Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

(a)  To agree the minutes from the meeting of Cabinet on 17^th July 2018

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 17^th July 2018 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arsing.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that would also be considered by Council at their meeting on 4^th September 2018, which sought approval for Coventry City Council to invest in a city readiness programme aligned to Coventry City of Culture 2021. 

On 5^thDecember 2017 (minute 74/17 referred), Coventry City Council committed £4.75m of Corporate Reserves for the UK City of Culture 2021 build-up programme, title year and legacy programme, to be drawn-down if the city was awarded the title. On 7^th December 2017, Coventry was awarded the title of UK City of Culture 2021 and on 10 July 2018 (minute 23/18 referred) the Council approved £3.25m of reserve contributions as part of £5.05m of reserves to be set aside to meet the Council’s commitments to UK City of Culture and cultural events cost. 

Alongside the Council’s contribution to UK City of Culture build-up, title year and legacy programmes, the city had been reviewing the potential for a city readiness programme, aligned to Coventry 2021. Ahead of City of Culture 2017, Hull developed such a readiness and legacy programme structured across themes of Place, Product, Positioning and People. Designed to maximise the benefits of being awarded the title, a city readiness and legacy programme addresses the benefits of aligned investment in areas such as city infrastructure; destination promotion and marketing; cultural capital; skills and sector development. Hull City Council successfully used UK City of Culture as a catalyst to accelerate development and regeneration. Investment from its City Plan and first-in capital commitments to the Hull New Theatre and Feren’s Art Gallery allowed the city to lever significant national funding from Government via the Northern Powerhouse and from Heritage Lottery Fund for its museums. Its investment in tourism also enabled the city to secure regional packages of funding from the Explore England Fund. It was proposed that Coventry City Council invest in such a city readiness programme for Coventry. 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves:

1)That governance arrangements for the City of Culture readiness programme are delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) following consultation with the Leader of the Council.

2)That delegated authority be given to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) and the Director Customer Service and Transformation, to investigate an express route for the employment of the posts necessary to ensure City Readiness for both the City of Culture and the European City of Sport.

3)That a report is commissioned and brought back to Cabinet which identifies and captures the benefits of the City of Culture in terms of improved opportunities and outcomes for our communities and any resultant investment.

4) Requests that Council:

i)Approves the addition of £5m to the capital programme for 2018/19 onwards for the development of a cultural capital investment programme in order to lever in external cultural and heritage monies in support of the Five Goals and Seven Big Ideas for Cultural Growth, as outlined in the Coventry Cultural Strategy 2017-2027.

ii)  Authorises  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that would also be considered by the Audit and Procurement Committee at its meeting on 10^th September 2018, that advised of the forecast outturn position for revenue and capital expenditure and the Council’s treasury management activity as at the end of June 2018.

The headline revenue forecast for 2018/19 is an over spend of £2.0m. At the same point in 2017/18 there was a projected overspend of £4.6m.

This position continued to reflect overspends in several service areas that had been subject to budgetary pressure in recent years, notwithstanding that 2018/19 Budget proposals increased budgets in these areas. Although the quarter 1 overspend position was not as large as this time last year, the Senior Management Board was aware of the need to address the range of budgetary issues facing the Council including continued challenges in relation to looked after children and housing and homelessness related costs.

The Council’s capital spending was projected to be £249.4m for the year, a net decrease of £13.1m on the programme planned at the start of the year. However, Cabinet was alerted to the possibility of significant capital slippage later in the budgetary cycle.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Notes the forecast revenue overspend at Quarter 1.

2)  Approves the revised capital estimated outturn position for the year of £249.4m incorporating: £5.7m net increase in spending relating to approved/technical changes and £0.3m overpend (Appendix 2 refers), £14.7m of expenditure rescheduled from 2017/18 into 2018/19 and £33.8m net rescheduling of expenditure into 2019/20 (Appendix 4 refers).

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) on the review of the grant awarded by the Council to the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre for the period October 2016 to September 2018 and the proposal to award of a further grant, at existing grant levels, until 31^st March 2021, subject to break clauses and annual review as part of budget setting.

Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC) offered advice and support to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. The Centre had received funding from Coventry City Council since 2003. In April 2016, Cabinet Member (Community Development, Co-operative and Social Enterprise) approved the award of a two year grant of £387,752 per annum for the period October 2016 - September 2018 (her minute 28/16 referred). It was also agreed that a service review would be undertaken to ensure alignment of refugee support in the city and that a progress report would be provided 12 months after the grant was awarded. The report reflected the full review and findings of the grant for the Centre that had now been completed.

The report proposed continued funding at existing levels alongside targeted changes to some elements of service delivery with some funding identified being utilised to improve the infrastructure and management of the Centre. The proposal was supported by the recent Migrant Needs Assessment findings that included voluntary sector views on the services provided by the Centre and the value of these services for this client group. The grant award would include an annual break clauses in the Grant Aid Agreement to allow for grant levels to be adjusted in accordance with Council budget setting.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves the award of a grant, which will be subject to break clauses and annual review as part of budget setting, to the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre at the existing grant levels until 31^st March 2021.

Report of the Chief Executive

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided an update on discussions with Government on a Second Devolution Deal for the West Midlands and the implications for Coventry and the region, and sought approval for its introduction.

Following the General Election in June 2017, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) initiated discussions with Government on a second devolution deal based on proposals brought forward by the Devolution Strategy Group. During negotiations, some discussion has also taken place with government about developing a new approach to devolution discussions. The intention of the WMCA was that this should be more of a continuous process, with initiatives and agreements announced at different times, moving away from the stop-start approach to agreeing deals. Importantly, this should be more of a collaboration between partners and less of a deal making process.

The intention was to agree an Action Plan for the next stages of this work between the WMCA and government, based on the wide ranging agenda set by the second devolution deal. This would include work on the Housing Deal and the Local Industrial Strategy as well as projects covering skills, employment, transport, public services and the Finance for Growth Commission. It provided an opportunity for the West Midlands to move into the vanguard of the devolution agenda, working in a closer partnership with government to deliver our shared West Midlands priorities for the decade ahead.

Unlike the First Devolution Deal, there were relatively few items that would require changes to the powers and Constitution of the WMCA and the formal legal process of drawing up Statutory Orders and presenting them to Parliament. These items related to finance and governance arrangements and would be subject to separate ratification processes by constituent authorities (for example the changing governance of the West Midlands Fire Service, which was already underway and the creation of the new power to levy a Supplementary Business Rate).

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Acknowledges the benefits of the second Devolution Deal and agrees to the Second Devolution Deal for the West Midlands.

2)  Delegates authority to the Leader of the Council to advise the West Midlands Combined Authority Board that it is the City Council’s expectation that proper consultation on the proposed arrangements in respect of the new Governance model for the Police and Crime Commissioner and Mayoral roles will take place to inform any final decision of the West Midlands Combined Authority Board and Constituent Councils; and that this should include public consultations on the principles of the proposed governance model and the detailed operational proposal for the governance model.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that sought the renewal of the Public Space Protection Order (Coventry Dog Control) for a further three years.

Cabinet approved the Public Space Protection Order (Coventry Dog Control) ‘the Order’ on  15^th June 2015 for a three year period (minute 97/14 referred). A Cabinet Consultative Committee, comprising representatives from a number of Park Friends Groups, the Dogs in Coventry Group, dog training organisations, a dog behavioural expert, the Sunday Football League, the visually impaired and two Elected Members of the Council, monitored the efficacy and effectiveness of the Order and made recommendations as deemed necessary.

The Order was required to assist with the enforcement of dog fouling offences, but also to specify: where dogs should be kept on leads, where dogs were prohibited, the maximum number of dogs that could be walked by one person; and enabled officers to request that a dog be put on a lead if problems were ensuing.

The City Council worked closely with the Consultative Committee, prior to and after the implementation of the Order. In response to recommendations from the Committee, an amendment was made to the Order which was approved by Cabinet on 4^th October 2016 (Minute 38/16 referred).

The Council had been pleased with the high levels of compliance particularly in the City’s parks, which had been achieved despite reduced enforcement resources. A great deal of the success was owed to those responsible dog owners who routinely challenged adverse behaviour whilst walking their own dogs.

A consultation on the renewal of the Public Space Protection Order (Coventry Dog Control), with one slight amendment in Allesley Park, received overwhelming support from the public, park friends groups and dog related organisations and businesses. 180 people responded to the consultation.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves the renewal of the Public Spaces Protection Order (Coventry Dog Control), with the inclusion of one additional ‘dogs on lead’ area in Allesley Park (Fairy Village) for a further three years.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that would also be considered by Council at their meeting on 4^th September 2018, that sought approval to commence with phase 2 of the extension programme for Lentons Lane Cemetery that would ensure that Coventry City Council would be able to supply burial as an option for the residents of Coventry for approximately the next 35-40 years.

In 2011/12 Bereavement Services began and completed phase 1 of the Lentons Lane Cemetery extension. This work included: a new cemetery entrance gate off Shilton Lane, and a building with toilet and mess room facilities. At the same time an assessment of medium term burial provision was made across the City including the potential use of land at Canley Cemetery. This assessment concluded that new burial provision would exist in Coventry for the next six to nine years. Therefore, the decision was taken to pause the further cemetery extension plans beyond phase 1. This released a short term saving to the City Council’s capital programme.

Given the lead time to create new burial space, it was now necessary to proceed with phase 2 of the Lentons Lane extension to ensure that there would be continuing grave provision within the City.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:

1)  Approves the commencement of phase 2 of the extension of Lentons Lane Cemetery

2)  Approves the commencement of a procurement process to appoint a contractor to carry out and complete the works necessary.

3)  Delegates authority to the Director of Streetscene and Regulatory Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Services following the completion of the tender process to approve the award of the contract to the preferred bidder.

4)   Recommend that Council approves:

i)  £260,000 being made available from Corporate Capital Resources during September 2018 to commence the first part of the project, to cover the appointment of the design team and cover the ecology reports required. 

ii)  £1,893,000 is added to the Capital Programme being made available from Corporate Capital Resources during 2019/2020 to complete the project as described in section 1 of this report.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) that detailed the formation of the West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership and sought approval for receipt of grant funding of £1.8million over 2 years to support this venture.

The Government’s Social Work Teaching Partnerships programme brought universities and local authorities together to deliver high quality training for social workers. The partnerships aimed to improve the recruitment, retention and development of social workers and the overall quality of practice.

The West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership, a collaboration between fifteen local authorities, nine universities, and two NHS trusts, was a two year grant funded project that was supported by the West Midlands Association of Directors of Children’s Services and the Association of Directors of Adults Services. It would provide the opportunity for Local Authorities and Universities to work more closely together to develop and take forward the learning and professional development for Social Workers in Children’s and Adults Services across the region. Coventry City Council would be the lead authority for the West Midlands.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves receipt of West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership DfE grant funding of £1,790,610 for the period from April 2018 to March 2020.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of public business.