Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD

Contact: Hannah Harding  01344 352308

Media

Items
No. Item

29.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary or Affected Interests in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

 

Any Member with a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in a matter should withdraw from the meeting when the matter is under consideration and should notify the Democratic Services Officer in attendance that they are withdrawing as they have such an interest. If the Disclosable Pecuniary Interest is not entered on the register of Members interests the Monitoring Officer must be notified of the interest within 28 days.

 

Any Member with an Affected Interest in a matter must disclose the interest to the meeting.  There is no requirement to withdraw from the meeting when the interest is only an affected interest, but the Monitoring Officer should be notified of the interest, if not previously notified of it, within 28 days of the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

30.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 771 KB

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 19 September 2023.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive on 19 September 2023 together with the accompanying decision records be confirmed as a correct record.

31.

Urgent Items of Business

Any other items which, pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman decides are urgent.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items of business.

Executive Decisions and Decision Records pdf icon PDF 68 KB

The Executive considered the following items.  The decisions are recorded in the decision sheets attached to these minutes and summarised below:

Additional documents:

32.

Overview and Scrutiny Review Reports- Enforcement Strategy and Child Criminal Exploitation pdf icon PDF 72 KB

To present two Overview and Scrutiny Reports 'Enforcement Strategy' and 'Child Criminal Exploitation'.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that

 

i.       the reports and their recommendations be noted.

 

ii.     on the report from the Education, Skills and Growth Panel, on Child criminal exploitation to note the recommendations and refer the report to the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning.

 

iii.    on the report from the Environment and Communities Panel, on Enforcement Strategy to note the recommendations and refer the report to the Executive Member for Culture, Delivery and Public Protection.

33.

Bracknell Forest Economic Strategy 2023 - 2033 pdf icon PDF 573 KB

To seek approval for public consultation on the draft Bracknell Forest Economic Strategy 2024-2034, the themes and objectives and the proposed action plan.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the draft Bracknell Forest Economic Strategy 2024-2034 is agreed for public consultation as detailed in paragraphs 5.19-5.21 of the Executive Director of Place, Planning & Regeneration’s report.

34.

Prevent Strategy 2023-26 pdf icon PDF 109 KB

To seek approval to the Prevent Strategy 2023-26.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Executive approve and adopt the Bracknell Forest Prevent Strategy 2024-27.

35.

Budget Update pdf icon PDF 115 KB

To provide an update on the current year’s predicted spending against budget and an outline of future financial prospects.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that

 

i.       the Council’s predicted current year financial position summarised in Table 1 and detailed in Annex A is noted.

 

ii.     Endorses the actions agreed by the Corporate Management Team to help contain expenditure in the current year as set out under paragraph 5.4 are endorsed.

 

iii.    the Council’s predicted medium-term financial prospects based on the

assumptions detailed in paragraphs 5.9 to 5.16 and summarised in Table 2 is noted, which is subject to development of detailed draft budget proposals for 2024/25 and future years and to confirmation of the local government finance

settlement in December.

 

iv.    the Executive will be asked at its November meeting to recommend to Full Council a Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy, that will provide funding from capital resources to secure additional capacity needed to drive transformation change to help secure a sustainable future financial position.

 

v.     the proposed use of the Council’s funding to support delivery of affordable housing as set out in paragraphs 5.20 to 5.22 is agreed.

36.

Future of Downshire Homes Limited pdf icon PDF 144 KB

To approve the most appropriate future management arrangements for residential properties purchased by Downshire Homes Limited, with funding provided by Bracknell Forest Council.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that

 

i.       to consolidate the ownership and management of the Council’s housing portfolio by transferring (at market price) the Downshire Homes Ltd properties to the Council by March 2024 is agreed.

 

ii.     that the 4 properties currently occupied by tenants holding assured shorthold

tenancies (ASTs) are offered for sale to registered social landlords is agreed, noting that they will be included in the transfer of properties to the Council if sales cannot be secured in the timescale above.

 

iii.    to facilitate the consolidation in the most tax efficient way, supports the director(s) of DHL to progress a solvent liquidation of the company, through which its assets will transfer to the Council as shareholder and agrees to indemnify the directors, the company and the appointed liquidator against any potential claims arising from this act.

 

iv.    a key factor in the proposed approach will be the value of the existing

loans from the Council to DHL compared with their original purchase price and funding from Council loans and that current expectations based on indicative valuations of a sample of the properties are that the sums will broadly match;

 

v.     in the event that the value of the properties has increased materially at the time of the transfer compared with the original purchase price, its agreed that the Executive Director: Resources be authorised to use Council reserves to settle any resultant capital gains tax liability, as set out in paragraph 5.20.

 

vi.    the Legal Services Manager be authorised to conclude the appropriate legal

agreements to enact the proposals above.

37.

Bridgewell Supported Living pdf icon PDF 8 MB

To provide an update on the progress of the Bridgewell Supported Living project. The project was previously approved for delivery by Executive on 21 June 2022. Further decision is required relating to the capital cost of the building works and the re-approval of the strategic procurement plan for the procurement of the landlord service provider and the care & support service provider.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that:

 

i.       the progress to date on the design development is noted and the timetable in

paragraph 5.27 is agreed.

 

ii.     the value improvement items to improve sustainability in paragraphs 5.11 is noted.

 

iii.    the revised strategic procurement plan for appointment of the provider of

landlord services (Housing Association) and care services (Support Provider) for the provision of Bridgewell Supported Living scheme for adults with learning disabilities as laid out in paragraphs 5.16 to 5.20 are noted.

 

 

RECOMMENDED to Council to approve the additional cost of works for the new

accommodation by £400k, changing the previous budget from £7.15m to £7.55m as

detailed in paragraph 5.12.

 

38.

0-19 Public Health Nursing Contract pdf icon PDF 88 KB

To approve the award of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Contract.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that

 

i.       Executive approve the award of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service Contract to Provider A for a 5-year contract term with two 12-month optional extensions

 

ii.     Executive approves the budget (as provided in section 2.3 and deatied in section 9 of the confidential annex -) for the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service for the 7-year maximum contract period with a start date from 1st April 2024. This will be paid from the ring fenced Public Health Grant allocation to the Council to deliver the public health functions.

39.

Occupational Health Provider Procurement pdf icon PDF 69 KB

To agree to procurement commencing for the selection of an occupational health provider to directly follow on from the termination of the current contract, which terminates on 30 June 2024.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that

 

i.       the proposed re-procurement of an occupational health contract for the provision of occupational health service for staff who work for the council in any capacity, including schools is approved.

 

ii.     following the completion of the procurement process, the contract award be delegated to the Executive Director: Resources in consultation with the Executive Member, Finance and Business Change.

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk