Agenda, decisions and minutes

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Note the contents and delivery of the Corporate Performance Report in relation to the delivery of the Council Plan priorities and outcomes; and

2.    Agree the Performance Report is shared with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to inform and support their ongoing work programme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Note the £6.0M projected cost pressure on the Council’s 2024/25 General Fund budget, a deteriorating position since Q1; and

2.    Note the ongoing cost pressures within Children’s Social Care and theplans in place to mitigate these pressures as far as is possible; and

3.    Agree to receive further updates from Executive Directors on the delivery of their service reviews/efficiency savings and future spending plans, ensuring that these are managed within agreed budget envelopes; and

4.    Note that the previously reported budget gap in 25/26 of £19M, is not fully reflective of the forecast outturn position in this report, which depending on the Local Government Financial Settlement, may require further savings over and above those already provisionally identified; and

5.    Note the advice of the Director of Finance (S151 Officer) that the first call of any betterment in the forthcoming Local Government Finance Settlement be used to offset these increased pressures; and

6.    Agree to receive an updated Medium-Term Financial Strategy later in 2024 following the Autumn Budget and Local Government Finance Settlement; and

7.    Approve the further drawdown of earmarked reserves (£0.636M General Fund services) to fund previously approved expenditure in 2024/25; and

8.    Note the Housing Revenue Account is forecast to outturn a balanced position; and

9.    Approve the accounting write-off of historic bad debts totalling £0.941M as detailed in the report [NB: all debts remain liable for collection]; and

10. Note the forecast position on the Capital Programme; and

11. Note scheme slippage totalling £9.725M; and

12. Approve the net increase in scheme costs of £1.480M; and

13. Note the key messages from the Council’s Q2 Treasury Management activities.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Agrees that the objections received be rejected for the reasons detailed in the report and the objectors be informed accordingly; and

2.    Approves the proposal to enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce waiting restrictions on part of Cemetery Road and the junction of Lady Croft Lane in Hemingfield, as originally advertised and as shown on Appendix 2 of the report; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Highways and Engineering and the Head of Legal Services to make and implement the Traffic Regulation Order.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Agrees that the objections received be rejected for the reasons detailed in the report and the objectors be informed accordingly; and

2.    Approves the proposal to enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce waiting restrictions on part of Fish Dam Lane and the junction of Manor Farm Close in Carlton, as originally advertised and as shown on Appendix 2 of the report; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Highways and Engineering and the Head of Legal Services to make and implement the Traffic Regulation Order.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Approves the adoption of the Barnsley Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy as the Council’s strategy for inclusive economic growth priorities in Barnsley; and

2.    Delegates authority to the Executive Director for Growth and Sustainability to publish the strategy and promote strategic delivery priorities via the Barnsley Inclusive Economy Board.

REPORT TO FULL COUNCIL ON 6 FEBRUARY 2025

REPORT FO FULL COUNCIL ON 6 FEBRUARY 2025

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Note the outcome of the consultation process for the adoption of Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982; and

2.    Recommend to Full Council to approve the amended Street Trading Policy 2025-2030; and

3.    Recommend to Full Council to approve the amended Fees and Charges for Street Trading Consents; and

4.    Recommend to Full Council to pass a resolution to designate all streets in the Barnsley borough as Consent Streets from 1 April 2025 as per Schedule 4 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Approves the request to release £2.800M of the expected 2025/26 HRA repairs budget in FY 2024/25 to accelerate the delivery of:

a.    Major adaptations: £1.500M (in year works orders up to September 2024).

b.    Programmed replacement works: £1.300M: (in year works orders up to September 2024); and

2.    Approves the request to vire c.£0.700M to areas of overspend to balance the 2024/25 budget envelope; and

3.    Notes the change of delivery for 2024/25 Elemental Roofing programme from PRIP contract to External contractor to the value of £0.6M.

It is likely that the public and press will be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the items so marked because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the specific paragraphs of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended, subject to the public interest test.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Review PRIP performance for 2023/24; noting performance against key contractual KPI’s and those which contribute to the Regulator of Social Housing’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs); noting those exception areas where actions have been put in place to ensure that the Council’s contractors provide a high performing, effective and efficient repairs and maintenance service to council tenants; and

2.    Notes progress made in undertaking a review of current contractual arrangements as the Council approaches year 5 of the 10-year arrangement between the Council, Berneslai Homes Construction Services and Wates Property Services Ltd and approves the continued appointment of Savills to provide specialist technical support, as required; and

3.    Approves the contract extension to the Council’s contracts with both Berneslai Homes and Wates, delegating authority to the Director for Finance, in consultation with the Executive Director for Growth and Sustainability, to negotiate, conclude and execute on behalf of the Council any document, contract or agreement required to conclude the contractual review process and obtain appropriate changes to refresh these agreements.