This proposal is to replace the council’s operational fleet of 34 vehicles with 30 new vehicles on an invest-to-save basis.

The existing fleet as a whole is reaching a significant age and vehicles are failing and beyond repair. This has adversely affected service delivery where vehicles are unreliable and have broken down. This is increasing pressure on maintenance budgets and has resulted in the need to use short-term leases to cover vehicle downtime and to ensure service delivery.

This proposal will address these risks in addition to reducing future running costs.

This invest to save proposal seeks to utilise the annual revenue savings generated by this proposal to fund the capital repayments.

That:

Subject to approval in the 2019/20 capital programme that the procurement and use of up to 30 new vehicles at a cost of no more than £737,582 be approved.

To review and agree recommended changes to the broadband delivery contracts with Gigaclear taking note of change of deployment, premises details, time line and costs.

The decision is to alter the council’s existing contracts with Gigaclear to expand their scope both in terms of the level of public subsidy (£1.975m) and the number of eligible premises that would be reached with full fibre broadband.  Agreeing this change would leverage no less than £1.85m private sector investment, see an extra c.700 premises becoming capable of accessing superfast broadband for the first time and c. 3,500 premises upgraded to full fibre across Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

The decision will also mean altering the delivery plan to accommodate slippage on the current programme and the new delivery, extending the ultimate completion date from March 2020 to March 2022.  In order to mitigate the impact of any future changes to the timelines, a series of communications process improvements are also recommended.

In relation to recommendation (b) any approved schedule must ensure that the network/s that have been introduced or expanded to include the area around Newland must be complete by June 2020.  This is in order to utilise the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) funding made available for what had been designated as Cluster G8.

The change will also alter the Fastershire vision recognising the extended contract time scale and on-going deployment of superfast and full fibre broadband.

That:

(a)       Agree the Gigaclear contract change request subject to state aid approval, based on:

·         Making an additional public subsidy of up to 10% of the original contract value (£1.86m) available from the existing capital allocation to leverage a minimum £1.85m extra private sector investment in order to extend the full fibre broadband network to no less than 4,663 extra premises of which at least 679 premises do not currently receive superfast broadband

·         Extending the contract with Gigaclear from March 2020 to March 2022

·         Embedding a new communication protocol outlined in paragraph 18 into the contract change

·         Ensuring that ‘community 215’ covering premises in Newland (Gloucestershire) is delivered by the end of June 2020;

(b)       The contract changes are only agreed based on the 25% milestone for Lot 3d being claimed before April 2019;

(c)        Approve revised Fastershire Vision as set out in para 19; and

(d)       The Assistant Director Corporate Support be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the above recommendations including, following consultation with the chief finance officer, agreement of a revised project finance model.

To agree the revised project costs and expenditure of capital money up to the value of £968k to extend Waverley House by an additional 11 complex nursing beds. To amend the implementation arrangements with the council now leading on the contract and project management. The additional expenditure remains an investment   saving the council money on an annual basis, and will create additional beds for a cohort of individuals the council struggles to find placements for.

That:

To authorise the revised cost of up to £968k for the extension of nursing bed provision at Waverley House; having regard to the revised business case at appendix 1 and to agree the council will procure and manage the works. 

To approve the annual uplift for home care and supported living providers to take effect from the 1 April 2019. Due to the pressures with the home care market the council has reviewed the annual uplift and amended the model to reflect on going development of the adult social care pathway, managing demand and financial pressures on providers. The council would like to invest in the market in order to create a sustainable and responsive market across the county.

That:

(a)  an increase in the urban hourly rate from £16.20 to £17.36 (7.18%) and rural hourly rate from £16.20 to £20.05 (20.20%) for council approved providers of home care effective from 1 April 2019 is approved; and

(b)  an increase from £16.20 to £17.01 (5%) and a new rate of £13.78 on the 24 hourly rate for  council approved providers of supported living services effective from 1 April 2019 is approved.

In order to inform a countywide review of concessions currently offered in respect of parking charges in council car parks and on street paid for parking spaces a pilot event is proposed in order to measure the benefit and impact of such events for the future.

It is recommended that a free parking in all council car parks be approved and for the free parking to take effect on Saturday 9^th February 2019, subject to certain conditions as outlined.

That:

Free parking for up to 4 hours after 10am on Saturday 9^th February 2019 in all Herefordshire Council off street car parks (except Friar Street military club), be approved as a pilot.

A decision was taken by the cabinet member contracts and assets on 8 May 2018to dispose of land adjacent to Hereford railway station by way of a 125 year lease to Prime (UK) Developments Ltd to facilitate the development of a new healthcare centre.

The disposal was conditional upon, amongst other matters, the development being completed within three years of the disposal date. The purchaser, Prime (UK) Developments Ltd, has requested that this period is amended to five years from the disposal date in order to comply with the conditions of their insurance and funding agreement. All other conditions remain unchanged.

That:

the condition attached to the council’s approved disposal by way of 125 year lease of development land adjacent to Hereford railway station to Prime (UK) Developments Ltd or a company within the Prime plc group of companies, namely that the development be completed within three years of the lease being completed, be amended to development being completed within five years of the lease being completed.

To amend the admission agreement between Herefordshire Council, Hoople Ltd and Worcestershire County Council, which will inform the preparation of the 2018/19 financial statements, in relation to the pension deficit of previous council employees transferred to Hoople Ltd.  

Accounting for pension liabilities is a complex area and the council has sought independent expert advice in this area.

That:

(a)        the admission agreement between Herefordshire Council, Hoople Ltd and Worcestershire County Council (as administering authority to the Worcestershire County Council Pension Fund) be amended in relation to pension liabilities so that Herefordshire Council is liable to the Fund for pension liabilities directly (under the terms of the admission agreement) rather than Hoople Ltd being directly liable. The effect of this will be that a ‘flow through’ agreement is put in place in relation to Hoople Ltd’s pension liabilities.

To make the Peterstow 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 Peterstow 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 Peterstow 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 Ledbury neighbourhood development plan 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 Ledbury 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 Ledbury 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 6 week public consultation for the draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan.

The Minerals and Waste Local Plan (MWLP) is an element of the Herefordshire Local Plan.  It will align with the principles and strategic direction established in the Core Strategy, providing the council’s preferred strategy and planning policy framework for meeting the county’s minerals and waste management needs up to 2031 and beyond.

That:

The draft Minerals and Waste Local Plan (appendices 1and 2) and its supporting documents (appendices 3 - 7) are approved for the purpose of public consultation.

To approve the updated, joint health and social care quality assurance strategy following a review of the existing quality assurance framework.

The strategy sets out Herefordshire Council’s and Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group’s (HCCG) approach to assuring the quality of commissioned care and support services for adults in Herefordshire.  It is a review and update of the current quality assurance framework and the main changes are as follows:

·       Developed as a joint strategy with HCCG

·       Quality standards have been reviewed and updated

·       Processes have been streamlined and simplified

·       Clearer and more transparent approach and processes giving greater clarity to service providers

That:

a)     the joint health and social care quality assurance strategy for commissioned care and support services at appendix 1 be approved.

To approve the purchase of a residential property in Hereford in order to provide supported accommodation for vulnerable people with complex needs.

The council faces challenges in finding accommodation for vulnerable people with complex needs. Social housing providers have to prioritise commercial considerations and are often unwilling to take the risk of letting homes to this user group. The council therefore needs to find alternative accommodation solutions which are economic and sustainable. The property proposed for purchase will be used to accommodate five very vulnerable care leavers to improve outcomes and help prevent specialist high cost placements.

It is proposed to purchase a residential property in Hereford City Centre from the open market and make appropriate arrangements for housing management and the usage of rental income. It is ideally located and there is a time limited opportunity in which to acquire it.

That:

(a)   The acquisition, improvement and refurbishment of a property to provide accommodation for vulnerable care leavers be approved within a budget of not more than £740k; and

(b)   the acting assistant director for technical services be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to complete the purchase and commissioning of improvement and refurbishment works.