The Leader extended her thanks to Cabinet Members for their work during the year.  She commented that a tremendous amount of work had been undertaken and she also thanked all the officers who had contributed during the year, for their hard work.

Councillor Fry highlighted the time spent by the Leader on affairs of the city and, on behalf of Cabinet Members, thanked her for her leadership.

Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

In accordance with the code of conduct, Councillor Sam Leaves declared a personal interest in minute 136, on the Health and Wellbeing Board, as an employee of the National Health Service.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2011.

Agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2011 are confirmed as a correct record subject to the amendment of minute 123 (Mount Edgcumbe 2011/12 – 2013/14 Budget Setting) by the addition of a second decision, so that the decision reads –

‘Agreed that –

(1)   the actions detailed in the Joint Committee report are agreed;

(2) if additional funding was secured for 2011/12, the posts now identified, may be retained.’

To receive questions from the public in accordance with the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Corporate Support Department, Plymouth City Council, Civic Centre, Plymouth, PL1 2AA, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

There were no questions from the public, for this meeting.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There was no Chair’s urgent business.

The Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a report on a proposal to continue the market recovery measures, which were approved by Cabinet on 15 December 2009 (minute 99 (2009/10) refers).

Councillor Fry (Cabinet Member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Development) introduced the report and indicated that, following an analysis of the economic and property market, it was suggested that conditions would remain fragile, thereby contributing to the challenging prospects for development viability in both commercial and residential property sectors. 

It was proposed that the new Market Recovery Scheme would enhance the existing scheme to give greater encouragement to economic development and job creation.

Councillor Fry thanked Paul Barnard (Assistant Director for Planning Services) for his expertise and leadership through these difficult times.

Agreed the 2011/12 Market Recovery Scheme for planning applications submitted by 31 March 2012, as set out in the appendix to the written report.

The Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a report on a proposal to establish a Plymouth Growth Fund to be built up over time to make the best use of available regeneration resources including government initiatives, Council and wider public assets as well as private sector investment.     

Councillor Fry (Cabinet Member for Planning, Strategic Housing and Economic Development) introduced the report and highlighted the range of measures being proposed with a view to generating the capacity to attract investment and provide essential funding for regeneration projects.  Cabinet Members were advised that -

Agreed –

The Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a written report seeking the adoption of a new masterplan for Central Park, detailing environmental enhancements, together with a delivery plan, setting out the programme and funding strategy to deliver the commitments set out in Policy CP04 of the Central Park Area Action Plan.

The report indicated that the document had been the subject of extensive public consultation and that responses had been unprecedented in their support for the initiative.  An independent critical review of the masterplan had also been undertaken by the Campaign for Architecture and the Built Environment who had supported the principles of the masterplan and had offered advice which had informed the final document.     

Councillor Michael Leaves (Cabinet Member for Community Services (Street Scene, Waste and Sustainability)) welcomed the report and, in particular, recommendation (5), proposing the establishment of a community forum. 

Cabinet Members highlighted the need for a refreshment facility near the children’s play area, as soon as possible, and officers undertook to look at the early provision of such a facility.  

Agreed –

With reference to minutes 31 and 33 (2008/09) that gave approval to the outline business case on the Future Management Options of Plymouth Leisure Facilities, the Director for Community Services submitted a written report indicating that the Preferred Bidder had been selected by the Plymouth Life Centre and Leisure Related Projects Executive Programme Board and seeking approval, from Cabinet, to the award of the Plymouth City Council Leisure Management Contract.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property, People and Governance) introduced the report and drew the attention of Cabinet Members to the confidential contract award report, referred to in minute 144 below.  He also reported that the proposal had been considered by the Customer and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel which had welcomed the proposal.     

Tony Hopwood (Programmes Director) reported on the Preferred Bidder and indicated that, it was anticipated that the savings, along with life cycle costs included as part of the contract, would more than exceed the Sport England funding requirements.

Tim Howes (Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance) advised Cabinet Members that authority should be delegated to the Chair of the Executive Programme Board and that the recommendations should be amended accordingly.

Agreed –

With reference to minutes 85 and 88 that gave approval to a soft market testing exercise through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the Director for Community Services submitted a written report indicating that, following the exercise, it was considered that there was a viable and deliverable private sector solution that would enable the re-provision of arena and ice facilities and maintain continuity, so far as was reasonably practicable, pending re-provision.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property, People and Governance) submitted the proposal to progress to the procurement of a private sector development partner.   

Tim Howes (Assistant Director for Democracy and Governance) advised Cabinet Members that authority should be delegated to the Chair of the Executive Programme Board and that the recommendation should be amended accordingly.

Agreed –

The Corporate Management Team submitted a written report seeking approval of four invest to save schemes, the continuation of the Carefirst project, and an increase in capital and revenue resources for highway maintenance and coastal management / flood defence projects. 

The report also proposed a change to the technical method for calculating the costs of supported borrowing within the statutory accounts and sought further changes to fees and charges.

Councillor Bowyer (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property, People and Governance) submitted the proposals and referred to supplementary reports that had been submitted on the procurement ‘invest to save’ proposal, including a confidential contract award report (referred to in minute 147 below).  

CouncillorWigens (Cabinet Member for Transport) reported on the highways proposals and referred to additional funding that had been received from the government which would be spent entirely on pot holes.

CouncillorMrs Watkins (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) reported on the proposals relating to children’s services.

The Chair referred to the proposal for free use of Tinside Pool and the Director for Corporate Support undertook to look at the possibility of providing refreshment facilities (and other franchises) at the pool. 

Chris Randall (Finance Client Manager (Capital and Major Projects)) reported that, arising from the recent notification of additional monies for highway maintenance, the following amendments were required –

Agreed that the City Council is Recommended to –

Agreed that –

The Director for Community Services submitted a written report on the proposed response to the recommendations from the Customer and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel on the allotment service (minute 58 refers).  The recommendations had been approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 26 January 2011.

Councillor Michael Leaves (Cabinet Member for Community Services (Street Scene, Waste and Sustainability)) reported on the proposed response.

Agreed that –

The Director for Community Services, the Director of Services for Children and Young People and the Assistant Chief Executive submitted a written report updating Cabinet on some of the key elements of the NHS Health and Social Care Bill published on 19 January 2011 –

The report set out the next steps and sought approval to the development work that would now take place to address this agenda and changes.    

Councillor Mrs Watkins (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) indicated that Councillor Monahan (Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care) was currently receiving training on the role of the Health and Wellbeing Boards and that she would also receive training in due course.  She had recently had a successful meeting with Sentinel, the new commissioning group, which represented all the general practioners in the city (with the exception of one) and south east Cornwall.

Agreed that Cabinet –

(Councillor Sam Leaves having declared a personal interest, did not vote on the above item).

The Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a written report on the draft Children and Young People’s Plan 2011-2014, indicating -

Councillor Mrs Watkins (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) highlighted that there had been a number of consultation events with children, young people, parents and practitioners in the city and that their views had been incorporated into the plan.

She indicated that the biggest challenge for the future was raising aspirations and attainment.

Agreed the final Plymouth Children and Young People’s Plan 2011 -2014 and to refer it to Full Council for formal adoption, to enable development of the detailed delivery plans, outlining the commissioning intentions across all key partners.

The Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a written report indicating that the contracts for eight of the Sure Start Children’s Centres had been put through a tendering exercise.  This tender had now been completed and the recommended contract award value was £7,727,254, for three years, separated into the eight contracts.  The full details of the proposed contract award were set out in a confidential report referred to in minute 145 below.

Councillor Mrs Watkins (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) reported on the proposal.

Agreed that having assessed the tender through the Quality Price Evaluation Framework, contracts are awarded for a three year period to commence 1 July 2011 and to end 30 June 2014 as set out in the confidential report referred to in minute 145 below. 

The Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a written report on the outcome of a tender to provide framework contracts for the provision of independent sector fostering placements to Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and Torbay Council.  The report set out the process undertaken and recommended suppliers for contract award. The full financial details of the proposed contract award were set out in a confidential report referred to in minute 146 below.

Agreed that a Cost and Volume Framework Contract is awarded for the delivery of fostering placements to the prequalified Independent Fostering Agencies detailed in the separate confidential paper for the period of three years.

The Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a written report seeking formal adoption of Plymouth’s Third Local Transport Plan for the period 2011 – 2026.

The report provided a summary of feedback received following a 12 week consultation period and indicated that the draft plan had been updated to reflect the comments.

Councillor Wigens (Cabinet Member for Transport) advised Cabinet Members that the plan provided a strategy to ensure the best use of land and assets.  He referred to – 

In response to a question from Cabinet Members, Clive Perkin (Assistant Director for Transport) indicated that it was his intention to increase the deployment of camera cars to address illegally parked cars around schools.

Agreed Plymouth’s Third Local Transport Plan as the transport strategy for Plymouth for the next 15 years and to submit it to Full Council for formal

adoption.

(In the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair took the Chair for this item).

The Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a written report indicating that the Customer and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel had recommended a review of the traffic management arrangements for Plymouth Argyle match days (minute 59 of the panel refers).   

The report indicated that -

In response to a question from Cabinet Members, Clive Perkin (Assistant Director for Transport) indicated that it was his intention to increase the deployment of the camera car to address illegally parked cars around schools.

Agreed that no further review of the traffic management arrangements is undertaken until the new car park junction, part of the Plymouth Life Centre development, has been completed in 2011.

With reference to minute 93 that gave approval to further work being undertaken to identify what, if any of the recommendations from the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel, following its review of highways maintenance, would be appropriate to take forward, the Director for Development and Regeneration submitted a written report detailing the actions that had been taken since that report.   

Clive Perkin (Assistant Director for Transport) also referred to the increased expenditure on highway maintenance that had been reported earlier in the meeting and was referred to in recommendation (5) of minute 134 above.

Agreed that the progress made on the scrutiny panel’s recommendations is noted.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s)       of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Agreed that under Section 100(A)(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 they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Director for Community Services submitted a written report on the contract award for the Plymouth City Council Leisure Management Contract, detailing the procurement and tender evaluation processes.

(See minute 132 above).

The Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a written report on the full details of the proposed contract award for the following -

Ernesettle and Honicknowle Children’s Centre

East End, Mutley and Greenbank, and Mount Gould Children’s Centre

Devonport and Stoke Children’s Centre

Morice Town, Ford and Keyham Children’s Centre

City Centre and Stonehouse Children’s Centre

North Prospect and Ham Children’s Centre

Beacon Park, Pennycross and Manadon Children’s Centre

Peverell, Hartley, Mannamead and Higher Compton Children’s Centre

(See minute 138 above).

The Director of Services for Children and Young People submitted a report on the full financial details of the proposed contract award to provide framework contracts for the provision of fostering placements to Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and Torbay Council.

(See minute 139 above).

The Corporate Management Team submitted a contract award report on the procurement support project, detailing the tender and evaluation processes.

(See minute 134 above).