Decisions

Cabinet considered a draft Social Value policy.

Councillor L Wardlaw, as Chairman of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, reported the Committee’s comments on the report.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    adopts the draft Social Value Policy as outlined at Appendix 1 to the report; and

2.    agrees that all future executive decisions relating to the commissioning and  procurement of goods and services should outline the contribution they will make to the delivery of social value.

Cabinet considered a report on the arrangements and timescale for consultation on the 2021/22 to 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Strategy.

It was noted that the date of the Cabinet meeting referred to in the Appendix should be 1^st December.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the Pre-COVID financial assumptions, contained within the financial implications of the report, that were originally included as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (Council - February 2020) and identified potential financial deficits beyond 2020/21;

2.    notes the approach to consultation; and

3.    approves the timescales for consultation on the 2021/22 to 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Strategy as identified in Appendix 1 to the report.

Cabinet considered a report on proposed consultation to inform the future provision of Household Waste Recycling Centres.

A briefing for all members had been held on the morning of the Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the contents of the report and authorises the Executive Director Place, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Highways and Waste, to take all necessary actions to consult on the future service provision of household waste recycling centres, including the four options outlined in the appended report; and

2.    notes that a further report will be presented to Cabinet to outline the results of the consultation and to seek approval for the preferred model, and also to seek approval to commence procurement for a new contract.

Cabinet considered a draft policy on Crowd Funding.

Councillor J Clowes, as Chairman of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee, spoke in relation to the Committee’s comments as set out in the report.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    approves the draft Crowd Funding Policy as a sub-policy document to the Grant Policy as set out in appendix A to the report; and

2.    delegates authority to the Executive Director People to procure a platform provider to enable the authority to implement a crowd funding solution.

Cabinet considered a report setting out a programme of interventions to support the regeneration of Crewe.

Councillor S Gardiner asked whether a supplementary planning document should be drawn up to revitalise Crewe, based on more residential and less commercial development, which in turn would require less green field release at the next stage of the Local Plan. The Portfolio Holder for Planning undertook to provide a written response.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes that the Council is the Accountable Body for the Crewe Town Board with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration being the Council’s representative on it;

2.    delegates authority to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Director Place and with the approval of the Crewe Town Board, to:

          (a)        submit a Town Investment Plan to Government; and

          (b)        submit a bid for the Towns Fund to Government;

3.    delegates authority to the Executive Director Place, in consultation with the Director of Governance and Compliance, the Director of Finance and Customer Service, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration and the Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communication to:

          (a)        accept a government grant (Towns Fund – Accelerated project funding) and the associated conditions, to support the proposed Ly² project;

          (b)        accept a government grant (Future High Streets Fund), and the associated conditions, to support a range of measures to support the regeneration of Crewe town centre;

          (c)        approve Supplementary Capital Estimates up to the value of the grants accepted under (a) and (b) above, to facilitate expenditure within the associated conditions;

          (d)        approve capital and revenue budgets associated with co-funding delivery of the measures proposed; and

          (e)        take all necessary actions to implement the proposals;

4.    notes that the review has been undertaken for the Crewe hub station scheme taking account of the impact of Covid-19;

5.    approves the proposed revisions to the Crewe hub station scheme;

6.    authorises the Executive Director Place to:

          (a)            commission the detailed design for Crewe Hub Station;

          (b)            agree terms with Network Rail and Avanti West Coast for the release of land necessary to deliver the scheme; and

          (c)            negotiate and agree a funding deal with Government and Avanti West Coast to secure the necessary funding to deliver the Revised Initial Scheme; and

7.    notes that further approvals will be sought from Cabinet to approve a preferred Crewe Hub Station scheme and seek any powers of compulsory purchase required to deliver the preferred scheme.

Cabinet considered a report on the arrangements for public consultation on the Council’s draft Corporate Plan 2020-2024.

In response to a question from Councillor S Gardiner, the Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Corporate Services undertook to discuss with officers a possible extension to the consultation period.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    notes the content of the report, including the timeline and activities to be undertaken as part of a public consultation on the Council’s draft Corporate Plan 2020-2024; and

2.    notes the content of Appendix 1.

Cabinet considered a further update report on the Council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration commented that the Council had been successful in its application for funding under the Government’s Next Steps programme. He also clarified that the funding under the Discretionary Business Grant scheme had come from central government.

In response to a question from Councillor R Fletcher, the Leader clarified that the areas used to report infections were not ward boundaries but middle super output areas. He undertook to provide Councillor Fletcher with a link to a map of the areas.

In response to a question from Councillor S Gardiner, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Communication provided a breakdown of the estimated potential gross financial pressure of £70m referred to in paragraph 7.2.4 of the report. She could provide further details in writing if needed.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet notes the issues outlined in the report.