Agenda, decisions and minutes

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting.

Resolved:              That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 February, 2016 be agreed as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest stated.

Resolved:       (i)         That  the outcomes of the procurement processes be noted.

(ii)        That a further report on the progress with the overall Recycling and Waste Service change project be presented at the June 2016 meeting.

A report was submitted to Cabinet advising members of the outcome of a number of procurement projects required in preparation for the commencement of the new Recycling and Waste Service in July, 2016.

Tendering processes had taken place for a number of major equipment and infrastructure capital works as outlined in the report.

Members were advised that the treatment of green waste would be provided for the next four years by Veolia ES Ltd, the contract value being £966,000.  The treatment and transportation of food waste will be provided for the next four years by Biffa Waste Services Ltd with a contract value of £144,000.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, IT and Customer, Councillor Turner thanked everyone who had been involved in the process and advised Members that part of the service had now been brought back ‘in-house’. 

Councillor Turner raised a query regarding which plastics were acceptable for recycling and requested that it be made clearer to everyone which were and were not acceptable.

The Chair also thanked everyone involved, including the Cabinet Panel and the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling.

Resolved:       (i)         That  the outcomes of the procurement processes be noted.

(ii)        That a further report on the progress with the overall Recycling and Waste Service change project be presented at the June 2016 meeting.

Resolved:       (i)         That a temporary part time post at Grade 9 (Current Senior

Planning Officer) level be created and recruited to and that continuation of such arrangements at the end of each financial year be dependent upon the continuation of the current grant or other such external funding arrangements.

(ii)        That in the event that Government funding is not continued

then officers’ report back on the alternative options for supporting neighbourhood planning, as may be required.

A report was presented to Cabinet advising Members of potential resource implications of supporting neighbourhood planning.  Members’ attention was brought to paragraph 2.12, of the report,    which outlined the possible benefits of providing an additional member of staff and paragraph 3.1 which proposed the creation of a Neighbourhood Planning Officer post of the report.

Resolved:       (i)         That a temporary part time post at Grade 9 (Current Senior

Planning Officer) level be created and recruited to and that continuation of such arrangements at the end of each financial year be dependent upon the continuation of the current grant or other such external funding arrangements.

(ii)        That in the event that Government funding is not continued

then officers’ report back on the alternative options for supporting neighbourhood planning, as may be required.

Resolved:       (i)         That the emerging  position with regard to the Northern

Gateway Development Zone be noted and it be agreed to

continue participating in the initiative.

(ii)        That officers report back to Cabinet with any necessary

information with regard to the NGDZ’s emerging Growth Strategy.

(iii)        That it be  noted that officers have taken the necessary steps to observe the practical implications of the Government’s Safeguarding Directions for Phase Two of High Speed Two and that they provide necessary information to ward councillors in this regard.

A report was submitted to Cabinet updating Members on HS2 rail developments that were announced in the Autumn Statement and on progress with the Northern Gateway Development Zone initiative.

Resolved:       (i)         That the emerging  position with regard to the Northern

Gateway Development Zone be noted and it be agreed to

continue participating in the initiative.

(ii)        That officers report back to Cabinet with any necessary

information with regard to the NGDZ’s emerging Growth Strategy.

(iii)        That it be  noted that officers have taken the necessary steps to observe the practical implications of the Government’s Safeguarding Directions for Phase Two of High Speed Two and that they provide necessary information to ward councillors in this regard.

Resolved:       (i)         That the review of the Economic Development Strategy Year

Four Action Plan be noted and that the Year Five Action Plan be considered by the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(ii)        That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Policy People and Partnership be authorised to make any amendments following the recommendations of the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

A report was submitted to Cabinet reviewing the progress made in taking forward the Borough’s Economic Development Strategy and to consider the proposed actions for Year Five which would be the final year of the Action Plan.

Members were advised that the draft action plan would be considered by the Economic Development and Enterprise Scrutiny Committee on 23 March, 2016.  The Cabinet agreed to the overall Action Plan subject to any amendments /recommendations made by the Scrutiny Committee.  The Executive Director for Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Policy, People and Partnership would be authorised to make any amendments.

Resolved:       (i)         That the review of the Economic Development Strategy Year

Four Action Plan be noted and that the Year Five Action Plan be considered by the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(ii)        That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Policy People and Partnership be authorised to make any amendments following the recommendations of the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:       (i)         That the Council participates in the Gold Standard Peer

Review process and that senior officers of the Council and relevant elected members make themselves available to discuss Newcastle’s Housing Advice and Homelessness service when the review process commences.

(ii)        That officers report back the outcome of the Peer Review process to Cabinet in the context of the Housing and Homelessness Strategies action plans.

A report was submitted to Cabinet advising members on the national Gold Standard for Homelessness Services.  The Standard helps Councils to learn from each other to deliver the best possible service.

Appended to the report were ten Gold Standard Challenges set out by the Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness.

Resolved:       (i)         That the Council participates in the Gold Standard Peer

Review process and that senior officers of the Council and relevant elected members make themselves available to discuss Newcastle’s Housing Advice and Homelessness service when the review process commences.

(ii)        That officers report back the outcome of the Peer Review process to Cabinet in the context of the Housing and Homelessness Strategies action plans.

Resolved:       (i)         That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development

in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities be authorised to award the contract for the paid monitoring of the core CCTV service to the company submitting the best tender.

(ii)        To ask officers to report back, as may be necessary, on the

outcome of partner discussions for the volunteer management of the additional CCTV monitoring.

A report was submitted to the Cabinet outlining the current position regarding the monitoring of the CCTV service in the town centre.  Members were  requested to make a decision on the forthcoming award of contract in this regard.

Resolved:       (i)         That the Executive Director for Regeneration and Development

in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities be authorised to award the contract for the paid monitoring of the core CCTV service to the company submitting the best tender.

(ii)        To ask officers to report back, as may be necessary, on the

outcome of partner discussions for the volunteer management of the additional CCTV monitoring.

Resolved:    That the items detailed at Appendix A of the agenda report be considered irrecoverable for the reasons stated and be written off.

A report was submitted to Cabinet asking Members to consider items which had been deemed irrecoverable.

Resolved:    That the items detailed at Appendix A of the agenda report be considered irrecoverable for the reasons stated and be written off.

As this was the final meeting of the Municipal Year, the Chair thanked the Cabinet Members and officers for their support throughout the year.

Resolved:       That the comment be noted.