Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online Viewing Only

Contact: Charles Hungwe 

Link: Recording of the meeting

Media

Items
No. Item

664.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Whitehead and Councillor Albon.

665.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To receive any declarations of interest. Members are advised to consider the advice contained within the Declaration of Interest advice attached to this Agenda. If a Member declares an interest, they should complete the Declaration of Interest Form

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

666.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 76 KB

To approve the summary of recommendations and decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 18 June 2020, copy attached.

Minutes:

Councillor Everitt proposed, and Councillor Duckworth seconded and Members agreed the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 18 June 2020.

667.

Update on potential sites for a temporary stopping site pdf icon PDF 149 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The item was deferred to a future meeting.

668.

Procurement of Lift refurbishment Programme and External Repairs and Decorations Programme pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Minutes:

Members considered the report that sought Cabinet authority for the council to enter into two new contracts for works to its housing stock. The works included a five year term contract for the completion of external cyclical decorations as required, and the full refurbishment of passenger lifts in seven council owned residential blocks.

 

The external decorations contract would enable the delivery of a 5 year programme of repair and decoration. The works would include both cyclical external decorations to council owned residential properties and to the internal common parts of block of flats. The works planned for the coming 5 years had been valued at £1,028,895. Funding for this programme was included within the council’s approved medium term HRA revenue budget.

 

The lift programme would provide for the full refurbishment of the lifts listed in the report, ensuring that they had a further 25 years of use. The funding to complete the programme, estimated at £1.6m, was included within the HRA budget report, also on the agenda for this meeting, which was due to be considered at full council on 10 September 2020.

 

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Duckworth seconded and Cabinet authorised the following:

 

1.  The letting of the contract for the refurbishment of seven passenger lifts, as detailed in the Cabinet report;

 

2.  The letting of a term contract for the completion of a programme of external cyclical decorations, as detailed in the Cabinet report.

669.

Budget Monitoring Report No.1, 2020-21 pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet discussed the 2020-21 budget monitoring report for General Fund revenue and capital, reflecting the latest forecasts in light of Covid-19. It also incorporates provisional figures for 2019-20. The council was facing unprecedented challenges this year as a result of COVID-19. Throughout this financial year, officers have been estimating the financial impact of the restrictions and initiatives that have been implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Monthly Government returns that are based on managers’ projections have captured the estimated impact on revenue budgets. Government support will be essential to delivering a balanced position for this council. The meeting was advised that to date, Council has received £1.505m of emergency funding and at the time of writing the Cabinet report, a further £324k had been received, with a promise of further funding for some income loss. Any residual cost will rely on reserves for remedy, but the council’s reserves were already comparatively low before Covid-19 and therefore this places the council at further financial risk.

 

Councillor Yates proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Cabinet recommended the following to Council:

 

1.  The General Fund revenue budget 2020-21 forecast position;

 

2.  The General Fund Capital Programme 2020-21 forecast position;

 

3.  The proposals to fund the budget gap created by Covid-19.

670.

Revised HRA Budget and Monitoring 2020-21 and HRA Provisional Outturn 2019-20 pdf icon PDF 357 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a revised 2020-21 budget and 2020-24 capital programme for the Housing Revenue Account as a result of the impact of Covid-19 and the reintegration of East Kent Housing. Members also discussed the current monitoring position and the 2019-20 Provisional Outturn.

 

Councillor Yates proposed, Councillor Everitt seconded and Cabinet recommended the following to Council:

 

1.  That the HRA budget monitoring is noted;

 

2.  That the revised HRA budget estimates for 2020-21 are approved;

 

3.  That the revised Housing Revenue Account capital programmes (Annex 1) for 2020-24 are approved;

 

4.  That the Section 151 Officer’s Assurance Statement as set out in section 10 of this report is noted;

 

5.  Note the 2019-20 HRA Provisional Outturn position and capital programme outturn (in Annex 2 to the Cabinet report).

 

And Cabinet further approved that:

 

1.  The draft HRA Business Plan Strategic Priorities, as set out in paragraph 5.2 (in the Cabinet report) are agreed subject to consultation with the council’s tenants and leaseholders, and represented to Cabinet as part of a comprehensive review of the HRA Business Plan prior to budget setting for the financial year 2021/22.