Agenda item

The Committee considered a report introducing decisions arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 16 October 2019.

Minute 39. Budget Management Update

Councillors David Renard (Leader of the Council), Oliver Donachie (Cabinet Member for Economy and Place) and Dale Heenan (Cabinet Member for the Town Centre), responded to questions put by the Chair on the following matters:

·         The potential market interest in, and income from, any brownfield sites that the Council is not going to develop. The Committee noted that any requests to develop these sites would be considered using the usual commercial criteria, and that members should contact the relevant Cabinet Member if they are aware of any suitable sites. 

·         The current proposals for the development of the car parks in Commercial Road, Harding Street and John Street. The Committee was advised that the demolition of the John Street car park is part of the wider development for the Bus Boulevard, and that confirmation on the other two sites would be circulated subsequent to the meeting. 

·         How the resolution agreed at Council regarding the recruitment of additional Enforcement Officers has been fulfilled by the recruitment of two Civil Enforcement Officers in Parking Services and two Environcrime Investigation Officers, the redirection of two Environcrime Officers, and the allocation of an additional 30 hours of activity from officers across the Council. The Committee noted that hourly patrols are taking pace in the town centre on a rota basis, shared across Public Health, Planning Enforcement, Licensing, Parking Services, Environcrime, Environmental Health and the Police.

·         The ongoing work to reduce the current projected budget deficit and the work being done under the Swindon Programme to achieve £3.5m savings.

·         That the Housing Revenue Account is a ring-fenced budget with no direct link to the General Fund, but is included as part of the regular budget monitoring and reporting for information.

·         How the Schools Forum determines the allocation of resources such as the Special Educational Needs budget, and ensures that any dedicated funding is spent on its intended target cohort. 

Resolved – (1) That Minute 39 of the Cabinet be noted.

(2) That information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to them via the Committee Clerk.

Minute 40. Polling Districts and Places Review (Minute for Confirmation)

Resolved – That Minute 40 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 41. Health and Care Board Swindon

Councillor David Renard responded to questions put by Councillor Brian Mattock and the Chair on the procedure for calling in decisions of the Board, which the Committee noted will be in line with the process for decisions taken by Cabinet and the Cabinet Panel on School Organisation.  

Resolved – That Minute 41 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 42. Investment Opportunity – Industrial Premises, Stratton St Margaret

The Committee moved in to exempt session and the press and public were excluded during the discussion of this draft Minute.

The Chair asked a series of questions regarding rental prices, maintenance, service charges and estate management of the premises, as well as how the proposal related to the Council’s Commercial Investment Strategy. Councillor Russell Holland (Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Commercialisation, Education and Skills), with assistance from the Head of Property Assets, responded at the meeting.  

Resolved – That Minute 42 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 43. Acquisition of Property in Park South, Swindon

The Committee remained in exempt session and the press and public were excluded during the discussion of this draft Minute.

Councillors Steve Allsopp, Janine Howarth and the Chair asked a series of questions regarding consultation with the local community, obligations under the commercial contract in terms of maintenance, the different phases of development, and equality and diversity matters on site. Councillors David Renard,Russell Holland and Oliver Donachie, with assistance from the Head of Property Assets, responded at the meeting.

Resolved – That Minute 43 of the Cabinet be noted.