Decisions

To seek Members approval to proceed with the project and undertake the legal and project management work required in partnership with BGFC and the Football Foundation and to execute the use of Newtown Works S106 funds for the project to match external funding.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which sought authority to proceed with a project to replace the outdated and inadequate football changing facilities at the Swan Centre in South Willesborough and replace them with new, fit for purpose facilities by working with the local community Football Club, Kent County Football Association and the Football Foundation.

The Ward Member for South Willesborough said he had been disappointed with the process followed for this scheme. The original planning application had been left off the weekly lists and the wrong local residents had originally been consulted. There was a lot of concern about the size and scale of the proposed building and the removal of the hedge which screened the existing building from neighbouring properties. Whilst he understood these were planning issues, previous developments in the area had always been through a thorough public consultation and he considered this proposal should be deferred to allow that to happen and avoid the perception of a fait accompli.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the report in front of the Cabinet dealt purely with the project and not planning matters. There would be an opportunity to raise planning concerns through the planning process and when it came to Committee, but for now there was some urgency in obtaining authority to proceed and meet the timetable to secure the significant levels of funding needed from the Football Foundation.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and IT considered that the recommendations should include consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder and the Cabinet agreed.

Resolved:

That    (i)        the Head of Culture be authorised, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance, the Head of Corporate Property and Projects and the Portfolio Holder for Culture, to negotiate and agree terms with the Football Foundation and Bromley Green Football Club and thereafter let a contract in accordance with the Contract Procedure Rules for the provision by the Council of a new pavilion as described in the report, subject to: -

(a)  securing that the cost (including prudent contingency) will be covered by those parties and/or other external grants together with the s.106 contribution allocation referred to in the report,

(b)  planning permission having been applied for and granted, and

(c)  a project risk analysis having been prepared that is satisfactory in her view, in consultation with those Officers/Members.

In the event that any of those matters are not satisfactory, the proposal shall be reported back for decision by Members.

            (ii)       the Head of Culture be authorised, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democracy, the Head of Corporate Property and Projects and the Portfolio Holder for Culture, to negotiate and agree terms with Bromley Green Football Club for a lease for the long-term management of the pavilion and associated pathways and fencing on such terms as she, in consultation with those Officers/Members, considers appropriate.

            (iii)      the Head of Culture be authorised, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democracy, the Head of Corporate Property and Projects and the Portfolio Holder for Culture,  to negotiate and agree terms with the Football Foundation for funding this proposal.

            (iv)      the Head of Legal and Democracy be authorised, in consultation with the Head of Culture, the Head of Corporate Property and Projects and the Portfolio Holder for Culture, to execute and complete all necessary documentation to give effect to the above.

Quarterly budget monitoring report.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which presented the forecast outturn for 2018/19 based on actual information to the end of September 2018. The report covered the performance and forecasts of the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account, with commentary supporting key variances in the body of the report.

Resolved:

That    (i)        the forecast outturn position for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account be noted.

            (ii)       the Capital Monitoring and Treasury Management position be noted.

To ask Cabinet to note the Medium Term Financial Plan ahead of this year’s Budget process.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which presented the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). This was a budget forecast including underlying assumptions and covered a five year period from 2019 to 2024 for the General Fund. The Business Plan for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) would be covered separately in a report to the December Cabinet meeting, along with the Draft Budget for 2019/20. He drew particular attention to the announcement from Government that the HRA cap that controlled Local Authority borrowing for house building had been abolished. This was extremely positive news and opened up particular opportunities for the Council with its successful track record.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Property drew attention to the Government announcement on the creation of a Future High Streets Fund to invest £675m in England. He advised that the Minister for High Streets had personally commented to him that this particular innovation had been inspired by his visit to Ashford and so those involved locally should take credit for that.

Cabinet Members expressed their thanks to the Portfolio Holder and the Officer team for the hard work they put in to ensure a sound financial base for the Council. In a recent study by CIPFA, Ashford Borough Council had been in the top 50 most financially resilient Local Authorities in the country and this was down to the approach that had been undertaken in recent years.

Resolved:

That    (i)        the forecast and underlying assumptions be noted and accepted.

            (ii)       the Inflation Management Strategy be endorsed.

            (iii)      it be noted that this is the final year of the four year settlement.

            (iv)      authority be delegated to the Director of Finance and Economy, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and IT, to agree the Council’s continued participation in the Kent Business Rates pool.

To give Members and residents an overview of how the council is performing with a key performance ‘snapshot’.

The report summarised performance against the Council’s suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Quarter 2 (1st July to 30^th September) 2018/19. Certain Performance Indicators from the previous Council framework had been retained and allowed for historic data comparison, however a number of new Performance Indicators had been agreed upon for which data was only available for the last quarter. A summary of all KPIs was appended to the report.

Resolved:

That the report be received and noted.