Agenda and decisions

To take any questions or statements from members of the Public.

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

The following declaration was made by a Member of the Committee in relation to an item on the agenda:

Stoneleigh Railway Station Community Licence

Councillor Hannah Dalton, Other Interest: Councillor Hannah Dalton declared an interest due to involvement in the funding for step free access work to Stoneleigh Station and in the Community Licence, and that she would not be voting on this item of the agenda.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 March 2024 and Special Meeting held on 19 June 2024 (attached) and to authorise the Chair to sign them.

This report accompanies the proposed Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan. The Action Plan has been developed by a group of members and officers, to consider the recommended areas of improvement identified by the peer review team.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved by 6 votes for and 2 abstentions to:

(1)       Endorse the Action Plan as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, which responds to the recommendations from the Corporate Peer Challenge Report. 

This report proposes a programme of service reviews over the next three years, with the aim of delivering at least £720,000 of annualised savings for the Council.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 5 votes for and 3 abstentions to:

(1)       Approve the programme of service reviews, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report as amended, to be progressed by relevant Heads of Service in consultation with the relevant Service Director and Policy Committee Chairs.

The amendment was as follows:

·                To list the wording “To review the community services offering and facilities at the Community & Wellbeing Centre” and “To review the services offering and facilities at Bourne Hall (including museum)” as two separate items in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)       Agree that the options of individual service reviews should be reported back to the relevant Policy Committee;

(3)       Agree that a report will be brought back at least annually to Strategy & Resources Committee to update members on progress against the overall programme of service reviews;

(4)       Approve funding of £35,000 from the Corporate Projects Reserve to enable the review of Community Services and Facilities to be progressed.

This report summarises the Council’s provisional financial performance for 2023/24 and details the capital budgets to be carried forward for schemes where costs will be incurred in 2024/25.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Receive the report on provisional financial outturn for 2023/24;

(2)       Approve the carry forward £2.387m budget for capital schemes to be added to the 2024/25 capital programme.

(3)       Note that the provisional outturn position is subject to external audit. Should any material changes arise from the audit, these will be reported back to members.

This report recommends budget targets for 2025/26 and provides an update on financial planning for 2026/27 to 2028/29 as recommended by Financial Strategy Advisory Group.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to agree:

(1)       to note the recommendations of Financial Strategy Advisory Group held on 12 July 2024;

(2)       the proposed approach to 2025/26 budget setting as set-out in the report to Financial Strategy Advisory Group at Appendix 2 to the report, in particular;

·       That officers work to progress the workstreams set out in section 7 of Appendix 2 to the report to produce specific income generation and savings options, in addition to savings already targeted, to meet the projected budget deficit of £720,000 per annum by 2028/29;

·       That the proposed Five Year Plan and the budget process are aligned to ensure that any commitments are affordable;

·       The budget reporting timetable as supported by Financial Strategy Advisory Group.

To agree the appointment of Members and a Chair to the Shareholder Sub Committee for the 2024-25 Municipal Year.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Appoint Members and a Chair for the Shareholder Sub Committee as required by its Terms of Reference, and set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report and detailed below:

·                Councillor Neil Dallen (Chair) (Residents’ Association)

·                Councillor Alex Coley (Residents’ Association)

·                Councillor Hannah Dalton (Residents’ Association)

·                Councillor Alison Kelly (Liberal Democrat)

·                Councillor Robert Leach (Residents’ Association)

To present the findings of a review into the procurement of the Harrier Centre Roof replacement, commissioned as requested by the Strategy and Resources committee meeting on the 21st September 2023.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       note the findings of the report and endorse the learning points from it (as set out in para 4.1 of the report).

To facilitate the community of Stoneleigh to establish and maintain a community garden next to Stoneleigh Railway Station.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 7 votes for and 1 member not voting to:

(1)       Agree to enter into a Community Licence between Network Rail and EEBC once a group of volunteers has been established, to enable the volunteers in Stoneleigh to establish a community garden next to Stoneleigh Railway Station.

(2)       Nominate and Authorise the Director of Environment, Housing and Regeneration and Head of Legal to progress the community licence to completion and take all actions and decisions as are necessary and appropriate to ensure that it is not the Council who is responsible for maintaining the community garden.

To report to the committee the decisions taken by the Chief Executive and Directors on the grounds of urgency, in compliance with the requirements of the Constitution.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the urgent decisions taken and the reasons for those decisions, since the last meeting of the committee.

This report proposes the Council and the developer of the SGN Site work collaboratively to investigate the level of contamination and consequent environmental implications for development on any part of the wider gas works site.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 7 votes for and 1 abstention to:

(1)       Agree to undertake a Ground Investigation (GI) survey of the Council’s car park site at a cost of up to £30,000 (which includes £7,000 contingency as detailed in this report), to be funded from the Property Maintenance Reserve.

(2)       To release (in principle) the Hook Road Car Park to facilitate the wider redevelopment of the gas holder site.

(3)       Note that the Director of Environment, Housing & Regeneration and Head of Property & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Strategy & Resources Committee, Chief Finance Officer and Chief Legal Officer, have express authority to take all necessary actions further to the above decisions being made that commit resources, as is necessary and appropriate.

This report outlines the outcome of the marketing exercise to find a new tenant for the vacant Unit 2 at the Clock Tower.

Following consideration, the Committee resolved with 7 votes for and 1 abstention to:

(1)       Agree the grant of a new Full Repairing & Insuring (FRI) lease of Unit 2 The Clock Tower based upon the terms set out in paragraph 2.9 of the confidential Appendix 2 to the report. 

(2)       Note that the Head of Property & Regeneration, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and Chief Legal Officer, has express authority to take all necessary actions further to the above decisions being made that commit resources, as is necessary and appropriate, to progress the lease to completion.