To approve insurance cover renewal arrangements from 1^st October 2019 following a tender process via the Insurance Services 2 - Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework agreement.

That:

(a)  the placing of the council’s insurance business be approved at a cost of approximately £572k per annum (including Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)) for a maximum five year period 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2024 to include the following individual contract arrangements:

                    i.        Material damage (with an excess of £50k) is placed with AIG via Risk Management Partners (premium £176k including IPT) and contractors all risk is placed with HSB via Risk Management Partners (annual premium £6k including IPT);

                  ii.        Fidelity guarantee is placed with Zurich Municipal (annual premium £6k including IPT);

                 iii.         Combined liability (including professional negligence, officials and members indemnity and hirer’s liability) with an excess of £50k is placed with QBE via Risk Management Partners (annual premium £323k including IPT);

                 iv.         Motor fleet (including uninsured loss recovery) is placed with Zurich Municipal (annual premium £32k including IPT);

                  v.        Engineering (including inspection and insurance) is placed with HSB via Risk Management Partners (annual premium £6k including IPT);

                 vi.         Personal accident (including business travel) is placed with Zurich Municipal (annual premium £3k including IPT);

               vii.         Computer is placed with HSB via Risk Management Partners (annual premium £3k including IPT); 

              viii.         Claims handling for liability and motor – Gallagher Bassett via Risk Management Partners to be appointed (annual premium £16k).

To agree the draft 2019/20 budget and associated medium term financial strategy and

treasury management strategy for recommendation to Council on 15 February.

The proposed budget reflects current and expected service delivery requirements and the

provisional local government settlement announced on 13 December. To deliver a

balanced budget there is a need to deliver savings of £3.9m in 2019/20 and to increase

council tax by 4.9% (inclusive of 2% adult social care precept).

The draft medium term financial strategy (MTFS), attached at appendix 1, has been extended to 2021/22 based on current assumptions on future funding and service requirements.

The treasury management strategy, attached at appendix 4, includes the proposed borrowing and investment strategy, the council’s expected minimum revenue provision and the associated prudential indicators which demonstrate that the council’s proposed capital investment budget is affordable, prudent and sustainable.

That:

(a)  the additional funding announced in the provisional settlement of £1.5m (£1.0m Rural Services Delivery Grant and £0.5m business rate levy account surplus) is added as a budget line for expenditure in 2019/20 as indicated in the table at paragraph 24, to support rural service delivery across the county;

(b)  the following be recommended to Council;

a.    the council tax base of 68,826.03 Band D equivalents

b.    an increase in core council tax in 2019/20 of 2.9%

c.    an additional precept in respect of adult social care costs of 2% applied to council tax in 2019/20 resulting in a total council tax increase of 4.9%; increasing the band D charge from £1,443.95 to £1,514.70 for Herefordshire Council in 2019/20;

d.    the balanced 2019/20 revenue budget proposal totalling £151.0m, subject to any amendments approved at the meeting, specifically:

e.    the net spending limits for each directorate as at appendix 3

f.     delegates to the section 151 officer the power to make necessary changes to the budget arising from any variations in central government funding allocations via general reserves;

g.    the medium term financial strategy (MTFS) 2019/2022 at appendix 1 be approved; and

h.    the treasury management strategy at appendix 4 be approved, this includes ratifying including the top five UK building societies as approved investment counterparties.

(c)  To establish a financial resilience reserve (as shown in paragraph 31), previously titled the minimum revenue provision reserve; and

(d)  Approve responses to scrutiny committee’s recommendations as provided in paragraph 63.

To consider and approve a temporary parking tariff offer at St Martins car park to support use of the car park and the HALO leisure pool which will promote healthy lifestyles to residents by encouraging use of the HALO centre.

To consider and approve a permanent tariff change to coach parking tariffs in Hereford.

To consider and approve the reallocation of city coach parking provision in Hereford to direct the coaches, in the main, to park at Merton Meadow car park.

To consider and approve the expenditure associated with the redesign of St Martins car park to reduce parking capacity for coaches and increase capacity for cars.

That:

(a)        a temporary parking tariff at St Martins 1 car park, as detailed in appendix 1, be implemented for a period of six months, subject to formal agreement of the receipt of a financial contribution from HALO; and

(b)        revised tariffs for coach parking in Hereford, as detailed in appendix 1, be approved; and

(c)        the redesign of St Martins car park and other works associated with signing coaches to Merton Meadow car park be approved at a cost of not more than £25k.

To approve the adoption of  the regional Flexible Contracting Arrangement (FCA) for the provision of placements for looked after children and those with complex needs in residential children's homes from 15 December 2018 to 14 December 2021 with option to extend for up to a further 3 years.

That:

(a)   the Regional Flexible Contracting Arrangement (FCA) for the provision of placements in children’s homes be adopted to support the purchasing of residential accommodation up to an annual value of £5.5m ;

(b)  the Director for Children’s and Families and relevant Assistant Directors  be authorised to take all necessary operational decisions to implement the above recommendation, including award of placement agreements and mini-block contracts through the FCA;

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

That:

(a)  To procure a replacement print contract for a period of up to five years at a maximum cost of £305,000 per annum, via Crown Commercial Services Framework RM3781; and

(b)  the Assistant Director Communities be authorised to award a contract.

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=3660&Ver=4

A summary of the decisions taken is also available: https://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/documents/g3660/Decisions%2024th-Sep-2018%2010.00%20West%20Mercia%20Energy%20Joint%20Committee.pdf?T=2

Council considered a report by the Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee to appoint an external auditor. The report was moved by Councillor PD Newman OBE, Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee, who advised Council that the Committee recommended that the appointment proposed by Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited (PSAA) be accepted.

Council voted to accept the recommendation set out in the report and appoint Grant Thornton as the external auditor for a period of five years from April 2018 at fees to be determined by the PSAA.

Resolved – that Grant Thornton is appointed as external auditor for a period of five years from April 2018 at fees determined by PSAA.

To approve a new council tax discount to care leavers from the age of 18 until their 25th birthday.

The new council tax discretionary relief award is aimed at reducing housing costs that may be experienced by care leavers by granting up to 100% discretionary relief from council tax.

That:

(a)  the council tax discretionary relief award attached at appendix 1 be approved for implementation from 1 November 2018.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation with additional conditions.

The application was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation with additional conditions.

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 review Adoption and Fostering Services performance and approve related documents.

The National Minimum Standards are issued by the Secretary of State under the Care Standards Act 2000 and detail the conduct and standards required for Adoption and Fostering Services and as such are taken into account during inspections by Ofsted.

Standard state that the executive side of the local authority:

·         receive written reports on the management, outcomes and financial state of the agency

·         monitor the management and outcomes of the service in order to satisfy themselves that the agency is effective and is achieving good outcomes for children and/or service users;

·         satisfies itself that the agency is complying with the conditions of registration; and

·         the executive formally approves the statement of purpose and reviews them at least annually.

That:

(a)  the performance of the adoption service as outlined at appendix 1 to this report be reviewed, any risks to achievement of objectives noted and relevant mitigating actions approved;

(b)  the statement of purpose for the adoption service (appendix 2) be approved;

(c)  the performance of the fostering service as outlined at appendix 3 to this report be reviewed, any risks to achievement of objectives noted and relevant mitigating actions approved;

(d)  the statement of purpose for the fostering service (appendix 4) be approved; and

(e)  approve the executive’s response to the recommendations of the children and young peoples’ scrutiny committee as per appendix 5.

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