Agenda and minutes

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.

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 17 September 2024.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive on 17 September 2024 together with the accompanying decision records be confirmed as a correct record.

There were no urgent items of business.

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

RESOLVED that the Cabinet agree the Health and Care Overview and

Scrutiny Panel’s recommendations, as set out in the panel report (attached as

Appendix A) and paragraph 6.5 of the report, taking into account the comments of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer.

RESOLVED that

i.       the content of the Draft Statement of Community Involvement is agreed.

ii.     public consultation on the Draft Statement of Community Involvement is agreed beginning on Tuesday 29th October 2024 and ending on Tuesday 3rd December 2024 as set out in paragraph 1.1 of the report and Appendix C; and

iii.    authority be delegated to the Executive Director: Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Countryside to agree any necessary minor amendments to the Draft Statement of Community Involvement prior to public consultation.

RESOLVED that

i.       the adoption of the Bracknell Town Centre Masterplans SPD is agreed.

ii.     authority be delegated to the Executive Director: Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Countryside to agree any necessary minor amendments to the Bracknell Town Centre Masterplans SPD prior to adoption.

RESOLVED that the Household Support Fund (phase six) be distributed through:

i.       Purchasing supermarket vouchers, or for opted schools to make equivalent arrangements, for children qualifying for Free School Meals in Bracknell Forest primary and secondary schools. Households will receive a £15 voucher per child per week of the holidays.

ii.     Extending the Local Welfare Scheme provision, available via applications from households in need of emergency help, where assistance cannot be accessed elsewhere.

iii.    The provision of application-based grants to voluntary, community, and faith

sector organisations to build capacity and extend the reach of support to residents.

iv.    Additional financial support to pension age households who do not receive the benefits in scope for the Winter Fuel Payment in 2024 and who receive an

adult care non-residential service.

v.     Should any funding remain unspent toward the end of the grant period, supermarket vouchers may be provided to properties identified in fuel poverty,

or groups not previously supported from the funding.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

i.       notes the Council’s predicted current year financial position summarised in Table 1;

ii.     endorses the actions agreed by the Corporate Management Team to help contain expenditure in the current year and notes that further action is likely to be needed;

iii.    notes the Council’s predicted medium-term financial prospects based on the assumptions detailed in the report and summarised in Table 3, which is subject to development of detailed draft budget proposals for 2025/26 and future years and to confirmation of the local government finance settlement in December;

RESOLVED that the policy is adopted.

RESOLVED that the parental leave policy attached is adopted.

RESOLVEDthat

i.       a new framework approach is approved, as summarised in paragraphs 6.16 – 6.19 and detailed in exempt Appendix 1, to enable s106 affordable housing funding proposals that meet agreed criteria to be approved under delegated authority.

ii.     the use of s106 affordable housing funding to support a 100% affordable scheme on surplus land at the Council’s depot site is endorsed, to inform a Settled Site Development Plan proposal to be brought forward for formal consideration by Cabinet early in 2025 (paragraphs 6.20 – 6.21).

iii.    disposal of the Council’s site at 74-76 Binfield to a registered provider is approved to deliver a scheme of larger affordable homes and the use of s106 funding affordable housing funding to enable these to be provided

at social rents, as set out in paragraphs 6.22 – 6.24.

iv.   the recommendation to not progress the proposed development of the Council’s site at Opladen Way and to reallocate s106 funding previously committed to this is endorsed, as set out in paragraphs 6.25 – 6.28.

RESOLVED that

i.       the development of a community hub in Warfield, with a funding model based on 50:50 cost sharing between Bracknell Forest Council and Warfield Parish

Council is supported.

ii.     the Partnership Agreement outlined in paragraph 6.11 (restricted Appendix) is approved, which was approved by WPC on 20 August 2024. The signing of the agreement is delegated on behalf of Bracknell Forest Council to the Borough Solicitor, substantively in the form annexed; It will be legally binding after both parties sign the agreement and date the same;

iii.    the Strategic Procurement Plan, paragraph 6.10 is approved, for the building design and works including early/enabling works (restricted Appendix

iv.    the contract award for the Phase 1 Pre-Construction Services (RIBA Stage 3 design / Planning Permission and RIBA Stage 4) is delegated to the Executive Director: Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Public Protection and Democracy;

v.     the contract award for Phase 2 Main Works – RIBA Stage 5 onwards (including any demolition/early/enabling works) is delegated to the Executive Director: Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Public Protection and Democracy;

vi.    the decision to appropriate the land at Priory Fields for planning purposes under Section 122(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 is delegated to the Assistant Director: Property in consultation with the Executive Director: Communities (paragraph 6.15), subject to a planning consent being obtained together with any consequent actions arising therefrom.

RECOMMENDED that Council approves an in-year supplementary capital approval of £13.7m to enable the scheme to be progressed as part of the capital programme,

noting that this is the total scheme costs to be joint funded (50:50) by Bracknell

Forest Council and Warfield Parish Council using s106 and Community Infrastructure

Levy funding with some temporary borrowing, as summarised in paragraph 6.7 and

detailed in restricted Appendix 7.

RESOLVED that

i.       an open tender is progressed under the current procurement regulations (2015) for an East Berkshire Stroke Support Service.

ii.     Bracknell Forest to continue the role as Lead Commissioner supported by the East Berkshire Partnership.

iii.    authority is delegated for the Executive Director: People to approve contract award in consultation with the Executive Member for Adults and Public Health.

RESOLVED that

i.       the procurement of Human Resources & Payroll Software and hosting arrangement is approved via competition through lot 3 of the CCS Tech Products 2 framework for 7 years (structured as a 5+2 term).

ii.     Authority be delegated to the Executive Director: Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Improvement for the contract award decision.