To approve the retaining of 6 at risk public phone boxes, in full working order, in response to a formal consultation by British Telecom (BT). As set out by Ofcom, BT has an obligation to consult with Herefordshire Council with regard to the proposed removals. In some cases, a payphone can still be essential local service, where there is unreliable mobile coverage and in the absence of mobile access.

That:

(a)        the council object to the removal of 6 public call boxes in the county due to relevant factors, as detailed in Appendix 2.

To approve expenditure of £250k on the parish lengthsman grant scheme for 2020/21.

That:

(a)  £250,000 funding as set out in paragraph 2 below is provided as grant funding in support of Schemes that Parish councils bid for to be undertaken by their existing Lengthsman plans; and

(b)  the Acting Assistant Director for Highways and Transport be authorised to approve grants in accordance with the criteria as set out in paragraphs 5 to 10 below.

To agree a response to Shropshire Council which is seeking views from Herefordshire Council, as a neighbouring authority, about whether it could accommodate some of Shropshire's identified needs for development.

That:

the Council responds to Shropshire Council’s request  by confirming that Herefordshire  is not in a position to assist in meeting Shropshire’s unmet development needs.

To renew the contract for the schools budget planning software for use by local authority maintained schools under the de-delegation funding arrangements approved by Schools Forum.

That:

(a)       The contract with the Access Group for the school budget planning software is renewed for the two year period from 1^st April 2020 at a cost of £55,168 +VAT in accordance with the terms set out in the government’s G-Cloud 11 framework contract;

(b)       To note that the contract cost is fully met by schools under the de-delegation arrangements approved by Schools Forum;

(c)       Options for extending the contract for a further one or two years be considered in December 2021.

To make the Holmer and Shelwick 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 Holmer and Shelwick neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire.

Herefordshire has positively supported communities to be involved in producing a neighbourhood development plan and currently has the greatest number being produced in a local authority area within England. 

There are currently 112 plans being produced in Herefordshire (69 of which have now been Made) by parish councils and their local communities. These neighbourhood development plans will provide more locally detailed policies to support the delivery of the Herefordshire Local Plan – Core Strategy and guide development within the local parish until 2031.

On 20 May 2016, the Council delegated authority to the cabinet member infrastructure for decisions on all further neighbourhood development plans adoptions, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map.

That:

(a)        The Holmer and Shelwick 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 Longtown 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 Longtown Group neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire.

Herefordshire has positively supported communities to be involved in producing a neighbourhood development plan and currently has the greatest number being produced in a local authority area within England. 

There are currently 112 plans being produced in Herefordshire (69 of which have now been Made) by parish councils and their local communities. These neighbourhood development plans will provide more locally detailed policies to support the delivery of the Herefordshire Local Plan - Core Strategy and guide development within the local parish until 2031.

On 20 May 2016, the Council delegated authority to the cabinet member infrastructure for decisions on all further neighbourhood development plans adoptions, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map.

That:

(a)       The Longtown 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.

The executive has been asked to establish a designated annual mental health day to be named “Lets Listen Herefordshire” to be held every third Monday of each New Year from January 20th 2020 onwards.  This is to coincide with ‘Blue Monday’ which has been identified by Mental Health Research UK as being the most depressing day of the year due to it being short, and dark. 

That:

(a)       The council do something different by promoting the National Mental Health Research UK campaign  ‘Blooming Monday’ which coincides with ‘Blue Monday’ amongst council staff and members only;

(b)       That the localised promotion is part of other planned events to promote mental health amongst council staff during January 2020;

(c)       The ‘Lets Listen Herefordshire’ branding is not added to the National Campaign materials.

(d)       The promotion is evaluated and this evaluation considers whether the event should be supported in future years.

To agree the property services planned and reactive maintenance programme 2020/21 to ensure the continuing upkeep, improvements and maintenance of the council’s property assets and also to allow the council to fulfil its obligations to carry out statutory compliance inspections and related remedial works.

The maintenance budget of £2,397,790 is to be spent on the continuing upkeep, cleaning and maintenance of the council’s 295 key property assets and also to allow the council to fulfil its obligations to carry out compliance checks and best practice inspections so as to maintain a safe environment for the users of the buildings and for the upkeep of the property.

That:

(a)       the 2020/21 cleaning, planned and reactive maintenance budget of  £2,397,790 be allocated between maintenance undertakings as follows and as set out in appendix B:

·           £1,551,907 on cyclical, planned and reactive maintenance;

·           £243,803 on statutory compliance inspections; 

·           £602,080 on cleaning;

(b)       the assistant director for technical services be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendation and spend within the approved budgets including realigning budget between maintenance undertakings provided that individual budget allocations do not vary by more than 35%; and

(c)       the maintenance work is delivered through the authorised building maintenance and cleaning services provider at that time.

To make the Stretton Sugwas 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 Stretton Sugwas neighbourhood development plan and update the countywide policies map as part of the statutory development plan for Herefordshire.

Herefordshire has positively supported communities to be involved in producing a neighbourhood development plan and currently has the greatest number being produced in a local authority area within England. 

There are currently 112 plans being produced in Herefordshire (69 of which have now been Made) by parish councils and their local communities. These neighbourhood development plans will provide more locally detailed policies to support the delivery of the Herefordshire Local Plan - Core Strategy and guide development within the local parish until 2031.

On 20 May 2016, the Council delegated authority to the cabinet member infrastructure for decisions on all further neighbourhood development plans adoptions, and consequential amendments to the countywide policies map

That:

(a)       The Stretton Sugwas 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.

The West Mercia Energy Joint Committee is administered by Shropshire Council. To view the decisions made at this meeting please visit the Shropshire Council website by following this link:

https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=649&MId=4049&Ver=4

A summary of the decisions taken is also available: https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/documents/g3866/Decisions%2024th-Sep-2019%2010.00%20West%20Mercia%20Energy%20Joint%20Committee.pdf?T=2

To approve the adoption of the West Midlands Regional Foster Care Framework for the provision of foster care services from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023; with the option to extend for up to a further year at an estimated spend of up to c.£3.5 million per annum. Actual spend will depend upon demand from the number of children looked after by the council and the capacity of the council’s in-house fostering service to meet that demand.

The current framework agreement expires on 31 March 2020 and there is no option to extend.  Sandwell Children's Trust has taken the lead on behalf of the region on a re-procurement exercise for a new framework which is due to go live on 1 April 2020.  Joining the framework ensures that Herefordshire can continue to achieve good value and quality when placing looked after children with independent foster care providers. Joining the framework allows access to a pool of regionally approved fostering agencies. It does not commit the council to spend via the framework. The council will search for placements for individual children via the framework, and will purchase from the framework if a suitable match is found for that child. If a suitable match can not be identified, the council would extend its search to, and may purchase from, the wider market of agencies that have not joined the framework.

That:

(a)  the West Midlands Regional Foster Care Framework Agreement until 2023 for the provision of foster care services be adopted to facilitate the purchasing of independent agency foster care;

(b)  the Director for Children’s and Families be authorised to take all necessary operational decisions to implement the above recommendation and utilise the framework agreement;

(c)  the Director for Children’s and Families and relevant Assistant Directors be authorised to take all necessary operational decisions to spot-purchase placements outside the framework should the need arise for individual children.

To approve the Housing Allocation Scheme for Herefordshire 2020.

Under Part VI Housing Act 1996 (as amended) the council is required to have an allocation scheme for determining priorities and providing information on all aspects of the allocation process. This is required even though Herefordshire Council does not have its own social housing stock because it does have nomination rights to a proportion of the properties owned by registered providers (RPs) in the county that become vacant and available for letting.

A housing allocation policy was approved by Cabinet in April 2018 but this has not been

implemented due to issues around the required IT support which are identified below. The delay has enabled review and revision of the 2018 policy in the light of further guidance, notably in respect of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, and the change in procedures arising from the reversion to a choice based lettings (CBL) scheme.

The amendments to the 2018 policy include some changes to the banding criteria, improved clarity on additional preference for armed forces personnel and a band for existing tenants and general applicants. The latter band will not be assessed by the council’s housing register team but will provide a means by which the Registered Providers (RP) can let the percentage of their vacant properties which are not subject to the percentages detailed in the nomination agreements with the RPs. Exclusion and reduced preference has been replaced with suspension from bidding, in the light of recent legal advice. The majority of the amendments however relate to the revision of procedures to reflect the maintenance of a choice based lettings scheme rather than the proposed data transfer and manual nomination process envisaged in the 2018 policy.

In order to support the maintenance of a choice based lettings system and to enable

implementation of the revised housing allocation scheme it is necessary to upgrade the IT system procured as part of the service redesign process, in particular to have an improved advertising module with better connectivity and more features to improve the information available to prospective tenants.

That:

(a) The revised Housing Allocation Scheme at Appendix 1 is approved;

(b) Any minor amendments to the scheme necessary to enable implementation are delegated to the Cabinet member housing, regulatory services and community safety.

To review performance for quarter 3 2019/20 and the budget outturn.

To provide assurance that progress is being made towards achievement of the agreed revenue budget and service delivery targets, and that the reasons for major variances or potential underperformance are understood and are being addressed to the cabinet’s satisfaction.

The 2019/20 outturn is £51k overspend as at the end of December 2019. It is anticipated that this will be addressed within the directorates.

The proportion of performance measures showing an improvement, or remaining the same compared to the same period last year is 70%. This is an improvement on the same period last year.

That:

(a) Cabinet reviewed performance and financial outturn for quarter 3 2019/20, as set out in appendices A - G, and did not identify any additional actions to be considered to achieve future improvement.

The report is to outline further delivery of the “better ways of working” initiative that enables

employees to work flexibly and to consolidate use of premises. This decision will specifically relate to the future occupancy of the Nelson House building and consider changes to Plough Lane and Elgar House offices to accommodate any increased occupancy of these buildings. The report will include details of any required financial investment and associated savings, details of any required procurement and any guidance to changes to staff working practices that will enable the improved usage of the workspace.

As well as consolidating spaces based on cost saving the purpose is the creation of a flexible, modern working environment that can have a positive impact on service delivery and staff morale.  Also, open plan and shared spaces support opportunities for collaborative working can aid communication. With reducing the number of sites the on-going use and cost of utilities can lessen and through encouraging the use of multi-agency offices in the market towns and home working reduces employees’ carbon footprint, including congestion into Hereford.

Better ways of working is an initiative that was introduced several years ago and whilst some teams have adopted the approach it has not been consistently applied across the organisation. Due to the proposed reduction in council buildings, associated guidance and policies will need to be more robustly applied with the proposals providing an opportunity to instigate a consistent approach.

That:

(a) notice is served to vacate the Nelson building from 30 September 2020 making an annual saving of £155k;

(b) approve spend of up to £850k to deliver the better ways of working project as detailed in this report through delegated authority to the chief finance officer in consultation with the cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets; and

(c) the principles of better ways of working are adopted by Herefordshire Council (point 21).