To approve the procurement of a new CCTV/Security Monitoring staff contract

- GSR Ltd. were awarded the contract for first time LPG central heating systems via a compliant ITQ process.
- No bids were received for provision and install of first time Air Source Heat Pump central heating systems and Communitas were awarded the contract via a procurement waiver after recommendation by a partner authority and the funder.
- The warm homes funding recipient agreement has been extended at short notice on two occasions-contracts are being extended to support this and on the advice of Legal Services up to 31 May 2022.
- Warm Homes Fund projects seek to alleviate fuel poverty for eligible residents in the county via the installation of more efficient and economic heating systems;
- Fuel Poverty affects an estimated 13,902 out of 84,028 households (16.5%). This figure is higher than the national level of 13.4% and reflects the challenges that the county faces in relation to the energy efficiency of properties including a large proportion of older, hard to treat ‘solid wall’ properties, restricted access to mains gas and the resulting prevalence of expensive heating fuel systems.
- Decreasing fuel poverty can be linked to increasing housing standards as well as health and wellbeing.
- Housing also accounts for around a quarter of the County’s carbon dioxide emissions and therefore by helping to improve the energy efficiency of heating systems in properties, the Warm Homes Fund projects will contribute to climate change reduction targets.

The council has worked across all directorates to support businesses, residents and communities throughout the pandemic to remain as safe as possible and to prevent and reduce spread of infection and protect those most vulnerable in our society.
Our focus now moves towards recovery. Over the coming months the true impact of the pandemic will become better known for the economy, community wellbeing and the organisation.

To support the recovery cabinet approved a £6.1m COVID Recovery Plan which includes the economy, community wellbeing and organisation. The recovery plan now focuses on the immediate impactful actions we need to take in the short term. Our priorities are to:

- Establish Safe and Welcoming Places
- Support Business Viability and Resilience,
- Support Employment
- Support Wellbeing.

There has been underspend identified across some schemes within the original covid recovery plan allocation whereas these grant schemes have been oversubscribed.

The allocation of the additional funds will support applications that have met the grant criteria however were unable to be funded through the initial process due to funding

The purpose of the contract variation is to add the following qualifying paragraph into section C (Independent Mental Health Advocates) of the Service Specification (Schedule 4) of the Independent Advocacy Service for Adults contract:
‘The provider will make available Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) services to any young person who has been temporarily detained at Hereford County Hospital. The level and frequency of IMHA activity provided to qualifying patients who are under the age of 18 will be kept under review during contract monitoring meetings’.

Learning Nordic Walking’ has proved extremely popular and an effective way to increase levels of walking and showcase the network of traffic-free paths. The budget of £3,000 represents budget will cover 12 five week courses and represents very good value for money.

Herefordshire Council is committed to its approach of working in partnership with the community and voluntary sector and acknowledges its value in supporting the county and its residents.

It is recognised that volunteers in the community who may be offering support to people with developing mental health conditions, may find themselves coming under stress. It was felt important to put in place a community network where volunteers could get guidance and support from their peers with links into established community based organisations.

Training in Mental Health First Aid and mental health awareness is being provided to volunteers in the Talk Community Hubs and volunteers across the county, but it is essential that those volunteers are not then left without support for themselves.

After a published procurement exercise, 31ten were scored highest across evaluation criteria. This piece of work will assist the Council to effectively target resources to have the greatest impact on business development recovery in the county.

We are expecting the full business case to follow HM Treasury five stage green book standard as well as including a value for money assessment and should consider the extent to which the Council could make investment or seek alternative private and/or public sector investment.

The value of the contract is £48,075

Telford & Wrekin has previously provided the required services to the council under a previous contract and has demonstrated that they have the skills and capacity required by the council. Due to the technical nature required by the Habitat Regulations Assessment it has also been difficult to procure other consultancy services. Telford & Wrekin have the required expertise and specialist understanding and knowledge. Therefore the decision was made to extend Telford & Wrekin consultancy contract to the value of £50,000.

The Maylord Orchards Centre is now owned outright by the council as a strategic asset in the centre of Hereford.
The Centre comprises multiple retail units with the council incurring the holding costs of all vacant units.
The terms agreed are for a lease for a 12 month period with the lessee responsible for the payment of the service charge and insurance premium attributable to this unit, business rates and all utility costs
The occupation of this unit under a lease will mitigate the holding costs that the council will otherwise pay.
The occupation of an otherwise vacant unit will help to improve the vibrancy of the Centre and should increase footfall which may benefit the other occupiers
The lease of this unit will not prohibit that council from undertaking
development at a future date

The Friends of Castle Green (FOCG)CIC occupy the property at Castle Green Hereford under a lease dated 21 June 2018
FOCG have been awarded funding from the government’s Stronger Town’s levelling up investment programme for a major refurbishment and extension of the building and as required under the terms of the lease have requested landlords consent to carry out these works.
The aim of the project is to transform the historic Pavilion building by respecting its Georgian heritage whilst creating a modern, accessible space and iconic riverside visitor attraction in the heart of Hereford including the provision of café facilities, a multifunctional and flexible community meeting space, a gallery celebrating local arts and heritage and a revitalised home for the Hereford Youth Canoe Club (HYCC).
The lease provides that consent must not be unreasonably withheld and there is no good reason in this case to do so as the proposals are intended to enhance and protect this historic building.
The consent will be subject to obtaining any necessary planning, listed building, conservation, scheduled ancient monument and building regulation consents and the tenant will be required to carry out the works to the highest standards to ensure that this important local building is protected and enhanced for future generations

1. The Maylord Orchards Centre is now owned outright by the council as a strategic asset in the centre of Hereford.
2. The Centre comprises multiple retail units with the council incurring the holding costs of all vacant units.
3. The terms agreed are for a lease for a 12 month period with the tenant responsible for the payment of the service charge and insurance premium attributable to this unit, business rates and all utility costs
4. The occupation of this unit will mitigate the holding costs that the council will otherwise pay.
5. The occupation of an otherwise vacant unit will help to improve the vibrancy of the Centre and should increase footfall which may benefit the other occupiers
6. The lease, for a period of 12 months, will be outside the security of tenure provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and so will not prohibit the council from undertaking development at a future date.

The council has a duty to determine any street trading applications it receives.

To approve the acquisition of up to six properties from the open market in response to the Covid-19 emergency, to accommodate six people who have long and/or repeated history of rough sleeping

This is the second decision to be approved following the recent purchase of two of the permitted properties and relates to property number three. This purchase is approved within the budget of £176,400 as detailed below.

The overall funding of £1,058,400 has been approved to purchase the six properties. We are prioritising using the external grant received from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities first.

Below is a breakdown of the funding allocated for the purchase of the properties

Funding streams - Capital
DLUHC Grant £423,360
BCF Grant available through the IBCF Programme £250,000
Strategic Housing funded from borrowing £385,040
TOTAL £1058,400

The council has already purchased two properties at a cost of £302,098.57.

• Purchase price £279,950
• Legal/conveyancing/survey fees £2,928.57
• Refurbishment costs £22,220

The council is currently on budget.

Land Use Consultants were the successful tenderer for the assessment following the ITT process. The application met the requirements for the study brief.

The car club has historically found operational difficulties with finding a parking space within the residential parking area. This often results in the car being left by a user in a different place to which it was collected, then communication is needed to the next user to inform them where it is parked.

In order to resolve this a dedicated parking space will now be allocated in Nelson Street off street car park, which is owned by the council.

A charge is usually applied to ‘rent’ a space at this location (currently £480 per year), however due to there being many different users in the scheme applying this charge would be problematic. The only reasonable way would be to charge the car club for the space which would be cost prohibitive for the scheme.

The council actively supports car clubs in the county, and has provided a parking space for the scheme in Kington. Therefore in waiving the small charge that would have applied with this decision the council can continue to support this car club scheme.

Covid 19 has had a very severe impact on local communities in terms of the impact on people’s health and wellbeing, loss of income, loss of jobs, long periods of anxiety and isolation.

In December 2021 there were 3,015 people in Herefordshire (aged 16+) claiming out-of-work benefits, which is 43% higher than in March 2020.

Provisional data suggest there were 11,516 Universal Credit claimants in Herefordshire in November 2021, well above the 5,983 seen in March 2020. In Herefordshire, UC claimants currently comprise 10% of the working age population. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, rising inflation will mean a 3% real cut in benefits year on year even before accounting for the removal of the £20 per week Universal Credit uplift.

Whilst there are no up to date statistics for measuring food poverty in Herefordshire, there are increasing numbers of people in crisis situations: in 2020, 10,889 food parcels were distributed across five food banks in the county. The Children’s integrated needs assessment 2019 also noted that around 1,900 county school children are eligible for free school meals.
As the true impact of the Covid pandemic is becoming better known, the significant financial pressures placed on low income households is becoming better understood.
Due to limited timescales there has not been the opportunity to test he market. However research has been previously undertaken to gather knowledge of suitable providers across the county. Herefordshire Community Foundation has systems, processes and staffing capacity in place to administer these grants targeted at voluntary and community organisations providing emergency food. It also has the local relationships to ensure that these grants are well publicised and to support applicants if necessary.

To prosecute the defendant for offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, Section 117

evaluation criteria. This piece of work will assist the Council to effectively target resources to have the greatest impact on business development recovery in the county.

We are expecting the full business case to follow HM Treasury five stage green book standard as well as including a value for money assessment and should consider the extent to which the Council could make investment or seek alternative private and/or public sector investment.

The value of the contract is £48,075

To consider granting a dispensation for Cllr Graham Jones whose compassionate leave of absence will exceed six months, on 17 May 2022.

To accept and spend the additional project development funding offered by the Hereford Stronger Towns Board in commissioning the technical support required to develop the proposed project for grant funding consideration. To progress the project through the RIBA stages.

To accept and spend the additional development funding offered by the Hereford Stronger Towns Board in support of the proposed provision of a new library and learning resource centre in Maylord Orchards. TO progress the project through the RIBA Stages