Agenda, decisions and minutes

10.1          The Chair advised that the meeting was being held under the emergency provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and, specifically, The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.  The meeting was being broadcast live via the internet, it was not being recorded by the Council but, under the usual transparency rules, it may be being recorded by others. 

11.1          Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R J Stanley. There were no substitutes for the meeting.    

12.1          The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012.

12.2          There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2020.

13.1          The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2020, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record.  

To receive any questions, deputations or petitions submitted under Rule of Procedure 12.

(The deadline for public participation submissions for this meeting is 2 July 2020).  

14.1          There were no items from members of the public.  

To consider the Council’s financial outturn including the use of reserves 

1.           That the general fund outturn for 2019/20, the financing of the capital programme and the annual treasury management report and performance be NOTED.

2.           That transfers to and from earmarked reserves be APPROVED.

15.1          The report of the Head of Finance and Asset Management, circulated separately at Pages No. 1-22, highlighted the Council’s financial performance for the previous year, setting out both the general fund and capital outturn positions. Members were asked to note the general fund outturn for 2019/20, the financing of the capital programme and the annual treasury management report and performance; and to approve the transfers to and from earmarked reserves. 

15.2          In introducing the report, the Head of Finance and Asset Management explained that table 1 on Page No. 3 of the report summarised the service performance which had generated the reported full year surplus of £516,851 – this was a solid outturn position but was reduced against predictions as a result of the need to pay a business rates levy to the government. The table highlighted the non-service-related activity as well as other aspects of the overall budget to provide a whole view of the Council’s general fund. The table concluded with the budgeted transfer to reserves of £575,000 and the actual transfer totalling £1,091,851. The outturn position for direct expenditure and income showed a positive variance of £896,892 and was mainly attributable to major items including: the employees full year budget being underspent largely as a result of staff turnover and variances in a number of service groupings; an overspend on supplies and services which was mainly generated through expenditure on holding elections during the year – this was reimbursed by the government; an overspend on payments to third parties as a result of disbursement expenditure by One Legal which was recovered directly from clients; expenditure in Development Services which was reimbursed by government grant; an overspend on the Ubico contract; and the increased cost of disposal of recyclate collected.

15.3          Treasury performance had been strong in 2019/20 with both investment and borrowing decisions contributing to an overall surplus of £250,867; of that surplus approximately £58,858 had been generated from investments and, whilst an increase in the portfolio balance and a slight increase in market rates had benefited the portfolio, the main reason for the surplus was the continuing investment in the CCLA pooled property fund and investment in additional investment vehicles within higher asset classes. The Council had failed to acquire a further commercial investment property in the year which had resulted in a deficit of rental generation against budget of £384,173. The loss of income was offset by the savings on borrowing and savings against the expected minimum revenue provision for the year. The unspent capital monies were carried forward into the 2020/21 budget.

15.4          The overall position on the retained business rates scheme showed a deficit of £331,229 for the full year. The underlying position of both the Council and the Gloucestershire business rates pool was good with surpluses reported on both; of note was Tewkesbury’s share of the pool which was £841,786; however, the accounting impacts of the release of provisions within the scheme meant the position was reduced to a deficit in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

To recommend to Council that the audit report be agreed as having established the Council’s current position and carbon baseline and that the action plan be noted with agreement given for the detailed work and feasibility studies to commence.  

That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that:

1.           the audit report be AGREED as having established the Council’s current position and carbon baseline; and

2.           the action plan be NOTED, and agreement given for detailed work and feasibility studies to commence in relation to the carbon reduction options set out in the action plan.

16.1          The report of the Deputy Chief Executive, circulated at Pages No. 8-93, provided Members with detail on the climate change and carbon reduction audit and action plan as required by the Motion which was approved by the Council in 2019. The Committee was asked to recommend the audit report to Council as having established the current position and carbon baseline; and to note the action plan and agree that detailed work and feasibility studies commence in relation to the carbon reduction options set out within it.

16.2          The Deputy Chief Executive explained that the Council had declared a climate emergency in October 2019 which included a commitment to doing all in its power to make Tewkesbury Borough Council Offices carbon neutral by 2030 as well as undertaking an audit of the Council’s current position, together with the creation of an action plan that would set out how that aim could be achieved. The audit report set out the relevant government guidance and the detailed analysis that was undertaken in order to establish the current carbon footprint and the action plan set out the short, medium and long-term opportunities that could be explored further as part of detailed feasibility testing as ways the Council could seek to meet the ambition of carbon neutrality by 2030 in relation to its buildings. Members were advised that the Council’s Climate Change and Flood Risk Management Group had been created to consider all aspects of climate change and was initially tasked with working with Officers to oversee the delivery of the audit and action plan. The discussion and key observations from the group were included at Paragraph 2.2 of the report, along with the key questions from Members and the responses received from the consultant.

16.3          In terms of next steps, the Deputy Chief Executive confirmed that the report and action plan provided an excellent base on which to build - this met the first part of the climate emergency motion and was also reflected in the sustainable environment priority within the Council Plan. It was intended to use the Council’s existing governance arrangements to monitor and manage the carbon reduction work which would be helpful given the competing priorities and additional impacts currently being felt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations from the current meeting would go to Council on 28 July but be preceded by an all Member Seminar to be held on 23 July at 6pm.

16.4          The consultant was invited to make his detailed presentation on the report which set the context and covered the salient points as follows:

·        The remit - production of a baseline from 2019/20 and the creation of an action plan based on a set of principles including demand reduction and renewable energy information. The report covered the Council’s own buildings and transport except those buildings owned for commercial investment purposes. The approach had followed nationally recognised greenhouse protocol standards – scope 1, 2 and 3 – and used government advanced conversion factor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider a request from the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Joint Committee to extend the operation of the Joint Committee for a period of eighteen months from 4 September 2020 together with agreement to waive the 12 months’ notice period set out in the Inter Authority Agreement between the partner authorities, to enable the Joint Committee to continue.

That it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

1.           That the notice period of 12 months, contained in the Inter Authority Agreement of the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Joint Committee in respect of the extension of that agreement, be waived and removed.

2.           That it works in partnership with all Gloucestershire local authorities to enable the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Joint Committee to continue to operate for a further 18 months from 30 September 2020 until 31 March 2022, with Tewkesbury Borough Council as a member, under the terms of the existing Inter Authority Agreement.

3.           That authority is delegated to the Borough Solicitor to conclude the necessary legal agreements associated with recommendations 1 and 2 above.

17.1          The report of the Chief Executive, circulated at Pages No. 94-100, asked Members to consider a request from the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Joint Committee to extend the operation of the Joint Committee for a period of 18 months from 4 September 2020 together with agreement to waive the 12 months’ notice period set out in the Inter Authority Agreement between the partner authorities to enable the Joint Committee to continue. Members were asked to consider the report and make a recommendation to Council.

17.2          In introducing the report, the Deputy Chief Executive advised that this was a procedural issue. It was in the Council’s interest to agree the extension of the Joint Committee as it meant that all Gloucestershire authorities could work together through an effective governance mechanism in respect of the county’s economy, including economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In that regard, the Committee’s operation of the countywide strategic economic development fund, which currently stood at £4.5million, would be vital.

17.3          Accordingly, it was

To consider the report which sets out the government criteria for the use of the re-opening of the High Streets safely fund and to agree an initial action plan with delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make decisions needed to implement the action plan

1.       That the government criteria for the use of the Re-opening the High Streets Safely Fund be NOTED.

2.       That the initial action plan be AGREED and that it be NOTED that it was a dynamic document which may change.

3.       That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make the decisions needed to implement the action plan or vary it in response to circumstances which may arise as a consequence of the need to re-open the local economy safely, support social distancing or respond to business intelligence, including authority to enter into agreements, notices and other legal documents as necessary.

18.1          The report of the Interim Head of Development Services, circulated separately at Pages No. 23-28, and the amended Appendix circulated as an additional paper, explained the purpose of the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund launched by the government and set out how the funding may be spent. Members were asked to note the government criteria for the use of the fund; to agree the initial dynamic action plan; and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of Council, to implement the action plan or vary it in response to circumstances which may arise as a consequence of the need to re-open the local economy safely, support social distancing or respond to business intelligence, including authority to enter into agreements, notices and other legal documents as necessary.

18.2          The Interim Head of Development Services advised that the report explained how the funding may be spent and that it could only be used to support business and for temporary public realm measures on High Streets. A high-level initial action plan had been circulated separately which identified the necessary actions to support the safe reopening of the local economy and the need to achieve social distancing.  This was an early report to Members to ensure the Council could make decisions at the pace expected by the government. A significant amount of work had already taken place to support businesses and reopen the High Street safely, including the use of ambassadors and the introduction of signage, a risk assessment tool kit, social media campaigns and direct support from both the Growth Hub and Environmental Health team – all of which was over and above ‘business as usual’. It was clear that a cautious approach had been taken to reopening by many businesses and that the work put in by the Council and the ambassadors had been very welcome. The action plan was the next stage and, although narrowly focussed by government, it allowed the Council’s work to continue and expand.

18.3          Attention was drawn to Page No. 25 of the report which detailed the purpose of the fund and that government had indicated it would be available up to, and including, March 2021 although the use of the fund was encouraged by the end of the calendar year. The full details of the European Regional Development Fund would be covered in a funding agreement which was yet to be issued. The action plan identified themed areas in which allocations were currently evenly distributed; however, this may change as the work progressed if businesses and community engagements identified additional relevant actions which needed to take place.

18.4          Referring to the amended action plan, the Interim Head of Development Services explained that theme 1 – support for the public / community engagement - was allocated £30,000 and would include public facing social media and communications campaigns; social distancing signage and stickers/pavement stamps; and community engagement. Theme 2 – business support - was allocated £26,534 for business information and small or  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

The Chair will move the adoption of the following resolution:

That under Section 100(A)(4) Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

19.1          The Chair proposed, and it was  

                 RESOLVED           That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act                         1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following                            items on the grounds that they involve the likely discussion of                                 exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the                              Act.

To approve the separate Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 10 June 2020.

20.1          The separate Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2020, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record.