To receive apologies for absence.

There were no apologies at this meeting.

To confirm the non-exempt minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2011 (minutes attached)

The non-exempt minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2011 were confirmed as an accurate record of that meeting.

The chairman to identify any items of urgent business.

There were no items of urgent business at this meeting.

To receive any declarations of interest in any matter to be discussed at the meeting.  Members and officers are requested to identify the nature of the interest and indicate whether the matter is personal or prejudicial.

The following declarations of interest were made at the meeting: -

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council and Planning Policy declared a personal interest in item 14 of the agenda, (Formation of a Joint Waste Committee and a Local Authority Company in Gloucestershire), as a Councillor of Gloucestershire County Council. Councillor Robinson also declared a personal interest in item 15 of the agenda, (Future Development of Bank Street, Coleford Site), as a member of the South West Regional Development Board.

Councillor Martin Quaile, Cabinet Member for the Environment, declared a personal interest in item 14 of the agenda, (Formation of a Joint Waste Committee and a Local Authority Company in Gloucestershire), as a Councillor of Gloucestershire County Council.

Councillor Terry Hale, Cabinet Member for the Community, declared a personal interest in item 14 of the agenda, (Formation of a Joint Waste Committee and a Local Authority Company in Gloucestershire), as a Councillor of Gloucestershire County Council.

To consider the attached copy of the cabinet forward plan and to agree any changes.

Subject to an amendment from Councillor Terry Hale, to move an item relating to the Forest of Dean Homelessness Strategy from the January meeting to March 2011, cabinet agreed the copy of the forward plan that had been circulated with the agenda.

Cabinet noted that a report relating to the Cinderford Northern Quarter Spine Road would be considered at the cabinet meeting on 19 January 2012 and that the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been made aware of this item.

To consider questions from members of the public in accordance with the ‘Protocol for Public Questions at Cabinet Meetings’. For guidance on how to submit questions, please refer to the council’s website www.fdean.gov.uk. Alternatively, please contact Democratic Services on 01594 812624 or email democratic.services@fdean.gov.uk. All questions must be submitted in writing at least two working days prior to the meeting.

No public questions were made at this meeting.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Patrick Molyneux, to invite non-executive members of the council to refer questions to cabinet. (A maximum of 15 minutes will be allocated to each meeting for consideration of member questions). Each question must relate to an item on the agenda and avoid confidential, personal or any other information where the law requires the council to consider the matter in private. Questions will be considered in the order of the agenda and at the discretion of the Leader of the Council.

To assist in providing a complete answer, members are requested to submit questions to Democratic Services at least two working days before the meeting, either by email or in writing.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Patrick Molyneux, informed members that a question relating to item 11 of the agenda, Cinderford Area Action Plan (Land Assembly), had been submitted to cabinet by Councillor Andrew Gardiner. The question was considered under item 11 of the agenda.

To review the cabinet decisions of 8 September and 13 October 2011, regarding the regulation of council owned car parks and the introduction of charging. Cabinet to consider report F.138, containing the scrutiny inquiry report from the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 5 December 2011. Chairman of the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Philip Burford, will be invited to present the scrutiny report. Cabinet to also take into consideration any comments made at the Full Council meeting on 15 December 2011.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council and Planning Policy, gave an update on the history relating to this item and detailed the proposals from the cabinet meeting on 8 September 2011, regarding the management of council owned car parks in the Forest of Dean. At that meeting, cabinet had resolved to

a)     Proceed with the regulation of parking in the identified car parks with effect from 1 July 2012;

b)     Make appropriate parking orders, subject to the statutory consultation to allow the implementation of charges;

c)      Approve the initial tariff as set out in paragraph 3.5 of report F.124; (subject to the amendments reported at the meeting to; i) increase the charge for more than four hours from £1.50 to £2.00 and ii) increase the discount for season ticket holders from 25 to 50 per cent)

d)     Authorise the Group Manager – Finance and Property and Group Manager – Legal and Democratic, in consultation with the portfolio holder and the Leader to consider and determine whether or not to report back to Cabinet or proceed to implement the necessary changes.

Following a call in of the decision on 9 September 2011, cabinet met on 13 October 2011 and agreed to reconsider the proposals, subject to a full scrutiny inquiry by the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the detail of regulating council owned car parks and the introduction of charging. Having conducted a full and comprehensive inquiry, the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee reported a series of recommendations to the full council meeting on 15 December 2011, before presenting report F.138 to cabinet at this meeting. (It was noted that a motion to defer the introduction of car parking charges had been unsuccessful following lengthy debate at both the scrutiny committee meeting on 5 December 2011 and at the council meeting on 15 December 2011).

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council and Planning Policy, thanked the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Philip Burford for all the hard work involved in the review and the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee for adopting a balanced approach in responding to the concerns about the proposals. He said that the majority of members at the council meeting the evening before had been in favour of moving the situation forward. He also said that, whilst aware of the impact of the proposals, he believed it would be necessary for the council to introduce charging in response to the constraints created by the current economic climate and in order to regulate the use of council owned car parks.

Outlining each of the scrutiny recommendations in detail, Councillor Robinson made the following comments: -

a)            Measures should be taken to lobby the County Council to ensure that the provision of free, time-limited on-street parking is maximised, additional spaces provided where possible, and time limits for existing on-street parking be reviewed by the County Council to ensure a quick turnover of spaces. Thisproposal was agreed.

b)            The provision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, to present report F.137, detailing the council’s provisional budget proposals for 2012/13 and 2014/15. The final budget recommendations will be considered at the Full Council meeting on 23 February 2012.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, presented report F.137, detailing the council’s provisional budget proposals for 2012/13 and 2014/15. Members were informed that the final budget recommendations would be considered at the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 January 2012 before presentation at the Full Council meeting on 23 February 2012.

Councillor Robinson said that the 2012/2013 budget had identified a small surplus, (possibly higher than that shown in the report), and that the proposal to introduce charging for parking was included in the calculations. He said that there would be plenty of opportunity for members to consider the draft proposals in more depth and therefore proposed that the report be noted. Cabinet resolved to,

a)      Approve the corporate priorities and objectives as detailed in section 2.1 of the report;

b)     Approve the draft revenue and capital budgets for consultation;

c)      Approve the revised Medium Term Financial Plan projections at Annex E, and to,

d)     Agree to freeze fees and charges for 2012/2013

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, to present report F.136, seeking approval of the council’s council tax base for 2012/13.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, presented report F.136, seeking approval of the council’s council tax base for 2012/13. Councillor Robinson made a correction to the report and said that the increase in council tax base had been amended to read an increase of 226.53 Band D equivalent properties. The growth of new homes in the district was therefore anticipated to produce an additional gross council tax of £36,763, which was half of that which had been expected. On this basis, the recommendation was amended to propose that the council tax base for the year 2012/2013 was 29,477.45 Band D equivalent dwellings. Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED that, pursuant to the report and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, (as amended by Section 84 of the Local Government Act 2003), the amount calculated by the Forest of Dean District Council as its Council Tax Base for the year 2012/2013 shall be 29,477.45 Band D equivalent dwellings

Leader of the Council, Councillor Patrick Molyneux, to present report EDP.44, detailing the proposed land transfer between the Forest of Dean District Council and the Forestry Commission to help facilitate delivery of the Cinderford Area Action Plan.

Before presenting report EDP.44, Leader of the Council, Councillor Patrick Molyneux, thanked Councillor Andrew Gardiner for his work as Forest Champion and invited him to present his question relating to the proposed land transfer between the Forest of Dean District Council and the Forestry Commission, (to help deliver part of the Cinderford Area Action Plan).

Councillor Gardiner said that it was important for the council to manage the proposed land transfer well and submitted the following question to the Leader of the Council before the meeting. (The responses to the question are shown in italics).

‘With regard to the Cinderford Area Action Plan land assembly exercise and proposed land exchange between the Forest of Dean District Council and the Forestry Commission,

1. What is the specific significance and necessity of the red boundary line for the Cinderford Area Action Plan planned area, enclosing the Hawkwell Enclosure and Birch Wood?

The boundary referred to is the plan area of the Northern Quarter Area Action Plan for Cinderford which like all plans requires a boundary for the area over which the it applies.  The significance of the line itself is that the detailed planning policies prepared for the area will be contained in the Northern Quarter Area Action Plan rather than in any other planning documents, though the Core Strategy will also apply to the whole district.  The policies themselves are detailed in the AAP document and include proposals for the development of about one third of the AAP plan area.  The AAP also makes clear that there are no proposals for development in the two areas referred to in the question, although the importance of the woodland and the need to conserve it is referred to in the AAP.  The Core Strategy protects forest and Forest waste, with a few clearly defined exceptions.  The AAP itself needs a boundary within which its proposals can be shown.  It is very similar to the Inset boundaries on the Local Plan (ie the policies within the area are shown in some detail, but the inset or plan area includes some areas eg planted forest, over other policies apply and which are protected from development.)

2. If this is a current requirement for the purpose of the Cinderford Area Action Plan proceeding within phase 1, would there be any negative implications emerging should the future of these specific enclave areas be protected and exempted from development within a written codicil guaranteeing (as agreed by the Chairman of the Cinderford Regeneration Board) their long term status within the overall AAP?  

The areas that are understood to be those which are of concern are already protected, and the Proposals Map already makes this clear.  Areas of planted forest and waste outside the areas designated for development are protected by the AAP by being explicitly shown on the map but also by the Core Strategy.

3. Would the council envisage setting up within the scrutiny framework a working group including independent consultees to advise on land exchanges and how to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, to present report PH.94, seeking approval of grant funding to convert nine market housing units to affordable housing as part of the Two Rivers, Cornish Housing, Redevelopment Programme.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, presented report PH.94, seeking approval of grant funding to convert nine market housing units to affordable housing as part of the Two Rivers, Cornish Housing, Redevelopment Programme. Before outlining the report in detail, Councillor Robinson informed members that this item was a key decision. The report was noted and cabinet,

RESOLVED to approve the allocation of £166,100 grant from planning commuted sums to enable the financial conversion of nine market rent and outright sale-units to Affordable Rent homes as part of the Two Rivers Affordable Housing Programme

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, to present report SD.83, detailing options relating to the proposed shared use of the Council Offices, Coleford.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, presented report SD.83, detailing options relating to the proposed shared use of the Council Offices, Coleford. Councillor Robinson said that, following the recent reorganisation of the council offices, there was now an opportunity for the council to make the best use of the redundant office space and consider bringing other partners into the building. He said that this would not only maximise use of the available space but also help to reduce the council’s running costs. Unable, at this stage, to disclose who the interested partners were, Councillor Robinson informed members that requests had been made by two public sector organisations. There was also a possibility of a third organisation with an interest in sharing the building.

Head of Paid Service, Sue Pangbourne, said that the decision to share the council offices with other public sector organisations could break down some of the internal barriers that existed. She said that it could also create a cultural advantage in offering a similar approach to the one that had been provided by the One Stop Shops.

Cabinet considered report SD.83 and,

RESOLVED to, 

(a)    In principal, allow the shared use of the Council Offices in Coleford with other public sector organisations, and

(b)    Authorise the Group Manager for Finance, Land and Property to negotiate and agree lease terms, as advised by the Group Manager for Legal, Democratic and HR Services on the best possible terms, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for an Efficient Council and Planning Policy

Councillor Martin Quaile, Cabinet Member for Environment, to present report E.41, outlining the council’s proposals to join a countywide Joint Waste Committee and a Local Authority Waste Company. Councillor Quaile to invite the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Philip Burford, to outline the recommendations from the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 17 November 2011.

Councillor Martin Quaile, Cabinet Member for Environment, presented report E.41, outlining the council’s proposals to join a countywide Joint Waste Committee and establish a Local Authority Waste Company. Before summarising the report in detail, Councillor Quaile invited Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Philip Burford, to outline the recommendations from the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 17 November 2011.

Councillor Burford said that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had expressed concern about the commitment from some of the other districts involved in the partnership and, although supportive in principle, had based its support on the proviso that Tewkesbury Borough Council join the partnership. He said that, if Tewkesbury Borough Council chose not to join the Local Authority Company, the scrutiny committee believed the council should only proceed with joining the Countywide Joint Waste Project. Furthermore, if Tewkesbury Borough Council failed to join either the Countywide Joint Waste Project or the Local Authority Company, cabinet should undertake a complete review of the proposals.

Councillor Martin Quaile acknowledged the concerns about Tewkesbury Borough Council’s decision to defer joining the partnership. Nonetheless, he also felt there were distinct benefits in continuing to move the situation forward and an opportunity to make potential savings. With this in mind, Councillor Quaile believed the recommendation for this authority to defer joining the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Committee until a later date would allow the council to progress the situation, whilst at the same time, safeguard against making an uncertain or erroneous decision. Councillor Quaile hoped a meeting of the Shadow Joint Waste Board on 12 January 2012 would enable the council to revaluate its position before progressing the matter further. Considering each of the recommendations in detail, cabinet,

RESOLVEDto,

a)     Acknowledge the recommendations of the Council’s Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee and defer its decision on joining the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Committee.

b)     Continue to maintain a keen interest in the concept of partnership working with a view to joining the Gloucestershire Joint Waste Committee at a later date once the business case is revised to reflect the concerns set out in this report, and

c)      Delegate Peter Hibberd, Strategic Director, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for the Environment, the Group Manager for Finance, Land and Property Services and the Group Manager for Legal and Democratic Services and Human Resources, the authority to agree for the Council to join the Local Authority Company referred to in this report, subject to a satisfactory business case and on the basis that the existing shareholders, (Cheltenham Borough Council and Cotswold District Council), agree

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, to present report PH.93, detailing the council’s progress in developing an Extra Care Facility at Bank Street, Coleford.

Councillor Brian Robinson, Cabinet Member for an Efficient Council, presented report PH.93, detailing the council’s progress in developing an Extra Care Facility at Bank Street, Coleford. Councillor Robinson said that the report was an update on the cabinet decision from July 2011 and on actions taken to procure a development partner to construct a care facility in Coleford. The report also sought to undertake a further procurement exercise in response to the limited interest that had been received in developing the site.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Patrick Molyneux, said that the extra care facility was an important project for the Coleford area but that it was equally important for the council to obtain the right partner for the project. Thanking Strategic Housing Manager, Malcom Vine and Cinderford Regeneration Manager, Wendy Jackson, for their hard work in moving the project forward, Councillor Robinson outlined each of the proposals in detail before cabinet,  

RESOLVED to,

a)     Note the actions taken so far to procure a development partner and, 

b)     Agreed to authorise officers to carry out a further procurement exercise and appoint a suitably qualified development partner on the best possible terms, and

c)      Agreed to release up to £10,000 from the unforeseen items reserves to finance the project

Councillor Diana Edwards, Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships and Special Projects, to present report SD.82, detailing recommendations from the Cabinet Support Group formed to review Voluntary and Community Sector funding.

Councillor Diana Edwards, Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships and Special Projects, presented report SD.82, detailing recommendations from the Voluntary and Community Sector Cabinet Support Group following a review of the council’s funding proposals for this sector.

Outlining some of the key aspects of the report, Councillor Edwards said that secure safeguards had been put in place to ensure that the chosen projects were completed correctly. She said that it was important for the projects to be seen to be a helping hand to the community and that this would be gauged by seeking the views of the communities concerned. She said that every group would be assessed against strict criteria and that those parish councils that had been midway through their parish plans would be reviewed the following year. She also said that she was particularly pleased that the Citizens Advice Bureau and Youth Workers Network had received funding.

Councillor Edwards thanked the cabinet support group for its work and, in response to questions, confirmed that a review of the long term value of the service level agreements with Gloucestershire Rural Community Council and Artspace would take place, as proposed by recommendation d) of the report. Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED,

a)     That the current criteria for distributing small grants should remain as at present (Annex A) but further agree that up to £1,800 from the Financial Year 2011/12 VCS Small Grant pot can be used to support a small number of projects with unconstituted community groups on the condition that funding is strictly controlled by FoDDC Community Engagement Officers.

b)     Authority to allocate small grants should be delegated to the Council’s Community Engagement Manager and informed by a Cabinet Support Group led by the Cabinet member for Community.

c)      That the role of the current Portfolio Support Group should change to become a VCS Funding Policy Group, with Terms of Reference as at Annex B, to consider a future commissioning based approach.

d)     In conjunction with the Cabinet member for the Community, officers should review the long-term value of the SLAs with Gloucestershire Rural Community Council and Artspace.

e)     SLAs should specify desired outcomes; beneficiaries should be required to acknowledge the funding support they receive from the Council.

f)        FoDDC Member representatives with SLA holders should report back to Cabinet each year.

Cabinet also noted the group’s view that,

a)     For the financial year 2012/13 the VCS Small Grant Pot should not reduce below its current level and,

b)     For the financial year 2012/13, the overall level of VCS funding (that is grants and SLAs), should be ring-fenced and not reduce below its current level.

Councillor Martin Quaile, Cabinet Member for Environment, to present report E.40, detailing the outcome of the tendering process for a bulking facility for the district, which will enable recyclate collected from the kerbside and recycling banks to be bulked locally.

Councillor Martin Quaile, Cabinet Member for the Environment, referred to report E.40, detailing the council’s tendering process to locate a bulking facility in the Forest of Dean District. Councillor Quaile said that, following a review of the council’s system for the kerbsite collection of dry recyclables in 2010, it was felt that the principle of and the costs involved in transporting dry waste to a reprocessing site in Cheltenham were rather outrageous. He said that, on this basis, the council had subsequently undertaken an options appraisal on possible sites to locate a local bulking facility within the district, with the intention of reducing dry recyclate collection costs in conjunction with the introduction of its new waste collection service in July 2012.

Councillor Quaile confirmed that no representations had been made following notification of the results of the tendering process and that Biffa Waste Services had been awarded the contract, which would commence on 2 July 2012. Outlining some of the financial details associated with the contract, Councillor Quaile informed members that, in locating a bulking facility in the district, the council anticipated to save £250,000 per annum on dry recycling costs. Cabinet agreed the report and,

RESOLVED to note the appointment of Biffa Waste Services to provide a bulking facility in the Forest of Dean District.

To consider, and if so agree, to resolvethat under section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in schedule 12A of the said act.

Resolved that, under section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public to be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in schedule 12A of the said act.

To confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2011 (attached).

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 10 November 2011 were confirmed as an accurate record of that meeting

Should the items of business not be completed at this meeting, cabinet will reconvene at 2.00pm, the same day.

The next cabinet meeting will be held at 5.30pm on Thursday 19 January 2012

The next cabinet meeting will be held at 5.30pm on Thursday 19 January 2012