Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Beverley Momenabadi.

No declarations of interests were made.

[To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 19 October 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for A461 Outline Business Case when the evaluation process is complete.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Black Country Urban Traffic Control Communications when the evaluation process is complete.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Contingency Residual Waste Disposal when the evaluation process is complete.

4.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Changein consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for the Refurbishment of East Park when the evaluation process is complete.

5.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Deputy Director of City Assets, to approve the award of a contract for Lifts Maintenance when the evaluation process is complete.

Councillor Ian Brookfield presented the report seeking delegated authority to Cabinet Members in consultation with Directors to approve the award of contracts once the evaluation processes are complete. He reported that the contracts followed a more open process in order to deliver on the Council’s commitment to the Wolverhampton Pound and maximising the value of spend to local businesses.

It was highlighted that as a result of the roll out of the city’s own fibre and 5G network, the Council had significantly reduced its reliance on BT backhaul circuits for the Black Country Urban Traffic Control Communications contract, reducing the Council’s annual costs for the contract from £81,405 to £29,056. Cabinet also noted that the contract for the Refurbishment of East Park would provide for a play area with a splash pad at the East Park and had been facilitated through support from Public Health funding, utilisation of Section 106 monies and capital funding from the Council.

Resolved:

1.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for A461 Outline Business Case when the evaluation process is complete.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Black Country Urban Traffic Control Communications when the evaluation process is complete.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for Contingency Residual Waste Disposal when the evaluation process is complete.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Changein consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the award of a contract for the Refurbishment of East Park when the evaluation process is complete.

5.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Deputy Director of City Assets, to approve the award of a contract for Lifts Maintenance when the evaluation process is complete.

[To approve a policy to enable cost recovery of enforcement action in Licensing]

1.     That the Commercial Regulation Cost Recovery policy be approved for implementation from 1 April 2023.

2.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the addition of discretionary services within Commercial Regulation that would utilise the cost recovery method outlined in the Commercial Regulation Cost Recovery policy.

3.     That it be noted that the application fees for various licences, permits, registrations and consents, and discretionary charges within the Commercial Regulation services shall be reviewed each year in accordance with the policy.

Councillor Steve Evans presented the report on a policy to enable cost recovery of enforcement action in the Commercial Regulation Service. The  Service was responsible for protecting people’s health, safety and wellbeing aswell as the environment and amenities. It was also responsible for promoting economic growth and employment opportunities. In doing so, a cost was incurred by the Council. It was considered appropriate that the Council should adopt a policy on cost recovery for providing discretionary services.  Councillor Steve Evans informed Cabinet that the Council had a good record across the Commercial Regulations sector of working with businesses within the city, providing excellent advice and raising awareness.  However, from time to time it had to take court action when it could not achieve resolution with businesses. It was considered appropriate that the Council should adopt a policy to enable cost recovery of enforcement action.

Resolved:

1.    That the Commercial Regulation Cost Recovery policy be approved for implementation from 1 April 2023.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Environment and Climate Change, in consultation with the Director of City Housing and Environment, to approve the addition of discretionary services within Commercial Regulation that would utilise the cost recovery method outlined in the Commercial Regulation Cost Recovery policy.

3.    That it be noted that the application fees for various licences, permits, registrations and consents, and discretionary charges within the Commercial Regulation services shall be reviewed each year in accordance with the policy.

[To approve delegate authority for Wolverhampton’s local allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to meet the city’s priorities]

That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City, in consultation with Director of Strategy and Director of Finance to:

a.      Enter into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding and annual Grant Funding Agreements with West Midlands Combined Authority as lead authority, and accept grant allocation for our allocation for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Multiply.

b.      Approve further changes to the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund local funding split based on ongoing discussions with the West Midlands Combined Authority.

c.      Approve the establishment and spend of supplementary revenue and capital budgets in line with the funding agreement.

d.      Approve payment of grants for delivery of local activity where appropriate and associated agreements.

Councillor Ian Brookfield presented the update report on the approach to the local allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF).  The Fund was replacing European Union (EU) funding, in particular European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF), which the Council and city had benefited significantly from and was an important source of revenue funding supporting the Council’s key priorities.  Delegated authority was requested to approve arrangements relating to Wolverhampton’s local allocation of the UK SPF to meet the city’s priorities.

Resolved:

That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources and Digital City, in consultation with Director of Strategy and Director of Finance to:

a.      Enter into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding and annual Grant Funding Agreements with West Midlands Combined Authority as lead authority, and accept grant allocation for our allocation for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Multiply.

b.      Approve further changes to the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund local funding split based on ongoing discussions with the West Midlands Combined Authority.

c.      Approve the establishment and spend of supplementary revenue and capital budgets in line with the funding agreement.

d.      Approve payment of grants for delivery of local activity where appropriate and associated agreements.

[To approve that the Council to become a member of the Cornerstone employer scheme led by the Black Country Consortium which provides volunteers from business to promote careers education in schools and colleges]

That the Council signs up to an agreement with Black Country Consortium to become a Cornerstone Employer.

Councillor Chris Burden presented the report seeking approval for the Council to sign an agreement with the Black Country Consortium to become a Cornerstone Employer. Under the scheme the Council would commit employees to attending schools and colleges in Wolverhampton on a regular basis to promote the jobs and careers that are available in the Council. It would also commit a senior employee to attend Black Country Consortium meetings to share work that the Council, as a significant employer in the city, was undertaking in schools.

Cabinet noted the group of employers listed in the report who had committed to becoming a Cornerstone Employer. It was queried whether Wolverhampton Homes and West Midlands Pension Fund had been invited to sign up to the initiative.

Resolved:

That the Council signs up to an agreement with Black Country Consortium to become a Cornerstone Employer.

[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 particular person (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 particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Chair reported that as stated previously the meeting was in confidential session as the information included in the report could, if released into the public domain, prejudice the financial position of the Council or its partners.  As such all present are under a legal duty of confidentiality and must not disclose any confidential information - to do so would not only be a breach of the Council's codes (for councillors and employees) but also a breach of the legal duty of confidentiality.

[To approve the award of contracts for works, goods and services]

1.      That the outcome of the Public Sector Audit Appointments tender process and award of the contract for the Appointment of External Auditors be accepted and authority be delegated to the Chair of Audit and Risk Committee in consultation with the Director of Finance to accept the appointment on final confirmation by PSAA in December 2022.

2.      That the contract for Acceptable Waste with Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Limited of Suez House, Grenfell Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, SL6 1ES be extended for a duration of 12 months from 12 February 2023 to 11 February 2024 with an extension value of £4.3 million.

3.      That the contract for Water Elements Testing be awarded to Integrated Water Services Limited of Green Lane, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 7PD for Water Elements Testing from 1 December 2022 to 31 May 2024 with a variation value of £487,750.

4.      That the contract for Supply of Library Stock be awarded to Peters Ltd, of 120 Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham, B5 6RJ for a duration of four years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026 for a total contract value of £1,180,340.

5.      That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 30 September 2022 be noted.

Councillor Ian Brookfield presented for approval the report on the award of contracts for works, goods and services.  The report also included, for information, exemptions to Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 31 September 2022.

Resolved:

1.    That the outcome of the Public Sector Audit Appointments tender process and award of the contract for the Appointment of External Auditors be accepted and authority be delegated to the Chair of Audit and Risk Committee in consultation with the Director of Finance to accept the appointment on final confirmation by PSAA in December 2022.

2.    That the contract for Acceptable Waste with Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Limited of Suez House, Grenfell Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, SL6 1ES be extended for a duration of 12 months from 12 February 2023 to 11 February 2024 with an extension value of £4.3 million.

3.    That the contract for Water Elements Testing be awarded to Integrated Water Services Limited of Green Lane, Walsall, West Midlands, WS2 7PD for Water Elements Testing from 1 December 2022 to 31 May 2024 with a variation value of £487,750.

4.    That the contract for Supply of Library Stock be awarded to Peters Ltd, of 120 Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham, B5 6RJ for a duration of four years from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026 for a total contract value of £1,180,340.

5.    That the exemptions to the Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Head of Procurement and Director of Finance from 1 to 30 September 2022 be noted.