Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Tuesday, 3rd November 2015 6.00 p.m.

Venue: Morecambe Town Hall

Contact: Liz Bateson, Democratic Services - telephone (01524) 582047 or email  ebateson@lancaster.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

40.

Minutes

To receive as a correct record the minutes of Cabinet held on Tuesday, 6th October 2015 (previously circulated). 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 6th October 2015 were approved as a correct record.

 

41.

Items of Urgent Business Authorised by the Leader

To consider any such items authorised by the Leader and to consider where in the agenda the item(s) are to be considered. 

Minutes:

The Chairman advised that there were no items of urgent business.

 

42.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

 

Minutes:

No declarations were made at this point.

                     

43.

Public Speaking

To consider any such requests received in accordance with the approved procedure. 

 

Minutes:

Members were advised that there had been no requests to speak at the meeting in accordance with Cabinet’s agreed procedure.

 

44.

Call-in Referral Report from Overview and Scrutiny pdf icon PDF 291 KB

To consider any Call-in Referral report following the Call-in on the Storey - Tasting Garden decision on 28th October 2015.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet received a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to advise Cabinet of the outcome of the call-in of the Cabinet decision with regard to the Storey – Tasting Garden (Cabinet Minute 37) and to request Cabinet to consider the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to this matter.  The report was presented by Councillor Jackson, a nominee of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and signatory to the Call-in.

 

The recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was as follows:-

 

(1)          That Cabinet considers approving the following decision:

 

Consider that restoration of the artwork is not a high priority for the Council, but nevertheless a minimal amount of officer time will be provided to clarify the governance issues necessary to enable the Friends group to apply for major grant funding to restore the artwork as the lead partner with the Council. This funding would need to include a reasonable sum to cover appropriate project management of the restoration, plus insurance and future maintenance costs of the artwork to minimise any future liability on the Council’s budget. Following the clarification of governance issues and clear permission to proceed, the Friends group to be given 12 months to raise the necessary funds. If fundraising is unsuccessful in this timescale, the Council to revert to the alternative masterplan option of improving the gardens without restoring the artwork.

 

Councillor Newman-Thompson proposed, seconded by Councillor Blamire:

 

“That the recommendation, as set out in the referral report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be approved with a report back to Cabinet in twelve months if the Friends fail to secure the necessary funding.”

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)          That restoration of the artwork is not a high priority for the Council, but nevertheless a minimal amount of officer time will be provided to clarify the governance issues necessary to enable the Friends group to apply for major grant funding to restore the artwork as the lead partner with the Council. This funding would need to include a reasonable sum to cover appropriate project management of the restoration, plus insurance and future maintenance costs of the artwork to minimise any future liability on the Council’s budget. Following the clarification of governance issues and clear permission to proceed, the Friends group to be given 12 months to raise the necessary funds. If fundraising is unsuccessful in this timescale, the Council to revert to the alternative masterplan option of improving the gardens without restoring the artwork and this will be reported back to Cabinet.

 

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Environment)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision enables the Friends group to have the opportunity to raise the necessary funds to restore the artwork in order that the Tasting Garden can be enjoyed by our citizens and complement the wider business plan of the Storey Institute and allows for a report back to Cabinet in a year’s time if the fundraising efforts are not successful.

The decision also makes clear the level of officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

45.

Management of Arts Investments pdf icon PDF 322 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Clifford)

 

Report of Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning)

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Clifford)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Regeneration & Planning) which provided an up to date position regarding Arts commissioning and options for consideration in terms of support for Arts in the district.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: Arts commissioning is not undertaken at the present time - current arts investment arrangements continue

Option 2: Arts commissioning is undertaken and initial work begins as soon as possible

Advantages

Current arrangements deliver a good return and value for money  for the Council

 

Current arrangements

are robust and well managed

 

Current arrangements are consistent with criteria agreed as part of the Arts Commissioning Framework

 

Less uncertainty created for Arts organisations with current SLA’s

 

No additional costs are incurred  to meet resource requirements

 

Allows time for funding and sectoral issues to stabilise

 

No statutory requirement for the Council to introduce commissioning

 

Provides a refresh of current investments

 

Additional information may be obtained from consultation/ engagement with Arts sector and audiences

 

Potentially new initiatives can be supported within the overall budget

 

Provides longer term planning opportunities for successful delivery partners

 

Provides a robust framework in which to secure continuous improvement and VFM, in accordance with statutory requirements

Disadvantages

Flexibility to invest in new initiatives is limited to any other budgets that may be available from time to time.

 

Does not address potential gaps in service provision

 

Insufficient internal capacity at present, therefore additional costs will be needed to provide  the resources required to develop and deliver Arts commissioning (subject to redirection away from other council priorities)

 

 

The Council’s investment may (or may not) be distributed differently creating uncertainty and risks for organisations with existing SLA’s

 

Risks

Risk of underperformance – very low and managed as part of the monitoring and evaluation process

Other priority areas of work may be affected as impact on managerial time is inevitable

 

Risk of underperformance – would be managed as part of the monitoring and evaluation process

 

 

The Officer preferred Option was Option 1, which provides a good return on the Council’s investment in the Arts, avoids creating further instability in the Arts sector at a time when many changes are taking place and is manageable within existing staff resources.

 

The Council has invested in Arts in the district for many years and as a result of this and additional investment particularly by Lancashire County Council and the Arts Council, the district has a strong and growing arts and creative industries economy.  This offer is an important part of the district’s “Place Offer” to those who wish to live and work here, to visitors, both local and from further afield, and it also makes an important contribution to quality of life for local communities. 

 

The Council’s financial position is however under review as are the positions of other public sector funders to the arts, and it is difficult to justify investing in a commissioning strategy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

46.

Corporate Performance and Financial Monitoring 2015/16 - Quarter 2 pdf icon PDF 331 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Newman-Thompson)

 

Joint Report of Chief Officer (Governance) & Chief Officer (Resources) - (Report to follow)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Newman-Thompson)

 

Cabinet received a joint report from the Chief Officer (Governance) and Chief Officer (Resources) which presented the corporate financial monitoring report for Quarter 2 of the 2015/16 monitoring cycle and provided an update on improvements being made in corporate performance management, monitoring and reporting and the effective use of business intelligence to inform decision-making.

 

No options were presented as the report was for comments and noting.

 

Councillor Newman-Thompson proposed, seconded by Councillor Clifford:-

 

“That the report be noted.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)          That the report be noted.

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Governance)

Chief Officer (Resources)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The City Council’s Performance Management Framework requires the regular reporting of operational, as well as financial performance.

 

47.

Urgent Business Report pdf icon PDF 205 KB

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Blamire)

 

Report of Chief Officer (Governance)

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Blamire)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer (Governance) to advise Members of actions taken by the Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members with regard to the City Council acting as an accountable body in connection with the Coastal Revival Fund.

 

Councillor Clifford proposed, seconded by Councillor Hanson:-

 

“That the recommendation, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

(1)             That the actions taken by the Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation, in respect of the following, be noted:-

(1)       That the City Council agrees to act as the Accountable Body for the Venus and Cupid Arts Trust Coastal Revival Fund application.                                                     

(2)       That a letter from the Chief Executive agreeing to act as the accountable body for the funding is written and sent to the Venus and Cupid Arts Trust at the earliest opportunity.

 

(3)       That consultation is undertaken with a view to waiving call-in, in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny procedure rule 17, to enable the decision to be implemented immediately.   

 

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer (Governance)

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision fulfils the requirements of the City Council’s Constitution in advising Cabinet of urgent decisions taken by the Chief Executive in accordance with the City Council’s Scheme of Delegation.