Agenda item

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 22 February 2023.

 

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

 

·       Local Authority Housing Fund

·       Joint Venture Business Plan Review

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Birch, presented the report on the work

of the Executive since that reported at the Council meeting on 22 February 2023. The

Executive had met once on the 21 March 2023.

 

The Deputy Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

 

Planning and Transport | Proposed Main Modifications to the Bracknell Forest Local Plan

 

·       The making of Proposed Main Modifications to the Bracknell Forest Local Plan (Pre Submission version), and associated changes to the Policies Map had been agreed.

·       The Executive Director: Place, Planning and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Member for Planning and Transport, was authorised to agree the draft wording.

·       The Proposed Main Modifications to the Bracknell Forest Local Plan would be consulted on for a period of at least six weeks over the Summer of 2023.

 

Planning and Transport | Highways and Transport Capital Programme 2023/24

 

·       The overall Highways and Transport Capital Programme for 2023/24 had been approved.

·       The Highways and Transport Capital Programme for 2023/24 totalled £4.55m.

·       Over 75% of funding was derived from external sources.

·       The programme included further DfT funding for electric vehicle charging provision following a successful bid.

·       An increase in core capital contribution to £1.2m in 2023/24 had been included for road maintenance.

·       Developer contributions via S106 agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) supplemented the programme along with a local contribution from Borough Capital.

 

Planning and Transport | SANG capacity agreements between Bracknell Forest Council and Surrey Heath Borough Council

 

·       An agreement with Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) had been agreed for land at Shepherd Meadows to serve as further Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG).

·       The Council would receive financial contributions at rates in line with the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Supplementary Planning Document.

·       This would support the continued maintenance and enhancement of the SANG.

 

Children, Young People & Learning | School Places Plan & Capital Strategy 2023-2028

 

·       The School Places Plan and Capacity Strategy 2023-2028 had been approved.

·       This would be published in April 2023.

·       The Council had a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places and an agreed vision.

·       Headteachers and Further Education providers had been consulted on what planning for school places should look like.

 

Children, Young People & Learning | Household Support Fund (Phase four)

 

·       The Household Support Fund (phase four) would be distributed through: 

·       Purchasing supermarket vouchers, or for opted schools to make equivalent arrangements. Households would receive a £15 voucher per child per week of the holidays.

·       Purchasing pre-paid cards or supermarket vouchers to distribute to low income households.

·       Enhancing the Local Welfare Scheme provision.

·       Providing application-based grants to the voluntary, community and faith sector organisations to provide direct support to residents.

 

Council Strategy & Community Cohesion | Council Plan Overview Report

 

·       The Executive noted the performance of the council over the period from October to December 2022 highlighted in the Overview Report.

 

Council Strategy & Community Cohesion | Service Plans 2023

 

·       The Executive endorsed the new service plans and agreed that they be published on the website in April 2023.

·       All directorates have reviewed the content of their individual service plans in preparation for the 2023/24 financial year.

·       The work had been a light touch review, to refresh the plans until September 2023.

 

Adult Services, Health and Housing | Local Authority Housing Fund

 

·       The Executive approved the proposals for the Council to acquire 7 x three bedroom homes and to refurbish 2 x three bedroom properties in existing stock under the Government’s Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) scheme.

·       Any units acquired would be owned and managed by the Council and would be available for use by the housing service as required.

·       The four bedroom unit which would need to be provided to a household in bridging accommodation.

 

Adult Services, Health and Housing | Section 75 Agreement (NHS Act 2006) 2023 and Onwards

 

·       Approval was given to the Executive Director: People to agree and enter into a S75 agreement from 1 April 2023 effective for a period of 3 years.

·       The recommended model of future S75 agreements was agreed.

·       The proposed improvements in development with Frimley Integrated Care Board (ICB) to the current S75 Agreement were noted.

 

Adult Services, Health and Housing | Strategic Procurement Plan – Sexual & Reproductive Health

 

·       The Executive agreed that the Strategic Procurement Plan for the provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health be approved.

·       Bracknell Forest Council would take the lead on the re-procurement on behalf of all three councils in East Berkshire Public Health service.

·       The proposed contractual term would be 5 years (3 +2) with a review of the provision in year 3.

·       Procurement will ensure that the contract could start in July 2024.

 

Culture, Delivery and Public Protection | Procurement of Microsoft M365 Licences

 

·       The Executive agreed that the approved framework be accessed for Microsoft M365 licences via a direct award.

·       This would retain the Council’s current professional partnership with its current Microsoft Gold Partner, Phoenix Software Ltd.

 

Transformation and Finance | Joint Venture Business Plan Review

 

·       The Executive noted the progress made by Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership for the period December 2021 to December 2022.

·       The Executive agreed that the Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership enters into the Bond and Co-indemnities required to undertake the enabling works.

·       It was noted that there was no flow of liability from this arrangement to the Council.

·       The Joint Venture Business Plan had not changed materially.

 

The report contained recommendations that the Council was asked to resolve in

respect of the following matters:

 

·       Local Authority Housing Fund

·       Joint Venture Business Plan Review

 

Councillor Temperton asked whether there would be a four bedroom property delivered as part of the Local Authority Housing Fund. Councillor Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing responded that it was within the plan to deliver a four bedroom property.

 

Local Authority Housing Fund

 

On the proposition of Councillor Birch, Adult Services, Health and Housing, seconded by Councillor Allen it was

 

RESOLVED that Council approve capital spend up to a maximum of £3.4m to meet the total cost of acquiring the additional homes, to be funded from a combination of the (Local Authority Housing Fund) LAHF grant and long-term borrowing

 

Joint Venture Business Plan Review

 

On the proposition of Councillor Birch, Adult Services, Health and Housing, seconded by Councillor Dr Barnard it was

 

RESOLVED that Council approve the annual refresh of the Joint Venture Business Plan 2020-2023 for the Bracknell Forest Cambium Partnership, alongside the

financial budget and forecast.

 

Councillor Birch thanked those Councillors who would be stepping down at the Election in May. The combined service of the eleven Councillors who were stepping down was 124 years.