would be inappropriate to make any decision on the matter at this stage. 6.3 In reply to a query from a member, the Lead Member for Children and Young People in referring to the falling school rolls and the lack of schools funds, also stressed the need at this point for members not to become embroiled in a debate on the number of pupils on a school roll. She mentioned the previous consultation carried out and stressed the importance of awaiting the outcome of the future planned consultation before any decisions were made. 6.4 RESOLVED: (a) That the Council must formulate a new vision for the future of education in Shropshire by April 2010. (b) That Cabinet receives the report and recommendations of the Independent Policy Commission, and notes the feedback from the Scrutiny Committee meeting of 16th September 2009. (c) That Council should examine the relationship between its secondary and primary schools, including the scope for reorganising individual secondary schools, by April 2010. (d) That the Council should investigate further amalgamations providing there is support for this to happen from parents, governors, Dioceses, head- teachers and teachers. (e) That Shropshire Council and the Schools Forum should review the distribution of the Schools Funding Formula and review the structures and impact on the community by 2010/11 to coincide with the financial and academic year. (f) That Council should take an active role in promoting collaborative approaches to school reorganisation and that Cabinet and Council consider how this can best be achieved. Contact: Penny Chamberlain on 01743 252729 2 Cabinet 21st October 2009 Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd September 2009 7. Extra Care Housing Private Finance Initiative (PFI) – 6th Bidding Round & Department of Health Social Care PFI Credits – 2009 Bidding Round 7.1 The Portfolio Holder for Housing presented a joint report by the Director of Resources and Director of Community Services – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the latest position in relation to the bid invitations from the following: (a) The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) (Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) ) in respect of the Extra Care Housing PFI – 6th Bidding Round; and (b) The Department of Health in respect of the Social Care PFI Credits – 2009 Bidding Round. 7.2 The report outlined the programme of work necessary to develop the projects included within both of the bids and outlined the timetables which would take the Extra Care bid to Financial Close and the Social Care bid to the Outline Business Case stage. The report also highlighted the likelihood of cost savings being achieved should it be possible to combine the two bids into one PFI credit. 7.3 During his presentation, the Portfolio Holder referred to the risks associated with the projects and in the mitigation of such issues, highlighted the experience to be gleaned from similar PFI schemes. He also suggested that local needs should be taken into account for the people of Shropshire, with end users being involved throughout the process. 7.4 The Director of Resources confirmed that the Department of Health had agreed to the combination of the 2 bids into one PFI credit to achieve cost savings. Approval was therefore being sought from the Homes and Communities Agency to treat the 2 bids as one for financial reasons. 7.4 RESOLVED: (a) That the current position on the Extra Care Housing Bid be noted and the officers be authorised to prepare an Outline Business Case in accordance with the timetable set out in Appendix A to the joint report by the Director of Resources and Director of Community Services. (b) That the current position on the Social Care Bid be noted and the officers be authorised to submit a formal Expression of Interest (Eol) by the end of the November 2009. 8. Budget Monitoring for the First Quarter of 2009/10 8.1 The Leader presented a report by the Director of Resources – copy attached to the signed minutes – on the projected financial position for Shropshire Council for 2009/2010. At the end of the first quarter, the projection was that the Council would overspend its 2009/2010 budget by £519,000 and an analysis of this overspend was set out in the report. 8.2 During the ensuing discussion, a member referred to the effects of the slowdown in the housing and construction sector which had resulted in an Contact: Penny Chamberlain on 01743 252729 3 Cabinet 21st October 2009 Minutes of the meeting held on 23rd September 2009 approximate 40% reduction in the level of income expected from planning applications during the first 3 months of the financial year. He indicated that as a new authority, particular consideration needed to be given to the funding of the planning service during the forthcoming budgetary process. 8.3 In response to a query from a member regarding the projected overspend of £318,000 in Adult Social Care due largely to transition cases, the Director of Resources commented on the continual demands every year upon the Social Care budget arising from children who reached the age of 18 years and transferred across to Adult services, and pointed out the marked reference given to this issue during last year’s budget consultation process. She explained that as the funding within the school sector up to the age of eighteen was considerably more per head than was available in the social care sector, and also with an increasingly aged population, different measures were being taken and considered on an on-going basis, to provide the services in a more cost effective way. In turn the member indicated that this matter should be scrutinised carefully during the budgetary process. 8.3 RESOLVED: (a) That the projected overspend of £519,000 at the end of the first quarter of 2009/2010 be noted. (b) That the virements set out in Appendix 5 to the report, which had been approved by the Director of Resources in accordance with Financial Rules be noted. (c) That the virements set out below be recommended to Council for approval: (i) £500,000 from Centrally Retained Grant Funding within Children & Young People’s Service to fund the pressures on out of county placements for Special Educational Needs. (ii) To fund the following “one-off” costs of the transition to a unitary council from unallocated Performance Reward Grant: . £112,000 to fund the purchase of PCs for Members. £70,000 to fund the introduction of Audio Visual Equipment for the Committee Rooms at Shirehall. £365,000 to fund the office relocation costs and refurbishment works associated with the unitary council. £465,000 for the licensing costs of the Revenue and Benefits System and costs associated with agency staff supporting the implementation of the new system.