Agenda and draft minutes

1.1       The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on the 16 April 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

2.1       Copies of the reports referred to below are included in the minute book.

Report by the Chief Executive.

3.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

3.2       It was RESOLVED to:

            1)         Note the latest monitoring position for the Council.

Reason

3.3       The report sets out the Council’s position and year-end projections for the Council Plan targets, Revenue Budget, Capital Programme, and Savings Plan, together with Risks at the end of March 2024.

Report by the Chief Executive.

4.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive.

4.2       It was RESOLVED to:

1)         Note the evidence base on demographics as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and the national and local policy outlook as set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

2)         Agree the priority outcomes and delivery outcomes as set out in Appendix 3 of the report and agree these as the basis of the Council’s business and financial planning, subject to the proposed amendments set out in paragraph 4 of the report;

3)         Agree officers update the Medium Term Financial Plan as the basis for financial planning when more information is available, as set out in paragraph 5 of the report;

4)         Agree officers identify areas of search for further savings as set out in paragraph 5 of the report;

5)         Agree to allocate the additional £5.386m for social care received in the final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024/25 to support the investments in children’s and adult social care within the Council’s agreed 2024/25 revenue budget;

6)         Agree officers update the Capital Strategy and programme as set out in Appendix 4 of the report and as set out in paragraph 7 of the report;

7)         Agree the Productivity Plan as set out in Appendix 5 of the report for submission to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities;

8)         Receive reports on more detailed plans for 2025/26 and beyond in the autumn when there is more information about future resources; and

9)         Request officers bring a report to the July Cabinet Meeting setting out proposals for an additional £1m to be added to the current highways patching programme, for 2024/25, including details of how this could be funded from the Capital Programme without increasing the overall cost of the programme.

Reasons

4.3       The State of the County report is a key annual milestone in the Council’s Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR) process, our integrated business and financial planning cycle. The report provides an overview of our current operating context to begin the process of more detailed planning for 2025/26 and beyond. In conjunction with the 2023/24 year end monitoring report, it reflects on our achievements over the last year and the challenges we expect in the year ahead arising from both local and national factors. Through this analysis, it starts to refine our plans and to steer our business planning and budget setting processes.

4.4       Work will continue over the summer to refine our understanding of the medium term impacts on our services of national reforms, the evolving economic and political context, changing demand for services and the financial resources that will be available to us in the coming years. We will also further develop proposals for closing the financial gap, including potential savings.

4.5       We will report back to Members in the autumn with an updated assessment of our service demand, funding expectations and proposed actions to inform more detailed business and budget planning for 2025/26 and beyond.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

5.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

5.2       It was RESOLVED to:

1)         Recommend to Full Council that the Waste and Minerals Revised Policies document, incorporating the Main Modifications and minor modifications, and updated Policies Map, is adopted and published; and

2)         Recommend to Full Council the relevant adoption statement and Sustainability Appraisal Report is published.

Reason

5.3       Achieving a positive outcome from the Examination into the Waste and Minerals Revised Policies document represents a significant achievement for the County Council and the partner Authorities. It is the culmination of a significant amount of work, which has included the collation of evidence and undertaking community and stakeholder engagement/consultation, carried out over a number of years.

Report on the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

6.1       The Cabinet considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

6.2       It was RESOLVED to:

1)         Approve the County Council’s plan to support the implementation and delivery of proposed EV infrastructure;

2)         Approve the procurement of a network operator to support the delivery and operation of EV infrastructure; and

3)         Delegate authority to the Director of Communities Economy and Transport to take any action they consider appropriate to give effect to the above recommendations, including, but not limited to, approving the outcome of the procurement process and the award of the contract, and agreeing the terms of and authorising the Council to enter into any agreements necessary for the delivery of the proposed EV infrastructure.

Reasons

6.3       Electric Vehicles (EV) will be the main alternative to combustion engine cars and small vans with the Government’s commitment to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2035. This will contribute towards achieving the national and Council target of net zero carbon by 2050 through a major reduction in transport emissions as well as supports several key County Council priorities such as maintaining and improving social inclusion, health, and wellbeing, whilst supporting and safeguarding current and future economic needs.

6.4       The County Council has successfully secured £4.441m of Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding which is dedicated to facilitating the implementation of on-street EV charging infrastructure throughout the county. The initiative aims to establish a comprehensive and fit for purpose network of both slow and fast chargepoints in residential areas in locations that have been informed through close collaboration with our Borough and District Councils.

7.1       It was agreed that items 5, 6 and 7 should be reported to the County Council.

[Note: the item being reported to the County Council refers to minute numbers 3, 4 and 5.]