Agenda, decisions and minutes

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 17 October 2018 were signed as a correct record.

Councillors/Staff to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, other registrable interest or any other interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

None declared.

To answer questions from members of the public – submitted in writing or by electronic mail no later than 5.00pm, 2 working days before the meeting.

None received.

None received.

The subject of the decision

The Head of Financial Services submitted a report which sought to inform Members on the Council’s financial performance against budget for the period April to September 2018 and approval for the revised revenue and capital budgets for 2018-19.

Members noted the key messages at the end of quarter 2 for 2018/19, summarised on page 9 of the agenda.

Members noted reallocations to the budget as detailed on pages 32 and 33 of the report.

Councillor A Smith moved that the report be noted. This was seconded by Councillor M Heaslip. The motion was unanimously agreed.

Alternative options considered

None

The reason for the decision

To inform Members of the Council’s financial performance against budget for the period April to September 2018 and approval of the revised revenue and capital budgets for 2018-19.

The decision

Recommended – That Council be requested to agree that –

• The forecasted position against the original revenue and capital budgets at the end of quarter 2 be noted
• The revised budget (inclusive of spend from earmarked reserves) of £16,851k be approved
• The revised net revenue budget requirement of £15,084k be approved
• An additional release from the Council’s earmarked reserves of £500k be approved
• A reduction in the contribution from the Council’s General Fund of £20k be approved
• The revised three year capital budget (including proposed financing) of £21,048k comprising £8,970k in 2018-19, £10,038k in 2019-20 and £2,040k in 2020-21 be approved
• The revised position on earmarked and un-earmarked general fund balances be noted.

The subject of the decision

The Head of Financial Services submitted a report setting out the Budget Strategy 2019-20. The strategy took into account current and future financial issues, it set out assumptions and initial proposals and provided a timetable for delivering a balanced budget in 2019-20.

Councillor M Fryer moved the recommendations set out in the report. This was seconded by Councillor M Heaslip. The recommendations were unanimously agreed.

Alternative options considered

None

The reason for the decision

The report was the first report of the Council’s budget setting process for 2019-20 onwards. It set out the financial pressures that the Council was likely to face in the coming years and suggested an appropriate strategy to ensure that the authority remained financially stable over the long term.

The decision

Resolved

That –

·  The significant financial challenges that the Council faced be noted

·  The planning assumptions for building the 2019-20 budget be noted

·  A public consultation be undertaken on budget proposals

The subject of the decision

The Policy Manager (Corporate, Performance and Information) submitted a report which sought to advise members on the Council’s performance at the end of quarter 2 2018/19 as measured by projects/activities and Key Performance Indicators set out in the Corporate Business Plan 2018/19.

Of the 87 key projects/activities, 13 were complete, 64 were on target, 10 had concerns over achieving their deadlines or outputs and 0 had significant concerns.

There were 51 Key Performance Indicators. 26 of those were on target, 11 were worse than target and 7 were significantly worse than target. 5 were not targeted.

Councillor M Fryer moved that the report be noted. This was seconded by Councillor C McCarron-Holmes. The motion was unanimously agreed.

Alternative options considered

None

The reason for the decision

To advise Members of the Council’s performance at the end of quarter 2 2018/19

The decision

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

The subject of the decision

The Policy Manager (Economic Growth) submitted a report which sought members to accept an offer of external funding and contract with an ICT consultant to provide technical advice and guidance to eligible small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cumbria to enable them to grow.

Councillor M Fryer moved the recommendations as set out in the report. This was seconded by Councillor M Heaslip. The motion was unanimously agreed.

Alternative options considered

To award the contract to the highest scoring tenderer

Not to award the contract, with subsequent loss of funding and activity to grow businesses

The reason for the decision

Allerdale Borough Council offered to be the lead on a County-wide project to increase ICT uptake by eligible SMEs. The project was in response to a call for European Structural and Investment Funding – ERDF – programme Priority Access 2: Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, Information and Communications Technology.

The decision

Resolved

That –

·  The acceptance of the £835k offer of ERDF grant funding and associated match-funding required to enable the project to proceed be approved

·  Tenderer 2 be awarded the contract for the provision of expert ICT advice to individual SMEs and the production of bespoke ICT based action plans.

“That under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12 (a) of the Act.”

The subject of the decision

The Estate Manager submitted a report which sought members to endorse a previous delegated Executive decision to dispose of Moot Hall, Market Place, Keswick and approve amended Heads of Terms.

Councillor M Fryer moved the recommendation. This was seconded by Councillor W Jefferson. The motion was unanimously agreed.

Alternative options considered

To agree to dispose of Moot Hall, Keswick as an asset of Community Value

Not to agree to the disposal

The reason for the decision

To seek approval for enhanced terms of disposal in accordance with Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The decision

Resolved

That the Moot Hall, Keswick be disposed of at the improved terms as detailed in the report, which were slightly altered from the original sale proposal approved by a delegated Executive report dated 7 September 2015 due to the disposal figure being £5,000 above the delegated authority limit.