Decisions

1. Approved the establishment of supplementary revenue budgets totalling £50,000, fully funded from grant, to procure consultancy support to produce a Net Zero Neighbourhood delivery plan for Graiseley

To approve public consultation during summer 2022 on proposed additional housing sites in Walsall, as an extension to the Regulation 18 consultation on the Draft Black Country Plan which took place in autumn 2021.

1.      That the Draft Black Country Plan – Additional Housing Sites in Walsall (Appendix 1) and Sustainability Appraisal Report (Appendix 2), be approved for consultation during summer 2022.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Deputy Leader: Inclusive City Economy, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration, to approve any necessary minor amendments to the Draft Black Country Plan – Additional Housing Sites in Walsall and Sustainability Appraisal Report prior to commencement of the consultation process.

That Council be recommended to approve:

1.    The revised, medium term General Fund capital programme of £367.8 million, a net increase of £152,000 from the previously approved programme, and the change in associated resources.

That Cabinet approves:

1.    The virements for the General Fund capital programme detailed at Appendix 4 to the report to the report for;

i.   existing projects totalling £4.2 million;

ii.  new projects totalling £1.2 million.

2.    The virements for the Housing  Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme detailed at Appendix 4 to the report for;

i.   existing projects totalling £14.6 million;

ii.  new projects totalling £500,000.

3.    Delegate authority to the Deputy Director of Assets to approve virements from the Provision for future programmes budget within the Corporate Asset Management capital programme to individual schemes in order that corporate priorities can be addressed in an agile and timely manner.

That Cabinetnotes:

1.    That there are two new projects which are subject to separate detailed project reports also on today’s agenda to Cabinet (Resources) Panel meeting. The inclusion of these projects is for budget approval purpose and is on the assumption that the approval to progress with these projects is given. As the progression is dependent on this decision, if the projects are not approved, the capital programme will be reduced accordingly. The name of these projects are;

·        Children’s Residential Homes;

·        Noose Lane to School Street Active Travel Route.

That Council be asked to note:

1.    The Council operated within the overall approved Prudential and Treasury Management Indicators, and also within the requirements set out in the Council’s Treasury Management Policy Statement during 2021-2022.

2.    That revenue underspends of £1.0 million for the General Fund and £738,000 for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) were generated from treasury management activities in 2021-2022.

3.    That the General Fund and HRA treasury management activities for 2022-2023 are currently forecast to be within budget.  This would  continue to be monitored, and updates provided in future reports.

That Cabinet notes:

1.    The financial information included in this report is based on the ‘Capital Budget Outturn 2021-2022 including Quarter One Capital Monitoring 2022-2023’ report also on the agenda for this meeting.  The capital report is subject to two reports being separately approved by Cabinet (Resources) Panel on 6 July 2022.  Therefore, if this approval is not obtained, a revised version of this report would be presented to Council on 20 July 2022.

2.    The Council’s external borrowing has remained unchanged from 2020-2021 as there were no repayments of loans due in 2021-2022 and no new loans were taken out during the financial year.

3.    That CIPFA have recently consulted on temporary proposals to update the CIPFA code of practice on Local Authority Accounting for infrastructure assets.  At the time of writing, the outcome of the consultation has not been published.  However, in response to the issues being considered by CIPFA, the Council is currently reviewing its accounting policy and would be discussing the findings with the Council’s external auditors.  This may result in additional charges being made on Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) for the General Fund for 2021-2022 onwards.  Once this work has been concluded, an update would be reported to Cabinet.

That Council be recommended to:

1.    Endorse the recommendations in The Wolverhampton Pound Select Committee Action Plan attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

That the learning from Headstart into future planning of wellbeing services for children and young people be endorsed.

That Council be recommended to:

1.    Approve the adoption of the Youth Justice Plan 2022-2023.

That Cabinetnotes:

1.    The specific achievement of the Youth Offending Team during 2021-2022 including a reduction in first time entrants, a reduction in re-offending rates and a reduction in the number of young people receiving a custodial sentence.

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).

1.      That the Council develops two Children’s Homes, the first at a corporate asset site still to be confirmed and purchases a private property for the second home.

2.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing, in consultation with the Executive Director of Families and the Deputy Chief Executive to approve the location and site of the two homes following consultation with key stakeholders and approve the allocation of the capital provision to the individual capital projects in order that they may be progressed in a timely manner.

3.      That it be noted that the capital costs included in this report have been incorporated into the ‘Capital Budget Outturn 2021-2022 including Quarter One Capital Budget Monitoring 2022-2023’ report which is on the Cabinet agenda for today and would subsequently be reported to Full Council for approval on the 20 July 2022, assuming that Cabinet (Resources) Panel approval to progress with the project is given. As the progression is dependent on that decision, if the project is not approved, the capital programme would be reduced accordingly.

1.      That the construction of a segregated cycle route from Noose Lane to School Street, a project that would form part of the A454 corridor active travel scheme be approved.

2.      That the commencement of Early Contract Involvement totalling a spend of £15,000 be approved.

3.      That it be noted that approval of a capital budget for delivery of the scheme, subject to a signed grant agreement, would be sought as part of theCapital Budget Outturn 2021-2022 including Quarter One Capital Budget Monitoring 2022-2023 report at this same meeting.

4.      That it be noted that the Director of Finance would review and enter into the grant agreement for Active Travel Fund Tranche 3 for delivery of the scheme.

Exempt Procurement Award of Contracts for Works, Goods and Services

Public Procurement Award of Contracts for Works, Goods and Services

That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Governance and Equalities, in consultation with the Director of Strategy, to approve the award of a contract for Apprenticeship Training Provider Call Off when the call off process is complete.

1.     Approved the incentive for licensed market traders for January & February 2022.

1.     Approved a payment plan for Kingswood Trust outlined in this report for an initial 12 months with a view to reviewing and reducing the time required to repay the sum owed.

1.     Approved the allocation of £1.757 million funding from the Corporate Provision for Future Programmes to the Corporate Asset Management Fund to undertake the projects as detailed in Table 1.

1.     Authorised the Council entering into the wayleave agreement with Virgin Media Limited on land at and within Wodenfield Tower, Wolverhampton

1.     Allocated £50,000 from Budget Contingency Reserve to fund the appointment of qualified business advisors to engage and support businesses affected by the Victoria Street works.

1.     Approved grant payments totalling £313,711.73 to the fourteen SMEs as detailed at section 5.3.

2.     Endorsed the additional capital grant of £375 that has been paid to Keyboard Specialist by switching funds from the previously approved capital allocation into revenue as set out at section 5.5.

3.     Entered into all necessary legal agreements to protect the Council’s interests.

1.     Approved the virement of £40,000 from the Corporate Provision for Future Programmes to fund the installation and purchase of the required audio-visual equipment and conference microphone system.