Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.  A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

The following declarations of interest were made by members in accordance with the code of conduct –

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2013.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2013.

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, 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.

One question was submitted by a member of the public for this meeting, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution, as set out below.

In the absence of Mr Sharpe, the question and the response were circulated and the written response would be sent to him.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

The Director for Place will submit a report on the adoption of a Masterplan for Central Park which updates the Council’s approach and commitment to the enhancement of the park and on the prioritisation of schemes. 

The report will also recommend that a business case is prepared to ensure the financial sustainability of the park and funding arrangements for environmental enhancements.

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink - 

http://tinyurl.com/bsn9u3j

The Director for Place submitted a written report seeking adoption of a Masterplan for Central park.  The Masterplan updated the Council’s approach and commitment to the enhancement of the park and set out a framework for investment in the park totalling £11.24m.

Councillor Vincent (Cabinet Member for Environment) presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed –

The Director for Place will submit a report on a proposal to accept the transfer of the freehold of the Devonport Market Hall building to the City Council from the Homes and Communities Agency together with a dowry sum by 31 March 2013.

This decision is an urgent Cabinet decision (urgent key decision and to be implemented immediately after the Cabinet meeting).

Background papers to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink - 

http://tinyurl.com/bsn9u3j

The Director for Place submitted a written report on a proposal to accept the transfer of the freehold of the Devonport Market Hall building to the City Council from the Homes and Communities Agency, together with a dowry sum of £2.57m by 31 March 2013.

The Assistant Director for Planning Services presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed to accept the offer from the Homes and Communities Agency to transfer the former Devonport Market Hall building and associated land together with a dowry sum of £2.57m to enable the transfer by 31 March 2013.

(Councillor Coker was absent for consideration of the above item).

The Director for Place will submit a report asking that subject to a favourable outcome to both the European Regional Development Fund and Growing Places Fund applications, the Council agrees to act as guarantor for Millfields Trust for repayment of the balance of the Trust’s loan from the Local Enterprise Partnership outstanding to a maximum of £2.1 million in accordance with an agreed Heads of Terms between Plymouth City Council and the Millfields Trust which mitigates the potential financial impact upon the Council.   Authority is also sought for the Heads of Terms to be delegated to the Director for Place.

The Director for Place submitted a written report seeking approval to the Council acting as guarantor for Millfields Trust for repayment of the balance of the Trust’s loan from the Local Enterprise Partnership outstanding to a maximum of £2.1m.

The Assistant Director for Economic Development and the Urban Project Manager presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed -

(Councillors McDonald and Penberthy declared personal interests in respect of the above item).

(Councillor Coker was absent for consideration of the above item).

The Director for Corporate Services will submit a report providing an update on the

performance of the Revenues and Benefits Service.

The Director for Corporate Services submitted a written report providing an update on the performance of the Revenues and Benefits Service.

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) presented the report along with a proposal that, as he was now content with the service’s direction of travel, it was no longer necessary to submit monthly updates to Cabinet and it would, therefore, be more appropriate for the service’s performance to be monitored by the Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Cabinet noted the progress made by the service since the implementation of a new structure in November 2011 and agreed that future performance monitoring would be undertaken by the Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

The Director for People will submit a written report asking Cabinet to renew the current Peninsula wide arrangements for the commissioning of independent sector children and young people’s placements in: foster care; children’s homes; special schools; and supported accommodation to help young people achieve independence.

The Director for People submitted a written report seeking renewal of the current Peninsula wide arrangements for the commissioning of independent sector children and young people’s placements in: foster care; children’s homes; special schools; and supported accommodation to help young people achieve independence.

Councillor Williams (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed -

The Director for People will submit a report on the Young Person’s Accommodation Commissioning Plan for the period 2013-2020 which proposes to remodel services to provide a living environment that enables young people to successfully transition into adulthood equipped with independent living skills.

The Director for People submitted a written report proposing to remodel services to provide a living environment that enables young people to successfully transition into adulthood equipped with independent living skills.  The expiration of the current contracts during the 2013/14 financial year provided an opportunity to –

·         Align services along the pathway and make the HUB the single point of access into supporting accommodation so that young people were accessing the service most appropriate for their needs;

·         Increase supported provision at the high support ‘front end’ of the pathway to provide more intensive support to a greater number of young people;

·         Remodel provision for young parents to ensure that services are able to support young parents and families;

·         Remodel provision for young people with high support needs to ensure that there are robust, secure, appropriate accommodation options in order to decrease the likelihood that young offenders will be remanded into expensive custody placements unnecessarily;

·         Increase the provision available for young people on a low income, to reduce bottlenecks in supported accommodation and homelessness as a result of insufficient independent accommodation.

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care) presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed the Young Persons (Aged 16-25) Accommodation Commissioning Plan.

The Director for Place will submit a report seeking approval of an offer from Aster Housing Group for the site of the former Ernesettle Community Centre for the provision of a 40 unit affordable extra care housing scheme for older people with associated community facilities.

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink - 

http://tinyurl.com/bsn9u3j

The Director for Place will submit a written report seeking approval of an offer from Aster Housing Group for the site of the former Ernesettle Community Centre for the provision of a 40 unit affordable extra care housing scheme for older people with associated community facilities.

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) presented the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that, to meet the city’s agenda of accelerated and increased new and affordable housing delivery and the aims of the Charter for Older People, the site is declared surplus as per the Surplus Property Declaration No. 227 and the offer of £1 from the Aster Group for the former Ernesettle Community Centre is accepted.

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 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.

(Members of the public to note that, if agreed, you will be asked to leave the meeting).

There were no items of exempt business.