Decisions

1. Approved the recommended action to implement waiting restrictions to parts of Amos Lane and Wood Avenue in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/3978 appended to this report.

2. Approved the recommended action to overrule an objection to waiting restrictions to parts of Bargate Drive and Evans Street in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/4203 appended to this report.

3. Approved the recommended action to overrule an objection to waiting restrictions to parts of Patrick Gregory Road, Linthouse Lane and Olinthus Avenue in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/3980 appended to this report.

4. Approved the recommended action to overrule an objection to waiting restrictions to parts of Ringwood Road and Bushbury Lane in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/3983 appended to this report.

5. Approved the recommended action to implement waiting and stopping restrictions to parts of Wood End Road, Orchard Road and Jayne Close as shown on plan T4/4089 appended to this report.

6. Approved the recommended action to overrule an objection to waiting and loading restrictions and prohibitions to parts of Springfield Road, Langsett Road, Monsal Avenue and Edensor Close in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/4119 appended to this report.

7. Approved the recommended action to implement waiting and loading restrictions to parts of Blackwood Avenue, Harper Avenue, Guest Avenue, Bradburn Road as shown on plan T4/4110 appended to this report.

8. Approved the recommended action to overrule an objection to waiting restrictions to parts of Wootton Avenue, Ridge Lane, Duckhouse Road, Thomas Mason Close, Springhill Road and Prestwood Avenue in response to comments received during public consultation and implement as shown on plan T4/4167 appended to this report.

9. Authorised the Director of Governance to implement the relevant traffic regulation orders.

A report seeking approval to proceed with the land and property transactions detailed therein

Approved the completion of the land and property transactions and listed below and their terms:

·       Grant of easement and acquisition of easement off Plascom Road, Wolverhampton.

·       Appropriation from General Fund to HRA – Old Fallings Adventure Playground.

·       Grant of 99-year substation lease – Old Hall Street, City Learning Quarter development.

·       Sale of land adjoining 34 Shale Street, Bilston.

·       Lease and associated licence agreement - The Saplings Building, The Windsor Centre, Parkfield Road.

This report seeks approval to approve payments of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to businesses who are Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) under the Black Country “Advice Invest Market Development” (AIM) for “Growth Opportunities Local Delivery” GOLD Project.

Approved the payment of European Regional Development Fund grants totalling £37,136 to three businesses, who are small and medium sized enterprises, under the Black Country ‘Advice Invest Market Development’ AIM for Growth Opportunities Local Delivery ‘GOLD’ Project.

Award of contract for the infill and site remediation for Craddock Street subway.

Approved the award of the contract for the infill and site remediation for the Craddock Street subway to Barhale Ltd of Bescot Crescent, Walsall, WS1 4NN, for a duration of one month, for a total contract value of £218,037.13.

To approve changes to the Senior Management Structure.

Council is recommended to:

1. Approve that the Head of Strategy post be redesignated and regraded to Director of Strategy.

2. Approve that the current Head of Strategy be assimilated into the role of Director of Strategy.

Cabinet resolved:

1. That it be noted that the Managing Director was redesignated Chief Executive with effect from 1 September 2019.

2. That it be noted that the Deputy Managing Director was redesignated Deputy Chief Executive with effect from 1 September 2019.

3. That it be noted that a review is to be undertaken regarding the future strategy and positioning of services under the management of the current Director of Education, when the postholder leaves on 30 October 2019.

4. That it be noted that, on a temporary basis, the Director of Children’s Services has assumed responsibility for the following areas:

a. Traded Services for Schools

b. School Improvement

c. School Organisation

d. Special Educational Needs & Disability Commissioning.

5. That it be noted that, on a temporary basis, the Director of Public Health has assumed responsibility for the Public Health Strategy for Learners, Education Partnerships & Commercial Services and the Voluntary Sector relationships.

6. That it be noted that, on a temporary basis, the Director of Regeneration has assumed responsibility for the following areas:

a. Adult Education

b. City Skills & Employability

c. Wolves at Work

d. Apprenticeships

e. Black Country Impact.

7. That it be noted that the Director of Adults Services has assumed responsibility for the Director Ward Champion role (Penn, Merry Hill, Tettenhall Regis and Tettenhall Wightwick areas).

To approve future service delivery arrangements for the Waste Transformation Programme.

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 relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

To consider progress made towards identifying additional budget reduction proposals in order to address the projected budget deficit.

1. That the updated draft budget strategy linked to the Five Year Financial Strategy, including the budget reduction and income generation proposals and one-off funding opportunities, be approved.

2. That it be approved that further options are explored between October 2019 and January 2020 to address the updated projected budget deficit of £3.9 million for 2020-2021 and the medium term, based on the Council’s Five Year Financial Strategy.

3. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources, in consultation with the Director of Finance, to approve the final budget consultation arrangements.

4. That it be noted that, a number of assumptions have been made with regards to the level of resources that will be available to the Council as detailed in section 5 of this report. It is important to note that there continues to be a considerable amount of uncertainty with regards to future income streams for local authorities over the forthcoming multi-year Spending Review period. At the point that further information is known it will be incorporated into future reports to Councillors. Any reduction in the Government’s allocation of funding to the Council would have a significant detrimental impact and further increase the budget deficit forecast over the medium term.

5. That it be noted that, due to external factors, budget assumptions remain subject to significant change, which could, therefore, result in alterations to the financial position facing the Council.

6. That it be noted that the projected remaining budget deficit for 2020-2021 will be in the region of £3.9 million, rising to £20 million over the medium term period to 2023-2024.

7. That it be noted that it is anticipated that the additional adult and children’s social care grant will be sufficient to meet the projected remaining budget deficit in 2020-2021 and therefore enable the Council to set a balanced budget in that year.

8. That it be noted that due to the uncertainty over the medium term, the overall level of risk associated with the 2020-2021 Budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020-2021 to 2023-2024 is assessed as Red.

9. That it be noted that an element of the high-level strategy for 2020-2021 relate to one-off opportunities that can be achieved in 2020-2021.

10. That it be noted that the updated projected deficit assumes the achievement of previously approved budget reduction and income generation proposals amounting to £9.6 million over period 2019-2020 to 2023-2024.

11. That it be noted that the 2020-2021 budget timetable will, as in previous years, include an update on all budget assumptions and the Provisional Local Government Settlement which will be presented to Cabinet in January 2020, with the final budget report due to be approved by Full Council in March 2020.

To consider the Future Operating Model for Civic Halls.

That the City Housing Strategy 2019 – 2024 be approved, as attached at Appendix 1 to this report.

To seek approval through delegated authority to purchase former Council flats on Boscobel Estate as approved at Cabinet (Resources) Panel on 18 June 2019

1.       Approved the completion of the purchase of three former council homes at the agreed negotiated prices totalling £154,500.

2.       Authorised the Chief Legal Officer or other authorised officer to execute legal documentation to put the purchases into effect.