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 Monitoring Officer 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 August 2024.  The report also includes an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan 2024/25 – 2026/27

The Executive agreed the recommendation 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 and Growth and Prosperity.

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 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 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 inflationary pressures and demographic demands upon statutory services.

5. To continue to work towards target working balances of £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 recommend to Council approval for the proposals for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) for 2025/26.

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To note the impact of the Scheme to date as set out in paragraphs 6.8 and 6.9 of the Executive report.

2. To recommend Council to agree the Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2025/26 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 2024/25 Scheme agreed by Council on 31 January 2024 and that the main elements and method of calculating awards will be the same and to recommend the introduction of a tolerance level for Council Tax Reduction Scheme customers in receipt of Universal Credit. Where an award of Universal Credit increases or decreases by +/-£65 per month (+/-£15 per week) there is no amendment to the Universal Credit income on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme claim.

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 Ministry of Housing. Communities and Local Government 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 29 January 2025.

To seek approval of the Central Housing Regeneration Area Framework document and update progress in respect to Housing Regeneration activity (following Executive Decision in May (EX16/2024). The Framework document provides an overview of the rationale for the central area being the initial focus of housing regeneration activity and outlines the overarching ambition for transformational change across the area over a 15+ year period.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To agree the Central Housing Regeneration Framework as an approved Council document. The document will form an overarching framework to help guide transformational change in the Central Housing Regeneration Area.

In the light of Nikal, the intended developer of Blackpool Central leisure development going into administration, to seek approval to terminate the Sale Agreement (as defined in clause 3.2) between the parties.

To set out the next steps to continue the delivery of this strategic development with the appointment of commercial leisure marketing agents to commence the remarketing of the site and continue to deliver the aspirations for Blackpool Central.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.     To approve the termination of the Sale Agreement with Nikal Ltd.

2.     To delegate authority to the Head of Legal Services to issue notices to Nikal to terminate the Sale Agreement in accordance with clause 12 of the Sale Agreement.

3.     To delegate authority to the Chief Executive to appoint appropriate professional commercial advisers to promote and market the site to future Investors and Developers.

To provide an assessment of experiences since the implementation of the current Greening Blackpool Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and to obtain authority to consult on a revised Greening Blackpool Supplementary Planning Document.  Subject to the outcome of any consultation, to seek to adopt the revised Greening Blackpool Supplementary Planning Document.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.     To approve the consultation on the Revised Greening Blackpool SPD attached Appendix 6a, to the Executive report.

2.     To delegate the decision to the Director of Communications and Regeneration in consultation with the Leader of the Council to adopt the revised Supplementary Planning Document subject to  incorporation of  any required further amendments that may be required as a result of the consultation.

3.     To seek approval to use a pro-forma unilateral undertaking where the level of financial contributions required in respect of off-site tree planting is less than £3,000and to agree that any decision to amend this limit or expand the scope of the unilateral undertaking to take into account other heads of financial contributions be delegated to the Director of Communications and Regeneration after consultation with the Head of Legal.

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 application not being able to continue.