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; 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.

None

The Executive resolved as follows:

1. To consider all information received since the meeting of the Executive on 9^th February 2015 including the Final Settlement Funding Assessment which was announced on 3^rd February 2015 and to confirm the Executive’s recommendation to Council regarding the Revenue Budget 2015/2016.

2. To recommend to Council approval of an unchanged level of Council Tax for the year 2015/2016 of £1,306 at valuation band D equivalent.

3. To recommend to Council the revised level of net expenditure for the General Fund Revenue Budget 2015/2016 of £128,073,000.

4. To note that the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority met on 16^th February 2015 and set their precept for the financial year 2015/2016 at £64.86 for a band D equivalent an increase of 1.9%.

5. To note that the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire’s precept for the year 2015/16 was set at £159.06 for a valuation band D equivalent  on the 16th February 2015 equivalent an increase of 1.99%.

The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend to the Council that:

1. That a rent freeze is implemented in 2015/2016.

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

3. That de-pooled services (as detailed in Appendix C) and that other service charges (as detailed in Appendix D and E) are charged as recommended.

4. That the Leaseholder Management Charge is amended in line with the cost of managing the service.

The Executive resolved as follows:

To recommend the Council to:

Endorse the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

Sign up to the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

1.      To authorise entry into a grant funding agreement with the Homes and Communities Agency in the amount of £1,950,000 in relation to the Affordable Homes Programme 2015/2018.

2.      To authorise the conversion of 70 existing properties to affordable rents to contribute to the funding of Queens Park Phase 2, in accordance with the Homes and Communities Agency grant funding agreement.

3.      To authorise variation of the Queens Park redevelopment proposals and agreements to account for the replacement of open market sale properties with affordable rent properties.

4.      To authorise the Director of Place, subject to a published officer decision, to enter into a Design and Build contract with Lovell Partnerships Ltd for the construction of a second phase of affordable rent homes (for completion by 31 March 2018), subject to the financial parameters outlined in the report.

5.      To authorise commencement of design works, consultation and the implementation of a scheme of improvement to Layton Recreation Ground, and to delegate agreement of the final detail to the Director of Place. 

6.      To authorise the Director of Place, subject to a published officer decision, to negotiate and enter into further grant funding agreements with the Homes and Communities Agency to support delivery of additional units within the Queens Park development.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

1.      To agree to engage Microform Imaging Ltd to provide a Registration imaging solution, as they are the only supplier who provide this service. Microform Imaging Ltd’s Registration Entry Gateway (REG) is software designed specifically for register offices for instant retrieval of family registers. The service incorporates the whole process from digital preservation of registers to ensuring compatibility with the REG software and installation for use on the Council’s IT system.

2.      To agree Prudential Borrowing in the sum of £83,000 for the purchase of the system, with the repayments made on the basis set out in the report (staff savings and increased income).

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve the strategy document