Decisions

Non Key Decision

Councillor C Healy, Cabinet Member for Visitor Economy & The World Heritage Site presented the report of the Assistant Director: Business, Development & Employment which set out the Council’s commitment to celebrating and raising awareness of the many buildings in the borough which were valued by local communities and contributed to the character and distinctiveness of local areas, together with the Council’s work with local interest groups, Parish and Town Councils and the local community to support the preservation and interpretation of local heritage. 

As part of this commitment the Council would be producing an updated List of Buildings of Local Interest.  The current list which already included over 500 entries from across the Borough had not been reviewed since the 1980s and was therefore out of date and did not meet current good practice in terms of either designation or public involvement.

The aim of the list was to identify heritage assets which were valued by local communities and contributed to the sense of place and history of a local area. Inclusion on the list could be a material consideration in planning decisions ensuring that where change was proposed the heritage significance of the building or structure was considered and preserved - but did not pose the same statutory protection or constraints on development as a nationally Listing Building.

The process would begin with a consultation on the criteria to be used to consider buildings and structures for inclusion followed by consultation on what heritage assets should be included in the new List.  This would  provide ample opportunity for Ward Members, Parish and Town Councils, Local Interest Heritage and Interest Groups and members of the public to comment and put forward their proposals for inclusion.

The work over the coming months and the final List would also provide opportunities to promote and celebrate individual assets and locations, tell their stories and support work by local partners to protect and enhance local heritage.

Under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, the Assistant Director for Business, Development and Employment had authority to carry out the consultation procedure and make any amendments to the List of Buildings of Local Interest. 

Members expressed their support for the report and celebration of local heritage assets.

RESOLVED – that support be given to

(a)  Consultation to be carried out on the proposed set of criteria and review procedure for inclusion on the List of Buildings of Local Interest, as set out within this report;

(b)  Consultation to be carried out on the proposed List of Buildings of Local Interest;

(c)  After appropriate consultation and consideration of representations received, to apply the new criteria in the  production of a new List of Buildings of Local Interest and to publish and then refer to the new List in the application of Policy BE6 of the adopted Telford & Wrekin Local Plan 2011-31; and

(d)  After appropriate consultation and consideration of representations received, to apply the new criteria and review procedure in any future review, consultation, production and publication of a new List of Buildings of Local Interest.

To present Members with the 2018 annual Director of Public Health report for Telford & Wrekin.

Key Decision identified as Annual Public Health Report in the Notice of Key Decisions published on 11 September 2019.

The Statutory Director of Public Health presented the Annual Public Health Report 2019: Looking Back, Looking Forward - Making Public Health Everybody’s Business.

The report provided a review of progress in improving population health since the return of the local public health function to Telford and Wrekin Council in 2013, evaluating the impact public health activities have had on the health of the Borough population during that period. An update on the local position across the Public Health Outcomes Framework was also included, which provided a picture of population health indicators across the life course.

The Report aimed to inform on matters affecting local health and wellbeing, and made recommendations which contributed to the development of the next Health & Wellbeing Strategy.

The report included the following sections:

·         Introduction

·         Achieving the Best Start to Life

·         Telford and Wrekin: A Health Promoting Borough

·         Facilitating Strong Communities

·         Improving Health in Vulnerable Groups

·         Improving Health Through Partnership Working

·         Recommendations for key partners to consider

·         Summary of key changes to Public Health Outcomes Framework Indicators from 2012/13 to 2017/18.

The Public Health Team had worked with colleagues across the Council, partners and the local community to produce the report, aiming to reflect and recognise the collective commitment from the Council’s partners to improving the health of the local population.  The Report also took the opportunity to make recommendations for enhancing collaborative action to improve wellbeing and narrow health inequalities.

The current Telford & Wrekin Health & Wellbeing Strategy was in its final year, and this report was intended to inform the development of the next strategy and made 9 broad recommendations which Cabinet was asked to support. 

The report was interactive in style and included video clips and infographic links.

Members applauded the report and the partnership approach to tackling public health issues.  It was noted that there were limitations to what could be done to mitigate the impact of austerity on the most vulnerable communities without additional investment from government.  Members recognised that it was crucially important that local residents be assisted and motivated to enhance their own health, supported by improved access to primary care.

RESOLVED that the 2019 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health be endorsed and the recommendations be supported. 

Key Decision identified as Financial Management 2019/20 in the Notice of Key Decisions published on 11 September 2019.

Reserved for Council.

Councillor L D Carter, Cabinet Member for Finance, Commercial Services and the Economy presented the report of the Assistant Director: Finance & Human Resources, Chief Finance Officer.

Cabinet Members noted that the net outturn position for 2019/20 was currently projected to be within budget at year end after applying funding from the Council’s contingency.  The centrally held contingency was available to meet funding pressures and any unforeseen costs with any balance remaining at year-end used to support the medium term service and financial planning strategy in future years.  The current projection was that just over £2.2m of the contingency would still be available at year-end.

This was a positive position as £6.1m savings were required to balance the 2019/20 budget although significant pressures were being experienced in a number of service areas.  The aim was to reduce the impact of those pressures and improve the overall position further during the remainder of the year.

Adult Social Care was currently projected to be £0.983m over budget, due to the cost of purchasing care packages.  A cost improvement plan was in place and being closely monitored.  Children’s Safeguarding & Family Support continued to be a key pressure area with additional investment of £2.079m required, mainly due to the cost of placements for Looked after Children.  This position was after applying £1.647m one off balanced and contingencies, set aside at last year end to support the delivery of the cost improvement plan.  A cost improvement plan was in place which was design to delivery efficiencies over the remainder of the year and medium term. 

There were a number of variations from the approved budget, including some beneficial variances as set out in the report.  

The funding outlook for the medium term was still very uncertain. The Government had announced a one year Spending Round for 2020/21 on 4 September 2019 and confirmed that the implementation of proposed changes to the local government finance system due in April 2020 would be deferred until April 2021.  The headline announcements in the Spending Round for 20/21 were positive, with additional funding announced for Social Care and no reductions to specific grants.  However, detailed information at a local authority level would not be available until the Local Government Finance Settlement which was expected in early December so the actual impact on the Council would not be known until then.  Using the limited information that was available, it was currently anticipated that the Council would need to identify around £25m further savings over the next 2 years (2020/21 – 2021/22)  on top of the £123m already delivered to the end of 2019/20 and work to develop the 2020/21 budget strategy was underway.

The Capital programme totalled £64.3m which included all approvals since he budget was set. Projected spend was 94.9% of the budget allocation.  There were a number of new allocations and slippage which required approval and these were listed in Appendix 3 to the report.

The Income monitoring position was noted; sales ledger collection was above target, but council tax and NNDR collection was slightly behind target.   

Councillor Carter commended the efforts of the Chief Financial Officer and all Council teams delivering services to the people of Telford & Wrekin. 

RESOLVED –

(a)  that it be noted that 2019/20 revenue spending is currently projected to be within budget and work will continue with SMT to sustain this position; and the use of the contingency detailed in section 5 of the report be approved;

(b)  that the Chief Operating Officer/Chief Executive, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Commercial Services and the Borough Economy, be authorised to agree the use of the Brexit preparation grant allocated to the Council as detailed in section 5.2 of the report;

(c)  that the position in relation to capital spend be noted and to RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that the changes to the capital programme detailed in Appendix 3 to the report be approved; and

(d)  the collection rates for NNDR, council tax and sales ledger be noted.