Agenda, decisions and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Sherreard.

There were no urgent items.

Councillors Bradshaw and Mrs Parvin indicated their wish to speak on Agenda Item 12 – Core Strategy 2006-2026 and Councillor Burton indicated his wish to speak on Agenda Item 12 – Core Strategy 2006-2026 and Agenda Item 16 – Reference from the Strategic Housing Advisory Committee.

Councillors FitzGerald and Mrs Wilson were in attendance.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

All Members of the Cabinet disclosed they had been lobbied on Agenda Item 12 – Core Strategy 2006-2026.

RESOLVED: That the Items on the Agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 December 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Change and Scrutiny setting out the progress made in the third quarter of 2010/11 against the authority’s key performance indicators.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

1.  That the satisfactory revenue position at the end of the third quarter 2010/11 be noted.

2.  That the slippage in the capital programme to 2011/12 as set out below be agreed:-

Play Area Improvements  £25,000

Support for Social Housing  £29,000

Mote Park Regeneration  £86,000

3.  That the detailed report on treasury management activity be noted.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That the satisfactory revenue position at the end of the third quarter 2010/11 be noted.

2.  That the slippage in the capital programme to 2011/12 as set out below be agreed:-

Play Area Improvements  £25,000

Support for Social Housing  £29,000

Mote Park Regeneration  £86,000

3.  That the detailed report on treasury management activity be noted.

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The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Finance and Customer Services regarding the draft Treasury Management Strategy for 2011/12.

RESOLVED:

1.  That delegated authority be given to the Director of Regeneration and Communities to refine the Prudential Indicators, should the need arise following the decision of the Cabinet on the Budget Strategy 2011/12, before Council on 2 March 2011.

2.  That the draft Treasury Management Strategy for 2011/12 be recommended to Council.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That delegated authority be given to the Director of Regeneration and Communities to refine the Prudential Indicators, should the need arise following the decision of the Cabinet on the Budget Strategy 2011/12, before Council on 2 March 2011.

2.  That the draft Treasury Management Strategy for 2011/12 be recommended to Council.

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The Cabinet considered the report of the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive regarding the draft Strategic Plan 2011-15.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL:

That the Strategic Plan 2011-15 be adopted, subject to

i)  the addition of a foreward from the Leader of the Council and an introduction from the Chief Executive; and

ii)  Delegation to the Chief Executive to make minor amendments, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, as required.

1.  That a local housing target of 10,080 dwellings and a development distribution for new housing as set out in Appendix C of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment be agreed for the period 2006 to 2026 as the basis for the initial Core Strategy consultation document; and

2.  That a decision on the distribution of employment land be deferred to enable officers to:

a)  undertake further work on updating employment data to a base date of 2010;

b)  investigate opportunities for alternative potential employment sites that can support a dispersed pattern of development better suited to the housing locations to replace a critical mass of employment land of 11 hectares at J8 of the M20 motorway

and report back to Cabinet in April when the draft Core Strategy will be considered for publication consultation.

3.  That the revised Core Strategy programme, as set out below, be agreed:-

DECISION MADE:

1.  That a local housing target of 10,080 dwellings and a development distribution for new housing as set out in Appendix C of the report of the Director of Change, Planning and the Environment be agreed for the period 2006 to 2026 as the basis for the initial Core Strategy consultation document; and

2.  That a decision on the distribution of employment land be deferred to enable officers to:

a)  undertake further work on updating employment data to a base date of 2010;

b)  investigate opportunities for alternative potential employment sites that can support a dispersed pattern of development better suited to the housing locations to replace a critical mass of employment land of 11 hectares at J8 of the M20 motorway

and report back to Cabinet in April when the draft Core Strategy will be considered for publication consultation.

3.  That the revised Core Strategy programme, as set out below, be agreed:-

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That a Gypsy and Traveller target of 71 pitches for the period 2006 to 2016 be included in the draft Core Strategy.

DECISION MADE: That a Gypsy and Traveller target of 71 pitches for the period 2006 to 2016 be included in the draft Core Strategy.

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1.  That appropriate recommendations regarding Council Tax and spending levels for 2011/12 be recommended to Council on 2 March 2011 based upon Decisions 2 - 14 below.

2.  That the revised revenue estimate for 2010/11, as set out in Appendices A and B of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be agreed.

3.  That there are no further budget issues identified in the third quarter budget monitoring report be agreed.

4.  That the revenue estimate for 2011/12, as set out in Appendices A and B incorporating the growth and savings items set out in Appendices C and D of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be agreed

5.  That to continue to set an appropriate level of working balances for Cabinet’s day to day activities at a level equivalent to the level set in 2010/11 of £2.3m be agreed.

6.  That the creation of a budget for the direct financing of capital expenditure from revenue, as an ongoing resource, be agreed.

7.  That the use of the additional revenue support grant for the direct financing of capital expenditure from revenue, as a one off resource, be agreed.

8.  That the use of the remaining VAT refund for financing of capital expenditure, as a one off resource, be agreed.

9.  That the capital programme as option (b) given at Appendix J of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, noting that a detailed report on the High Street Regeneration project will be brought to the next meeting of the Cabinet, be agreed.

10.  That the funding of the capital programme, as set out in Appendix I of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, noting that funding is dependent upon additional capital receipts, capital grants and other contributions in future years, be agreed.

11.  That a report be brought to the September 2011 meeting on prioritised uses of future funding available for the capital programme.

12.  That the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as set out in Appendix K of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services and the resultant Financial Projection set out in Appendix F of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be endorsed.

13.  That Council Tax be frozen for the year 2011/12.

14.  That the minimum level of general fund balances be set at £2m for 2011/12.

15.  That the responses (attached as Appendix A) be sent to the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee with regard to their reference on the Capital Budget.

DECISION MADE:

1.  That appropriate recommendations regarding Council Tax and spending levels for 2011/12 be recommended to Council on 2 March 2011 based upon Decisions 2 - 14 below.

2.  That the revised revenue estimate for 2010/11, as set out in Appendices A and B of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be agreed.

3.  That there are no further budget issues identified in the third quarter budget monitoring report be agreed.

4.  That the revenue estimate for 2011/12, as set out in Appendices A and B incorporating the growth and savings items set out in Appendices C and D of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be agreed

5.  That to continue to set an appropriate level of working balances for Cabinet’s day to day activities at a level equivalent to the level set in 2010/11 of £2.3m be agreed.

6.  That the creation of a budget for the direct financing of capital expenditure from revenue, as an ongoing resource, be agreed.

7.  That the use of the additional revenue support grant for the direct financing of capital expenditure from revenue, as a one off resource, be agreed.

8.  That the use of the remaining VAT refund for financing of capital expenditure, as a one off resource, be agreed.

9.  That the capital programme as option (b) given at Appendix J of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, noting that a detailed report on the High Street Regeneration project will be brought to the next meeting of the Cabinet, be agreed.

10.  That the funding of the capital programme, as set out in Appendix I of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, noting that funding is dependent upon additional capital receipts, capital grants and other contributions in future years, be agreed.

11.  That a report be brought to the September 2011 meeting on prioritised uses of future funding available for the capital programme.

12.  That the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as set out in Appendix K of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services and the resultant Financial Projection set out in Appendix F of the report of Head of Finance and Customer Services, be endorsed.

13.  That Council Tax be frozen for the year 2011/12.

14.  That the minimum level of general fund balances be set at £2m for 2011/12.

15.  That the responses (attached as Appendix A) be sent to the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee with regard to their reference on the Capital Budget.

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The Cabinet considered the reference from the Strategic Housing Advisory Committee (“SHAC”) relating to the proposed future role of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That consideration of this matter be deferred to the next meeting of the Cabinet.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Leader of the Council regarding the Forward Plan for the period 1 March to 30 June 2011.

RESOLVED: That the Forward Plan for the period 1 March to 30 June 2011 be noted, subject to the following amendments:-

Core Strategy 2006-2026:   Cabinet  Moved from 9 March to

Public Consultation Draft  13 April 2011

Fees and Charges for Private  Cabinet Member  Mew for April 2011

Water Sampling 2011/12  for Environment

Maidstone Local Bio Diversity  Changed to Cabinet Member for

Action Plan  Leisure and Culture

6.30 p.m. to 8.10 p.m.