To consider the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2018.

RESOLVED -

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2018 be agreed as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest in relation to items of business on the agenda.

Issue

This report seeks Cabinet consideration and approval of the Project Integra (PI) three year Action Plan 2018-2021 (Paper 4).

The 2018-2021 Action Plan sets the key actions for the PI Partnership and reaffirms the benefits of partnership working. The most successful councils in terms of waste and resources management are those who work in strategic partnerships with others. Officers will be working proactively in leading these agendas with like-minded partners in order to deliver tangible benefits to the Council and its stakeholders.

Considerations

Approval of the Project Integra Action plan will contribute towards the corporate objective of a ‘Green Borough’ and excellent environment’ by minimising waste, reducing fly-tipping, maximising resources, and ensuring that maximum value is generated by any waste produced.

RESOLVED -  

Cabinet recognises that Hampshire’s overall recycling performance in comparison with other English Waste Disposal Authorities has declined sharply in recent years; this Council does not support the Draft Project Integra Action Plan 2018-2021.   As drafted, the Plan lacks ambition:

(1)         relying heavily on increasing capture of materials currently accepted for recycling;

(2)         failing to account for disincentives to use Household Waste Recycling Centres and incentives to flytip due to charging;

(3)         failing to give a clear commitment to doorstep recycling of an increased range of material including plastics widely recycled elsewhere; and

(4)         not articulating renewed national ambition on reducing unsustainable products such as single use plastic items through behaviour change.

Issue

The report summarises the draft revised National Planning Policy Framework published by The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 5 March 2018, and notes the main implications for Eastleigh Borough.  Whilst the consultation document incorporates additional proposals, a number of the revisions confirm or clarify previous announcements or legislative amendments (Paper 5).

MHCLG have requested comments on the draft revisions, and developer contributions consultation, by 10 May 2018.

Considerations

Planning authorities will have six months from publication of the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to submit local plans for examination under the old framework.  The government’s intention is to produce a final version by summer 2018.

MHCLG is consulting on the draft text of the National Planning Policy Framework. It also seeks views on new policy proposals. Cabinet is asked to approve the consultation responses attached to the report.

RESOLVED -   

(1)         That the attached consultation response form (consultation on the draft revised text of the National Planning Policy Framework closes on 10 May 2018) be approved;

(2)         That the attached developer contributions consultation response form (consultation on Supporting Housing Delivery Through Developer Contributions closes on 10 May 2018) be approved; and

(3)         That the Council’s approach to the transitional arrangements in relation to the Eastleigh Borough Local Plan 2016-36 be endorsed.

Issue

This report requests the forward funding of the remaining £5,000,000 developer’s contributions for the sports pitch relocation project. This is to enable delivery of the sports pitch relocation project within the North Stoneham Section 106 Legal Agreement deadlines, as the expenditure is required before the payment trigger dates set out in the agreement (Paper 6).

Considerations

These contributions will be forward funded by the Council, with the borrowing and interest incurred, paid for upon receipt of the allocated developer’s contributions. Developer’s contributions are index linked to inflation, which will outweigh the borrowing costs incurred by forward funding the scheme. The sports pitch relocation project would therefore remain at zero cost to the Council. Completion of these sports facilities will trigger the release of existing sports pitch land at Jubilee Playing Fields allowing the North Stoneham housing development to progress.    

Cabinet is requested to approve forward funding of the remaining Sports Infrastructure Project Contributions to a maximum value of £5,000,000. This will enable the project to be delivered on time and prevent the project delaying the housing development. It will also provide the match funding required helping to secure a further £3,900,000 of partner funding from Sport England and the Football Foundation.

RESOLVED -   

That forward funding of the remaining Sports Infrastructure Project Contributions up to the full remaining value of £5M, be approved.

Issue

This report concerns the funding for sponsored organisations and the annual grants for Borough-wide organisations (Paper 7).

Considerations

The importance of the role of the voluntary sector is recognised by the Council and it is recommended that the grants outlined in the report are agreed in order to provide support to the Council’s communities.

RESOLVED -   

(1)         That the funding and Service Level Agreements for 2018/19 for the Eastleigh Citizens Advice (£188,126) and One Community (£84,880) be approved; and

(2)         That the recommendation of the Grants Panel to fund the selected community groups through the small grants fund, to be funded from existing revenue budgets, be approved.

Issue

Cabinet approved the Community Investment Strategy on 06 April 2017 which updated the programme for 2017/18 to 2019/20.  The strategy is a rolling programme and reports are submitted on a regular basis, seeking individual scheme approval.  The strategy will be revised and reported to Cabinet during 2018/19 (Paper 8).

Considerations

At its meeting on the 12 October 2017 Cabinet approved £285,000 to fund phase 1 of the expansion of IVCP to enable it to remain competitive with other similar parks within a 15 mile radius.  Phase 1 included internal play equipment, a café refit with improved seating area and a replacement of the popular play trail.  Whilst scoping out the work it became apparent that it would be advantageous to carry out other improvements within the current project, including improving the electricity supply to the whole site, rather than to disrupt the service again with additional building works in the same area at a later date.  An additional £200,000 is required to complete all works.

RESOLVED -  

That additional funding of £200,000 to enhance the redevelopment of Highwood Barn at Itchen Valley Country Park (IVCP) be approved. This is to be funded from developers’ contributions, to be considered by the Hedge End, West End and Botley Local Area Committee (HEWEB LAC) in June 2018, with any shortfall to be funded from property maintenance reserves.

Issue

To ensure that the Council can continue to implement the Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) in accordance with the priorities set by the Local Area Committees it is proposed to allocate an additional budget of £100,000.  This will be used partly to appoint external technical expertise and also to provide some internal staffing resource (Paper 9).

Considerations

The increase in the budget will be financed from the provision set aside to meet the transition costs of the Council’s transformation programme, ‘Future Eastleigh’.

RESOLVED -    

That additional budget provision of £100,000 in 2018/19 only be approved to support officers in implementing high priority Traffic Regulation Orders.  To be financed from the provision set aside to meet the transitional costs of the ‘Future Eastleigh’ programme.

Issue

The Council has been asked by the University of Portsmouth to host staff as part of two European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) Green Business Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) projects. If successful, the University of Portsmouth will be the main accountable body for both £2m+ projects with the Council allocated around £450k to host three to five members of staff (Paper 9a - taken as an urgent item for consideration).

Consideration

Both projects will expand the Council’s capacity to support local businesses and to attract high-tech, growing companies to the Borough. The Solent LEP project will also enable local businesses to access additional funding and support.

The Council will agree a memorandum of understanding with the University of Portsmouth following successful bids; and support at this stage does not formally commit the Council to proceeding.

RESOLVED -  

That it be agreed that the Council becomes a delivery partner in two Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) green business funding bids.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 in respect of the following items of business on the grounds that they are likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

The Schedule 12A categories have been amended and are now subject to the public interest test, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  This came into effect on 1 March 2006.

It is considered that the following items are exempt from disclosure and that the public interest in not disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED -

(1)         That, in pursuance of Section 100A(4) 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 was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act; and

(2)         That, in pursuance of the public interest test, the public interest in disclosing the information contained in the following item of business was outweighed by the public interest in maintaining the exemption.

Issue

To consider the Property Transaction report (Paper 11).

Consideration

The report requests approval of a property transaction.

RESOLVED -  

That the recommendation set out in the report be approved.