Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest stated.

The Leader welcomed Simon McEneny who had been appointed as the Council’s Executive Director – Commercial Development and Economic Growth.

Resolved:     That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 November be agreed

as a correct record.

(i)            That the establishment of a Town Deal Board for

      Newcastle and a Town Deal Board for Kidsgrove be supported.

(ii)           That the Executive Director - Commercial Development and Economic Growth in conjunction with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Service Improvement, People and Partnerships be authorised to establish the membership of the Boards.

(iii)         That the Executive Director - Commercial Development and Economic Growth in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency be authorised to appoint project management support and procure consultancy support for the development of proposals for the Town Deals.

(iv)         The Council works with the Town Boards to develop proposals for Newcastle and Kidsgrove Investment Plans.

A report was submitted to Cabinet informing Members that the Council had been invited to develop proposals for the Government’s Town Deal for Newcastle and Kidsgrove.

The Leader advised that, of the 100 invited places, This Council had Newcastle and Kidsgrove which had been invited to participate.

The Leader would be the Council’s representative for The Kidsgrove Town Deal and the Deputy Leader would be the representative for the Newcastle Town Deal.

As the Council did not have the necessary capacity to develop two Investment Plans it was proposed to bring in additional project management support and to procure external support utilising the allocated capacity funding.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency fully supported this and added that it was a project that the new Executive Director – Commercial Development and Economic Growth would be involved in.

Members were all in support adding that it was an exciting opportunity and a fantastic innovation.

The Leader stated that there would be two different bids,  Newcastle’s being for a University town and Kidsgrove’s being for a railway station town with opportunities through HS2 being nearby in Crewe and also the project for the sports centre.

Resolved:     (i)         That the establishment of a Town Deal Board for

                  Newcastle and a Town Deal Board for Kidsgrove be

                  supported.

(ii)          That the Executive Director - Commercial Development and Economic Growth in conjunction with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Service Improvement, People and Partnerships be authorised to establish the membership of the Boards.

(iii)         That the Executive Director - Commercial Development and Economic Growth in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Efficiency be authorised to appoint project management support and procure consultancy support for the development of proposals for the Town Deals.

(iv)          That the Council works with the Town Boards to develop proposals for Newcastle and Kidsgrove Investment Plans.

That the renewal of the Microsoft Enterprise Subscription Agreement be approved for a further period of three years, following the completion of due diligence and a procurement exercise, delegating authority to enter into a contract to the Executive Director, Resources & Support Services in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

A report was submitted to Cabinet seeking approval to renew the Council’s Microsoft Enterprise Subscription Agreement.

The Leader drew Member’s attention to paragraphs’ 2.1 to 2.5 of the report which outlined issues faced with the expiration of the current Agreement.

Members were informed that a due diligence exercise would be conducted to help the council to understand its licensing requirements.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning and Growth, Councillor Paul Northcott welcomed the renewal of the Agreement and was pleased to see that options had been explored. 

 The Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Heritage – Councillor Mark Holland stated that it may be possible, in future, for the Council to find other ways of supporting the ICT users, possibly operating entirely in a ‘cloud’.

Resolved:     That the renewal of the Microsoft Enterprise Subscription

Agreement be approved for a further period of three years, following the completion of due diligence and a procurement exercise, delegating authority to enter into a contract to the Executive Director, Resources & Support Services in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

That the Executive Director (Operational Services) be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling, to enter into a joint procurement process led by Stoke-on Trent-City Council, as outlined in the report, for the joint procurement of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and network operator for electrified taxi’s and private hire vehicles and public use within the Borough. This is to be funded by the OLEV Electric Taxi Infrastructure grant awarded in 2019 to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Stafford Borough Council with a minimum of 25% private sector investment.

A report was submitted to Cabinet informing Members of the successful outcome of the £780,000 bid to OLEV Electric Taxi Infrastructure Scheme and seeking approval of the arrangements to deliver the project within the Borough through working with partners.  There would be a joint procurement process with this Authority, Stoke on Trent city Council and Stafford Borough Council.

The Leader introduced the report advising Members this would allow the Council to put electric charging points in some of its car parks.

The project would feed into the Council’s agenda on climate change and also that of the Air Quality Policy.

Councillor Sweeney welcomed this stating that the Council could not expect drivers to purchase electric cars for use as taxis if there was nowhere to charge them.

Members welcomed the scheme adding that it was a great step forward.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling, Councillor Trevor Johnson paid tribute to the officer who had been working on this adding that, of the three Authorities, Newcastle would have the ‘lion’s share’ of charging points.

Resolved:     That the Executive Director (Operational Services) be authorised,

in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Recycling, to enter into a joint procurement process led by Stoke-on Trent-City Council, as outlined in the report, for the joint procurement of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and network operator for electrified taxi’s and private hire vehicles and public use within the Borough. This is to be funded by the OLEV Electric Taxi Infrastructure grant awarded in 2019 to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Stafford Borough Council with a minimum of 25% private sector investment.

That the Forward Plan be received

Consideration was given to the Forward Plan which listed upcoming key decisions to be made by the Cabinet.

Resolved:     That the Forward Plan be received.

There was no Urgent Business.