Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

The Managing Director declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 10 (Schools Capital Programme 2-15/16) as the Chair of Governors of Dunstall Hill Primary, Grove Primary and New Park Special Schools.

Councillor Bilson declared a disclosable non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 15 (Grant application 2015.2016 – Grand Theatre) as a member of the Grand Theatre Board.

[For approval]

Resolved:

            That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2015 be approved as a correct record.

[To consider as necessary]

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

[To receive an update on external funding opportunities and to provide necessary approvals to enable the delivery of projects]

Councillor Bilson introduced the report, which provided an update on external funding opportunities and sought the necessary approvals to enable delivery of the projects.

Resolved:

1.    That approval be given for Wolverhampton City Council to submit outline proposals for European Structural Funds for Wolverhampton, and on behalf of the Black Country, for strategically important areas and that authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity (SME competitiveness), Schools, Skills and Learning (youth employment initiative) and City Services (low carbon) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources and Strategic Director for Place.

2.    That Public Health Replacement Funding grant be made to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) to run a pilot project around personal budgeting support in advance of the roll-out of Universal Credit. 

3.    That permission be granted to spend against the Broadband Voucher scheme, approval to build in the capital budget and to bid for Women and Broadband Challenge Fund.

4.    That approval be given to the submission of a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to cover restoration works to the Civic Halls organ and promote its heritage.

5.    That a revenue budget of £107,390 be approved for the Museum Resilience Fund that is fully funded through grant funding.

[To endorse the proposal to adopt the EU framework for Smart City developments and agree the approach to driving forward the Smart City agenda]

Councillor Johnson introduced the report, which sought endorsement to the proposal to adopt the EU framework for Smart City developments and agreement to the approach to driving forward the Smart City agenda.

Resolved:

1.    That the proposal to adopt the EU framework for Smart City developments be endorsed.

2.    That the best approach to driving forward the Smart City agenda branding as a sub-brand of existing brandings and initiatives as Smart, developing a strong pipeline of projects, seeking funding opportunities and engaging at a wider level to promote Smart City thinking within the council and among partners driving the agenda at sub-regional and regional level, be approved.

3.    That the lead for the overall Smart City agenda be moved from the ICT service to City Economy service within the Place Directorate, with the ICT service continuing to provide technical support and guidance.

4.      That priority be given to Smart Governance initiatives that promote and support public participation in and transparency of Council decision-making and service delivery.

[To approve the use of the Surefire framework to install energy efficiency measures in vulnerable households across the city]

Councillor Bilson introduced the report, which sought approval of the use of the Surefire framework to install energy efficiency measures in vulnerable households across the city.

Resolved:

1.    That the use if Walsall Housing Group’s (WHG) Surefire framework be approved, to deliver Wolverhampton City Council’s Affordable Warmth Grant Housing Assistance programmes.

2.    That the call off under the Surefire framework be approved, in order to enable the Council to enter into a Authorised Agreement with WHG and British Gas, together with any other underlying contracts as part of the Affordable Warmth Grant Housing Assistance.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity, Strategic Director for Place and Director of Governance to approve the contractual terms of the Authorised Agreement with WHG and British Gas, and any other underlying contracts as part of the Affordable Warmth Grant Housing Assistance.

[To note the summary of decisions approved by the appropriate Cabinet Member in consultation with the relevant employee]

Resolved:

            That the summary of open and exempt individual executive decisions, approved by the appropriate Cabinet Members following consultation with the relevant employees, be noted.

[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 100(A) 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 of information relating to the business affairs of any particular person including the authority holding that information (paragraph 3) or information relating to any individual (paragraph 1).

[For approval of detailed projects for schools capital maintenance, relevant delegations to execute the works and to note resources available to implement the programme]

Councillor Page introduced the report, which sought approval of detailed projects for schools capital maintenance and relevant delegations to execute the works.  The report also detailed the resources available to implement the programme in the sum of £2,033,000:

Resolved:

1.    That approval be given to the following detailed projects for schools capital maintenance:

·         boiler upgrades/replacement pipework/heaters - £600,000;

·         roof replacements and ceilings - £400,000

·         window upgrade -£210,000;

·         structural/demolition/external works/security - £80,000;

·         contributions – £45,000;

·         re-wiring and electrical upgrades - £248,000;

·         asbestos removal - £100,000, and

·         contingency for emergency works - £250,000.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Skills, Schools and Learning, in consultation with the Director of Education, to accept suitable tenders for the works.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Skills, Schools and Learning, in consultation with the Director of Education, to initiate emergency works preventing a school closure, the nature of which would not allow sufficient time to game normal Council approvals.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Skills, Schools and Learning, in consultation with the Director of Education, to initiate works in relation to asbestos removal preventing a school closure, the nature of which would not allow sufficient time to gain normal Council approvals.

5.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Governance to execute all contract documentation.

To endorse the process to be taken with schools]

Councillor Page introduced the report, which sought endorsement to the approach to be taken with schools in respect of the School Delegated Budgets Licensed Deficit scheme.

Resolved:

1.    That the process to be taken with schools in a licensed deficit position, as outlined in the report, be endorsed.

2.    That updates on the Licensed Deficit scheme be reported to this Panel on a six monthly basis.

[To declare surplus and agree disposal of various sites]

Councillor Bilson introduced the report, which sought approval to declare surplus and agree disposal of various sites.

Resolved:

            That the proposals to declare the non-strategic assets, detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, surplus to requirements and place them on the open market for disposal through the sale by Tender and Auction process for an appropriate use, be approved.

[To seek authority for acquisition and delegate authority for agreement to acquisition price]

Councillor Bilson introduced the report, which sought authority for the acquisition of Department for Communities and Local Government (Magistrates’ Court) land, Darlington Street.

Resolved:

1.    That approval be given to the principle of acquiring the Department for Communities and Local Government (Magistrates’ Court) land at Darlington Street, Wolverhampton.

2.    That authority be granted to the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity and Cabinet Member for Resources, consultation with the Strategic Director for Place and Director of Finance to agree the acquisition process following negotiation with agents.

3.    That a capital virement into the Westside budget of £850,00 be approved, from unallocated resources in the capital programme.

[To award contracts and delegate authority to execute the contracts in respect of the recommendations as required]

Councillors Evans and Reynolds introduced individual sections of the report, which sought approval to award contracts and to delegate authority to execute the contracts in respect of the recommendations as required.

Resolved:

1.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adult Services, in consultation with the Strategic Director for People, to enter into a contract with the Royal Wolverhampton Trust for the provision of Community Health equipment as part of the Independent Living Service once the contract negotiation process is complete, at a contract value of £574,000.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults, in consultation with the Strategic Director for People, to approve an extension of up to twelve months (to be agreed with the provider) to CM2000, Four Oaks House, Sutton Coldfield, at an approximate annual value of £84,000.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults, in consultation with the Strategic Director for People, to enter into an agreement with Methodist Homes Association, Epworth House, Derby for up to twelve months, at an annual value of £314,021 to allow contract negotiations to continue and options to be explored.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Adults, in consultation with the Strategic Director for People, to enter into an agreement with Agincare, Agincare House, Castletown, Dorset, for up to ten months at an approximate value of £421,506 to allow contract negotiations to continue and further options to be explored.

5.    That a contract be entered into with the Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group to fund specialist health services for adults with a learning disability at a total contract value of £2.6 million.

6.    That a contract be awarded to RMC Mechanical Services, Landport Industrial Estate, Wolverhampton for a period of four years at an estimated contract value of £392,000.

7.    That a contract be awarded to RMC Mechanical Services, Landport Industrial Estate, Wolverhampton for a period of four years at an estimated contract value of £556,000.

8.    That authority be delegated to the Director of Governance to execute the contract detailed in recommendations 1 to 7 above as required.

[To approve grants for revenue support for revenue support in 2015/16 and delegate authority to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement]

A report was presented, which sought approval to a grant for revenue support in 2015/16 and delegated authority to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement.

Resolved:

            That a grant of £333,000 be made to the Grand Theatre for revenue support in 2015/16 and that authority be delegated to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement.

[To approve grants for revenue support for revenue support in 2015/16 and delegate authority to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement]

A report was presented, which sought approval to a grant for revenue support in 2015/16 and delegated authority to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement.

Resolved:

            That a grant of £147,000 be made to the Light House Media Centre for revenue support in 2015/16 and that authority be delegated to the Director of Governance to execute the funding agreement.