The Leader welcomed Andrew Hardingham, the newly appointed Assistant Director for Finance to this his first meeting of Cabinet.

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.

There were no declarations of interest made by councillors in accordance with the code of conduct in relation to items under consideration at this meeting.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2015.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2015.

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, Ballard House, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, 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 members of the public.

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

See minute 10 below.

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) will submit a progress report on the 2014 pledges which form part of the Corporate Plan. The report will identify pledges completed to date, any overdue pledges and target completion dates for all outstanding pledges.

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) submitted a progress report on the 2014 pledges and identified pledges completed to date and target completion dates for all outstanding pledges.

Peter Honeywell (Transformation Programmes Manager) attended the meeting for this item

and reported that he would be discussing the completion dates for outstanding pledges with Cabinet Members with a view if possible, to bringing them forward.  Officers undertook to report back to Cabinet and to scrutiny in due course.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

Lesa Annear (Strategic Director for Transformation and Change) will submit a report on the final financial outturn report for 2014/15 and detailing the financial monitoring position of the Council as at 31 March 2015.

The report will also propose a number of adjustments to the financial accounts and subject to approval, there will be a requirement for a transfer of £0.119m from the Working Balance, leaving a balance of £10.620m at 31 March 2015.

Decisions taken as part of this report will feed into the Council’s annual Statement of Accounts which is subject to external audit.

The final capital outturn position will also be reported.

Lesa Annear (Strategic Director for Transformation and Change) submitted a report on the final outturn report for 2014/15 which detailed the financial monitoring position of the Council as at 31 March 2015 as follows -

Cabinet Members were also advised that decisions made as part of this report would feed into the Council’s annual Statement of Accounts which was subject to external audit.

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the proposals and indicated that -

Councillor Tuffin (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) and Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health) advised Cabinet of the continuing challenges facing the adult and children’s social care services across the country.     

Councillor McDonald thanked staff for their support during her first year as a Cabinet Member and reported that transformation would be a priority in children’s services this year with the acceleration of the early help framework to try and prevent children from coming into care.

Councillor Lowry indicated that he was confident that with the transformation programmes in place, a balanced budget would be delivered for 2015/16. 

David Northey (Head of Corporate Resources) also attended the meeting for this item.  Andrew Hardingham (Assistant Director for Finance) paid tribute to the achievement of a near balanced budget last year and reported that he was looking forward to working with members and officers in the coming year.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed –

Following the Leader’s approval on 9 April 2015 of the full business case and capital allocation of £4.2m for the fleet replacement programme, which is to be phased over two years, 2015/16 and 2016/17, Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) will submit a report seeking the approval of Cabinet to delegate to the Cabinet Member for Environment the key decision to authorise the contract award for the purchase outright of 26 tonne and 22 tonne refuse collection vehicles at a value in the region of £3.9m with phased delivery of the vehicles.

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) submitted a report indicating that –

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) introduced the proposals.  

Simon Dale (Interim Assistant Director for Street Services) attended the meeting for this item and reported that estimated savings of just under £1m would be achieved with the replacement of aged vehicles and reduced maintenance costs.  He also advised that the drivers of the vehicles had been given the opportunity to contribute towards the proposals. 

Cabinet Members were advised that the new fleet would enable new technology to be installed and provide environmental benefits with lower emissions. 

Councillor Evans thanked everyone involved in the proposals.

Councillor Vincent (Cabinet Member for Environment) also reported.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed delegated authority for the Cabinet Member for Environment to approve the contract award for the purchase outright of 26 tonne and 22 tonne refuse collection vehicles at a value in the region of £3.9m with phased deliveries.

Giles Perritt (Assistant Chief Executive) will submit a report seeking ratification of the Cabinet appointments to committees, outside bodies and advisory groups to Cabinet submitted to the Annual Meeting of the City Council for 2015/16.

Giles Perritt (Assistant Chief Executive) submitted a schedule of appointments to be confirmed by Cabinet, following the Council’s Annual General Meeting held on 22 May 2015. 

Agreed that the appointments are confirmed.

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) referred to the recent fire at Clowance Lane in Devonport and paid tribute to the fire, police and health services, Council staff and the people of Devonport.

He particularly commended the community for their support to the families evacuated from their homes and thanked Councillor Coker, Judith Harwood (Assistant Director for Community and Learning) and Plymouth Community Homes for their tremendous efforts.

Councillor Coker echoed the thanks to everyone involved in the tragic event and for the support from the community both inside and outside of Devonport. However he also stressed the need for ongoing support and indicated that he would be engaging with a Recovery Committee which had been set up.    

Agreed that officers update Cabinet on progress in the next few months.

(In accordance with Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the Chair brought forward the above item for urgent consideration because of the need to update Members).