Decisions

            The purpose of this report is to provide background information and to seek the Cabinet Member’s approval in relation to the recommendation.

This report is for the Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult Social Care and Health to consider exercising delegated authority under paragraph 3.4.3 of Part 3 of the constitution in accordance with the terms of their portfolio at paragraph (b)

The Cabinet Member is recommended to authorise the Corporate Director for People and Communities to make residential placements in care homes until November 2018.

The Cabinet Member approved giving the consent of Peterborough City Council for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to extend its borrowing powers beyond its existing transport borrowing powers so that it can borrow for any of its new functions.

Authorise the award of the Nene Bridge Bearings bridge works to Skanksa Construction UK Ltd through the Council's Peterborough Highway Services Contract 2013-2013

The Cabinet Member’s approval has been obtained to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Growth and Regeneration to sell the property.

With the approval of the Chairman of the Growth, Environment and Resources Scrutiny Committee Special Urgency and waiver of call-in procedures have been invoked to suspend the requirement to publish the decision for 5 days prior to publication, and to suspend the 3 day call-in period.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED (unanimous) to:

1.    Note the significant progress and benefits which the Fletton Quays development has brought to the city since the plan was approved by Cabinet in February 2014, including additional financial benefits from grant funding an additional capital receipts.

2.    Recommend that Council approves additional capital investment of £2,636,025 (including a contingency of £500,000), to ensure council office buildings, including Sand Martin House, are able to meet the new and emerging needs of the council and provide opportunities for other organisations to lease parts of the office building to provide the council with additional income streams. It also facilitates the conversion and refurbishments of Bayard Place reception to provide an improved customer experience.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED (unanimous) to:

1.    Note the responses to the consultation on the Council Tax Support Scheme

2.    Note the continuation of the discretionary Council Tax Hardship Policy

3.    Recommend that Full Council agrees a local Council Tax Support Scheme for Peterborough that contains the following local components:

a)    No change to the existing scheme reduction of 30% for all eligible working age claimants

b)    To keep the scheme mirroring the Housing Benefit scheme as much as possible, the following amendments are also proposed:

·         to limit the award of Council Tax Support based on a maximum of 2 children;

·         to provide protection to existing claims that already include more than 2 children;

·         to make provision for more than 2 children in the applicable amount where the child tax credit calculation includes additional children; and

·         to disregard earnings from part-time fire fighters and payments from the infected blood payment scheme.

c)    To amend appropriate rates in line with annual upratings

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED (unanimous) to note:

1.    The statutory advice of the Chief Finance Officer outlined in section 6, The Robustness Statement. This is required to highlight the robustness of budget estimates and the adequacy of the reserves.

2.    All the grant figures following the Local Government Final Finance Settlement, published on 6 February 2018 outlined in section 4.5. This details the following adjustments to the budget:

·         Adult Social Care Grant 2018/19-  £0.496million

·         Business Rates compensation for limits increase in the NNDR £0.084million

3.    The feedback received on the budget proposals, received via the consultation detailed in section 9 of the report, Appendix J and the Supplementary Report.

4.    The Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19-2020/21, detailed in Appendix L, which also includes an amendment following the Audit Committee meeting held on 12 February 2018.

Cabinet considered the report and resolved to approve and recommend to Council:

5.    The Phase Two budget proposals, outlined in Appendix H, subject to additional wording to clarify that Vivacity had agreed to take on the running of Bretton Water Park. This includes a 5.99 per cent council tax increase, and a change in service delivery for the 0-25 Provider service.

6.    The Medium Term Financial Strategy 2018/19-2020/21 as set out in the body of the report and the following appendices:

·         Appendix A – Budget Context highlighted in Phase One, MTFS for 2018/19-2020/21

·         Appendix B – 2018/19 MTFS detailed position

·         Appendix C – 2018/19 MTFS by department

·         Appendix D – 2018/19 MTFS by Service

·         Appendix E – Capital Schemes

·         Appendix F – Council Grants

·         Appendix G – Fees and Charges

·         Appendix H – Budget Proposals (consultation document)

·         Appendix I – Equality Impact Assessments

·         Appendix J – Budget Consultation Feedback

·         Appendix K– December 2018 Budgetary Control Report

·         Appendix L– Treasury Management Strategy 2018/19-2020/21

·         Appendix M– Asset Investment and Acquisition Strategy, Capital Programme 2018/19-2020/21

·         Appendix N– Asset Management Plan

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED (unanimous) to:

1.    Note the proposal for a rolling budget process.

2.    Recommend to Council that the rolling budget be approved and that authority be delegated to the Interim Director of Law and Governance to approve the amendment of the ‘Budget Framework Procedure Rules’ to follow a revised budget process.