Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

Councillor Toby Elliott made a prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of Cabinet’s consideration of agenda item no. 7 (“Land at central Swindon”) and left the room during the discussion and voting thereon.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th March 2016.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on            16^th March 2016, be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Mr Martin Wickes, a local resident, asked a question regarding discussions undertaken by the Council with community groups in Parks regarding the future of the library.

The Chair thanked Mr Wickes for his question which was answered by Councillor Garry Perkins, Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration and Skills, at the meeting.

Certain items are expected to include the consideration of exempt information and the Standards Committee is, therefore, recommended to resolve "That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to in the items listed below, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in the respective paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information".

Resolved - That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to in the item listed below on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the respective paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

            Item No.                             Paragraph Nos.                  Minute No.

             7                                             1 and 3                       88

Councillor Russell Holland, Cabinet Member for Finance, People and Performance and the Board Director, Resources, submitted a joint report presenting to Cabinet the 2015-16 Revenue Budget forecast out-turn at the end of February 2016.

Resolved – (1) That the projected Revenue Budget out-turn position for 2015-16, set out in Table 1 and Appendices 1 and 2 to the report, be noted.

(2) That it be noted that the Council was expected to deliver services within its overall Budget for the tenth year running.

(3) That it be approved that any Council-wide General Fund underspend from early delivery of savings or efficiency savings be added to the Council’s transformation reserve to fund the implementation of changes to balance future years’ budgets in line with the policy already in place.

(4) That the addition to the Capital Programme for refurbishment to the World War One War Memorial, as detailed in paragraph 7.1. of the report, be approved.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.

Councillor Garry Perkins, the Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills, and the Chief Executive submitted a joint report seeking Cabinet authorisation to proceed in conjunction with Forward Swindon Ltd (FSL) with the initial phases of a redevelopment of land in central Swindon.

Resolved – (1) That the Director of Law and Democratic Services, in consultation with Forward Swindon Ltd, the Board Director Resources, and the Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration and Skills, be authorised to enter into a lease with the organisation referred to in the report for the land identified in the report, together with any other required documentation and on such terms as he considers necessary to protect the Council’s interests.

(2) That it be agreed that the Council should enable redevelopment of the land, the subject of the report, by providing capital investment for a first phase of works estimated at £1million.

(3) That the Board Director Resources’ view that the development risk is mitigated by the relatively prudent estimate of income achievable relative to the investment required be noted.

(4) That it also be noted that a further report will be submitted to Cabinet in relation to further phases of the proposed redevelopment of the land, the subject of the report.

(Councillor Toby Elliott made a prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of Cabinet’s consideration of this item and left the room during the discussion and voting thereon.)

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.