To receive any apologies for absence.

There were apologies from Councillors Ellie Chowns, Pauline Crockett and Ange Tyler.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of Schedule 1, Schedule 2 or Other Interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

None.

To receive questions from members of the public.

Questions received and responses given are attached as appendix 1 to the minutes.

To receive questions from councillors.

Questions received and responses given are attached as appendix 2 to the minutes.

This report is looking to approve the new Integrated Waste Management Strategy which is detailed in Appendix A and to authorise council officers to design and implement new waste handling pilot schemes and approve the drawdown of the waste management reserve to fund such pilots.

Cabinet member, commissioning, procurement and assets introduced the report, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

It was noted that this was a comprehensive report which incorporated the work of the task and finish group.  Waste was an important service which the council delivered to every resident in Herefordshire.

There needed to be a recognition that waste had a value and that transporting waste over long distances was unnecessary and not environmentally friendly.  It was noted that there were income streams which could be generated from waste.

Thanks were expressed to the residents who had responded the survey and to community groups for their work in keeping the county clean and tidy. 

The group leaders were supportive of the strategy. 

Resolved that

(a)          The cabinet authorises the new Integrated Waste Management strategy for Herefordshire, adopts to the new targets within the document as detailed in Appendix A and authorises the development of a benefits realisation action plan to achieve the agreed targets;

(b)          The cabinet authorises the design, development, procurement and implementation of the proposed waste handling pilot schemes and approves the expenditure of up to £1.5m from the council’s waste reserve to progress and implement the schemes;

(c)          The cabinet authorises the expenditure of the Section 106 allocation for recycling projects up to the value of £92,000 to progress the proposed waste handling pilot schemes through design, development, procurement and implementation; and

(d)          The cabinet authorises the Section 151 officer to take all operational decisions relating to the above recommendations.

To approve the joint policy and standard operating procedure (SOP) for mental health aftercare, which is required under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

Cabinet member for education and skills who would be the cabinet member for health and wellbeing from 1 August introduced the item, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

It was noted that it was important to get the right care in place for people when they left hospital.  There was a joint standard assessment methodology with the NHS.   Due to the merger of the Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Worcestershire CCG, both counties were working in the same way. 

It was suggested that the voice of the user may be beneficial and the acting director of adults and wellbeing agreed to pursue this suggestion. 

The group leaders were supportive of the policy and suggested that the Health and Wellbeing Board and Scrutiny review the arrangements in due course.

RESOLVED that

(a)            The draft joint policy and draft standard operating procedure for section 117 mental health aftercare are approved; and

(b)            The Acting Director for Adults and Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for health and wellbeing and the Director for Children and Families is authorised to make all operational decisions to ensure implementation of the policy and procedure, agreeing any operational changes to the documents, including those arising from case law, as required for their implementation.

To recommend the approach for consultation to inform the 2022/23 budget and developing the medium term financial strategy (MTFS).

Cabinet member, planning, corporate services and planning introduced the report, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

Residents, including young people, were encouraged to provide their views as part of the consultation process. 

It was noted that there would be a process of participatory budgeting combined with a Citizens Assembly to look specifically at the use of new homes bonus money on climate change and getting to zero carbon.

The group leaders provided the views of their political party.

RESOLVED that

That:

(a)          the proposed timetable for the development and adoption of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the 2022/23 budget be approved;

(b)          the approach for consulting on budget proposals for 2022/23 be approved; and

(c)          for a Citizens Assembly to be held in the late autumn to carry out a participatory budget process to inform ways of allocating the anticipated New Homes Bonus funding

To update Cabinet on progress made following the Major Contract Performance Review reported to Cabinet on 24 September 2020. That report approved improvements to the council’s major contracts for Public Realm services and Property and Facilities Management.

The cabinet member for commissioning, procurement and assets introduced the report, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

The report was an update on a review of the major contract performance report which had been presented to cabinet on 24 September 2021. The proposals to strengthen the oversight on major projects was welcomed.

The group leaders provided the views of their political party.

Resolved that

(a)          Cabinet note the outcome of a whistleblowing investigation and, in line with the approved improvement plan, a contract management and commissioning resource is created in the corporate centre to provide capacity to support the delivery of the improvement plan using the Programme Management Office (PMO).

(b)          Cabinet approve the establishment of an improvement board to include senior officers and Cabinet members

To recommend to Cabinet the approval in principle of the establishment of a Covid 19 Recovery and Investment Fund to support Herefordshire businesses.

Cabinet member for finance, corporate services and planning introduced the item, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

It was noted that when the more detailed work was done, there may not be a lot of demand for this fund.

The group leaders provided the views of their political party.

RESOLVED that

a)         Cabinet approve further investigation into the establishment of a recovery and investment fund to support Herefordshire businesses post Covid 19.

b)        Cabinet approve the principles and objectives of investment for a Herefordshire Recovery and Investment fund as detailed in paragraph 13.

c)        Cabinet authorises the Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer, to develop the scheme details based on the principles set out within this report and report back with the final proposals.

This report sets out the Council’s ambitious plan to lead the local response to the Climate & Ecological Emergency including the development of a new Herefordshire Climate & Nature Partnership and to allocate the use of the Council’s dedicated climate reserve in order to accelerate the delivery of our net zero carbon and nature rich commitments.

Leader of the council introduced the report, details of which are contained within the agenda pack.

It was hoped that the partnership would help to inform the council’s priorities.

The group leaders provided the views of their political party.

Resolved that:

(a)     The council establishes a new countywide partnership, the Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership (as per the Terms of Reference in Appendix 2);

(b)    The Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership is included on the council partnerships register as a significant partnership;

(c)     That the new Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership develops and leads the delivery of an ambitious new Herefordshire Climate and Nature Strategy for Herefordshire to become net zero carbon and nature rich by 2030;

(d)    A new dedicated Delivery Director is recruited to accelerate the delivery of the Council’s climate and nature projects; 305 AGENDA ITEM 10

(e)     £50,000 be allocated and drawn down from the climate reserve to procure external communications resource to support the active promotion and engagement of the Herefordshire Climate and Nature Partnership;

(f)      £40,000 be allocated and drawn down from the climate reserve to procure specialist consultancy support to develop a new Herefordshire Council Nature Strategy;

(g)    £50,000 be allocated and drawn down from the climate reserve to procure specialist consultancy support to develop a new Building Retrofit Strategy and to undertake an options appraisal for accelerating building retrofit across the county;

(h)    £220,000 be allocated from the climate reserve to establish a new Climate and Nature grant scheme to empower local community groups, organisations and parish councils to apply for funding, which the council will consider and award, to deliver carbon reduction and ecological enhancement projects across the county (as set out in Appendix 1);

(i)       That delegated authority is given to Interim Director for Economy & Place in conjunction with Cabinet Member Economy and Environment and Section 151 Officer to draw down the full value of the climate reserve in year and to take all operational decision to deliver the above recommendations; and

(j)       That Cabinet receives an annual report and project plan as part of a decision to draw down the following year’s climate reserve.