Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.  

There were no declarations of interest.

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

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2014 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair. 

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes.]

There were no matters arising.

[To approve the amendments to the existing Private Sector Small Works Assistance Grant Policy.]

Councillor Bilson presented the report, which would increase the msximum grant to £10,000 per property. He added that most applications are for a higher amount than the current limit of £5,000. Councillor Bilson added that the grant targeted properties in tax bands A, B and C.

Resolved:

1.    To approve the amendments to the existing Private Sector Housing, small works assistance grants policy under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance)(England and Wales) Order 2002 by increasing the upper limit for the award of Small Works Assistance Grant from £5,000 to £10,000

2.    To approve the amendments to the affordable warmth grant assistance, to require that an applicant’s property must be in Council Tax Band A, B or C to improve the targeting of funding to assist the most vulnerable private sector households in the City.

[To approve the revisions to the current Highway Safety Inspection policy pending the outcome of consultation on the draft document and to approve the draft Highway Safety Inspection Plan for consultation with relevant stakeholders.]

Councillor Bilson introduced the report. He outlined the three recommendations and asked for the revision to the current policy to be approved and for a further report to be received by the Panel in due cause.

Resolved:

1.    To approve the revisions to the current highway safety inspection policy pending the outcome of consultation on the draft document.

2.    To approve the draft highway safety inspection plan for consultation with relevant stakeholders.

3.    To receive a further report to approve the highway safety inspection plan on completion of the consultation.

[To note the schedule of open and exempt individual executive decisions approved by Cabinet Members following consultation with the relevant employees.]

Resolved:

To note the summary of Individual Executive Decisions approved by the appropriate Cabinet Member or Cabinet Members, following consultation with the relevant designated employees.

[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 items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below. ]

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(s) of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Act set out below:

[To agree the acceptance of the award and extension of Council contracts as required by the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules.]  

Councillor Johnson presented the report to the panel.

Resolved:

1.    To award a contract for mail and parcel services, for all three Lots, to Pony Express (UK) Ltd of Willenhall for a term of two years, plus an option to extend for an additional year and to authorise the Chief Legal Officer to execute the contract.

2.    To award the two contracts for the supply of coated roadstone: a main contract to Midland Quarry Products of Leicester, which has a depot at Ettingshall, Wolverhampton and, in addition, a back-up contract to Aggregate Industries Express Asphalt of Leicester, with a depot at Willenhall. 

3.    To award the contract for community based short breaks for disabled children and young people to Progress Children’s Services Limited of 127 Millfields Road, Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV4 6JG and to authorise the Chief Legal Officer to execute the contract.

4.    To approve the formalisation of the contractual arrangement with Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council for the provision of very sheltered housing services for a period of three years.

[To confirm the preferred approach for the procurement of the repairs to the Civic Centre car park, taking into account the FutureSpaces programme and to approve an increase in the capital allocation for the works and an annual adjustment to the car park’s revenue budget in reduced income.]

Councillor Johnson presented the report. He asked for approval to change the recommendations from those contained in the report, to allow for a further briefing to be given before the decision is made.

Resolved:

1.    To delegate responsibility to agree the procurement arrangements for appointing a contractor to carry out structural repairs to the Civic Centre car park to the Cabinet Member for Resources in consultation with the Strategic Director for Delivery.

2.    To note the non-structural remedial works excluded from the proposed work programme that will need to be funded in the medium term.

[To approve, in principle, the development of two renewable energy schemes and to approve the negotiation of a cost for the extension of the existing photovoltaic panel installation at the Civic Centre and to delegate the approval of the detailed business case and acceptance of tenders to the Cabinet Member for Resources in consultation with the Assistant Director, City Services.]

Councillor Johnson introduced the report and asked for the approval in principle to the extension of renewable energy schemes.

Resolved:

1.    To approve in principle, the development of two renewable energy schemes.

2.    To approve the negotiation of a cost for the extension of the existing photovoltaic panel installation at the Civic Centre, based on the recently approved Mark Group Ltd tendered rates.

3.    To delegate the approval of the detailed business case and acceptance of tenders to the Cabinet Member for Resources in consultation with the Assistant Director, City Services.

[To note the schedule of changes approved by Cabinet Members and Directors.]

Resolved:

To note changes made to the employee establishment.