To approve the drawdown of tranche two funding against progress of the transformation programme of £6.49m which includes the £1m as approved under delegation from the Director of Resources and Assurance in July 2022 for Children's Transformation in immediate response to the Ofsted Inspection in July 2022.

That:

a)    Cabinet authorise the drawdown of tranche two funding as per the cabinet decision in March 2022 up to the value of £6.49m which is being funded from the Financial Resilience Reserve;

b)    Cabinet receive this report on progress of the children’s transformation journey as requested in the March 2022 cabinet upon drawing tranche two funding;

c)    Cabinet authorise delegation to the Corporate Director for Children and Young People in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s and Family Services, and Young People’s Attainment; the Cabinet Member for Finance, Corporate Services and Planning; and the council’s Director for Resources and Assurance to take all operational decisions relating to the further £6.49m of funding available;

d)    Cabinet receive a further update on the precise allocation of tranche 2 funding in the new year of 2023 which will reflect up-to-date priorities and focus in light of the Ofsted Improvement Action Plan currently in development and also the recommendations of the Commissioner for Children’s Services, expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State in December.

To note and review the earmarked reserves held by the council.

(a)    Note the Earmarked Reserves balances held at 31 March 2022 as at Appendix 1.

(b)    Approve the following movements in reserves to fund the following projects:

a.     Implementation of countywide 20mph speed limit zones £1.2m.

b.    School travel plan support £0.31m

c.     Building retrofit and supply chain development £0.58m

d.    Further development of the Eastern River crossing business case £1m

e.     Reducing the backlog of Traffic regulation orders and carrying out further signing and lining £0.66m

To agree which of the presented recommendations, if any, offer a preferred way forward regarding the future of the Town Hall and 10 St. Owens Street and, to invite Cabinet to propose alternative recommendations for further development and consideration.

That:

(a)  Subject to agreement of heads of terms by 31 December 2022, to transfer the freehold of the Town Hall and No. 10 St Owens Street to Hereford City Council or it’s nominee with the transfer to be completed by 31 October 2023, and in the event that these deadlines are not met to complete an option appraisal which will include disposal on the open market;

(b)  the Director Resources and Assurance be authorised, subject to consultation with the Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the preferred recommendation.

That:

a)    Up to £250k annually for 5 years will be made available from ear marked reserves to support the Lengthsman Scheme in the matter described in paragraph 9 of this report; and

b)    The Corporate Director for Economy and Environment be authorised to agree, following consultation with the S151 officer, any adjustment to the programme and budget allocation in the Public Realm Services Contract Annual Plan to include for administering the above funding and operations in support of the Lengthsman Scheme.

This report seeks approval to draw down on the allocation of capital funding to support the delivery of the MyAccount project. 

The MyAccount project to replace the current Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system forms one strand of the programme of work in the council’s digital and customer services transformation. The approach to the digital and customer services transformation was approved in a previous decision in July 2022.  The MyAccount project will provide a base onto which some areas of further development, both online and within customer services team, will be built in line with any new customer and digital strategy that is developed.  This will be informed by the needs in service delivery identified by residents which will form part of the consultation into any identified transformation requirements moving forward.  This is a capital funding request to support this stage of the project.

That:

a)    Approval be given to draw down up to £443k of allocated capital funding to support the delivery of the MyAccount project

b)    Delegated authority be given to the to the Service Director – Communities in consultation with the cabinet member for finance, corporate services and planning to take all operational decisions to implement the MyAccount project

To gain authorisation to draw up to £490,000 from the council’s corporate reserves in the 2022/23 financial year to enable the commissioning and award, following a compliant tendering process of a contract to support the development and delivery of a digital and customer services strategy to accelerate the council’s digital transformation journey.

That:

a)    The Cabinet member for finance, corporate services and planning approves the agreed approach to digital and customer services transformation which is outlined in the report;

b)    The Cabinet member for finance, corporate services and planning approves expenditure up to the value of £490,000 from the council’s corporate revenue reserves to fund all necessary steps of the digital and customer services transformation approach;

c)    The Cabinet member for finance, corporate services and planning authorises the Director for Resources and Assurance to take all steps necessary, including entering into necessary agreements and procuring and awarding any relevant contracts up to the value of £490,000, to deliver the approach to digital transformation as outlined in the report.

To seek Cabinet Member approval to further develop and submit the local Investment Plan for consideration by the Department for Education for the delivery of the Multiply adult numeracy programme. The Local Investment Plan will outline how the council will deliver the £903,193.51 Multiply programme over a 3-year financial funding year period.

a)    The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People approves the submission of the Multiply Investment Plan to the Department for Education to deliver a 3-year adult numeracy programme in Herefordshire; and

b)    The council agrees to act as the accountable body for the Multiply programme within Herefordshire and any associated grant funding awarded by government; and

c)    Authority is delegated to the Director for Children and Young People following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to determine the final investment plan and submit to the Department For Education; and

d)    Authority is delegated to the Director for Children and Young People and S151 Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to undertake any operational decisions required to implement the Multiply programme within Herefordshire.

This decision provides an update on the project, including the utilisation of ‘freedoms and flexibilities’ in 2020/21 and seeks agreement for NMITE to draw down the remaining grant fund in 2022/23.

That:

a) To approve the drawdown by NMITE from the council the remaining £2,472,556.15 of grant funding in 2022/23, noting that the council utilised ‘freedoms and flexibilities’ in March 2021 in relation to the Local Growth Fund grant to NMITE in accordance with the terms of the funding agreement letter from Shropshire Council, to enable the grant funds to be drawdown over a longer period to align with the period of construction.

a)         The submission of bids to the government Levelling Up Fund by the 6th July 2022 is approved for:

i.          A package of public realm improvements in Leominster and Ledbury town centres and enhancements to the Leominster Old Priory building;

ii.         Development of the site infrastructure and development plots for the Ross Enterprise Park; and

iii.         A package of transport and active travel measures in and around Hereford city;

b)         Authority to make technical amendments to the final bid submissions is delegated to the Corporate Director for Economy and Environment and;

c)         Authority is delegated to the Section 151 officer to formally submit the bids by the 6th July 2022 deadline.

To seek cabinet agreement to sign off and submit the Stronger Towns Fund Full Business Cases for the;

Hereford Museum and Art Gallery Redevelopment Project Maylord Orchard Library and Learning Resource Centre Project and to recommend adjustments to the capital programme to reflect proposed changes to funding levels and sources’

The Full Business Case application for submission seeking Stronger Towns grant funding of £5m for Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and £3m for Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project be approved ; b) Cabinet recommend to Council an adjustment to the capital programme to fund the project from the capital receipts reserve of up to £8m for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and up to £0.5m to the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project; c) The project development funding of up to £160k offered by the Hereford Stronger Towns Board for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project is accepted and expenditure approved; d) The project development funding of up to £77k offered by the National Heritage Lottery Fund for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project is accepted and expenditure approved; e) The Medium Term Financial Strategy budget setting process for 2023/24 and beyond include consideration of the operational revenue requirements for Hereford Museum and Art Gallery project and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resource Centre project ; and f) Authority is delegated to the Corporate Director Economy and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member Commissioning, Procurement and Assets and the Section 151 Officer to take all operational decisions in connection with both projects , including the commitment of funds for required technical works, and to commence the procurement of contractors on a design and build basis for the Hereford Museum and Art Gallery and the Maylord Orchards Library and Learning Resources Centre projects.

To seek agreement to draw down the funds identified in the 2022/23 capital budget to replace on a like for like basis the Data Storage Area Network equipment within its Data centre.

a)    Agreement to draw down the funds identified in the 2022/23 capital budget to replace on a like for like basis the Data Storage Area Network equipment within its Data centre; and

b)    Authority be delegated to the IT Client Manager to make all operational decision to implement the above recommendation, which includes :-

                        I.         Commissioning Hoople Limited to complete this work on behalf of the council as the IT support provider to the council

                       II.         Award of contract for the replacement hardware and ongoing support and maintenance following a compliant procurement process

To seek agreement to draw down the funds identified in the 2022/23 capital budget to replace on a like for like basis the core data centre switches and corporate Wi-Fi.

a)    Agreement to draw down the funds identified in the 2022/23 capital budget  to replace on a like for like basis the core data centre switches and Wi-Fi; and

b)    Authority be delegated to the IT Client Manager to take all operational decisions to implement the above recommendation, which includes :-

I.       Commissioning Hoople Limited to complete the work on behalf of the council as the IT support provider to the council

II.     Award of contract for the replacement hardware and ongoing support and maintenance following a compliant procurement process.

As the competent body under the Habitat and Species Regulations (2017) Cabinet is asked to note the progress being made towards creating Integrated Wetlands phosphate reduction and steps being taken to ensure Nutrient Certainty to the required standard of beyond reasonable scientific doubt.

That:

a) To note the progress being made to create Integrated Wetlands and to determine Nutrient Certainty

b) To receive a further report as soon as is practicable and when all reasonable due diligence has been completed to consider whether Nutrient Certainty has actually been achieved

Cabinet are asked to consider the proposed pricing arrangements for Phosphate Credits, an interim allocation policy pending a full allocation policy and to note the proposed Phosphate Credit Allocation Policy.

That:

a) To continue with all further necessary preparations to the point of commencing trading of credits but not to proceed with the sale of credits until a further report has been provided to Cabinet updating on Nutrient Certainty of the integrated wetlands

b) To approve the pricing of Phosphate Credits at £14,000 + VAT per kilogram of offset required per year.

c) To allocate and ring fence the Phosphate Credit income into the specific Wetland Revenue Reserve to fund the ongoing wetland maintenance, Phosphate Credit administration and investment in further phosphate reduction initiatives across the County;

d) To approve an interim ’First Come First Served’ policy in validation order allocation of Phosphate Credits for housing development applications received and validated on or prior to 31st October 2021 as outlined in this report;

e) To note the Phosphate Credit Allocation Procedure as set out in this report;

f) To agree that, where a planning application lapses or a developer chooses not to proceed to build, all unused Phosphate Credits will be forfeited and the fee paid for them returned to the developer less an administration fee, as part of the Section 106 agreement Process.

g) To receive a report at a future date to agree a permanent Phosphate Credit allocation policy for applications received on or after 1st November 2021; and

h) To delegate to the Corporate Director of Economy and Environment in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport minor clarifications and amendments to the interim Phosphate Credit allocation policy as may be needed from time to time and to review and update the Phosphate Credit price as required.

i) To review the price of phosphate credits in March 2026 based on actual final build and three years actual operating costs.

To seek approval for an advance loan of up to £210,000 in 2022/23 to the Herefordshire County Business Improvement District (BID) Limited to enable the company to become operational until such time as the council (as the billing authority) can commence collection of the 2% business rates levy.

That:

a) To approve a short term 0% loan of up to £210,000 in 2022/23 to the Herefordshire County BID Limited, to be paid on commencement of the Operating Agreement and repaid within the financial year through collection of the levy by the council as the billing authority; and
b) To delegate to the Section 151 Officer following consultation with the cabinet member environment and economy all operational decisions in relation to the payment and recovery of the loan.

To approve the final draft of the Domestic Abuse Strategy for Herefordshire 2021-2024, in accordance with the requirements of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

That:

a)         The final draft of Promoting Safety: Herefordshire’s Strategy for Addressing Domestic Abuse 2021 – 2024 be approved for implementation;       

b)         The responses to the recommendations made by Scrutiny Committee in appendix 4 of this report are approved.

c)         Approval of updates to the strategy and the associated needs assessment, be delegated to the Director for Community Wellbeing in consultation with cabinet members during the lifetime of the strategy.

To review performance for Quarter 4 2021/22 and the final budget outturn for the year.

To provide assurance that progress has being made towards delivery of the agreed revenue budget 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.

The final 2021/22 outturn shows a net underspend of £461k.

The proportion of performance measures showing an improvement, or remaining the same compared to the same period last year is 74%. At the end of the quarter, 74% of actions from the delivery plan are identified as complete or are progressing within planned timescales.

That:

a)    Cabinet, having reviewed performance and financial forecast for year 2021/22, as set out in the appendices A-F, has not identified any additional actions to be considered to achieve future improvements.

a) The Energy Rebate Discretionary Fund scheme and the criteria for the allocation of the funding is approved; and

b) That all operational and budgetary decisions regarding this scheme be delegated to the director of resources and assurance.

Application 210865 was approved with an amendment to the Case Officer’s recommendation.

Application 210866 was approved in accordance with the Case Officer’s recommendation.

The application was approved with an amendment to the Case Officer’s recommendation.

That:

a)    Feasibility studies and surveys for The Brookfield School, Blackmarston and the Hereford Pupil Referral Service are commissioned within an approved budget of £52K from the 2021/22 high needs capital grant; and

b)    The Service Director for Education, Development and Skills be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to deliver the required schedule of feasibility studies within the approved budget of £57.2k including fees.

That: a) £930,403 of the GHG LAD 1a grant, being the unspent balance be returned to the department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) as per the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); and

b) Authority be delegated to Corporate Director Economy & Environment to take all necessary steps to implement this decision.

That:

a)    A new contract be procured through a competitive tender exercise in accordance with the contract procedure rules on a 3 plus 2 year basis and within a budget of £1.3m to supply staff to monitor the council’s CCTV cameras across the county, including security staff to work within the Maylord Orchard Centre; and

b)    Authority is delegated to the Corporate Director for Economy and Environment, following consultation with the Cabinet Member housing, regulatory services and community and the Section 151 Officer, to award the new contract and take all relevant operational decisions.