To approve the continuation of the 2018/19 local council tax reduction scheme (CTR) for

2019/20. The current scheme was initially approved by Council on 18 December 2015.

It is a legal requirement to annually review the council’s council tax reduction scheme and the decision is reserved to full Council. The current scheme has been reviewed and there is no evidence to support a change at this time.

That:

(a) The council tax reduction scheme for 2019/20, attached at appendix 2, be approved.

To approve the scope and cost of the first stage of appraisal services to be provided by the council’s developer partner, Engie Regeneration, in respect of a potential project to refurbish and redevelop part of the Edgar Street Stadium, the Blackfriars Stand and the West Stand, supported by funding from the provision of new commercial uses which meet the needs of the wide community of stakeholders and are complementary to the local area including the Old Market.

The Herefordshire Economic Vision was adopted by Council in December 2016 as the Economic Development Strategy for the county. This identifies the regeneration of Edgar Street Stadium, home to Hereford Football Club, as a key opportunity for redevelopment as part of the masterplan for regenerating central Hereford. The council has undertaken an initial assessment of redevelopment options and discussions with HFC regarding their priorities and those of the Council.

The council has entered into an overarching agreement with Engie Regeneration, a developer, for a programme of development and regeneration over the next 10 years and potentially beyond. In accordance with that agreement, the developer partner will be commissioned to develop a project through the mechanism of a “New Project Request” and will progress the project in “Stages”.

The New Project Request specifies the council’s initial requirements and its criteria for the  development, which can be refined as the project moves forward.

The developer partner has estimated the cost of the Stage 1 appraisal services which include the development of the outline business case and a proposed programme for delivery. These costs are required to be underwritten by the council as specified in the overarching agreement.

That:

(a)            the redevelopment of the Edgar Street stadium be placed into the development and regeneration programme (DRP); 

(b)            a new project request to carry out a preliminary (“Stage 1”) appraisal of    development options for the Edgar Street Stadium Blackfriars Stand and West Stand be issued to Engie Regeneration, in accordance with the council criteria set out within Appendix 1 of this report; 

(c)            a Stage 1 Development Fee of up to £120k be approved to be underwritten by the Council under the terms of its overarching agreement with Engie Regeneration; and

(d)            (d) A capital sum of £50k is approved for drawing down from the Development Partnership capital budget in order to support the council in delivering Stage 1 of the project, including the covering of staff costs and external advisers to the council.

To receive the outcome of the Ofsted inspection of services under the new Inspection of Local Authority Children Services (ILACS) framework, which was conducted between 4 June 2018 and 22 June 2018.

To consider the council's response to areas for improvement identified and to make any recommendations regarding the council's proposed submission to Ofsted and proposed actions to address the areas of improvement that have been identified.

The council is required to submit an action plan to Ofsted within 70 days of the publication of their report (which is 25 October 2018), outlining how the council intends to address each of the areas for improvement, the timescales for action to be undertaken, and the monitoring arrangements.

That:

(a)       cabinet  determine any additional actions it wishes to be taken to strengthen the draft action plan attached as appendix 2; and

(b)       subject to any revisions, the action plan be approved for submission to Ofsted by 25 October 2018.

To make the Wellington Heath neighbourhood development plan as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire and approve the consequential updates to the countywide policies maps.

To fulfil the legal duty to make /adopt the Wellington Heath neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire. Council delegated authority for the making of the neighbourhood development plans, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map, to the cabinet member infrastructure.

That:

(a)       The Wellington Heath neighbourhood development plan is made as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire; and

(b)       The required consequential changes are made to the countywide policies map

To make the Wyeside Group neighbourhood development plan as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire and approve the consequential updates to the countywide policies maps.

To fulfil the legal duty to make /adopt the Wyeside Group neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire. Council delegated authority for the making of the neighbourhood development plans, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map, to the cabinet member infrastructure.

That:

(a)       The Wyeside Group neighbourhood development plan is made as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire; and

(b)       The required consequential changes are made to the countywide policies map

This report is designed to provide assurance that progress is being made towards achievement of the agreed revenue and service delivery targets, and that the reasons for major variances or potential under-performance are understood and are being addressed to the cabinet’s satisfaction. Cabinet is asked to review projected revenue outturn for 2018/19 and consider performance for the first quarter of the year.

That:

a) the projected financial outturn and performance for the first three months of 2018/19 were reviewed and cabinet determined any additional actions required to achieve improvement; and

b) The following measures be added to the corporate delivery plan 2018/19:

·         time taken to process housing benefit change of circumstances; and

·         time taken to process housing benefit new claims.

To consider the representations including objections to the proposed Hereford Resident’ Parking Order 2017 and to authorise the making of the Order either in full as per the Notice of Proposal, to modify the proposed Order (provided that the modification is not a substantial change) or to abandon the proposals. The Council also has the ability to make the Order in part and for the remaining proposals to which the Order relates to either be abandoned, deferred or make an order or orders giving effect to the remaining proposals in whole or part.

This project developed from consultation over the programme of Hereford City Centre Improvements and concerns over the displacement of parking into neighbouring areas. The Council proposes restrictions in the form of new, or extended resident parking zones/restrictions in six wards, supported by no waiting and no waiting at any time restrictions.

Following objections from the initial public consultation, supplementary consultations were also carried out for Broomy Hill, Court Crescent, Gwynne Street, Walmer Street and various roads as part of the extended Zone 15 proposals in College Road in accordance with legislation. The supplementary consultations helped form the bases of the proposed Order.

That:

(a)        the introduction of no waiting at any time restrictions in the City Centre (Central Ward) as advertised, with a minor non-substantive reduction in length in Gwynne Street (as shown in Appendix 2) is approved;

(b)        the permit parking restriction proposals for Mill Street (in part) and Harold Street, with the withdrawal of proposed restriction changes on the west side of Mill Street related to a bus stop relocation (see Appendix 2) is approved and introduced;

(c)        the introduction of no waiting at any time, no waiting and permit parking restrictions in College Road and adjoining roads, as advertised (see Appendix 3) is approved;

(d)   the introduction of no waiting at any time restrictions in Bulmer Avenue, Esmond Road, Frank Owen Court, Geoffrey Avenue and Lingen Avenue (see Appendix 3) is approved.

the introduction of permit parking restrictions in Bulmer Avenue, Esmond Road, Frank Owen Court and the section of Lingen Avenue which runs from 10 metres north of its junction with Bulmer Avenue to 10 metres west of its junction of Geoffery Avenue with a revised 2 hour waiting limit and revised eligibility list (see Appendix 3) is approved.

A decision on the proposed permit parking restrictions for Geoffrey Avenue northwards through to the northern section of Lingen Avenue towards its junction with Penn Grove Road has been deferred.

(e)        the no waiting at any time, zone change and permit parking restrictions for Foley Street and Ledbury Road as advertised (see Appendix 4) is approved and introduced;

(f)         the permit parking restrictions in Bedford Street, Guildford Street and Oxford Street, as advertised, are approved and introduced; the no waiting at any time restrictions in the northern part of Greyfriars Ward as advertised and the withdrawal of proposed permit parking restrictions for Baysham Street, are approved and introduced. Also the proposed extended restriction period for Zone B (Ryelands Street) and Zone 12 (Old Mill Close), as advertised (see Appendix 5) are approved and introduced;

(g)        the no waiting at any time restrictions for the southern part of Greyfriars as advertised, with the exception of modified proposals for Broomy Hill, taking into account objections from the public and supplementary consultation (see Appendix 5) are approved and introduced;

(h)        the restriction period changes and restriction changes for Zone 8 (St Martin’s Street and Wye Street) as advertised (see Appendix 6) is approved and introduced;

(i)          the withdrawal of the permit parking and no waiting at any time restriction proposals for Belmont Avenue and Belmont Court (see Appendix 6) are approved and introduced;

(j)          the no waiting at any time restrictions in Hinton Crescent and adjoining roads, as advertised, are approved and introduced. Otherwise the withdrawal of proposed permit parking restrictions for Hinton Crescent (see Appendix 6) is approved;

(k)        the no waiting at any time restrictions on Hinton Road and its junction with Court Crescent and the northern (park) side of Court Crescent (as advertised) with a revised no waiting restriction across most of the frontages on the south side (excluding the accesses – see Appendix 6) are approved and introduced;

(l)          the no waiting at any time, no waiting and permit parking restrictions in the proposed extended Zone C with modifications to withdraw the proposed 1 hour limited waiting period (and revert to permit holder only parking in Canonmoor Street) and to create a discrete Zone H for Walmer Street. – see Appendix 7) are approved and introduced;

(m)      the no waiting at any time and permit parking restrictions in Penhaligon Way and Gladstone Way (with adjoining roads) as advertised are approved and introduced;

(n)        the no waiting at any time and permit parking restrictions in Chester Close, Millbrook Street, Moor Street, Newtown Road, Newtown Road Service Road and Prior Street (Zone F), with the caveat that implementation for Prior Street may be in part superseded by a prospective experimental cycle and access scheme, is approved and introduced;

(o)        the no waiting at any time, limited waiting and permit parking restrictions in Canal Road and Coningsby Road, as advertised are approved and introduced.

To make the Yarkhill neighbourhood development plan as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire and approve the consequential updates to the countywide policies maps.

To fulfil the legal duty to make /adopt the Yarkhill neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire. Council delegated authority for the making of the neighbourhood development plans, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map, to the cabinet member infrastructure.

That:

(a)        The Yarkhill neighbourhood development plan is made as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire; and

(b)        The required consequential changes are made to the countywide policies map

To approve a new Code of Conduct policy – schools so that the policy can be adopted by governing bodies in schools (maintained and voluntary-controlled).  However, a recommendation will be made to voluntary aided and academy schools to adopt the same policy for consistency across Herefordshire schools.

The policy has been developed to meet an audit recommendation that there should be a Code of Conduct policy that is specific to schools.  The policy clarifies expectations regarding the required standards of behaviour for all staff working within schools.

That:

The Code of Conduct policy – schools be approved.

To approve the additional legal expenditure of £25k to facilitate the disposal of the council’s smallholdings.

The council had previously undertaken a procurement exercise to secure legal specialist support to ensure that sales are able to be completed in a timely manner. This recommendation supports this.

That:

(a)        additional legal work to a value not exceeding £25k be commissioned from Weightmans solicitors to complete the disposal of the council’s smallholdings.

To approve the publication of the Hereford area plan (HAP) housing and employment site options paper for consultation purposes.

The site options paper sets out to identify a range of sites considered as potential allocations for housing and employment uses within the HAP.  It includes details of 57 housing sites and 5 employment sites considered to have potential for development across Hereford.  The consultation will seek the public’s views on the approach taken, including the site suggestions or whether other sites and proposals should be considered. 

That:

(a)        the Hereford Area Plan site options paper (Appendix 1-9) is approved for consultation. 

To seek approval for the revised Local Development Scheme

It is a requirement of the planning acts to prepare a local development scheme (“LDS”) and to keep it up-to-date.  The LDS was last approved in January 2015 and has been updated to take account of the timescales for completing the remaining development plan documents (DPDs).

That:

(a)        the revised Local Development Scheme is approved for publication; and

(b)        the programme director housing and growth be authorised to make any amendments necessary to ensure the published scheme remains accurate and accords with timetables agreed by the executive for the production of development plan documents, reporting any changes made under this delegation to cabinet as part of the quarterly performance report

To seek approval to release capital funds set aside in the approved budget for the financial year 2018/19 and undertake replacement of defective roofs over units 1 – 6 Tarsmill Court, Rotherwas via an appropriate contractor procured and appointed through the council’s competitive tendering process.

That:

(a)        replacement of defective roof over units 1 – 6 Tarsmill Court, Rotherwas  be undertaken within a budget of £400k; and

(b)        the works are procured from an appropriate contractor via open tender to ensure that best value is obtained.