Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies received at the meeting.

'To receive any declarations of interest. Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest Form attached at the back of this Agenda. If a Member declares an interest, they should complete that form and hand it to the Officer clerking the meeting and then take the prescribed course of action.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the summary of recommendations and decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 20 June 2013, copy attached.

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

Cabinet was concerned that the terms of the tourism grant paid to Rumpy Steak Bars Ltd and Fort Lodge Hotel in 2001 and 2002 were breached and Council has been unable to enforce successful collection of this grant payment. It was noted that changes made to debt recovery procedures had resulted in the EK Services Sundry Debt Recovery Team recently receiving substantial audit assurance.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Johnston seconded and Members agreed to task the legal officer to refer the matter to Kent Police for further investigation.

Significant effort had been made by Council to deliver savings in the period under review. As a result some under-spend had been achieved. The General Fund remained in good shape at £2.177million; which was in line with the recommended level agreed as part of the budgeting process.

Councillor Wells spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  To note the General Fund, HRA and capital outturn position for 2012/13;

2.  To approve the proposed movements to earmarked reserves as outlined in paragraphs (a) and (b) of the report as detailed below:

a)  The under-spend of £2.1m has enabled a number of movements to and from earmarked reserves to be proposed as per the table overleaf.

b)  In accordance with statutory requirements, the Council has to make a depreciation charge within the HRA to reflect the use of the HRA assets over their useful lives. Within the old Housing Subsidy System the Council received a Major Repairs Allowance which was considered to be an appropriate measure of depreciation for the HRA assets.

Now that the Housing Subsidy System has come to an end there is no longer an actual Major Repairs Allowance paid to the Council, however, for the next five years the Council is allowed to continue to use the Major Repairs Allowance figure, as detailed in the HRA self-financing settlement, as a proxy for depreciation. As part of the final accounts an actual depreciation charge has been calculated on the HRA assets.

The difference of £1.17m between the actual charge and the Major Repairs Allowance settlement figure has been transferred to the Major Repairs Reserve in accordance with accounting guidance and will be used to support the maintenance and capital works to the existing housing stock.

The Council was required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003 to produce an annual treasury management review of activities together with the actual prudential and treasury indicators for 2012/13. Consideration of this report by Cabinet ensured that Council met the requirements of both the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management (the Code) and the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities (the Prudential Code).

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  To approve the actual 2012/13 prudential and treasury indicators in this report;

2.  To approve the annual treasury management report for 2012/13;

3.  To recommend this report to Council.

The Budget Monitoring Report informed Cabinet about the up to date budget monitoring position in relation to the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and capital programme for 2013/14. Budget gaps had been addressed during the period under review. The capital programme was currently being reviewed.

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  To note the projected outturn position for 2013/14 for the General Fund;

2.  That Cabinet notes the current Housing Revenue Account position;

3.  To note the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account Capital Programmes;

4.  That £100k be drawn down from the Major Repairs Reserve to fund capital works to 3 listed buildings within the HRA;

5.  That £100k be utilised from reserves to fund the purchase of a Buy Back Scheme, to be administered as per annex 4of the report;

6.  To recommend to Constitutional Review Working Party a revision of Financial Procedure Rules which requires the reporting of aged debts over £150,000 to Council.

On 11 July 2013 Council considered a petition containing 1056 signatures that had been received from the Friends of Ramsgate Seafront. The petition was then referred to Cabinet without debate.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1

Councillor Poole proposed, Councillor C. Hart seconded and Members agreed the following:

1.  That due to legal considerations Cabinet cannot agree to a request to rule out any extension to the practical completion date for the Royal Sands development, but seeks for the matter to be considered by the Pleasurama Site Development Review Task and Finish Group and form part of the final recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Council agreed the additional list of Executive Appointed Outside Bodies at its meeting on 11 July 2013. The Leader proposed nominations for Council representatives to sit on these Bodies for 2013/14.

Councillor Marson spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1.

Cabinet agreed list of nominations to the Executive-related outside bodies as shown at below:

Report to Follow

There was a shared view by Cabinet regarding the aspiration to witness the return of Dreamland as part of Margate’s heritage and realise its contribution to the wider regeneration of Thanet. The making of a General Vesting Declaration would result in the transfer of the Dreamland site to Thanet District Council.

Councillor Bayford spoke under Council Procedure Rule 24.1

Councillor C. Hart proposed, Councillor Johnston seconded and Members approved the making of the General Vesting Declaration which will result in the transfer of the Dreamland site to Thanet District Council.