Agenda and decisions

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

To consider and approve for the proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2020/21 for recommendation to the Council meeting on 12 February 2020.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To note the impact of the Scheme to date as set out in paragraphs 5.7 and 5.8 of the Executive report.

2. To recommend Council to agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 2c, to the Executive report.

3. To recommend to Council that the reduction applied to working age claimants remains the same as the 2019/20 Scheme agreed by Council on 30 January 2019 and that the main elements and method of calculating awards will be the same.

4. To recommend that the Council agrees to continue to operate a Discretionary Discount Policy to be awarded in cases of exceptional hardship as set out at Appendix 2a, to the Executive report. 

5. To note at this point in time the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government may still issue changes to the known position for the National Pensioner Scheme. Required changes would be incorporated into the final Scheme presented for adoption at Council on 12 February 2020.

To consider and approve the level of rents and service charges to be charged in connection with Housing Revenue Account dwellings during 2020/21 for recommendation to the Council meeting on 12 February 2020 as part of the Council’s budget setting process.  

The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend to the Council:

1. That rents for all Housing Revenue account properties are increased by 2.7% in 2020/21, following rent reductions over the last four years.

2. The minimum level of Housing Revenue Account balances remain protected at £1 million, as previously agreed.

3. That Housing Revenue Account service charges (as detailed in Appendix B) and that other General Fund service charges (as detailed in Appendix C) are charged as outlined.

To consider the proposed new Council Homes Investment Plan 2020-2025 that sets out how the Council will invest in its existing homes and in building and acquiring new Council homes to help meet local housing needs.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. That the Council Homes Investment Plan 2020-2025 is adopted and implemented by the Council for the period up to the 31 March 2025, working with Blackpool Coastal Housing.

2. That the Director of Resources be delegated authority to purchase up to 50 homes at market value that best meet the greatest local needs outlined in the Investment Plan, after consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and Blackpool Coastal Housing. The decision to authorise the purchases is to be in the form of a published Officer decision with a report detailing the rationale behind the purchases and financial viability.

To consider a proposal for a complimentary development within the Madame Tussauds attraction.

The report is public. However Appendix 5a includes information that would however undermine the Council’s position in continuing negotiations so at the time of publication this document is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To agree that Appendix 5a, to the Executive report, Financial estimates  is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

2. To agree to the further development of the Madame Tussauds by the creation of a Television Themed attraction in the identified underutilised space.

3. To complete the delivery of the scheme as set out in this report, to include the completion of all due diligence associated with the project.

4. To complete the project funding package through debt finance in the form of Prudential Borrowing, as detailed in Appendix 5a to this report.   

5. To agree in principle to the creation of an addendum to the existing Madame Tussauds operating agreement and that the Head of Legal be granted delegated authority to authorise the addendum and any other legal agreements on behalf of the Council.

To consider thereplacementpurchaseof a vehicle for the Beach Patrol.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the replacement purchase of a Land Rover 110 Defender for Tourism and Communications funded through Prudential Borrowing over a three year cycle on the costings outlined in paragraphs 9.1 to 9.4.

To receive the financial performance monitoring for the period ending 31 October 2019.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To note the report.  

2. To continue to lobby Government (HM Treasury, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Education in particular) along with local authority peers, the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services for significantly more funding to cope with the soaring demand and new burdens presenting in Children’s Services.

3. To require the respective directors and Director of Resources to continue to closely monitor and manage service financial and operational performances, specifically Children’s Services but also Strategic Leisure Assets, Parking Services and Concessionary Fares, and to ensure the release of at least £1m of budgets across all directorates as a consequence of a 1-year freeze on non-essential spend and the release of £1m of Earmarked Revenue Reserves to compensate for the deficit on Working Balances as at month 4.

The Treasury Management Half-Yearly Progress Report for the six months ended 30 September 2019.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the report concerning Treasury Management activities for the six months to 30 September 2019.