To receive the report and to consider any recommendations to Council arising from the meetings held on 19 March, 2 April and 7 May 2009.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor RJ Phillips, presented the report of the meetings of Cabinet held on 19 March, 2 April and 7 May 2009.

Raising a point under paragraph 4.1 ‘Local Area Agreement Refresh’, Councillor AM Toon requested that the allocation of LAA lead organisations went beyond the PCT and Council to include and identify other partners.

Councillor GMF Dawe, Leader of the Alliance Group raised an objection on the Officer Accommodation Strategy Options Appraisal (paragraph 4.2) and stated that it was not clear where the £17million cost of office accommodation would derive from and asked how much the council tax charges would need to increase to deliver this.  He emphasised the need for the Council chamber and associated accommodation to be located in the heart of the city.

Councillor ACR Chappell stated that he was unhappy that, as currently proposed, the Council chamber would not be located within the Plough Lane site, although this provided an opportunity for the civic offices to be located in the centre of Hereford.  It was essential that the public had direct access to Council debates and decision making meetings, which would be more accessible in the heart of the city.

Councillor MD Lloyd Hayes advised members that she was informed through the press of the Council’s consideration regarding office accommodation and stated that she had not been formally notified that the issue would be discussed at Cabinet and would have wished to have been involved.  Councillor Lloyd Hayes expressed the view that the new office accommodation should be located within the Edgar Street Grid and asked whether the proposed joint arrangements between the council, central library, PCT and Police had been abandoned.  An invitation was issued to the Leader by Councillor Lloyd Hayes to attend a public meeting in the Town Hall in which an open and transparent discussion could be had on the issue of office accommodation as it was considered that there had been a shortfall in democratic debate on this issue to date.

In responding the issues raised regarding the decision at Cabinet relating to the office accommodation strategy options appraisal, the Leader outlined to Members the process which had been undertaken and confirmed that the item had not been called in by scrutiny.  As part of the process, Members received notification of the item as part of the Cabinet agenda.  The Leader advised Members that the open report on office accommodation considered at Cabinet provided as much information as possible with the exempt report considered in confidential session referring to issues of a sensitive commercial nature, including the details of the purchase price.  All Members were reminded that they had a right to attend Cabinet and were invited to remain in the Chamber for confidential discussions.  The purchase of the Plough Lane site had been undertaken in line with Council policy and had been highlighted as a key decision on the forward plan, which could have been called in by scrutiny.  The Leader advised Council that the Cabinet agreed to additional recommendations which provided greater clarity for the need of business plans for both the Town and Shire Halls to ensure that the authority was making best use of these two iconic civic buildings.  Members were advised that it would not be the Leader’s intention to attend a public meeting on this issue.

Members were advised by the Leader that there would be difficult times ahead for the public sector in the next eighteen months to two years and it was essential that efficiencies were sought from public service administration and delivered through a shared services initiative incorporating the Council, PCT and the Acute Hospital.  By delivering administrative efficiencies, it was hoped that quality of service delivery would be maintained as otherwise consideration would need to be given to potential service cuts, which needed to be avoided where possible. 

In response to the question raised regarding Local Area Agreement targets, the Leader clarified that wider partners were tasked with leading on specific targets and there was a collective will amongst the partnership to mitigate against the impact of the economic climate.  The Leader expressed the view that he hoped that the Government would at least maintain current levels of Area Based Grant Funding.

Councillor TM James, the Liberal Democrat Group Leader reiterated the view previously expressed that the Cabinet agenda which contained the report on the office accommodation strategy was available to all.

Councillor GMF Dawe stated that in order to deliver the £17million required for the cost of office accommodation, a cut to public services was implied through rationalisation.  The Councillor called for the Leader to attend a public meeting on this issue.

The Chairman of Strategic Monitoring Committee, Councillor PJ Edwards, advised Council that SMC had twice received reports on office accommodation strategy during 2008/09 and had submitted to Cabinet a recommendation that five potential sites were appraised, which was agreed and actioned by Cabinet.

Councillor MD Lloyd Hayes commented that the Leader had refused the meet the public and stated that the debate was not held in an open manner.

In response, the Leader reiterated the process by which the decision was reached and emphasised that Cabinet meetings were open to the press and public.  The invitation to attend a public meeting would not be accepted due to the insinuation of lack of transparency and openness in the process, which, if of concern to the should be raised formally to the attention of the Council’s S151 Officer.

Councillor JG Jarvis, Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing in response to a question raised by Councillor AM Toon on the way key decisions relating to the suspension of some S106 agreements had been made advised that these decisions had been processed via Cabinet Member decisions.  He extended an invitation to meet with Councillor AM Toon outside of the meeting.

Responding to a question from Councillor WLS Bowen on the effectiveness of consultation with the general public on the waste collection contract, and whether the authority had taken on board lessons learnt from other authorities, the Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing stated that various methods of engagement had been carried out with the public being informed of the change in waste collection, which included a presentation at every PACT meeting and wide press coverage.  Meetings were being arranged with specific organisations e.g Women’s Institute and Age Concern.  The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of Councillors’ role in promoting the scheme and in ensuring that positive messages were being reinforced within the communities.  To support the delivery of the message to school children, a poster competition had been launched within primary and secondary schools in the county for which there would be a monetary prize and the possibility of the artwork being placed on the waste collection vehicles.  The Cabinet Member additionally advised Council that the waste collection vehicles would be powered by both electric and diesel, which would provide a saving to the carbon footprint of 30/40% on solely diesel fuelled vehicles.

In response to a statement from Councillor AM Toon that there was no reason why developers could not pay the section 106 contributions following the sale of the houses, Cabinet Member Environment and Strategic Housing stated that action was required during the dire economic crisis, however this situation did not amend the foundation of Section 106.  The Cabinet Member stated he would be happy to meet with the Councillor external to the meeting to discuss.

Councillor ACR Chappell, Labour Group Leader requested that following the closure of the LEA pool that consideration be given to the site being used for the benefit of young people in the South Wye area.  In responding, the Leader stated that a business case would need to be provided and considered for the future of any site and due process followed.

RESOLVED:               That the reports from the meetings of Cabinet held on 19 March, 2 April and 7 May 2009 be received