Agenda and minutes

The Leader welcomed everyone to the first Cabinet meeting of the new Council and stated he was looking forward to working with those attending and the Chief Executive and Officers.

The Leader stated he would also like to wish Bethan Jones, the Corporate Director, Business Transformation and Regeneration best wishes as this was her final Cabinet meeting and wished her good luck in her new position in Anglesey.

The Leader also wished to extend his official congratulations to the Denbighshire Schools for their performance in the National Urdd Eisteddfod.

None received.

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests in any business identified to be considered at this meeting. 

None received.

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.  

None.

To receive the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 24^th April, 2012  [copy enclosed]. 

Matters arising:-

Councillor Bobby Feeley commented on page 5, second bullet point should read “getting closer to the community” and not “getting closure ……”

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th April, 2012 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

To consider a report by Councillor H.H. Evans, Leader of the Council (copy enclosed), to provide information regarding the key areas of performance for the Council and, to enable Cabinet to carry out its performance management function.

Councillor Barbara Smith, presented the report which provided information regarding the key areas of performance for the Council, to enable Cabinet to carry out its performance management function. 

Paragraph 2.1, percentage of all pupils who leave compulsory education, training or work-based learning without an approved external qualification has reduced to 0.8% which equates to 11 pupils.

Councillor Eryl Williams, clarified to the Committee that the indicator would improve due to the hard work being done in changing some children’s attitude to education. The numbers are expected to decrease even further this summer.

Paragraph 2.2, percentage of adult protection referrals completed where the risk has been managed, this indicator will be discussed at the Service Challenge.

Paragraph 2.3, of the two people who were reported to be in unsuitable accommodation, one was pregnant and the second would not co-operate. 

Head of Adult & Business Services (H:ABS), had been in correspondence with high performing local authorities to discuss similar issues.

Regarding paragraphs 12.1 and 12.2 there have been issues with PARIS regarding data cleansing.  This had now commenced, and an update would be available during the next service challenge.  Four local authorities in Wales access the PARIS system – Denbighshire, Conwy, Flintshire and Swansea.  Work was currently taking place for a national system to be used.

Councillor Eryl Williams raised the issue of school key stage 1 and 3.  Councillor Williams expressed concern as Estyn did not consider key stage 3 to be important.  Another concern was whether key stage 2 children were assessed at the end of primary school and beginning of junior school.

Councillor Williams and Karen Evans visited Tower Hamlets last week. Both Denbighshire and Tower Hamlets have deprived and affluent areas within their areas but Tower Hamlets did not include key stage 3 in their figures at all.  Tower Hamlets felt key stage 2 and 4 show exactly what standard children had reached and key stage 4 was classed as the most important.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, welcomed the report.  Approximately £15million had been spent on roads throughout the County and the residents survey responses received were not responsive of this fact.  The perception of the general public needs to be investigated.  Councillor Thompson-Hill expressed concern regarding the measuring of indicators on the priorities.

Corporate Improvement Team Manager (CITM) responded by explaining the following:-

(a)               Performance Measures measure the Council’s performance.

(b)               Indicators give an indication of whether what Denbighshire was doing had an impact.

Councillor Williams commented that it was essential the lists of outstanding highway work were robust and accurate.

The Chief Executive (CE) stated this was the last report on the current Corporate Plan.  There was a need to review Performance Indicators and also an opportunity to review priorities and how these would be measured.

He referred to:-

(a)               The two young people in custody have been mentioned previously in reports due to the Court recommending their accommodation was unsuitable.

(b)               Regarding the roads, investment in improving roads was taking place but Denbighshire had been unable to demonstrate the improvements to members of the public and this needed to be rectified.

The Head of Business Planning and Performance (HBPP) informed Cabinet that a new corporate plan was being developed with new priorities and indicators.  Members would be involved in the process.   

The Corporate Performance Report would be presented to the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting on 28^th June 2012.

RESOLVED that subject to the above, Cabinet receive and approve the report.

To consider a report by Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance and Assets (copy enclosed) regarding the final revenue outturn position for 2011/12 and recommend the position to Full Council.  Also to recommend to Council the treatment of reserves and balances as detailed in the report.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, presented the report for Cabinet to consider:-

(a)               the final revenue outturn position for 2011/12 and recommend the position to Full Council. 

(b)               recommend to Full Council the treatment of reserves and balances as detailed in the report.

Councillor Thompson-Hill stated that this report was also being presented to Full Council on 10^th July 2012.  The annual statement of accounts were to be submitted to external auditors at the end of the month.

Councillor Thompson-Hill gave a resume of the report.

Councillor David Smith said that Appendix 3 gave cause for concern.  There was a lot of movement which meant schools would be using their reserves.  If this trend continued, schools would face financial difficulties.

The Corporate Director, Customers, (CD:C) stated that the trend was improving. Previously there were various schools in severe financial difficulties but Finance Managers were now delegated to school clusters to assist schools.  These interventions were to prevent schools falling into deficit.

Councillor Eryl Williams, stated schools had the responsibility for their own budgets and Denbighshire could not stipulate how their budgets were spent.

Councillor Bobby Feeley, raised the issue of the possibility of the Council buying out its PFI agreement.  Councillor Thompson-Hill confirmed there had been talks but the Welsh Government were not willing to assist Denbighshire at this time.

The Head of Finance and Assets (H:FA) clarified the Welsh Government would need to provide Denbighshire with funds but they were not prepared to do that.

Councillor Huw Ll Jones, clarified the issue of overspend at Rhyl Pavilion Theatre.  He advised that the team who worked with Llangollen Pavilion were now working with Rhyl Pavilion but unfortunately within the first week of working, the Council were required to return a £94k grant. There have been movement of staff including the administrator leaving and the early retirement of the Theatre Manager.  The Head of Leisure, Libraries and Community Development was planning on making savings of £50k this year.

Councillor Gwyneth Kensler raised the issue of telephone lines.  In order to make efficiency savings, some officers now shared phone numbers.  It was the responsibility of the officers to change their telephone number on the intranet but the numbers were not always correct.  She stated It was important the numbers were correct.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)   Cabinet agrees to recommend the final revenue outturn position for 2011/2012 to full Council

(b)   Cabinet agree to recommend to Council the treatment of reserves and balances as detailed in the report.

To consider a report by Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance and Assets (copy enclosed) for Members to note the budgets and savings targets for the year and progress against the agreed budget strategy.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, presented the report for Cabinet to note the budgets and savings targets for the year and the progress against the agreed budget strategy.

Councillor Thompson-Hill reported this was the first report for 2012/13 financial year.  At this stage there were no deviations from the agreed budget strategy 2012/13 as defined in the Medium Term Financial Plan, the Capital Plan and Housing Stock Business Plan.

Councillor Thompson-Hill gave a brief resume of the report.

Councillor Bobby Feeley, raised the Genesis issue.  She reported that the scheme was sponsored by the Welsh Government for women with young families and that a shortfall in funding was having to be covered by the underspend in Children’s Services.

The Corporate Director of Demographics, Wellbeing and Planning (CD:DWP), stated that efforts had been made to address funding issues.  The Welsh Government were sponsors for the scheme and needed to make sure that this situation did not occur again prior to end of scheme in 2013.

The Leader questioned the total borrowing figure of £135million and whether this had decreased.

The Head of Finance and Assets (H:FA) confirmed the figure was static.

RESOLVED that Cabinet note the budgets and savings targets for the year and the progress made against the agreed budget strategy.

To receive the enclosed Cabinet Forward Work Programme and note the contents. 

Councillor H.H. Evans, presented the Cabinet Forward Work Programme for consideration.

Regarding the Mental Health measure, Councillor Bobby Feeley, stated neither she nor the Corporate Director of Demographic, Wellbeing and Planning (CD:DWP), would be able to attend the Cabinet meeting in July and, therefore, a representative would need to lead on the report in their place.

RESOLVED that Cabinet receive the Forward Work Programme. 

At this juncture (11.35am) the meeting was adjourned for a comfort break.

The meeting reconvened at 11.45am

PART II

It was resolved that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

To consider a confidential report by Councillor Bobby Feeley, Lead Member for Social Care and Children’s Services (copy enclosed), on the recommendation to award a 24 month contract (with the option to extend for a further one or two years).

Councillor Bobby Feeley, presented the ABBA Floating Support Project Contract Award report for the Cabinet to approve the recommendation to award a 24 month contract (with the option to extend for a further one or two years) to Cymryd Rhan.

RESOLVED that Cabinet award a 24 month contract (with the option to extend for a further one or two years) to Cymryd Rhan.

To consider a confidential report by Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance and Assets (copy enclosed), for approval of the acquisition of Title by use of a Compulsory Purchase Order for land at the rear of 21-37 West Parade and adjacent to Crescent Road Car Park, Rhyl.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill presented the report for approval of the acquisition of Title by use of a Compulsory Purchase Order for land at the rear of 21-37 West Parade and adjacent to Crescent Road Car Park, Rhyl.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve the use of Compulsory Purchase powers for the acquisition of the freehold interest of adopted highway and other land as identified on the Plan at Appendix A as Plots 2, 3 and 4 used as highway and access land to the rear of 21-37 West Parade and surrounding Crescent Road Car Park pursuant to Section 226(1)(b) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The meeting concluded at 11.50am.