Agenda

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 5 January 2021.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

The deadline for questions to be submitted to the Monitoring Officer is 15 January 2021.

Please refer to the recommendations detailed below.

The following recommendations were moved and seconded at the Council meeting on 5 January 2021 and in accordance with the Constitution stood adjourned without discussion until this Council meeting.

RECOMMENDED to Council:

Procedure Rule 36

(A)    That Procedure Rule 36 be amended to read “Any motion under Procedure Rule 12 (Motions on Notice), to vary or revoke these Rules shall, when proposed and seconded, stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council”;

(B)    That Procedure Rule 36 (as amended) be moved from Sub Part C (General Provisions) to Sub Part A (Council Meetings).

RECOMMENDED that:-

(A)    The report for the calculation of the council’s tax base for the year 2021/22 be approved and the tax base be approved by Full Council; and

(B)    Pursuant to the report, and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, as amended, the amount calculated as the council tax base for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council for 2021/22 is 139,170.5, comprising of the following area tax bases: Bournemouth 62,176.7, Christchurch 20,021.9 and Poole 56,971.9.

RECOMMENDED that:-

(A)    For the current 2020/21 scheme year Council supports the CIMT recommendation to approve the 2020/21 reimbursement of bus based on adjusted pre-Covid levels as urged by Central Government; and

(B)    For 2021/22 the formation of a Recovery Partnership with the bus operators to seek a local solution to bus service provision and funding arrangements to include concessionary fares reimbursement be endorsed.

RECOMMENDED that:-

(A)    The interim Dorset Heathlands Interim Air Quality strategy covering the period 2020-2025 is adopted;

(B)    A £562,500 project budget is set aside from Community Infrastructure Levy to implement the strategy over the period 2020-2025;

(C)    An Air Quality Project Co-ordinator is appointed from the project budget to bring forward projects; and

(D)    Any changes resulting from Dorset Council adopting this document are delegated to the Director of Growth and Infrastructure in liaison with the relevant Portfolio Holders.

RECOMMENDED that:

(A)      Having considered the consultation responses and feedback, and amended the draft policies, the final versions of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver Policy 2021 - 2025, the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy 2021 – 2025, and the Private Hire Operator Policy 2021 – 2025, be approved for adoption by Full Council.

(B)      Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 be adopted by Full Council to enable the creation of a single Private Hire ‘relevant area’ for BCP Council.

Attached with the agenda are the policies as amended by the Licensing Committee.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(A)    Approve the transfer of £13.3 million to earmarked financial resilience reserves for transformation, Covid-19, and MTFP mitigation as set out in paragraph 11; and

(B)    Approve the capital virement as set out in paragraph 110.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(A)      agree to dispose of approximately 5.65 acres of land at Wessex Fields, as outlined in blue on the attached plan in Appendix 1, to University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust for the purchase price detailed in the confidential appendix to this report;

(B)      agrees to construct the new access road (including junctions) into the site shown on the attached plans in Appendix 3 and 4;

(C)      delegates authority to the Corporate Property Officer in consultation with the Portfolio holder, Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer to finalise the detailed terms of the disposal;

(D)      amend the 2021/22 Capital programme to include an allocation as detailed in the confidential appendix to fund the road/junction works to enable the development of this land.

RECOMMENDED that:-

(A)      The early years funding formula as set out in Table 2 of paragraph 31 be approved;

(B)      The mainstream school’s funding formula set out in Table 6 of Appendix 2 allowing for a £1.1 million (0.5%) transfer of Schools Block funding to support High Needs be approved;

(C)      The local formula to adopt the National Funding Formula (NFF) funding values and mechanisms as set out in the report be agreed;

(D)      Delegation of the final decision on the mainstream school’s formula, when all DfE decisions are known, to the Corporate Director, Children’s Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Covid Resilience, Schools and Skills, taking into account the methodology recommended by the School’s Forum in Table 8 of Appendix 3; and

(E)      The Minimum Funding Guarantee for specialist providers is set at 0 per cent to allow maximum budget flexibility.

RECOMMENDED that:-

(a)     That revenue budgets for 2021/22 and provisionally for 2022/23 and 2023/24 are set using the following principles:

(i)        That dwelling rents are increased by 1.5% (CPI for September 2020 + 1%) from 5 April 2021 in line with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Policy statement on rents for social housing published in February 2019.

(ii)       That dwelling rents are moved to formula rent when a property is re-let following a vacancy.

(iii)      That garage rental charges are increased by 2% from the 5 April 2021 across both neighbourhoods. That rental charges for garage bases and parking plots in the Bournemouth neighbourhood also increase by 2% from 5 April 2021.

(iv)    That the garages owned by the HRA at Anchor Close, Bearwood are transferred to the General Fund.

(v)       That leasehold services are charged to leaseholders in line with actual costs incurred.

(vi)      That the changes to service charges are agreed as set out in appendix 2.

(vii)    That the budgeted bad debt charge is maintained at £188,000 in the Bournemouth neighbourhood and £197,000 in the Poole neighbourhood.

(viii)   That the depreciation budget is set at £6.878m for the Bournemouth neighbourhood and £4.665m for the Poole neighbourhood.

(ix)      That HRA reserves should be maintained at a minimum level of 5% of total expenditure in line with good practice. This equates to £976,250 for the Bournemouth neighbourhood and £769,900 for the Poole neighbourhood for 2021/22, totalling £1.746m

(b)     That capital budgets for 2021/22 and provisionally for 2022/23 and 2023/24 are set using the following principles:

(i)        That the planned maintenance programme as set out in Appendix 5 is agreed.

(ii)       That the major project capital programme as set out in Appendix 6 is agreed.

(iii)      That funding totalling £6.824 million is carried forward from the 2020/21 Bournemouth neighbourhood capital programme and that funding totalling £4.955 million is carried forward from the 2020/21 Poole neighbourhood capital programme to reflect where expenditure on major projects has commenced but these projects have not yet been completed.

(c)     That the Delivery Plans for each neighbourhood to support the key principles for the HRA and the Council’s Corporate Strategy are agreed as set out in appendices 7 and 8.

RECOMMENDED that Council:-

(1)    undertake a recorded vote in relation to the following items as required by the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendments) Regulations 2014 which came into force on the 25 February 2014;

(a)    A net budget of £241.1 million, resulting in a total council tax requirement of £214.5 million, is set for 2021/22 based on the settlement figures published by government in December 2020. This is based upon:

(i)      an increase in council tax in 2021/22 which means that the total BCP unitary charge will increase by 1.55% when applied to the average charge for 2020/21. Individual resident charges can be summarised as;

1.   Bournemouth’s council tax charge being an increase of 0.76% over that levied in 2020/21.

2.   Christchurch’s council tax charge being frozen compared to that levied in 2020/21.

3.   Poole’s council tax charge being an increase of 2.99% over that levied in 2020/21.

4.   These increases can be compared to the 4.99% maximum permitted increase for 2021/22 and recognises that the government continue to promote council tax increases via the social care precept as a funding mechanism for social care.

(ii)    the key assumptions and provisions made in the budget as proposed, set out in paragraph 35 to 56;

(iii)   the allocations to service areas in the budget as proposed and as set out in Appendix 2a;

(iv)   the capital investment programme (CIP) as set out in paragraphs 93 to 154 and Appendix 4;

(v)    the use and level of all reserves to be held by the council further to the advice of the chief finance officer as set out in paragraphs 155 to 173 and Appendix 3 to this report;

(vi)   treasury management strategy (TMS) and prudential indicators as set out in paragraphs 174 to 183 and Appendix 5;

(vii) the chief officers’ pay policy statement for consideration and approval by the council in accordance with the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 as set out in paragraphs 185 to 186 and Appendix 7;

(b)    approve a £7.2 million gross investment in the council’s corporate priorities (£6.2 million net) in 2021/22 which is an increase of £4.8 million compared to the 2020/21 budget;

(c)    approve the flexible use of capital receipts strategy to deliver significant resources towards the BCP Council transformation programme as set out in paragraphs 57 to 67;

(d)    approve the fundamental refinancing of the capital programme and the move to borrowing as a means of financing previously approved programmes of the council as discussed in paragraphs 150 to 154;

(e)    approve the establishment of a £50 million futures fund to support key infrastructure developments as set out in paragraph 97;

(f)     approve the investment of £10 million in special educational needs and disability (SEND) capital expenditure to support the Council in addressing the year on year deficits in the high needs block of the dedicated schools grant as set out in paragraph 110;

(g)    note that it has been agreed, due to unforeseen circumstances, that neither the Council nor Homes  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7j

The Council is advised that the Poole People and All Group do not wish to take up the seat allocated to the Group, in accordance with the political balance of the Council, on the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board.  The Council is asked to consider the allocation of the seat.

The allocation of the seat to an alternative political group or unaligned member will therefore not be in accordance with the political balance and will require no decent from Council.

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 12 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor Chris Matthews and seconded by Councillor Millie Earl:-

The Council notes:

The pandemic has opened all our eyes to the importance of carers, whether employed in the care sector or the 6.5 million unpaid people who care for a family member or friend who is elderly or has a disability, or a mental or physical illness.

Despite this, the Government has overlooked these key workers and have failed to offer adequate support, and unpaid carers in particular have been left to face mounting financial and emotional pressures.

The Council further notes:

Carers in BCP face major financial and emotional challenges every single day; challenges that have been made even harder by the pandemic. Most are having to spend more time looking after loved ones; most haven’t been able to take a single break since it started; and most are simply exhausted.

In response to the pandemic, the Government increased the Universal Credit standard allowance and the Working Tax Credit basic element by £20 a week, but it has not increased Carer’s Allowance. At just £67.25 a week, Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind.

Many carers are unaware of their entitlement to Carer’s Allowance, a carers assessment or break, and the support services available. The latest government figures show that 6,261 unpaid carers in BCP are entitled to receive Carer’s Allowance, although only 4,103 currently do, leaving 2,158 carers with little or no support.

Carers UK research shows that unpaid carers in the UK have saved the state £530 million every day of the pandemic but many are struggling to make ends meet, often relying on foodbanks to feed themselves and the people they care for. It is time to give carers the support they deserve.

1)    Consequently, Council resolves:

a)   That the portfolio holder for adults and lead member for engagement bring forward a report to Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to:

i)       highlight the work and voluntary efforts of carers across the conurbation;

ii)      identify what is being done, and what can be done to support carers in Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole including those who are not in receipt Carer’s Allowance.

b)  To promote Young Carers Action Day which is on 16 March widely on an annual basis, particularly to young carers and their families; as well as promote Carers Week in June and Carers Rights Day on November 26 annually.

2)    Council calls on the Leader of the Council to:

a)    Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and copy in local MPs, urging them to:

i)      immediately increase Carer’s Allowance by £1,000 a year, from its current rate of £67.25 a week to £87.25, in line with the £20 a week uplift in Universal Credit, including those who do not receive the Allowance due to overlapping benefits and with equivalent increase in  ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.