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 report the level of spending and exposure against the Council’s Revenue budgets and reserves and balances for the first 7 months to 31 October 2023.  The report also includes an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan 2024/25 – 2026/27.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.      To note the report.  

2.      To require the respective directors, Chief Executive and Director of Resources to continue to closely monitor and manage service financial and operational performances, specifically the social care services.

3.      To prompt the Scrutiny Leadership Board to continue to independently review the financial and operational performances of Council services.

4.      To continue to lobby central government (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Department for Health and Social Care and Department for Education in particular) along with local authority peers and networks and the Local Government Association for the funding necessary to cope with the burdens and demands presenting as a result of exceptional inflationary pressures and demographic demands upon statutory services.

5.      To continue to work towards target working balances of £6m by 31 March 2024 rising to £8m by 31 March 2025.

To provide an update on the impact of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme since the introduction in 2013/14 and to seek approval to recommend to the Council the proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2024/25.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To note the impact of the Scheme to date as set out in paragraphs 6.7 and 6.8 of the Executive report.

2. To recommend Council to agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2024/25 as set out in Appendix 3c, to the Executive report.

3. To recommend to Council that the reduction applied to working age claimants remains the same as the 2023/24 Scheme agreed by Council on 1 February 2023 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 3a, to the Executive report. 

5. To note at this point in time the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities may still issue changes to the known position for the Pensioner National Scheme. Required changes would be incorporated into the final Scheme presented for adoption at Council on 31 January 2024.

To provide the Executive with an update regarding Blackpool’s Youth Justice Service and seek approval by the Council of the Youth Justice Service Annual Plan.

            The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend to Council to approve the Youth Justice Annual Plan 2023/24 on behalf of Blackpool Council with effect until 31 December 2024.

To seek approval to proceed with the further development of The Meadow site at Highfurlong School - subject to Planning consent - to accommodate a single-storey hydrotherapy centre extension to the previously approved two-storey extension and associated facilities to ensure sufficient local provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

1. To agree that Appendix 5a to the Executive report, the Financial Considerations is not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as it includes detailed costings that enable the scheme to be viable. The publication of such information could prejudice continuing and future negotiations.

2. To approve the development, utilising the currently appointed phase 1 contractor (Conlon Construction) who have been appointed following a procurement process via the Procure NW Framework.

3.  To approve the budget of £1.99 million for phase two of this scheme.

This report outlines the proposal and level of investment required to deliver two additional  two-bedroom bungalows at Grange Park scheme (Phase Two site). These additional units will replace the existing Blackpool Coastal Housing neighbourhood office on Sidford Court, Grange Park. The report seeks formal approval for the units to be delivered as an addition to the existing build programme (EX34/2021). The report also updates Executive on the additional costs incurred by the scheme.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To approve the redevelopment of the former  Blackpool Coastal Housing neighbourhood office site on Sidford Court providing two new two-bedroom bungalows

2. That the Council bids to Homes England for capital grant to help fund the construction of the proposed two units.

3. That the existing principal contractor, Tyson Construction, is formally instructed to build the additional units under the existing JCT Design and Build contract dated 09 November 2021.

4.      To approve the additional expenditure to develop the additional bungalows and note the revised scheme costs outlined in Appendix 6b, to the Executive report, financial considerations

This report sets out for review and approval:

a)      The further progress on the delivery of the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and related activity at Blackpool Airport since the Executive of 5 December 2022

b)      Outlines activity planned for the next fifteen months to the end of financial year (FY) 2024/25; and,

c)      Seeks authority to proceed with planned activities, related investment expenditure and required prudential borrowing in relation to: 

·         Continued progression with work to undertake Phase 1 - highway and utility provision at Eastern Gateway and Airport East.;

·         Advance preparatory work and property acquisition to facilitate delivery of phase 2 at Silicon Sands, together with approval in principle to progress developments for a technology demonstrator data centre, solar farm and battery storage.

·         Confirmation of relevant delegated authorities including the letting of larger construction contracts and formal expenditure approvals in respect of match funding under the Town Deal.

·         To confirm amended governance arrangements

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To agree that Appendices 7a, 7b, 7c, 7e and 7g to the Executive report, are not for publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as they include detailed costings that enable the scheme to be viable. The publication of such information could prejudice continuing and future negotiations.

2. To note the progress made on the delivery of the Enterprise Zone Masterplan to date.

3. To note the higher levels of risk associated with the overall whole life expenditure and income forecasts, given the present volatile nature of the economy and uncertainty over the long-term format of business rates.

4. To note, the total estimated cumulative expenditure from April 2016 to end of March 2024 of £32.17m and the proposed works to take place.

5. To approve the forecast expenditure budgets set out in exempt Appendix 7a, to the end of financial year 2023/24 (£14.85m), 2024/5 (£13.19m) and Town Deal project spend in 2025/26 (£8.62m), totalling £54.17m (from the current approval of £44.2m) and to note the increased whole life cumulative expenditure estimate of £ 83.69m at present values to March 2041.

The £54.17m forecast expenditure referred to above includes:

a)         The increase in the commitment to provide match funding for the Towns Fund project from £16.4m approved in December 2022 by an additional £2.8m to £19.2m.

b)         The capital costs in relation to the Phase 1 works (Eastern Gateway and Area A / Airport East) and shown in Appendix 7d to the Executive report.

c)         The initial capital spend profile in relation to key enabling items in respect of Phase 2 (Silicon Sands) including the proposed development of a Tech Demonstrator its project methodology and proposed funding model.

d)         Expenditure of up to £200,000 to prepare a planning application and undertake due diligence for the development of a solar farm at Blackpool Airport.

6. To delegate to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council the direct contract award to the preferred contractor for the road infrastructure following the period of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) (as set out in detail in exempt Appendix 7e to the Executive report).

7. To approve the delegation hierarchy and thresholds, to authorise expenditure on individual schemes and property acquisitions within the Enterprise Zone and inter-related airport holdings of Blackpool Airport Properties Ltd (BAPL) as set out in exempt Appendix 7g to the Executive report.

8. To authorise the Head of Legal Services to enter into the NEC4 construction contract for the construction or Eastern Gateway, Common Edge Road and Airport East Access highways once approved by the Chief Executive under decision 6.

9.To note the ongoing review of the Airport business strategy and masterplan and its role in determining the nature and timing of new operational infrastructure provision and that a further report will be presented to the Executive in 2024 to identify Enterprise Zone investment in airport infrastructure spend which is not included  ...  view the full decision text for item 7.

To provide an update on progress with the delivery of the Town Deal Programme.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the progress with Blackpool’s Town Deal Programme.

To  provide an update on the Town Centre Access Scheme (TCAS) which was originally submitted as a Levelling Up Round 2 Bid in July 2022, authorised by the Executive in April 2022 (EX19/2022), its eventual approval in November 2023 and seeks authorisation for the proposed way forward.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.      To note the grant funding award of £15,385,023m for the scheme under the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) grant award and to delegate approval of expenditure to the Director of Community and Environmental Services

2.      To delegate to the Director of Community and Environmental Services any amendments that arise out of the validation exercise required by DHLUC (the Department of Levelling Up, Homes and Communities) (or any other Government Department eg Department of Transport), and any detailed amendments required to the scheme,  and to agree the legal structure and contracts to take forward the scheme after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Levelling Up Place and the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods

3.      To authorise the Head of Legal Services to enter into such contracts as are necessary to deliver the scheme.

This report and Appendices are currently exempt from publication by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is considered on balance that the public interest would not be served by publishing information at this stage as this information would undermine the Council’s position in future negotiations and could risk the scheme not being able to proceed.