S C Joseph Ltd have been identified as the bidder representing best value for money following a competitive tender via the SouthWest Portal and assessment process in accordance with Council procurement procedures. An open tender was published and two valid tenders were received for consideration. The work is to be awarded to S C Joseph Ltd with a tender value of £41,126.00.

The works will prevent further deterioration of the asset, improve insulation and reduce heat loss and enable business continuity and to facilitate the transfer of the freehold interest in the building to the Hope Family Centre.

To provide an update to the committee on progress against internal audit recommendations activities.

This quarter has seen the first four projects come forward for funding from the Fastershire Community Grant which was launched in December 2020.
The four communities are very different in size, remoteness and viability. The table below details the key information relating to each project.

Community Participating Other Selected
premises benefitting Supplier Total Cost Required
with premises £’000 Funding
<30Mbps with <30Mbps £’000
Birley, Upper Hill
& Aulden 28 17 Full Fibre Ltd 196,610 192,637.08
Nash & Knill 24 7 Airband 149,533 137,533
Cinderford 87 497 Full Fibre Ltd 3,112,006 28,675
Northwick Park
& Draycott 78 110 Gigaclear 231,104 94,603
Total 217 631 3,689,253 453,448.08

Cinderford, being a small town, is the clear outlier and the exercise has done more to bring the viability of the area to the attention of suppliers than plug any major funding gap. However, it is unlikely that many similar schemes to Cinderford will come through the grant and the other three are more representative of the type of projects that will come through in the future.

Despite the disparity in cost vs benefit, each project passed the Value for Money test detailed in the Fastershire Broadband Strategy and was therefore approved.

These early projects have successfully proved the concept of the Fastershire Community Grant, enabling the project to facilitate superfast connectivity to 848 hitherto STD (Still To Do) premises, nearly 10% of the residual premises that are left without a contracted solution.

Government advice was that the hospitality venues must close from 31 December 2020 unless operating as a takeaway/delivery operation.

The council suspended highways amenity and pavement licences on 31 December 2021, see Covid HAL/PL suspension decision 31.12.20

Businesses that remained open under that capacity did so without seating areas.

Those businesses that have either a highways amenity licence or a pavement licence for external seating areas will be permitted to reintroduce those areas from 12 April 2021.

To withdraw the Bromyard Depot from the Development Regeneration Partnership (DRP) as the council has not been able to secure vacant possession of the entire development site, and therefore current scheme cannot be taken forward at this time.

To prosecute the defendant for offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section 117

To issue the defendant a simple caution for offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section 117

The council via the Fastershire project has identified that Herefordshire residents would benefit from training to enable them to better understand the advantages of going online and to develop the skills to use the internet. Therefore the council is seeking to commission ICT training providers to deliver beginners’ internet and computer training workshops and support in Herefordshire for the period 1st May 2021 to 31st March 2023 to a maximum cost of £15,000 per annum. With potential extension of the contract a further 12 months.
An Invitation to Tender was published via the council’s e-tendering portal and, following compliance checks and the evaluation of the quality elements of the bids, the Evaluation Panel recommends that four providers are awarded contracts to admit them onto the approved list of providers to deliver beginners’ internet and computer training workshops for Fastershire.
It is anticipated that not all workshops will be allocated to the same provider, as this will be based on lowest price and provider availability for each workshop.

A decision was made in December 2020 to re-procure the CRM (customer relationship management) to log and track complaints and FOI (freedom on information requests). The current system is obsolete and ICT Services are decommissioning the application.
A tender process was conducted and concluded with contract award to Fivium to provide eCase the software.
The cost of implementation is £4,800 and annual support costs for the next 3 years are £15,750 per annum.
Logging and tracking of complaints and information requests is necessary to ensure that compliance with statutory deadlines is met.
Better reporting functions are required to be able to identify trends, issues and volumes which can be used for learning within the council to improve services and transparency.
There is no current provision or capacity in the system to provide a disclosure log of information provided in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

The Herefordshire visitor economy has been severely impacted by Covid 19 and the resulting lockdown. Tourism accommodation and attractions, cultural venues, hospitality businesses, non-essential retailers were instructed by government to close for circa 3 months during the start of their usual peak season period. Many of these businesses have then faced a second period of lockdown in November 2020 This has significantly threatened the viability of these businesses, and put at risk of redundancy the large numbers of people they employ.

In May the Marches LEP allocated £444,220 to Herefordshire to support Covid 19 economic recovery, subject to the development of a business case. Herefordshire Council in partnership with the Herefordshire Business Board established and submitted a business case focussed on supporting the soonest possible recovery of the visitor economy. Shropshire Council (as the accountable body) on behalf of the Marches LEP issued a funding offer letter to Herefordshire Council on the 17th June, and the Cabinet Member for Environment Economy and Skills took a decision to accept the grant and implement the project on the 20th June.

Recognising the need to engage with visitor economy businesses to co-ordinate delivery and to seek relevant expertise, a project steering group was formed in June 2020.

The business case for the Visitor Economy project identified the need for research and evaluation of the project that will benchmark and show the impact of the Visitor Economy project, in particular of the impact of the marketing and PR campaigns, to evidence return on investment and to inform future activity.

To endorse and sign the new AONB MoUs for the period 2021-2024

Detailed technical discussions have taken place between the EZ’s procured drainage engineers (One Ltd) and DCWW to agree a suitable drainage design to serve the North Magazine. Given the multiple potential connections, this needs to be a public sewer owned by DCWW.

A Section 104 (sewerage adoption) agreement and Grant of Deed of Easement is required with DCWW to enable them to adopt this proposed new sewer on the North Magazine. These legal agreements need to be in place before the installation can start.

Summarise why the decision is being taken and what matters are being taken into account. You can use bullet points. If there are relevant documents (eg a tender evaluation report) you can attach them but remember they will be published with this record so the usual care should be taken that they are suitable for publication.

If the decision impacts the council’s priorities summarise how. In particular if the decision affects the lives of looked after children or care leavers you should explain how.

The Leisure Centre remains closed due to water damage. Both insured and uninsured re-instatement works are well underway however to ensure the Centre can be re-opened the uninsured elements of the regulatory electrical, emergency lighting and fire alarm installations need to be improved and made compliant.

To ensure the service provides full cost recovery for the benefit of Herefordshire residents. The removal of the exemption category ensures the service is being funded by the applicant. In addition, the statutory planning application fees were raised by 20% in January 2018 whereas the council only increased pre-app fees by 10% in April 2019. Therefore this additional increase ensures consistency with the uplift in the national planning fees as well as achieve full cost recovery.

To consider the status of the council's Corporate Risk Register in order to monitor the effectiveness of risk management within the Performance Management Framework.

Compliance with approved council policy.

Help to further the establishment of NMITE in Hereford, and in particular the specialist facilities it needs to engage and work with local businesses.

Following the award of enterprise zone status in August 2011 approximately 45 hectares (110 acres) of council owned land was included, along with other privately owned land, in the designated EZ. The EZ status has resulted in the council and occupiers within the EZ benefiting from a number of government incentives such as significantly increased awareness and profile of the location and opportunity, business rates relief and retention, improved access to broadband etc. These factors have resulted in an increase in interest from local, national and international businesses in active and advanced negotiations with the council to acquire land within the EZ.

This area of land is located next to the Shell Store at the North Magazine. We anticipate a good deal of beneficial interaction between the Shell Store and the new NMITE facilities. The Shell Store will be a natural location for business start ups generated by students graduating from NMITE.

The sale of the land is on a freehold basis. The purchaser will not accept or proceed with the purchase on any other basis.

Granting an option for the 1.6 acres immediately adjoining the site will give NMITE the certainty they need to help realise their next stage ambitions which is to build another specialist facility, subject to funding being available. This option is specific to NMITE and not transferable, any extension will be at the discretion of the Council. The sale will be based on market value at the time the option is exercised.

All the EZ land is being actively marketed, and is being sold according to independent land valuations and the EZ Land Disposal Policy which was approved by cabinet member on 7 January 2016. The agreed purchase price meets the market valuation. Valuation document attached.

This sale has the full endorsement of the EZ executive board.

The purchaser and their proposal have been assessed by the Hereford Enterprise Zone Board and deemed to meet the Placement Strategy, the Board’s set of criteria which each oncoming organization must achieve in order to progress onto the Enterprise Zone.

The decision to sell this plot supports council policy to use capital receipts from sale of land within the Enterprise Zone to fund the capital expenditure on installing necessary infrastructure across the site. The latest council decision to incur this expenditure is available via this link: http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=6182

The refresh of this document is required by Public Health regional convenors as soon as possible.
This plan was originally adopted on 30.06.2020 http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=6981
The council’s response to the pandemic has evolved and will continue to do so due to changes in circumstances. Nationally it was felt that all Local Authority Outbreak Management Plans needed to be reviewed due to a stronger focus on Enhanced contact tracing and variants of concern. The aim of the plan is to:
Reduce the spread of infection in Herefordshire, minimise the number of cases, protect our health and care system, and save lives;
Support settings experiencing a new localised outbreak or complex single cases to mitigate the consequences of and help to keep as many services and businesses going as possible in a way that is safe and releases our economy; and
Give the public confidence that we are able to respond appropriately to outbreaks of Covid-1 in order to minimise anxiety.

To agree the Hoople SLA 21/22 allows effective ongoing management of the services delivered and a mechanism to monitor these services against.

To award a contract to Rock Power Connections Limited for the installation of electricity to Plots C1A and C1B. The quoted cost for delivery of the works is £67,016. An additional £15,000 contingency needs to be included based on the risk analysis carried out by SMS plc (Enterprise Zone Utility Consultants). The total amount required to implement this decision is therefore £82,016. This additional contingency will cover any potential changes or modifications to the design and methodology.

This will be funded £53,612.80 using LEP funds with the remaining £13,403.20 (plus £15,000 contingency) coming from Phase 5 Enterprise Zone funds.

Previous decision was an emergency decision taken with regard to Part 3 Section 7 para 3.7.9 of the constitution on 3 June 2020 by the Director of Economy and Place and can be viewed here:
http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=6916

This decision is to supersede the previous emergency decision and is taken as a decision to maintain the booking system at Ross on Wye Household Recycling Centre.

The booking system has been very effective since its introduction at Ross in June 2020. It has managed the traffic going to the site, reducing congestion on the public road outside and reducing the number of people on the site ensuring that safe operation of the site can be maintained throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The introduction of a booking system has also provided the benefits of:
• Providing residents with more certainty over their access into the site so they can plan their journey;
• Help to reduce the incident of fly-tipping close to the sites which is possibly a consequence of people not wanting to wait to dispose of their waste; and
• Prevented the use of the site by non-Herefordshire residents resulting in priority being given to those who pay for the service

The introduction of a booking system has worked well and has been received positively by residents with feedback including ‘The appointment system seems to work really well - we arrived at our appointed time and were able to drive straight in’ and ‘brilliant with the booking system in place’

Agreement to:
1. Approve the expenditure of up to £27,515 from the contingency allocation for the boiler works at Bredenbury School. This includes £2,500 contingency. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

2. To authorise the expenditure of up to the value of £200 for professional fees from the contingency allocation. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

3. To add this emergency works scheme to the 2020/21 maintenance programme.

4. Bredenbury School are to self-deliver the boiler replacement works and have provided a tender report.

Agreement to:
1. Award Environmental Management Solutions Ltd the contract to complete the asbestos management survey works at Herefordshire Schools up to the value of £26,070 to include a contingency value of £2,370. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

2. To authorise the expenditure of up to the value of £2,500 from the professional fees allocation as set out in the Cabinet Decision. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

In March 2018 The public spaces protection order regarding dog fouling, keeping dogs on a lead, not putting a dog on a lead when directed to by an officer and the exclusion of dogs from certain areas was created and was for 3 years. Under the legislation the council can extend the order for a further 3 years. The issue around dog fouling is particular issue in the local community and gives the council ability to take action where necessary.

To note the consensus of the HESAG group following the meetings held on 10th March 2021, in which the complexities and challenges of holding street fairs were discussed and the relevant submitted event management plans, including covid risk assessments were scrutinised.

The unprecedented significant impact of the covid-19 outbreak is having continued ramifications across society and notably the economy.

The COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 – Roadmap out of Lockdown suggests that outdoor attractions and settings including outdoor hospitality venues and theme parks may be able to allowed to open from 12th April 2021 at the earliest in accordance with the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps)
(England) Regulations 2021 which come into force on 29 March 2021. However, any event should still be assessed on its individual circumstances with regard to public safety from a covid perspective.

Street fairs in Hereford and Leominster by their nature mean areas are relatively cramped when rides and attractions are in situ, coupled with the public in attendance also.

To hold the events at the end of April/beginning of May at a time when society is still the process of opening up, based on the government roadmap timetable, would mean that the covid related risks would be uncertain and potentially still significant.

Postponing these street fairs until later in the year would mean that the events could potentially take place if and when the covid related risks have diminished.

Each event will once again be assessed at an appropriate lead in time by the Herefordshire Event Safety Advisory Group who will make a recommendation of the suitability to hold the events.