To approve the Hoople Ltd service level agreement for 2021/22.

Agreement to:
1. Award Balfour Beatty LP the contract to complete asbestos removal works at Michaelchurch Primary School.

2. Approve the expenditure of up to £5,000 at Michaelchurch Primary School for asbestos removal works, works required to be completed as part of the heating and boiler scheme. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

3. To authorise the expenditure of up to the value of £500 at Michaelchurch for professional fees. Responsibility for managing and monitoring the project to be carried out by the Capital Project Manager, within the spend budget.

To review progress against the Safeguarding and Family Support division improvement plan 2020 / 2020 (appendix a) and Our priorities definitions (appendix b) produced in response to the Ofsted Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) inspection judgement of June 2018 and the subsequent focused visits carried out in 2019.

To review the Herefordshire Children's Safeguarding Partnership annual report for 2019-2020 (appendix c)

To approve the renewal of licences and support arrangements for the governance ICT
system modern.gov.

The Building Control service helps provide assurance that work which falls within the scope of the Building Regulations meets the standards set out within the regulations and associated documentation. Whilst it remains the responsibility of those undertaking the work to achieve the required standard the Building Control service provides advice and inspects work to help ensure compliance. The service is able to take enforcement action if required.

Those using the service do so under a user pays principle, the cost for each ‘application’ is calculated individually using the hourly rate and estimated time required to deliver the service. The proposed increase has been carefully determined to allow for full cost recovery.

Appendix A contains a proposed updated Scheme of Charges, which outlines our methods of charging and assessing services fees. This is available on the council website.

The updated Scheme of charges and associated hourly rate will decision will come in to force on the 01/04/2021.

To ensure the council complies with recommended best practice as set out in the PSIAS and to approve the internal audit charter for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022

To update members on the progress of internal audit work and to bring to their attention any key internal control issues arising from work recently completed. To enable the committee to monitor performance of the internal audit team against the approved plan.

The scheme will offer Hereford City based residents and organisations the offer of a free trees to be planted on their premises, within the City boundary.

Hereford City residents will be eligible for one tree per household and City based organisations will be eligible for up to five trees.

Applications for additional trees will be considered by exception as priority will be given to maximise the number of scheme beneficiaries and to increase tree canopy for public benefit.

The combined delivery of the Residential Tree and Trees on Public Open Space elements of the Green Space Enhancement project enables better value for money through single application process for both residents and also reduces the scheme administration.

The scheme and tree species available will be promoted through a dedicated webpage on the Council’s website which will include on online application form with FP Matthews.

These tree species are being stored by and will be posted directly to applicants by FP Matthews in order to mitigate the transmission risk of Covd-19.

Advice and guidance on suitability, planting and tree care will be provided to applicants by FP Matthews.

The procurement process was undertaken in line with the Council’s contract procedure rules with support from the Commercial Services Team.

To undertake a review of the membership of SACRE.

To note the budget for SACRE for 2021/22.

To approve the council tax and precepts for 2021/22.

To provide technical expertise on phosphate reduction at both point source and diffuse source pollution in the Lugg catchment

The following contracts are awarded as a result of a competitive tendering process.

Contract 1 be awarded to Herefordshire Vennture to deliver a family mentoring service at a cost of £100,000 from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, with the potential to extend for a further year.

Contract 2 be awarded to Home-Start Herefordshire to deliver the Befriending Service at a cost of £66,000 from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, with the potential to extend for a further year.

To seek the views and invite policy influence from the scrutiny committee on the action plan which identifies a programme of work for reducing local flood risk within Herefordshire

To provide an update on the work of the Cabinet since the previous meeting of the Council and an annual report on the priorities of the Cabinet and progress made in meeting those priorities.

To approve surrender of existing and grant of new lease in respect of Unit 12 Maylord Shopping Centre, Hereford

To exercise the contractual option to extend the current contract with Worcestershire Childrens First to deliver the council’s children’s social care out of hours emergency duty service for 2 years from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023 at a maximum cost of £253,952.

This results in a total contract value of £439,952 from October 2019 up to March 2023.

In July 2020, having followed due process, Herefordshire Council entered into a five year contract with Capita Software Solutions for the supply and maintenance of its Library Management System.

The parent company, Capita Ltd, has agreed the sale of its Software Solutions business to Tiger UK Bidco Ltd. All staff, commitments and liabilities will transfer to the new company and the terms of our contract will not be affected.

To serve a provisional TPO at The Vicarage Bosbury in order to protect the amenity of the trees.

To review waste collection service charges across commercial, bulky, and garden waste in line with the councils full cost recovery policy.

To approve the recommendation to implement a Consolidation Order covering the existing speed limits at Wellington and Auberrow, the effect of which will be to correct a minor error in the road number given for Auberrow Road in the schedule in the existing speed limit Orders
A plan of the proposals, which remain unchanged, is included as Appendix A.

The original Assistant Director’s report that contains the error was approved in September 2019 is included in Appendix B for reference. The road number error is highlighted in red and the amended schedule to correct this error is detailed in Recommendations below.

To consider an application under the Highways Act 1980, Section 119, to make a public path diversion order to divert part of footpath FL7 in the parish of Felton and part of footpath PW8A in the parish of Preston Wynne.

Reasons for decision: In July 2020 government announced that under the Towns Fund programme they were offering Hereford a grant of £750,000 to fund capital projects that can be delivered this financial year. This grant will be used to support capital spend within the intervention framework as set out in the Towns Fund Further Guidance.

The expenditure will be included within the medium term financial strategy and capital programme.

The business case details the revenue impact of the project which will be managed within current revenue budgets. There is no additional funding
requirement, with all projects managed within existing teams for delivery.


TravelFund grant schemes have been very successful in promoting increased sustainable travel in local businesses and organisations. In spring 2020 a TravelFund grant scheme, funded by the Department for Transport, provided video-conferencing equipment and e-bikes to help local businesses to continue to trade during the pandemic. Fifty four applications were received and twenty businesses were supported.

This grant scheme will promote and encourage low carbon transport solutions. It will help to reduce congestion and improve air quality, with the added benefit of reducing fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. It will also raise awareness of low carbon travel options, encourage healthier choices and help reach the carbon neutrality target by 2030.

Private sector businesses will be prioritised, SME and sole traders will be eligible for funding. Charities and public sector organisations will be considered where demand and benefit can be demonstrated.

Likewise businesses within the boundary area will be prioritised and those sitting outside the Towns Fund accelerated projects boundary will only be considered where they can definitively state they will use the equipment within the Towns Fund accelerated projects boundary.

Awards will be paid on receipt of a valid suppliers invoice unless the lead time for an order goes beyond 31 March 2021. In that case the award will be paid in advance with a claw back clause included in the grant agreement.

Total mileage and numbers of users will be monitored and recorded.

We will publicise the grant on the council website, twitter and via the Travel for Work network, to business organisations and to local networks as well as previous recipients of previous Travel Fund grants.

1) To enable the council to receive independent advice on the Redbook
valuation for each identified site
2) To enable the council to receive a final technical assessment report from
the Wye and Usk foundation around each identified site to enable the
council to make informed decisions about purchasing/leasing sites
3)To enable the council to have an independent negotiator on board to
negotiate land acquisitions on behalf of the council
4) To improve the data sets and the resilience of the phosphate calculator
within the interim delivery plan

Additional structural defects have been found, through surveys and structural calculations. This has resulted in additional works to both court rooms 1 and 2, which include for additional structure steel work to both courtrooms, removal of the lower ceiling in court room 2, additional scaffolding structural support and supporting design work.

To grant an explosives licence to Evans Farm and Country Supplies in accordance with the Explosives Regulations 2014 for 3 years. Expiry 31st August 2023.

To grant an explosives licence to Lightning Fireworks, in accordance with the Explosives Regulations 2014 for 1 year.
Expiry 31st August 2021

To approve letting of unit 17 Maylord Shopping Centre, Hereford

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

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the food hygiene inspection programme has been severely impacted. There has been a very limited number of programmed visits undertaken, meaning that the programme is behind by over a year. Once the Covid-19 lock down has been lifted, inspections will need to focus on higher risk food premises rather than processing low risk food registrations. Examples of businesses that would be classed as low risk include, domestic cake makers, childminders (serving fruit/low risk snacks), chemists & clothing retailers selling sweets.

To consider an application under the Highways Act 1980, Section 119, to make a public path diversion order to divert part of Bridleway ME3 (part) in the parish of Michaelchurch Escley.

The building was restored in 1973-4 and further works were carried out in
the 1990’s during which periods repairs were carried out to the rendered
infill panels. These now incorporate a mix of original lath and render
panels, some original infill panels re-skimmed, some rendered wood wool
slab infill panels and some panels with expended metal mesh and render.

Recent falls of the render prompted an inspection from a cherry picker
which revealed many panels with delaminating render. There are also
small areas of timber decay. There is a need to engage a Conservation
Architect to identify the health and safety work required to make the
building safe and to provide documentation for subsequent Listed Building Consent and tender of the improvement works.

Donald Insall Associates have been identified as the bidder representing
best value for money following a competitive tender and assessment
process in accordance with Council procurement procedures. Quotations
were invited from three prospective consultants, all of whom returned a
valid quotation for consideration.

To agree the property services estates capital works programme.
The proposed programme of works as set out in appendix A and B incorporates a series of planned project works that enables the council to deliver on its obligations to maintain buildings fit for purpose utilising the agreed £2.067m capital budget which was approved at council budget meeting of 12 February 2021

To award a contract for substance use services following successful competitive procurement exercise.

To confirm next steps to progress the design development and public consultation of the remaining elements of the HCCTP.

To provide an outline summary of the mental health and pastoral support in schools for children who are looked after.

The report summarises the current initiatives; and also considers the implications for some of these pupils following the lockdown and what could be done further to support them once restrictions ease.

The report will also attempt to summarise the pathway of support as these children grow.

To approve the joining of the Worcestershire complex needs framework.

The internal audit plan for 2020/21 was initially approved by the audit and governance committee on 5 May 2020. Following that an updated and proposed revised annual audit plan for the remainder of 2020/21 has been prepared and approved on 14 October 2020 following consultation with the chief finance officer and shared with the management board.

The initial plan remains relevant however the huge effort the council is undertaking in relation to response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to push back a significant proportion of the initial planned work and result in new, also significant, initially unplanned work.

Internal audit continues to respond to requests to support COVID-19 work, this includes work where there is a definitive date for a declaration to the relevant Government department.

The plan will continue to be reviewed as the year progresses and changes to the plan will be reported to the audit and governance committee through the regular Internal Audit progress update reports that committee receives.

Directly appoint Land Science to complete the non-invasive ground survey investigations which are required to inform the proposals for redevelopment of the Brookfield School as part of the Brookfield School Capital Improvement project.

To award contract for substance use services to the winning bidder following competitive procurement tender.

COVID has impacted the service delivery during 2020, the service will form a vital part of the recovery from COVID-19 both in supporting individuals to become active but also in supporting providers to develop activities and re-start delivery.

To approve the Herefordshire Capital Investment Strategy for specialist settings for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) 2021-2030.

The strategy seeks to ensure that there is high quality sustainable specialist educational accommodation for children and young people with SEND in Herefordshire.

The purpose of this report is to present the 2020 Director of Public Health (DPH) annual report and to seek the support of the Health and Wellbeing Board in implementing the recommendations.

Directors of Public Health have a statutory requirement to write an independent annual report on the health of their population. The Director of Public Health Annual Report is a vehicle for informing local people about the health of their community, as well as providing necessary information for decision makers in local health services and authorities on health gaps and priorities that need to be addressed. The report is informed by and sits alongside the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (Understanding Herefordshire).

The focus of the 2020 report is the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has affected every member of our society, either through direct effects on our health, or indirectly through the impact of lockdowns, social isolation and wider economic disruptions. It is clear that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected certain members of our society, such as the elderly, the vulnerable and those of minority ethnic backgrounds. The report looks at the impact of COVID-19 on the Herefordshire population and identifies challenges that will need to be met in order to support Herefordshire’s recovery from the pandemic.

The recommendations set out in the report identify key areas for action to tackle local impacts of COVID-19.

Award the contract for a Learning Management System and associated website for a period of 5 years at a total cost of £55,238 to Phew Design ltd.

To complete a contract variation for IE Brand & Digital Consultancy for the provision of additional consultancy services for the brand and digitalisation for Talk Community at a cost of £17,800.