Agenda, decisions and minutes

RESOLVED that Cabinet agrees:-

1.    The approach to delivering the DWP £2.3m Household Support Grant (HSG) (to be named Cost of Living Crisis – Household Support Grant) which has to be spent by 31 March 2022 by working with the following BMBC teams:

·         Healthier Communities – to support people with food and wider essentials including essentials linked to energy and water.

·         Sustainability & Climate Change – to allocate funds to support people with energy and water bills.

·         Housing Options – to support people with emergency housing costs.

2.    To utilise £1m BMBC match funding to vulnerable households which can be used post March 2022 when the HSG will cease.

3.    To move to allocating Local Welfare Assistance (LWA) to vouchers to alleviate supplier and stock issues.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

1.    Notes the outcomes of the annual review of the sufficiency of early years provision in the Borough; and

2.    Endorses the actions to be taken to maintain resilience within the sector which supports the sustainability of provision as indicated in Section 5 of the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

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

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

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

CORPORATE FINANCE PERFORMANCE

1.    Notes the forecast 21/22 General Fund financial pressure of £22.7 Million, mostly comprised of the ongoing impact of COVID-19;

2.    Notes the overall improving net impact (after all specific Government funding) of £3.1Million;

3.    Notes that this net impact will be funded from resources previously set aside within the 21/22 budget, effectively ensuring the delivery of a balanced budget this year;

4.    Notes the current 21/22 forecast of a £0.4M overspend position on the Housing Revenue Account; and

5.    Approves the write off of historic bad debts totalling £0.618M.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE

1.    Notes the forecast position on the approved Capital Programme; and

2.    Notes the ongoing review of the capital programme.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT

1.    Notes the key messages from the Council’s Quarter 2 Treasury Management activities.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-                     

1.    Notes the contents of the report alongside the Household Support Grant report also submitted to Cabinet for consideration (Cab.1.12.2021/6);

2.    Approves the proposed reduction in the price of energy charged to tenants by 3.1p per KW-H, [from 9.5p to 6.4p per KW-H] from 1 September 2021; and

3.    Notes that the Council will review the pricing strategy in future years, given the current volatility in the energy market.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves:-

1.    The long-term approach to events delivery;

2.    That all stakeholders are invited to participate in delivery of the town centre events programme; and

3.    That the financial recommendations highlighted in section 7 of the report be progressed.

RESOLVED that the item be deferred.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

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

2.    Approves the proposal to enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions on parts of Furlong Road and its junction with Prospect Road, as shown on Appendix 1 of the report submitted; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Highways and Engineering and the Legal Service Director and Solicitor to the Council to make and implement the Traffic Regulation Order.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

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

2.    Approves the proposal to enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions on the junction of Manor Road and Barnsley Road, Cudworth, as shown on Appendix 1 of the report submitted; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Highways and Engineering and the Legal Service Director and Solicitor to the Council to make and implement the Traffic Regulation Order.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

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

2.    Approves the proposal to enact a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions on parts of both sides of Warner Road and its junctions with Pennine Way, Hambleton Close, Cotswold Close, Mendip Close, Grampian Close and Malvern Close, as shown on Appendix 1 of the report submitted; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Highways and Engineering and the Legal Service Director and Solicitor to the Council to make and implement the Traffic Regulation Order.

The appendices to agenda item 17 are exempt. Therefore, if necessary when considering that item, the Chair will move the following resolution:-

That under Section 100(A) 4 of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of such Act indicated, as now amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves:-

1.    ‘In principle’ the community asset transfer of the Computer Centre building to Barnsley Youth Choir (BYC);

2.    That the Service Director Regeneration and Culture, working with the Head of Property be delegated authority to finalise Heads of Terms for a 50-year lease to Barnsley Youth Choir Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO);

3.    That the Service Director of Legal Services be delegated authority to complete the lease to Barnsley Youth Choir CIO, subject to the necessary fundraising planning consents being achieved;

4.    That the Council agrees ‘in principle’ to provide up to £0.500m in grant funding to support the programme of capital works required to realize the planned development/refurbishment of the building by Barnsley Youth Choir – any release of grant to be conditional on the Council’s Section 151 Office being satisfied with progress made by BYC in respect i) fundraising to support the totality of the proposed capital programme and ii) the ongoing viability/sustainability of their proposals;

5.    That BMBC nominate the Service Director Regeneration and Culture to be the key point of liaison for the Choir throughout this project and hold regular review meetings throughout;

6.    That, in the event of the Nave being completed, a nominated representative of BMBC would have observer status on BYC’s Steering Group and / or Board of Trustees and convene regular review meetings of how the Asset Transfer is enabling the Choir to achieve its objectives for Barnsley.