Whilst HAM funding was allocated in the annual plan decision April 2021, the HAM funding has not been commissioned up to this point as it may have been required to alleviate other capital works within the public realm contract.

The capital HAM funding can now be released for commission.

The programme of works have been derived from the asset management data and therefore justify investment.

To provide the outcome of the review (including lessons learned) into peer on peer abuse cases referred to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

Regularises occupation of an anomalous small triangle of land that has been enclosed by an adjoining householder and incorporated into their garden. The majority of the site has been transferred to the local parish council. Anomalous boundary was created by historic circumstances and changes to Land Registry mapping. The new boundary line will be easier to manage.

The contract for a statutory position to support the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) is awarded to RE Today for a period of 3 years, from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2023 at a maximum cost of £12,000 (£4,000 per annum).

The contract to undertake Key Stage 1 & 2 moderation and Phonics monitoring is awarded to Marlbrook Teaching School. The contract is for a period of 3 years from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2023 at a cost of £57,000 (£19,000 per annum).

Funding for the contract is confirmed from the Education Functions for Maintained Schools fund.

Herefordshire Council are advanced on a holistic transformation programme to reduce demand on health and social care services by developing independence for people within their communities. Technology plays a significant part in promoting and enabling independence and the next stage for us is to target everyday technologies for customers coming out of health provision. Improving the effectiveness of discharge pathways, especially during COVID-19, and moving people from hospital beds into a greater level of independence in their own communities is a challenge which all health economies and local authorities are looking to overcome.

The main benefit of a digital D2A approach is that it would enable a fully effective Discharge to Assess operating model, with the following expected associated benefits (which will be measured where possible as part of the programme of work):
? Reduce the average length of stay in hospital for patients that require a supported discharge through all D2A pathways
? Reduce the risk of patients leaving hospital with care and support needs being lost into the care system
? Empower staff within the multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) working on specific community-based pathways with access to the up-to-date and timely information they need, from any location, to remotely manage the allocation and access to adult social care services - allowing them to make the best decisions for the patient
? Ensure hospital staff are kept informed of the progress of referrals and can be alerted of any risks or issues regarding timely discharge
? Reduce the risk of hospital readmissions.
? Improve the quality of the needs assessment
? Eliminate significant manual input and duplication
? Deliver a scalable solution which can realise standardisation and economies of scale
? Offer a rich source of data enabling new analytics capability, providing enhanced insights and improvements in service and support
? The system would revolutionise the current burdensome process, freeing up resource to focus on other critical areas

It is calculated that a DToC will cost £400 per day, per bed and so a modest reduction of 20 DToC days per month will equate to savings in the range of £100,000 per year to health economy with additional substantial savings for social care.

There are expected additional savings and efficiencies through:
? Administration cost savings
? Reductions in the number of business support staff currently employed across the local authority and partner organisations to manually manage the trackers - allowing them to be better deployed elsewhere
? Reduction in delays in assessments, moving people from expensive community placements to their own homes at the right time
? Management time and operational savings through elimination of multiple phone calls
? Potential financial savings for both social care and acute settings on the basis that clients would be more efficiently discharged and managed
? The additional cost of remediating cases where people have been lost in the system, understood to be between 15% and 25%
? Support commissioning needs and reduce costs of commissioning services that do not support flow

All of these broader savings will be thoroughly examined as a part of the project to help build the longer term business case for wider take up across the sector.

Compliance with approved council policy.

Safeguard an existing Herefordshire business in the county and facilitate its further expansion.

Deliver private sector investment and job creation in the EZ which will boost confidence and interest from others and help generate further private sector investment and job creation. Speedy occupancy will boost the rates relief pot for the Local Enterprise Partnership (and hence the council).

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 in the Chapel Road area of the EZ and has been identified for general employment use.

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

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 plot was revalued in February 2020 to reflect current market conditions. The agreed purchase price meets the market valuation. Valuation document attached.

This part of the EZ houses a number of Romney Huts, designed as temporary storage accommodation in the Second World War. These are very basic (no heating) and have had primarily low value uses on very short term rental arrangements. The sale will represent a loss of income of just under £25,000 a year. Property Services have already accounted for this disposal in their rental estimates.

The purchaser was identified through an informal market tender process, set by the Council and undertaken by the EZ to secure the best possible redevelopment ideas for the site.

The proposal is an exciting phased redevelopment creating small workspace and shared facilities, and as preferred bidder, the purchaser has the full endorsement of the EZ executive board.
The proposition has the potential to create significant job opportunities on site, and this together with the prospective users meet the EZ’s Placement Strategy.

The rental arrangements will be transferred to the purchaser, who is one of the tenants in this location.

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

As set out in the council’s Winter Service Plan, salt supplies are obtained through the ESPO framework contract. Suppliers listed on the framework have been assessed during the procurement process for their financial stability, track record, experience and technical and professional ability. The framework provides the pricing schedule, identifies the best option for the provision of salt and also identifies other suppliers that can be used if required.

Herefordshire Council’s Winter Service Plan 2018 – 2023:

http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=50027880&Opt=0

Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, the council has a duty to maintain the highway:

The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 amended the Highways Act 1980 by adding a Statutory Duty section 41(1A) concerning dealing with snow and ice. This states ‘in particular a Highway Authority are under a duty to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice.’

The council’s Winter service Plan builds upon tried and tested operational standards and is developed to meet the needs of Herefordshire.

ESPO is the trading name of the joint committee of local authorities who procures services and goods for supply to member authorities. A formal notice inviting expressions of interest was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The procurement process adopted by ESPO was based upon the open tendering procedure as detailed in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. There are 3 providers for the service the council enquires, the tendering process identified the preferred supplier. The evaluation process grouped the suppliers to the provision which were then scored against the award criteria, 70% price and 30% non-price accounting.

The framework commenced on 1 July 2020 and will be in place until 30 July 2024.

Using the framework the will enter into a contract for the supply of de-icing salt, the conditions for which are as set out in the terms of framework.

The provision of salt is integral to the winter service the council provides, there is significant cost associated with the provision, using the framework enables the best available cost for the provision and the procurement process undertaken by ESPO, The ESPO price schedule identifies Compass Minerals UK Ltd as the primary contractor with an alternative supplier provided if the need arises

The Winter Service is undertaken by the council’s partners, Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) as set out in the Annual Plan, the responsibility for the procurement of salt sits with the council.

In times of severe winter weather, the demand for salt provision is high, the framework contract allows for alternative suppliers at set rates, the suppliers include overseas providers, this provides resilience for the service.

The salt procurement and deliveries are phased over the year, the stocks are topped up to 6,000tonnes during the summer when prices are lower and topped up as necessary throughout the winter. Towards the end of the season the stocks are reduced as the forecasts allow to then be restocked in the summer.
The budget for the service is allocated within the council’s highway service and identified as the ‘winter service budget.’ The council’s revenue budget for 2020/21 was approved at the 14 February 2020 full council meeting.

The financial commitment is circa £300k per annum over 4 years which equates to £1.2m contract value over the four year period

It is a requirement for Herefordshire Council to have mobile voice and data service provisions to allow personnel to carry out their daily duties. Failure to provide this functionality will have an impact on service delivery which would affect the residents of Herefordshire. Mobile phone use is also important when lone working and being contactable particularly in the areas of social care.

The implementation of a new mobile voice and data provision contract will take approximately 2 months hence the requirement to extend the current 30 day rolling contract to ensure services are continually being delivered without disruption while the implementation of the new contract is completed.

A procurement exercise was undertaken through CCS Framework RM3808 Lot 10 where an assessment of all catalogue items was done in line with the rules and conditions associated with this framework.

On completion of this assessment, only one catalogue item was identified as being able to meet the requirements of the specification to provide mobile voice and data provisions. This was the company ‘EE’. The table below shows the evaluation summary of this tender process:

Rank Supplier Total Contract Price
(36 months)
1 EE £380,322

Following the award criteria, ‘EE’ have been identified as providing the most economically advantageous tender and are recommended for award.

To secure adopted publicly maintained highway works constructed to the proper standards for the benefit of the community

Endorsement of the new Marches Nature Partnership Environmental Strategy 2020-2023

Following a competitive tendering process, the following
providers be added to the adult and community learning preferred
provider framework 2019-2022:

• Dynamis Enterprises Ltd
• Go Train Ltd
• Whitehead-Ross Education and Consulting (WREC) Ltd

These are in addition to the following providers who are already on the framework:
• Business Angel (Hereford) Ltd
• ECHO for Extra Choices in Herefordshire Ltd
• Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College
• NCLP
• National Star College
• Red Spark Learning CIC
• Standglide Ltd
• The Cart Shed CIC
• The Houghton Project
• Walsingham Ltd

Acceptance onto the preferred provider framework list does not
mean that an organisation will be awarded funding. However,
the organisation will be awarded a framework contract and will
be invited to tender for adult and community learning funding on an
annual basis.

Support a sustainable transport inititative

Agree lience to allow part of Grafton Depot to be used as a Beryl Bike bay to support sustainable transport

To approve an application deemed as suitable.

To approve an application deemed as suitable.

To approve a street trading application deemed as suitable.

The eleven sites delivering a library service on behalf of Herefordshire Council closed have been closed since March 20th 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In line with government guidance, libraries have been allowed to operate again from 4 July. The national professional body, Libraries Connected, has worked with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as well as Public Health England, to produce a library recovery toolkit. This has been adopted as best practice across England and recommends a phased reintroduction of library services

Herefordshire Library Service has worked with the relevant other Council Departments to ensure due process is followed to provide the service in a manner that is safe for staff and customers

Customers will be able to order library books in advance, these requests will be collated for them and they will be advised when the books are ready for collection. Collection will be from the front door of the relevant building

In addition, those libraries operating the click and collect scheme will also be a collection point for green garden waste sacks that have been pre-ordered and paid for via the Herefordshire Council website

Approval of the swimming pool demolition planned maintenance works at Ashfield Park Primary School, to be undertaken via Balfour Beatty at an initial cost of £67,760 plus associated contingency, professional and statutory fees. A total cost up to the value of £84k

The funding of the demolition works from the existing school capital maintenance budget

The technology and digital programme for Adults and Communities is developing our use of technology to support people to live independently within their communities and reduce the need for formal care packages. Herefordshire doesn’t not have full coverage for residents from any one type of connectivity which means that some residents are currently excluded from maximising their opportunities for independence with some technologies.
While coverage is increasing it is unlikely that full coverage will ever be reached through 4g/5g or broadband.
A wide area network would provide the opportunity for all residents to have access to some of the technologies we are looking at and could form an essential part of a complementary digital infrastructure.
It could also provide the Council with the opportunity to improve services and save money in other areas of its work and support the economy of the county.
Work is now needed to scope the possibility and to understand the business case for such developments.

To enter into a Sub-nominations Agreement with NMiTE to cover the council’s nominations obligations for the Student accommodation at No.1 Station Approach

Entering into this agreement would enable the occupancy of the building and prevent the council incurring additional costs that might otherwise be required under the terms of the Nominations Agreement for the facility which the council is a party to

On the 23 July the government informed all Local Authorities that the Covid 19 grant support, including the Discretionary Grant schemes will close at the end of August 2020. To date the take up of the Herefordshire Discretionary Grant Scheme has been low (please see finance section below)

Therefore, the proposed changes will simplify the current scheme criteria to encourage more applications and to expand who is eligible to apply. The Exceptional Circumstances Fund (ECF) will provide a route to support those that have suffered significant hardship, but have not been able to access any other funding, a route to seeking some support

The previous Discretionary Grant Record of Officer Decision agreed to the principle of having an ECF and allocated £649,000 as a budget from within Herefordshire’s Discretionary Grant allocation from government

There are a large number of self-employed, micro and small businesses and charities in the county that due to exceptional circumstances have not been eligible for any Covid 19 grant support to date, threatening their continued viability. Whilst individually these may be smaller businesses in terms of numbers of employees and turnover, 90% of Herefordshire’s business base are micro enterprises. Therefore, the potential closure of these businesses represents a very significant threat to the economic viability of the county

The proposed ECF scheme will enable those that are encountering significant hardship due to Covid 19 and have no other avenue to seek support to make a their case for assistance. Each case will be considered on its own merits, against the criteria outlined above which are in compliance with the national Discretionary Grant Scheme guidance. The weekly panel will consider applications made up until the point the funds are exhausted, or at the point the Discretionary Grant Scheme closes at the end of August 2020

Agreement of the adult and community learning service’s exceptional arrangements for awarding qualifications: the Qualifications Estimated Results Policy: Summer 2020 series – COVID 19.

Acceptance of the Secretary of State for Education, acting through the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Conditions of Funding Grant for the funding year 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021 for the following:

• £538,652 for the delivery of adult and community learning
• £96,889.00 on behalf of the maintained school sixth form of Earl
Mortimer College and Sixth Form Centre and £1,877 on behalf of
Westfield School for bursary support

To consider an application under the Highways Act 1980, section 119, to make a public path diversion order to divert part of Footpath AV4(part) in the parish of Avenbury.

The Fastershire project works across Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to commission a broadband network where commercial providers will not invest. Capital funding is provided by The County of Herefordshire District Council (“Herefordshire Council”), Gloucestershire County Council and national Government via BDUK. Herefordshire Council is the lead authority. The total percentage of premises with superfast broadband in Herefordshire is currently 91% which is set to increase with contracted delivery.

The decision made by cabinet member on 18th December 2019 contained this following recommendation:

£1.8m of additional subsidy is used to extend the scope of the Gigaclear contracts (subject to state aid approval), in order to extend the full fibre broadband network to no less than 5,485 extra premises of which at least 872 premises do not currently receive superfast broadband.

To deliver on the recommendation, a contract variation is needed which will cover the new premises and the financial contribution from the Fastershire project.

Consultations have taken place with the National Competency Centre (the national authority on state aid who advise BDUK and who provide the state aid approval on which the above decision was dependent). This process has led to a revision of the contractible figures as follows:

• £250k reduction in the public sector subsidy required
• £190k increase in the private sector contribution
• Reduction in the contractible number of premises to 1,718 which include 835 of the 872 premises that do not have a superfast capability and which were the primary target of the original decision.

The difference in superfast premises between 835 now being reached and the 872 in the recommendation is revised deployment design and associated reduced cost of public sector subsidy.

The total premise figure is not a contracted amount but incidental build by Gigaclear as part of their deployment. In the decision of December 2019 that was stated as 5,485 and as part of the redesign stands at 5,348 - this difference is accounted for in that premises having coverage with those premises already reached.