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Agenda and decisions

Agenda and decisions

Venue: Council Chamber - The Guildhall, Portsmouth. View directions

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

2.

Declarations of Interests

3.

Record of Previous Decision Meeting - 11 January 2022 pdf icon PDF 32 KB

A copy of the record of the previous decisions taken at Cabinet on 11 January 2022 are attached.

 

4.

Vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) for Health and Social Care workers pdf icon PDF 150 KB

Purpose

To advise Cabinet of the implementation of the Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) for Healthcare Workers legislation, effective as of 1 April 2022, and the impact on Portsmouth City Council and its staff.

 

Decision:

The Cabinet noted the report which is for information only and is not subject to call-in.

5.

Update on Planning Development Management and increase in capacity pdf icon PDF 158 KB

Purpose

1.    To provide an update on the performance of the Planning Development Management service including responding to a statistical request arising from a motion at the Full Council meeting of 7th December 2021; and

2.    To approve a new approach to the creation of capacity for the determination of planning applications in the Development Management team.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet

1.    Note the report and refer any necessary information to Full Council for noting.

2.    Approve the creation of a 'bank' of external planning staff utilising flexible contracting to support the capacity of the Development Management team

3.    Approve the use of Corporate Contingency to fund a bank of external planning staff to the 31 March 2023. This is anticipated to be around £45,000.

 

Decision:

1.    Recommended that the report is referred to Council for noting.

2.    Approved the creation of a 'bank' of external planning staff utilising flexible contracting to support the capacity of the Development Management team.

3.    Approved the use of Corporate Contingency to fund a bank of external planning staff to 31 March 2023.  This is anticipated to be around £45,000.

 

6.

Updated Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy pdf icon PDF 181 KB

Purpose

1.    To seek approval from Cabinet Members on the proposed nitrogen mitigation scheme in partnership with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIOWWT) to help enable minor third party and PCC housing development to come forward. There will be an upfront cost to Council intended to be recovered through developer contributions. The arrangements for the new mitigation scheme will require an update to Council's Interim Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy for New Dwellings (Nov 2019), alongside other minor changes, for which this report seeks approval.

2.    To update on the progress made with the Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH) to develop wider strategic solution for the sub-region and the emerging 'nitrate trading' platform to be delivered jointly by the Department of Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet

1.    Approves the decision to enter into a proposed agreement with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to provide nitrogen offsetting mitigation for minor third party and PCC development at up front expenditure of £3.75m.

2.    Notes the details of the updates and approve the Updated Interim Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy as guidance for applicants (See Appendix 1).

3.    Notes the progress of the work of Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH) and government bodies on a wider strategic solution to the nitrate pollution issue affecting house building in the Solent catchment.

4.    Delegates authority to the Assistant Director of Planning and Economic Growth to make any necessary minor amendments to the Updated Interim Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy following the finalisation of the agreement with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and City Development (if required).

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.    Approved the decision to enter into a proposed agreement with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to provide nitrogen offsetting mitigation for minor third party and PCC development at up front expenditure of £3.75m.

2.    Noted the details of the updates and approved the Updated Interim Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy as guidance for applicants (See Appendix 1).

3.    Noted the progress of the work of Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH) and government bodies on a wider strategic solution to the nitrate pollution issue affecting house building in the Solent catchment.

4.    Delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Planning and Economic Growth to make any necessary minor amendments to the Updated Interim Nutrient Neutral Mitigation Strategy following the finalisation of the agreement with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and City Development (if required).

 

7.

LTP East West Active Travel Corridor Phase 3 pdf icon PDF 10 MB

Purpose

To outline the proposed measures designed to improve the walking and cycling environment as part of the East West Active Travel Corridor.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet

 

1.    Approve the proposed East West Active Travel (EWATC) Phase 3 walking and cycling improvements including, in order of priority:

     I.        2-way cycleway along Winston Churchill Avenue north of carriageway

    II.        New 'Floating Bus Stop' on northern side of Winston Churchill Avenue

  III.        2-way cycleway along Winston Churchill Avenue south of carriageway

  IV.        Upgrade of Winston Churchill Avenue pedestrian crossing to form

   V.        toucan crossing

  VI.        Middle Street pedestrian/cyclist priority at junction

VII.        St James's Road turning head and disabled parking bay redesign

VIII.        Wellington Street quieter route

 

2.    Note that the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation will be

requested as necessary to review and approve minor amendments to the

proposed designs and timescales due to any unanticipated issues raised

or changes in costs.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.            Approved the proposed East West Active Travel (EWATC) Phase 3 walking and cycling improvements including, in order of priority:

      i.        2-way cycleway along Winston Churchill Avenue north of carriageway

     ii.        New 'Floating Bus Stop' on northern side of Winston Churchill Avenue

    iii.        2-way cycleway along Winston Churchill Avenue south of carriageway

   iv.        Upgrade of Winston Churchill Avenue pedestrian crossing to form toucan crossing

    v.        Middle Street pedestrian/cyclist priority at junction

   vi.        St James's Road turning head and disabled parking bay redesign

  vii.        Wellington Street quieter route 

2.   Note that the Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation will be

requested as necessary to review and approve minor amendments to the

proposed designs and timescales due to any unanticipated issues raised

or changes in costs.

8.

Dunsbury Park Tax Site Specific Agreement for Solent Freeport pdf icon PDF 149 KB

 

Purpose

To provide a view on the impact of the current draft of the SSA on Dunsbury Park's current business model in terms of financial, legal and market risk; to also outline the perceived benefits both financial and market that such Tax Status may provide occupiers and PCC at Dunsbury Park.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet approves a delegation to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and S.151 officer to negotiate, agree and execute the Site Specific Agreement for Dunsbury Park for and on behalf of the council.

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

 

Approved a delegation to the Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and S.151 officer to negotiate, agree and execute the Site Specific Agreement for Dunsbury Park for and on behalf of the council.

 

9.

PCC Budget & Council Tax 2022/23 & Medium Term Budget Forecast 2023/24 to 2025/26 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

The primary purpose of this report is to set the Council's overall Budget for the forthcoming year 2022/23 and the associated level of Council Tax necessary to fund that Budget.

 

The report makes recommendations on the level of Council spending for 2022/23 and the level of Council Tax in the context of the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy, with its stated aim as follows:

 

Overall Aim

 

"In year" expenditure matches "in year" income over the medium term whilst continuing the drive towards regeneration of the City, being innovative, creative and protecting the most important and valued

services.

 

 

The recommended Budget for 2022/23 has been prepared on the basis of the following:

 

The Council resolution of 09 February 2021 that set an overall minimum savings requirement of £1.0m

 

An increase in the level of Council Tax for 2022/23 for general purposes of 1.99%

 

The flexibility to increase the level of Council Tax for an "Adult Social Care Precept", within the limits set by Central Government at 1.0%, and the direct passporting of that additional funding to Adult Social Care to provide for otherwise unfunded cost pressures, including the 6.6% increase in the National Living Wage.

 

This report also provides a comprehensive revision of the Council's rolling 3 Year Forward Financial Forecast for the new period 2023/24 to 2025/26 (i.e. compared to the previous forecast covering 2022/23 to 2024/25, this forecast now replaces the forecast for the previous 3 year period).

 

The new forecast considers the future outlook for both spending and funding, and in that context, wider recommendations are made regarding the levels of reserves to be maintained and additional contributions to the Capital Programme in order to meet the Council's aspirations for the City, as well as maintaining the Council's overall financial resilience throughout this uncertain period.

 

In particular, this report sets out the following:

 

(a) The challenging and uncertain financial climate facing the City Council in 2022/23 and beyond

 

(b) A brief summary of the Medium Term Financial Strategy for achieving the necessarysavings

(c) The revised Revenue Budget and Cash Limits for the current year

 

(d) The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23

 

(e) The Business Rate income for 2022/23 and future years

 

(f) The Council Tax base and recommended Council Tax for 2022/23

 

(g) The forecast Collection Fund balance as at 31 March 2022 for both Council Tax and Business Rates

 

(h) The detailed indicative savings (Appendix C) that could be made by each Portfolio /Committee in meeting its overall savings amount in order to provide the Council with the assurance necessary to approve the recommended savings amount for each Portfolio / Committee

 

(i) The proposed Revenue Budget and Cash Limits for 2022/23

 

(j) The forecast Revenue Budgets for 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26

 

(k) Estimated General Reserves over the period 2021/22 to 2025/26

 

(l) The Medium Term Resource Strategy (MTRS) Reserve, its financial position and proposed use to achieve cashable efficiencies

 

(m) The proposed Capital Programme and "new starts" (including the Housing

Investment Capital Programme) for 2022/23 and future years in accordance with the Capital Strategy

 

(n) The statement of the S.151 Officer on the robustness of the budget in compliance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2003.

 

Decision:

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that the recommendations set out in section 3 of the report be approved.

Decision:

Recommended to Council that the recommendations set out in section 3 of the report be approved.

10.

Oversight and decision making for council companies pdf icon PDF 152 KB

Purpose

To facilitate the replacement of the Cabinet sub-committee with an alternative executive procedure for discharging its functions by the full Cabinet, in accordance with the recommendation of the sub-committee on 15 December 2021.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet agree

 

1.    If members wish to change the procedure for discharging the council's responsibilities as the sole shareholder of council companies, it must:

     i.        Abolish the constituted shareholder committee reverting the discharge of PCC company shareholder functions (executive functions) to full Cabinet;

    ii.        Agree that distinct and separate shareholder delegation(s) be provided for each PCC company to be agreed in each separate company paper going forward.

 

 

 

Decision:

1.    Agreed to abolish the constituted shareholder committee reverting the discharge of PCC company shareholder functions (executive functions) to full Cabinet.

2.    Agreed that distinct and separate shareholder delegation(s) be provided for each PCC company to be agreed in each separate company paper going forward.

3.    Agreed that where the Cabinet has delegated the shareholder functions each company has an obligation to report to Governance & Audit & Standards on a proportionate basis.