Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest stated.

To consider the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 December 2022.

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December, 2022 be agreed.

Resolved:     That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December, 2022 be

 agreed.

That the contents of the report be noted.

Cabinet considered an update report on odour issues from Walleys Quarry.  Cabinet was informed that in addition to the information collected by the Council, there was now information provided by Walleys Quarry containing key performance indicators.

During December 2022, the Council had received 87 complaints. In January 2022, there had been 490 complaints and March, 2022, just over one thousand were received.  There had been two problematic periods with Hydrogen Sulphide levels at the beginning of November but in the latter part of December, it was almost zero in terms of exceedances.  In January 2022 at Gallingale this had been at 53% and 41%. 

Since the previous update report, the Walleys Quarry Liaison Committee had met.  The meeting was recorded and was available to view on both the Council and Walleys Quarry websites.

Resolved:     That the contents of the report be noted.

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(i)            That the progress on the completion of the Revenue (Appendix 1) and Capital Budgets (Appendix 4) be noted.

(ii)          That the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28 (Appendix 2) be noted.

(iii)         That the strategy for ensuring a balanced revenue outturn position for 2022/23 be noted.

(iv)         That the calculation of the Council Tax base and the Council Tax increase to be proposed for 2023/24 of 1.99% per Band D equivalent property be noted.

(v)          That the risk assessment at Appendix 3 and Section 151 Officer’s recommendation on the level of reserves and contingencies provisionally required to be maintained in 2023/24 be noted.

(vi)         That the draft Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy (Appendix 5) for 2023/24 be noted.

(vii)        That the draft Capital Strategy (Appendix 6) for 2023/33 be noted.

(viii)       That the draft Treasury Management Strategy (Appendix 7) for 2023/24 be noted.

(ix)         That the draft Investment Strategy (Appendix 8) for 2023/24 be noted.

(x)          That the draft Budget and Council Tax proposals be referred to Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee for comment before the final proposals are considered at Cabinet on 7 February 2023.

Cabinet considered a report on progress with the draft Revenue and Capital Budget for 2023/24 along with the 5 year Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2023/24 to 2027/28. 

Cabinet also considered draft strategies as follows - the Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy (updated for 2023/24), the Capital Strategy for 2023/33, the Treasury Management Strategy for 2023/24 and the Investment Strategy for 2023/24 – all of which would be submitted to Council for approval in February. 

Resolved:     (i)         That the progress on the completion of the Revenue

(Appendix 1) and Capital Budgets (Appendix 4) be noted.

(ii)          That the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28 (Appendix 2) be noted.

(iii)         That the strategy for ensuring a balanced revenue outturn

position for 2022/23 be noted.

(iv)         That the calculation of the Council Tax base and the Council Tax increase to be proposed for 2023/24 of 1.99% per Band D equivalent property be noted.

(v)          That the risk assessment at Appendix 3 and Section 151 Officer’s recommendation on the level of reserves and contingencies provisionally required to be maintained in 2023/24 be noted.

(vi)         That the draft Flexible Use of Capital Receipts Strategy (Appendix 5) for 2023/24 be noted.

(vii)        That the draft Capital Strategy (Appendix 6) for 2023/33 be noted.

(viii)       That the draft Treasury Management Strategy (Appendix 7) for 2023/24 be noted.

(ix)         That the draft Investment Strategy (Appendix 8) for 2023/24 be noted.

(x)          That the draft Budget and Council Tax proposals be referred to Finance, Assets and Performance Scrutiny Committee for comment before the final proposals are considered at Cabinet on 7 February 2023.

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(i)    That the fees and charges proposed to apply from 1 April 2023, as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(ii)  That fees and charges in relation to Bereavement Services come into effect from the 16 February 2023.

Cabinet considered the proposed schedule of fees and charges for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. 

Resolved:     (i)         That the fees and charges proposed to apply from 1 April

2023, as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

(ii)          That fees and charges in relation to Bereavement Services come into effect from the 16 February 2023.

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(i)            That the progress made on the York Place project, including the submission of the planning application and the timescales for demolition, be noted.

(ii)          That the Executive Director – Development and Growth, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and Growth be authorised to further review options for the delivery for York Place.

(iii)         That a further Cabinet Report be presented prior to any contracts being let for the delivery phase of the York Place project once planning permission is granted and financial aspects of the project have been finalised.

Cabinet received an update on the York Place project including a presentation showing the proposed layout and elevation plans of the Ryecroft site and York Place area.

A planning application had been submitted before Christmas and was progressing.  

Resolved:     (i)         That the progress made on the York Place project,

including the submission of the planning application and the timescales for demolition, be noted.

(ii)          That the Executive Director – Development and Growth, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and Growth be authorised to further review options for the delivery for York Place.

(iii)         That a further Cabinet Report be presented prior to any contracts being let for the delivery phase of the York Place project once planning permission is granted and financial aspects of the project have been finalised.

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(i)            That the progress made on the Ryecroft multi-storey project, including timescales for planning application submission and its subsequent construction, be noted.

(ii)          That the progress made on the wider Ryecroft site against the delivery of the Ryecroft Blue Print, be noted.

(iii)         That the Executive Director – Development and Growth, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and  Growth be authorised to enter a Pre-construction Services Agreement with Morgan Sindall for enabling and infrastructure works on the car park and the wider Ryecroft site, to further work up further details for a linear park on Ryecroft and to instruct Morgan Sindall to submit an outline planning application for the Ryecroft Masterplan.

(iv)         That a further Cabinet Report be presented prior to any construction contracts being awarded for the multi-storey car park.

(v)          That the new Multi-Storey Car Park on the Ryecroft site will be named ‘Castle Car Park’.

Cabinet received an update on the Ryecroft multi-storey project including a presentation showing the proposed layout and elevation plans of the Ryecroft site and York Place area.

A planning application would be submitted this month and building would commence later this year. 

The car park would include 39 electric vehicle charging points and would be net-zero development.

Resolved:     (i)         That the progress made on the Ryecroft multi-storey

project, including timescales for planning application submission and its subsequent construction, be noted.

(ii)          That the progress made on the wider Ryecroft site against the delivery of the Ryecroft Blue Print, be noted.

(iii)`     That the Executive Director – Development and Growth,

in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Finance, Town Centres and  Growth be authorised to enter a Pre-construction Services Agreement with Morgan Sindall for enabling and infrastructure works on the car park and the wider Ryecroft site, to further work up further details for a linear park on Ryecroft and to instruct Morgan Sindall to submit an outline planning application for the Ryecroft Masterplan.

(iii)         That a further Cabinet Report be presented prior to any construction contracts being awarded for the multi-storey car park.

(iv)         That the new Multi-Storey Car Park on the Ryecroft site be named ‘Castle Car Park’.

View the presentation here

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(i)            That the County Council Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy be supported.

(ii)          That the Council helps facilitate actions from the strategy on its own estate and managed car parks.

Cabinet considered a report seeking to support Staffordshire County Council’s Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure Strategy.

This was part of an agreement that the Council had with the County Council and neighbouring Authorities within the County and would set the structure enabling businesses to provide EV charging points.

Resolved:     (i)         That the County Council Electric Vehicle Charging

Infrastructure Strategy be supported.

(ii)        That the Council helps facilitate actions from the strategy on its own estate and managed car parks.

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(i)            That the Staffordshire Sustainability Boards County wide Communications Plan be adopted.

(ii)          That the Council helps facilitate action on the County wide communications plan through its membership of the Staffordshire Sustainability Board (SSB)

Cabinet considered a report seeking to support the objectives and actions of  the Staffordshire Sustainability Board’s County-wide communications plan to reach net-zero targets.

Resolved:     (i)         That the Staffordshire Sustainability Board’s County wide

Communications Plan be adopted.

(ii)          That the Council helps facilitate action on the County wide communications plan through its membership of the Staffordshire Sustainability Board (SSB)

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That the Forward Plan be received.

Cabinet considered the Forward Plan listing upcoming key decisions to be made by Cabinet.

Resolved: That the Forward Plan be received.

There was no Urgent Business.

To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following reports, because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972.

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration if the following matter because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs contained within Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972.

Resolved:-                That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration if the following matter because it is likely that there will be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs contained within Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972.

That the confidential appendix be received and noted.

Consideration was given to the confidential appendix relating to item 6 on this agenda.

Resolved:     That the confidential appendix be received.