CITY BOARD 9 July 2001

(6pm – 8.57pm)

PRESENT: Councillor Howarth (Chair), Councillors Bagnall, Bradnack, Durrant, Harrison, Knowles, Nimmo-Smith, Reed, C.Rosenstiel, Slatter, Smart and Stuart.

FOR ADOPTION BY THE COUNCIL

01/A/30 PROVISIONAL OUTTURN FOR 2000/01 AND BUDGET CARRY FORWARD REQUESTS INTO 2001/02

Further to 01/A/22 (City Board, 3 April), the report detailed the latest position on budget carry forward requests which are appended to these minutes (appendix A).

Councillor Bagnall referred to a discussion at Housing & Health Committee where she had requested the periods of staff vacancies reflected in the budget underspends for all committees should be fed into a report to be considered by Environment Committee on the problems of staff recruitment and retention experienced by organisations in the city. The Chair agreed and that this should be a matter to be considered corporately.

The Board noted that approval to carry forward budgets will not increase the net budget requirement for 2001/02, which had been taken into account in the Medium Term Forecast (see 01/A/32).

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

To approve the carry forwards detailed in Appendix A, subject to final outturn.

01/A/31 E GOVERNMENT STRATEGY

The Board considered a report which had been approved by the E-Government Working Party at its meeting on 10 May. The report highlighted the immediate priorities for the Council: website re-design and network & infrastructure improvements. The Board agreed that expenditure from the Technology Investment Fund (£155,000) and Network Replacement Repairs and Renewals Fund be delegated to the Directors of Central Services and Finance, subject to consultation with Chairs and spokes of City Board and the Working Party. As the items of expenditure are not yet known, and may be above the approved limits permissible by City Board , Council is required to approve the delegation. Accordingly,

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

To delegate to the Directors of Central Services and Finance, after consultation with the Chairs and spokes of City Board and the E-Government Working Party, authority to approve expenditure from the Technology Investment Fund and Network Replacement Repairs and Renewals Fund for items related to the immediate priorities.

01/A/32 MEDIUM TERM FORECAST

The Board considered a report of the Director of Finance which set out the overall financial position of the Council and prospects for the 2002/2003 budget process.

Councillor Bagnall welcomed the extra funding proposed for social housing (10.5 of the report) and requested that any underspend on priority renovation grants be re-directed to registered social landlords for additional housing in the form of social housing grants. The Director of Finance advised the Board that this would be a matter for Housing & Health Committee to consider should the circumstances arise.

Councillor Nimmo-Smith stated that the proposals for additional resources to meet the social housing and renovation grant commitments in 2001/02 illustrated the importance the Liberal Democrat administration attached to local housing. It was also noted that there would be further investment potential from the s106 agreements agreed during the development control process.

The Chair proposed an amendment to the recommendations which had been drafted by the Director of Finance:

Replace 2.7 (which appears as 6 below) with ‘To approve the new bids received from spending committees in the current cycle but that the £40,000 funding requested for English Churches Housing Group be made available as a revenue grant through the Rough Sleepers Programme in place of a renovation grant. Paragraph 10.3 refers.’

The Board was advised that the reason for this amendment was that clarification of the application from English Churches had identified that funding would be used for staffing and that therefore a capital grant was not appropriate. However, the overall financial effect was neutral.

The amendment was agreed.

In response to a question from Councillor Bradnack, the Director of Finance confirmed that the some items in the Capital Plan commentary on page 132 had not been updated and all items listed had been approved at previous committees.

Councillor Bagnall stated that excluding contractual and agreement obligations in calculating committee cash limits (12.14-12.19 of the report) would have to be re-visited at some point where ‘contractors’ were internal, now that compulsory competitive tendering was no longer applicable. The Director of Finance stated that the recommended approach for 2002/03 would be looked at again for 2003/04 as would how the Council-wide relationship with City Services is to be moved-on and developed in the light of changes to the client-contractor arrangements.

Councillor Bagnall proposed an amendment to recommendation 2.3 (appears as 4 below) ‘to provide an application form so that the voluntary sector and other statutory authorities can bid into the Priority Policy Fund’.

The amendment was lost by 4 votes to 7.

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

1) To agree the budget strategy and process for the 2002/2003 budget cycle as outlined in section 12 [paragraphs 12.1 to 12.23 refer] and Appendix N of the MTF document.

2) That the net General Fund budget (after use of reserves) be limited to £14,856,740 at this stage [paragraph 12.21 refers].

3) That the adjusted gross expenditure, for the purpose of calculating committee cash limits, should exclude contractual / agreement obligations; as identified in paragraphs 12.14 to 12.20.

4) To agree the revised General Fund revenue and reserves projections as shown in Appendix F, and the associated decisions in section 7, of the MTF document. Specifically:-

Priority Policy Fund

To agree to funding of £500,000 per annum commencing in 2002/2003.

(Paragraphs 7.31 to 7.32 refer)

New Committee Bids

To approve the new bid relating to IT Disaster Recovery, totaling £30,000 in 2001/2002 and then £30,000 in subsequent years.

(Paragraphs 7.38 to 7.39 refer).

5) To agree the revised Capital Plan as shown in Appendix K [paragraphs 11.10 to 11.12 also refer], and the funding as shown in Appendix J [paragraphs 11.6 to 11.9 also refer] of the MTF document.

6) To approve the new bids received from spending committees in the current cycle as set out in paragraph 10.3, but that the £40,000 funding requested for English Churches Housing Group be made available as a revenue grant through the Rough Sleepers Programme in place of a renovation grant.

7) To approve the changes to the Counterparty List [paragraph 5.8 and Appendix C refer].

01/A/33 ENFORCEMENT POLICY

The Board received a report which recommended that the Council adopt a corporate enforcement policy. Councillor Reed requested that the officers ensure that consideration is given to the Human Rights Act when implementing this Policy. The report recommends that the Council delegate to officers the issuing of formal cautions under this policy. Accordingly,

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

To authorise Directors and Heads of Service to issue formal cautions in enforcement areas for which they have delegated authority to act on behalf of the Council.

01/A/34 LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2000: PROPOSALS FOR EXECUTIVE ARRANGEMENTS

The Council had been required by law to submit to the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions its proposals for executive arrangements by 30 June. The attached report (appendix B) had been approved by the Periodic Electoral Review Sub-Committee at its meeting on 11 June and sent to the DTLR, but noting that both City Board and Council needed to ratify the proposals.

Councillor C Rosenstiel highlighted concern that under Area Committees, Joint Committees etc (paragraph 6.2 refers) current Government guidance implied that only Executive members of the City Council could be members of the Environment and Transport Area Joint Committee. The Board noted that the Head of Legal & Democratic Services was looking into the matter further and representations would be made to DTLR if appropriate.

The Chair stated that the executive arrangements would be developed to be as open and participative as possible between the Executive, backbench members and the public, with discussion taking place about decisions before being implemented.

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

That the executive arrangements set out in appendix B be agreed.

01/A/35 ALL POSTAL BALLOTS

The Board considered a reference up from Councillor Bradnack on the attached report (appendix C) which had been considered at Property & Administration Sub-Committee at its meeting on 26 June.

Members of the Labour Group disagreed with the Sub-Committee’s resolution that a pilot all-postal ballot should not be pursued at this time as they felt that this could increase the number of votes cast. Councillor Rosenstiel stated that the Liberal Democrat Group had reservations about denying citizens the option to vote in person at a polling station in secret. He also stated that there were concerns about the use of postal ballots during the General Election in certain parts of the country which were currently being investigated and it would be appropriate for the Council to await any findings.

The resolution of Property & Administration Sub-Committee was endorsed by the Board by 8 votes to 4.

Councillor Bagnall referred the matter to Council for decision at its meeting on 19 July. Accordingly,

Council is recommended (by 8 votes to 4)

That the Council does not proceed with an application to the Home Office to pilot all-postal ballots at this time.

01/A/36 CAMBRIDGE ENVIRONMENT & TRANSPORT AREA JOINT COMMITTEE

Under Urgency Action taken on 26 June, the Council’s representation on the Area Joint was increased by one, this was in response to a decision by the County Council to increase its representation by one. Councillor Smart had been appointed, with Councillor Ward the Alternate (making the split 4 Liberal Democrats 2 Labour). The Urgency Action was taken so that the new membership could be in place for a meeting on 2 July on the understanding that it would be ratified by Council. Accordingly

Council is recommended (with no votes against)

That the City Council’s representation on the Area Joint Committee be increased to six and that Councillor Smart be appointed, with Councillor Ward as the Alternate.

CITY BOARD 9 July 2001

(6pm – 8.57pm)

PRESENT: Councillor Howarth (Chair), Councillors Bagnall, Bradnack, Durrant, Harrison, Knowles, Nimmo-Smith, Reed, C.Rosenstiel, Slatter, Smart and Stuart. (Councillor J Rosentiel attended for 01/a/52&57)

FOR INFORMATION OF THE COUNCIL

01/a/37 MINUTES

The minutes of the meetings held on 8 and 17 May were confirmed as correct records and signed by the Chair.

01/a/38 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

There were none.

01/a/39 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

The following Code of Conduct (non-pecuniary) interests were declared:

01/a/45 Councillor C Rosenstiel who knew the owner of the property and left the room during consideration of this item.

01/A/32 Councillor Durrant who undertook voluntary work for a homeless charity (not the recipient organisation, English Churches). 01/a/62 an agency which he is associated with has previously worked with the Employment Foundation Service.

01/a/56 Councillor Knowles as a member of the Primary Care Group which is a partner in the Community Safety Partnership.

01/a/40 CITY SERVICES’ BUSINESS REPORTS YEAR END 2000/01

The Board welcomed the report which detailed that City Services had achieved a higher than anticipated surplus, primarily due to additional work in PVCU manufacture and planned building maintenance. It was also noted that the Services’ Best Value Performance Indicator targets were achieved or exceeded.

Resolved

To note the financial and operational performance for 2000/01.

01/a/41 E GOVERNMENT STRATEGY

Action by: Director of Central Services

The Chair stated that it would be important for the Council to maintain its practice of adopting standard solutions toward its IT development rather than adopt bespoke systems.

Councillor Durrant suggested that consideration be given to providing advertising space when officers look at revising the website.

The Chair requested that the Board amend the recommendations to include consulting Vice Chairs and ‘vice spokes’ which was agreed.

Resolved

1) To delegate finalising the text of the Council’s Implementing E-Government Statement to the Director of Central Services, after consultation with the Chairs, spokes, vice chairs and ‘vice spokes’ of both City Board and the Working Party.

2) To approve spending £3,000 from the Technology Investment Fund to cover the costs of consultation on e-government as this cannot be met from the corporate consultation budget.

Action by: Director of Central Services

01/a/42 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DISASTER RECOVERY

When the Council entered into the new IT contract with ITNET which started in December 2000, one of the tasks the contract provided for ITNET to carry out was a review of the Council's disaster recovery arrangements for its IT equipment and systems.

The Board noted that ITNET was still carrying out this review, but was likely to recommend to the Council that a project to commission better disaster recovery arrangements from third parties be put in place. This will have an additional annual revenue cost to the Council of up to £30,000 in a full year, which is not in the budget currently. This is included as a future commitment in the Medium Term Forecast.

Resolved

To agree to fund any costs incurred in 2001/2 from reserves, and to delegate authority to agree the actual amount to the Directors of Central Services and Finance after consultation with Chair and spokes once the ITNET report is received.

Action by: Director of Central Services/Director of Finance

01/a/43 MANDELA HOUSE RE-ROOFING

Councillor Durrant proposed an amendment that the recommendation be approved subject to the Office Accommodation Working Party’s consideration of the future use of Mandela House for Council purposes. The amendment was lost by 4 votes to 8. It was noted that the Director of Finance had included the expenditure in the Capital Plan as part of the Medium Term Forecast.

Resolved (by 9 votes to 0)

That £41,884.70 be approved from Administrative Buildings Repairs and Renewals Fund for renewing the flat roof covering the Revenues Office at Mandela House.

Action by: Head of Property & Building Services

01/a/44 PURCHASE OF CITY SERVICES’ VEHICLE

The Board noted that the expenditure had been included in the Capital Plan as part of the Medium Term Forecast.

Resolved (with no votes against)

That £48,000 be approved from City Services’ Repairs and Renewal Fund for the purchase of a link tip demountable body vehicle.

Action by: Director of City Services

01/a/45 COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER

The Board noted that the expenditure had been included in the Capital Plan as part of the Medium Term Forecast.

Resolved (with no votes against)

To approve the use of £200,000 from General Fund Reserves to fund the CPO.

Action by: Director of Finance

01/a/46 ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Board noted that the Plan had to be submitted to Government Office East by 31 July.

Resolved (with no votes against)

To approve the approach to the Asset Management Plan as drafted and to delegate final approval to the Director of Finance and Head of Property & Building Services after consultation with Chair and spokes if there are substantial differences from the draft.

Action by: Director of Finance and Head of Property & Building Services

01/a/47 PROPERTY PERFORMANCE REPORT

The Board noted that there was a requirement by Government to report to a committee on the Council’s property performance on an annual basis. In response to a question from Councillor Stuart, the Head of Property and Building Services stated that the capital asset values of the Council’s property portfolio were up to date, with 20% per year being revalued and larger holdings being revalued annually.

Resolved

To receive the report.

01/a/48 MEDIUM TERM FORECAST

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) To authorise the Director of Finance to calculate final cash limits for committees based on the decisions taken in the report and on the method shown in appendix O.

2) To express to Housing & Health Committee support for the HRA budget process and strategy as outlined in section 12 and appendix H of the report.

Action by: Director of Finance

01/a/49 FUTURE OF CAMBRIDGE CITY ARCHITECTS

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) That the Council continue for the time being to have a core in-house architectural team of two staff, supplemented by temporary staff as necessary.

2) That the prospective workload for the team is kept under close review and, if a much more significant downturn than is currently likely happens, then the option described in paragraph 7.3 (reduction to one member of staff, to fill the combined expert client/jobbing architect role, and procure other architectural services by establishing a small select list) should be implemented.

Action by: Director of Central Services

01/a/50 ENFORCEMENT POLICY

Action by: Head of Environmental Health & Waste Strategy

01/a/51 CITY LOTTERY FUND APPLICATION - ARTWORKS

Resolved (with no votes against)

To support the application for partnership funding, subject to Artworks making a successful application to the Regional Arts Lottery Programme.

Action by: Head of Strategy & Partnerships

01/a/52 GRANTS TO VOLUNTARY AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS: STRATEGY & PRACTICE 2002/03

With the permission of the Chair, and in her capacity as Chair of Community Development & Leisure Committee, Councillor J Rosenstiel attended for this item.

Councillor Bradnack referred to 4.3.5 of the report “the Council will provide resources for organisations which act as development agencies for the voluntary sector” and stated that there was a view amongst voluntary groups that there was no “firewall” between the development agencies and those being developed. He queried whether there was adequate access for all groups to the services provided by the agencies.

Councillor J Rosenstiel stated that it was the responsibility of the member organisations to engage with the development agencies (ie. CCVS, Ethnic Community Forum and GET Group) and to resolve any issues of access to services. Councillor Knowles stated that these issues were also being debated at the local Compacts, the first of which had been held on 2 July.

Councillor Reed stated that the proposals did not go far enough in ensuring that there was a proper assessment that the grants made by the Council were value for money, particularly relating to leisure grants. She suggested that further feedback from users (Leisurecard holders were an obvious group to contact) to ensure Cambridge citizens were benefiting. The Chair stated that some form of further monitoring could be looked at by the officers, although the Council did not want to over-burden the grant-aided sector with excessive inspection or paperwork.

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) To agree the corporate statement of this Council’s commitment to the voluntary sector (4.2) and the principles for establishing funding strategies (4.3) in the light of comments made by the Council’s other service committees (4.5).

1) To agree this Committee’s criteria and funding proposals for the allocation of Safer City grants for the rest of this financial year (Section 5)

2) That City Board review the future of Safer City Grants in the light of recommendations from the Best Value Fundamental Review of Community Safety, and the new Community Safety Strategy for the City in March 2002.

Action by: Head of Strategy & Partnerships/Director of Community Services

01/a/53 SAFER CITY GRANTS

In addition to the recommendations in the report, the Chair stated that officers and the Community Safety Partnership should look to develop schemes which address the hostility that has existed during the summer between foreign language students and local young people.

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) To approve the allocation of capital grant in the sum of £10,000 for a database to enable data on anti-social behaviour to be effectively recorded and analysed.

2) To approve the allocation of revenue grant in the sum of £10,000 for an anti-social behaviour fund for positive interventions/diversionary activities and other preventative work.

3) That the Director of Community Services be authorised to allocate this fund on the advice of the Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy Group.

Action by: Head of Strategy & Partnerships

01/a/54 EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORT ON BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE PLAN – MARCH 2001

Resolved (with no votes against)

That the Chief Executive be authorized to reply to the external auditor’s report on the Council’s approach to Best Value and the Best Value Performance Plan in accordance with paragraph 3.5 and appendix B of the report.

Action by: Head of Strategy & Partnerships

01/a/55 CORPORATE CONSULTATION PLAN

The Board agreed that the tender option B should be accepted.

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) To tender a new Consultation Framework Contract, as described in paragraph 10.1 of the report and in accordance with Standing Orders, which includes management of the Council’s Citizens’ Panel. The contract to commence in April 2002 and run for a period of 2 years with an option for the Council to extend it for a further year.

2) To tender a new Citizens’ Survey contract, as described in paragraph 10.4 of the report and in accordance with Standing Orders, to include Citizens’ Surveys in September 2002 and September 2004 a general BVPI survey in September 2003.

Action by: Head of Strategy & Partnerships

01/a/56 DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR STRATEGY FOR CAMBRIDGE

The Board commended the officers who has contributed toward the production of the draft Strategy.

Resolved (with no votes against)

1) To approve the Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy as part of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy at the April 2002 meeting of City Board.

2) To endorse the approach taken in the draft Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy for responding to incidents of anti-social behaviour in Cambridge and note the progress made.

Action by: Director of Community Services/Head of Strategy & Partnerships

01/a/57 BEST VALUE REVIEW OF ARTS SERVICES

Councillor Reed explained to the Board why the amendment put at Community Development & Leisure Committee (see 01/d/40 28 June 2001) had been referred up. The Chair stated that the officers would consider the proposal during the Best Value Review of Community Development as he thought it would be appropriate to do so at that time. The amendment was lost by 4 votes to 8.

Action by: Director of Community Services

01/a/58 APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE BODIES

The Board agreed the following appointments:

Cambridge Airport Consultative Committee – Cllr Ellis-Miller (by 7 votes to 0)

Nuclear Free Local Authorities – Cllr Slatter (by 7 votes to 4 for Cllr Overhill)

East of England Local Govt. Conference Regional Employers’ Services – Cllr Smart

The Board noted the Urgency Action taken on 26 June to nominate Cllrs Slatter and Bagnall to the LGA Urban Commission.

01/a/59 URGENCY ACTION

Tyre Contract (26 June 2001 by Director of City Services)

Cambridge Environment & Transport Area Joint Committee (26 June 2001 by Chief Executive) – see also 01/A/36

01/a/60 EXCLUSION OF PRESS & PUBLIC

The Board resolved to exclude members of the public from the meeting on the grounds that, if they were present, there would be disclosure to them of information defined as exempt from publication by paragraphs 9 and 12 of Part 1, Sch 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

01/a/61 GRAND ARCADE – VIABILITY/FINANCIAL ISSUES

Councillor Durrant proposed that rather than allow the City Centre Development Sub-Committee to consider and respond to proposals from the developer and funder, a special meeting of City Board should be held. This was lost by 1 vote to 8. The Board did request that the report(s) to be considered at that meeting be made available and City Board members be invited to attend and speak at that meeting.

Resolved (with no votes against)

To agree that the City Centre Development Sub-Committee consider and respond to the latest proposals from the scheme developer and funder at a meeting to be arranged later in July, with City Board members being advised of the date and copied the agenda.

01/a/62 EMPLOYMENT FOUNDATION SERVICE –ACCOMMODATION REVIEW

The Board noted the additional financial information which had been circulated by e-mail with a copy tabled.

It was agreed that the vacated units at the Mill Road Depot (following the EFS move to Cherry Hinton Hall) must be let to an external user(s), which both the Director of City Services and Head of Property & Building Services had indicated would be achievable. It was also agreed that ward councillors would be consulted about prospective users of the vacated units, before any formal consultation, which would take place as part of the planning application process (assuming that a planning application was required).

Action by: Directors of Environment & Planning and City Services

Councillor Durrant suggested that the running costs detailed in the additional information did not take account of the opportunity cost of not renting the Cottage commercially, which gave an incomplete picture and should be taken into account for any future viability assessment of the site. The Board asked that in future the opportunity cost of the Cottage be properly reflected in the accounts of EFS.

Action by: Director of Environment & Planning

The Board noted that officers would monitor the effect of the move on EFS users in terms of getting to the site and report to Community Development & Leisure Committee any adverse trend.

Resolved (with no votes against)

To approve the acceptance of an early surrender of the Eastern Arts lease of Cherry Hinton Hall on terms to be negotiated by the Head of Property & Building services and the Hall’s subsequent occupation by EFS for an initial period of three years certain, thereafter from year to year subject to six months’ notice.

Action by: Head of Property & Building Services, Directors of City Services and Environment & Planning

The meeting ended at 8.57pm

Chair