Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 19 February 2024, be received and approved as a correct record.

Principal Select Committee Chairman

Councillor Kier Barsby

The Council’s Governance Manager presented the report and two recommendations for Cabinet Members to consider in relation to a petition submitted in accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme and Constitution.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to agree the recommendations as submitted by the Principal Select Committee.

RESOLVED that

a)    Cabinet agrees to ensure that an appropriate consultation exercise is undertaken alongside any future repurposing of Council owned community centres within the District;

b)    in conjunction with the above, Cabinet will ensure that all user groups are identified and contacted as a matter of course should any public consultation or engagement exercises be carried out to determine the future use of Council owned community centres.

Reason:

The Council received a petition submitted with 866 signatures. In accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, the submitted petition met the signature threshold for consideration at a meeting of the Principal Select Committee. This consideration was given at a meeting in January 2024. Following consideration, the Principal Select Committee agreed recommendations to be submitted to Cabinet.

Key Decision

Councillor Rachel Madden – Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits

Cabinet received a summary of the Council’s forecast financial outturn position as at December 2023 compared to the latest approved budgets for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and the Capital Programme.

Due to the fact that there is a requirement for the Council’s financial position to be reported to those charged with Governance, there were no alternative

options for Members to consider.

RESOLVED that

a)    the current forecast outturn for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Capital Programme for 2023/24, be received and noted;

b)    Council be recommended to approve the amendments and the addition of new schemes to the Capital Programme 2023/24 to 2027/28 and the funding of the Capital Programme as set out in Section 6 and Appendix 3 of the report;

c)    the monitoring of Prudential and Treasury Management indicators for 2023/24, as detailed in Appendix 4, be also noted.

Reason:

In accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations to report to those charged with Governance the financial position.

Key Decision

Councillor Matthew Relf – Executive Lead Member for Growth,

Regeneration and Local Planning

Councillor John Wilmott – Executive Lead Member for Community

Safety and Crime Reduction

Cabinet was updated in respect of funding allocations and progress of funded programmes.  Members were additionally asked to agree the addition of Public Open Space Section 106 contributions to the Capital Programme and to accept funding from the Levelling Up Fund for Hucknall Town Centre.

Members considered the alternative options of declining to approve the allocation of Section 106 funding to the Capital Programme and the acceptance of the Levelling Up Funding for Hucknall, but these were not recommended as public open space improvement projects would not be delivered and potential investment in Hucknall would not be realised.

RESOLVED that

a)    progress for the Regeneration programmes, as presented, be received and noted;

b)    Council be recommended, following receipt of funds, to include Section 106 monies in the Capital Programme as outlined in the report;

c)    it be agreed to accept the funding from the Levelling Up Fund for Hucknall Town Centre of up to £9,281,283 and to enter into agreements with DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) as required, including the addition of the funds to the Capital Programme.

Reasons:

1.    To ensure that Cabinet is kept updated on progress with the funding programmes.

2.    To ensure that projects and spend within the funding programmes are delivered within the set timeframes and programme budgets.

3.    To ensure delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan and improvements to parks and green spaces with a rolling programme of investment.

4.    To ensure funding streams are utilised collaboratively and effectively.

Key Decision

Councillor John Wilmott – Executive Lead Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction

Cabinet was requested to approve a consultation exercise to extend and vary the existing 2021 Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), before its expiration on 30 September 2024.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to undertake the necessary consultation and notification to extend and vary the existing 2021 PSPO before its expiration on 30 September 2024 but this was not recommended, as it would result in officers not being able to take action under these provisions in the future.

RESOLVED that

a)    approval be given to undertake the necessary consultation, publicity and notification for the extension of the existing 2021 Public Spaces Protection Order for a further period of 3 years;

b)    approval be also given to undertake the necessary consultation, publicity and notification to vary the existing 2021 Public Spaces Protection Order to include a new prohibition for addressing street harassment and to vary the prohibition for vehicle nuisance (previously called “Car Cruising”) by increasing the Restricted Area to the entire District of Ashfield.

Reason:

To ensure the Council has a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place to enable officers to regulate activities in particular public spaces that have a detrimental effect on the local community.

Non-Key Decision

Councillor Vicki Heslop – Executive Lead Member for Governance

Cabinet was requested to consider and formally approve the adoption of the proposed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy to replace the former Corporate Equality and Inclusion Policy 2017-2021.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to approve the Policy but this was not recommended as it could result in the Council not achieving its equality objectives and not complying with legislative requirements.

RESOLVED that

a)    the proposed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy be formally approved and adopted to replace the former Corporate Equality and Inclusion Policy 2017-2021;

b)    the initial findings of the recent review of equalities across the Council and the suggested improvements including the establishment of an Equalities Monitoring Group, be received and noted.

Reason:

To demonstrate the Council’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) and to comply with equality legislation.

Non-Key Decision

Councillor Vicki Heslop – Executive Lead Member for Governance

Cabinet was presented with details of the Council’s corporate health and

safety performance by means of an interim report covering the six-month

period 1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023.

As the report was for information purposes only, Members did not have any

alternative options to consider.

RESOLVED

that the Interim Corporate Health and Safety Report 2023/24, as shown at

Appendix 1, be received and noted.

Reason:

To ensure Cabinet are informed on corporate health and safety performance across the Council, to provide assurance that the Council’s statutory health and safety obligations are being met and to provide an understanding that the

health and safety risks created by the Council’s services and operations are being managed effectively, as required by law.

Non-Key Decision

Councillor Chris Huskinson – Executive Lead Member for Leisure, Health and Wellbeing

Cabinet was presented with an updated Volunteer Policy for consideration and approval.

Members considered the alternative option of declining to approve the updated Volunteer Policy, but this was not recommended as the current version did not accord with recent changes in policy, procedure and legislation.

RESOLVED

that the updated Volunteer Policy, as presented, be approved.

Reason:

The Council’s Volunteer Policy was last updated in 2020 and it is timely to review the Policy to ensure it is fit for purpose and compliant with any changes in legislation.