Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Ian Brookfield, Paula Brookfield and Linda Leach.

No declarations of interests were made.

Councillor Stephen Simkins paid tribute to Councillor Beverley Momenabadi who would be leaving the Council after the May Local Elections and moving on to pastures new and to Councillor Linda Leach who would be moving on to the role of Deputy Mayor.  He thanked them for being committed members of the Cabinet and for all the hard work they had put in over the years.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 March 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To approve the Council's response to consultation on Sandwell Local Plan Issues and Options Report]

That the City of Wolverhampton Council response to the Sandwell Local Plan Issues and Options consultation set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

Councillor Stephen Simkins presented for approval the interim City of Wolverhampton Council (CWC) response to the Sandwell Local Plan Issues and Options consultation. Two issues were raised by the consultation which affected Wolverhampton. Sandwell Council would be looking to neighbouring authorities to help them address their housing and employment land shortfalls. Councillor Simkins reported that the CWC was not in a position to help, as the Wolverhampton Local Plan would also have a large housing shortfall and the Council had just about enough employment land to meet its own needs. However, Sandwell was encouraged to continue its engagement with work as part of the Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area to seek a solution to future housing shortfalls across the region.  CWC would also continue working with Sandwell Council as part of the Black Country Functional Economic Area to seek contributions from neighbouring areas towards the Black Country employment land shortfall.

Resolved:

That the City of Wolverhampton Council response to the Sandwell Local Plan Issues and Options consultation set out in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

[To approve the annual update of the WV Living Five Year Business Plan]

1.      That the updated business plan for WV Living 2023-2028 be approved.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve detailed loan agreements, amendments to any loan agreements and the execution of any loan agreements or other financial instruments between the Council and WV Living.

3.      That the Council would continue to act as guarantor for contracts entered into by WV Living where appropriate and that authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to authorise any such guarantees.

4.      That the establishment by WV Living of subsidiary companies to act as management companies for developments at The Marches and Hampton Park and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments be approved.

5.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve the establishment of additional subsidiary management companies for future developments and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments.

6.      That amendments to WV Living policies as detailed in the report be approved.

7.      That in the light of the new Business Plan the Council confirms that it has confidence that WV Living is a going concern for at least the next 12 months.

8.      That it be noted that the updated business plans for WV Living would be brought to Cabinet for approval on an annual basis.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal presented for approval the annual refresh of the WV Living Business Plan 2023-2028. Since the company was established in 2016WV Living had built 451 new homes in Wolverhampton with a further 178 under development giving a total of 629 which included 135 new affordable homes. The Company had also supported the Help to Own Scheme by delivering 100 new properties at The Marches. The business plan continued this good progress with a target to reach a stainable development programme of 200 new Wolverhampton homes per year. Councillor Gakhal also reported on the financial position of the Company. All loans made by the Council had been repaid. Based upon the successful programmes of WV Living, it was recommended that the Council continues to support the company with loans and guarantees as it had confidence in WV Living as an ongoing concern for the next 12 months.

Resolved:

1.    That the updated business plan for WV Living 2023-2028 be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve detailed loan agreements, amendments to any loan agreements and the execution of any loan agreements or other financial instruments between the Council and WV Living.

3.    That the Council would continue to act as guarantor for contracts entered into by WV Living where appropriate and that authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to authorise any such guarantees.

4.    That the establishment by WV Living of subsidiary companies to act as management companies for developments at The Marches and Hampton Park and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments be approved.

5.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve the establishment of additional subsidiary management companies for future developments and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments.

6.    That amendments to WV Living policies as detailed in the report be approved.

7.    That in the light of the new Business Plan the Council confirms that it has confidence that WV Living is a going concern for at least the next 12 months.

8.    That it be noted that the updated business plans for WV Living would be brought to Cabinet for approval on an annual basis.

[To pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below]

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any individual (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any individual (including the authority holding that information).

[To approve the annual update of the WV Living Five Year Business Plan]

1.      That the updated business plan for WV Living 2023-2028 be approved.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve detailed loan agreements, amendments to any loan agreements and the execution of any loan agreements or other financial instruments between the Council and WV Living.

3.      That the Council will continue to act as guarantor for contracts entered into by WV Living where appropriate and that authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to authorise any such guarantees.

4.      That the establishment by WV Living of subsidiary companies to act as management companies for developments at The Marches and Hampton Park and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments be approved.

5.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve the establishment of additional subsidiary management companies for future developments and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments.

6.      That amendments to WV Living policies as detailed in the report be approved.

7.      That in the light of the new Business Plan the Council confirms that it has confidence that WV Living is a going concern for at least the next 12 months.

8.      That it be noted that the updated business plans for WV Living would be brought to Cabinet for approval on an annual basis.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal presented an exempt version to the WV Living Business Plan 2023-2028 report discussed at item 6 above. The report included Appendices 1 and 2 to the report that were omitted from the public version due to them containing commercially sensitive information.

Resolved:

1.    That the updated business plan for WV Living 2023-2028 be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve detailed loan agreements, amendments to any loan agreements and the execution of any loan agreements or other financial instruments between the Council and WV Living.

3.    That the Council will continue to act as guarantor for contracts entered into by WV Living where appropriate and that authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to authorise any such guarantees.

4.    That the establishment by WV Living of subsidiary companies to act as management companies for developments at The Marches and Hampton Park and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments be approved.

5.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City in consultation with the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of Finance to approve the establishment of additional subsidiary management companies for future developments and the transfer of these management companies to homeowners upon completion of developments.

6.    That amendments to WV Living policies as detailed in the report be approved.

7.    That in the light of the new Business Plan the Council confirms that it has confidence that WV Living is a going concern for at least the next 12 months.

8.    That it be noted that the updated business plans for WV Living would be brought to Cabinet for approval on an annual basis.

Councillor Stephen Simkins thanked Cabinet Members and officers for their work and contributions during the 2022/2023 Municipal Year and said that he hoped to see them all after the May Local Elections.

Councillor Steve Evans thanked Councillor Simkins for the able way he had performed the role of Chair/Vice-Chair of Cabinet (Resources) Panel and Cabinet during the Municipal Year.