Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Cllrs Peter Bilson and Paul Sweet.

No declarations of interests were made.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 June 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

[To endorse the approach to the development of the new three year Corporate Plan]

Cllr Roger Lawrence presented a report on the outcome based business planning approach to and progress against developing the new three-year Corporate Plan for 2016/19.  A final draft of the Corporate Plan for 2016/19 was attached to the report and was recommended to Full Council for approval.

Resolved:

1.     That the outcome based business planning approach to the development and content of the new three-year Corporate Plan be endorsed.

2.     That the Corporate Plan be referred to Council on 20 July 2016 for approval.

[To report on the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programmes outturn position at the end of 2015/16, and an update on their financial performance as at quarter one of 2016/17 and to recommend to Full Council revised General Fund and HRA capital programmes for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21]

Cllr Andrew Johnson presented a report on the outturn position of the capital budget for 2015/16 and on an update of the 2016/17 financial performance of the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programmes and the revised forecasts for 2016/17 to 2020/21 as at quarter one of 2016/17. The report also included a revised General Fund and HRA capital programmes for the period 2016/17 to 2020/21.

Cllr Johnson also informed Cabinet that an update report on the Civic Halls would be presented to Cabinet (Resources) Panel on 19 July 2016. If the recommendations to the report are approved, it would impact on the capital programme to be reported to Full Council on 20 July. He there sought approval to an additional recommendation to fully reflect in the capital programme report to Full Council, any changes made to the capital programme between now and 20 July 2016.

Resolved:

1.     That Full Council be recommended to:

a.     Approve the revised medium term General Fund capital programme of £272.6 million, an increase of £11.0 million from the previously approved programme, reflecting the latest projected expenditure for the medium term.

b.     Approve the revised medium term HRA capital programme of £249.5 million, an increase of £24.1 million from the previously approved programme.

c.     Approve the additional resources for two new and sixty two existing General Fund projects totalling £11.0 million and for 9 existing HRA projects totalling £24.1 million.

d.     Approve the updated capital financial strategy relating to: the approval of future capital projects, the declaration of identified underspends and the use of capital receipts to either reduce the Councils need to borrow to fund the approved capital programme or to apply the receipts on revenue reform projects under the new capital receipt flexibility arrangements.

2.     That ten General Fund and two HRA virements totalling £14.7 million be approved.

3.     That the updated schedules of works for the capital projects under the following directorates be approved:

a.     Corporate: ICTS and in relation to Education; Primary Expansion programme, Capital Maintenance and Building Schools for the Future (BSF).

b.     People: Sports Investment Strategy, Co-location, Short Breaks for Disabled Children, Community Hubs and Early Education – Two Year Education Pilot.

c.     Place: Corporate Asset Management, Urban Parks Refurbishment, Disposals Programme, Accessing Growth Fund, Managing Short Trips, Structural Maintenance, Markets Services, Leisure Centres and Southside programme.

d.     Place: Housing Revenue Account.

4.     That authority be delegated during 2016/17 to the Cabinet Member for Resources in consultation with the Director of Finance to approve the allocation of the provision of the ‘Corporate Contingency’ to individual capital projects in order that corporate priorities may be addressed in a more agile and timely manner.

5.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Strategic Director for Place, to approve the allocation of the Non Highway Structures provision for future programmes budget, to individual capital projects in order to address structural issues in a timely manner.

6.     That authority be delegated to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

[To commission a viability study on the delivery of the CIL in Wolverhampton]

Cllr John Reynolds presented the report that set out a consideration of the costs and benefits of implementing a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in Wolverhampton, in light of current market conditions and viability evidence.

The CIL was a standard charge which local planning authorities were empowered, but not required, to charge on many types of new development to pay for a range of infrastructure.

Resolved:

1.     That the commissioning of a viability study to consider the deliverability of CIL in Wolverhampton at a cost of £20,000, to be met from the regeneration reserve be approved;

2.     That a further report on the completed viability study be submitted to Cabinet in October 2016 and, subject to the findings, Cabinet move forward to introduce a CIL for Wolverhampton.

[To approve the development and formal consultation of a Statutory Quality Bus Partnership (SQBP) for the city centre, in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority; and to approve the implementation of necessary changes to Traffic Regulation Orders within the SQBP]

Cllr Steve Evans presented the report which outlined the anticipated benefits of a Statutory Quality Bus Partnership (SQBP) for Wolverhampton City Centre and how these benefits would be achieved. Mainly these were an improved quality of buses and better control of operators within the confines of the city centre ring road.

Resolved:

1.     That the development and formal consultation of a Statutory Quality Bus Partnership (SQBP) for the City Centre, in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (formerly Centro) be approved.

2.     That the implementation of necessary changes to Traffic Regulation Orders within the SQBP area be approved,

3.     That subject to the resolution of any objections to the SQBP scheme, the Director of Governance be authorised to sign the SQBP agreement with the West Midlands Combined Authority.