Agenda and decisions

Cabinet - Tuesday, 27 September 2005

Items
No.	Item
1.	Race Equality Impact Assessment - Support for Pupils From Ethnic Minority Groups in Medway Schools View the background to item 1. View the decision for item 1. Decision: 197/2005 The Cabinet agreed to support the proposal to reorganise the Medway Language Achievement Service (MLAS), which will be undertaken by the Director of Education and Leisure, in line with option 2 (paragraph 3.2 of the report) and the previous decision taken on 7 September 2004.
2.	Annual Public Health Report View the background to item 2. View the decision for item 2. Decision: 195/2005 The Cabinet endorsed the Director of Public Health's Annual Report for wide dissemination and discussion, and agreed to receive regular updates on the actions being taken to reduce health inequalities in Medway. 196/2005 The Cabinet requested that the Health and Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee consider the merits of establishing a smoking ban in all Council-owned premises and to examine the implications of a smoking ban in all public places, reporting back to Cabinet.
3.	Disposal of Properties and Release/Variation of a Restrictive Covenant View the background to item 3. View the decision for item 3. Decision: 214/2005 The Cabinet declared the following properties surplus, (as edged black/hatched black on the plans attached in the report) so that they can be sold to the existing occupiers or sold once the residential occupiers have been re-housed, such sale to be on the best terms reasonably obtainable: a) 29 Smith Street Strood b) 57 Smith Street Strood c) 132 Frindsbury Road Strood d) 136 Frindsbury Road Strood (together with the site of 138 Frindsbury Road as hatched black on the plan attached in the report) e) High Street Strood (this comprises a ground floor lock up shop and a first floor flat). 215/2005 The Cabinet agreed that the following properties are retained for the time being and continue to be used for temporary accommodation for the homeless until they are required for road improvements in Strood or until it is no longer cost effective to use them for this purpose. a) 54 Northcote Road Strood b) 7 Cuxton Road Strood (this comprises a ground floor lock up shop and a first floor flat). 216/2005 The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Finance and Corporate Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, to declare the following properties surplus and dispose of them, on the best terms reasonably obtainable, if they are no longer needed for temporary accommodation for the homeless, or it is not cost effective to retain them for this use: a) 3 Corporation Road Gillingham b) 126 Frindsbury Road Strood c) 128 Frindsbury Road Strood d) 55 Medway Road Gillingham. 217/2005 The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to vary or release the covenant on the land at 13 Hughes Drive, Wainscott as edged black on the plan attached in the report on the best terms reasonably obtainable.
4.	Capital Budget Monitoring View the background to item 4. View the decision for item 4. Decision: 208/2005 The Cabinet noted that: Spend on the approved programme since 1 April 2005 to date amounted to approximately £16 million; Forecast spend during 2005/2006 as a whole amounted to £77 million; The virements within the existing programme detailed in section 8 of the report. 209/2005 The Cabinet agreed to recommend the proposed additions to the capital programme, described in section 7 and detailed in Appendix 6, to Council for approval. 210/2005 The Cabinet approved the virements to establish the provision of temporary accommodation for sixth form places as described in sections 5.2 and 8.2 of the report.
5.	Recruitment Freeze View the background to item 5. View the decision for item 5. Decision: 218/2005 The Cabinet agreed to unfreeze the following post, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, to enable the commencement of the recruitment process: Chief Executive's Overview and Scrutiny Coordinator.
6.	Revenue Budget Monitoring View the background to item 6. View the decision for item 6. Decision: 206/2005 The Cabinet noted the current forecast net overspend of £1.386m and endorsed the action taken and proposed in achieving this figure. 207/2005 The Cabinet instructed officers to continue to achieve savings and income to eliminate the residual overspend and contribute to the shortfall in the corporate savings target.
7.	Medway Local Development Framework - Preferred Options View the background to item 7. View the decision for item 7. Decision: 202/2005 The Cabinet agreed that the Director of Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Development and Economic Growth be authorised to make amendments to the Preferred Options versions of the Core Strategy & Housing & Mixed-use Site Specific Development Plan Documents (DPDs), prior to public consultation in October 2005, having considered the comments made at Environment and Front Line Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13 October 2005 and approve this for publication for the purpose of public consultation. 203/2005 The Cabinet agreed that the Director of Regeneration and Development in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Development and Economic Growth be authorised to consider the Sustainability Appraisal of Preferred Options once produced, agree any changes in the light of 202/2005 above and approve this for publication. 204/2005 The Cabinet agreed that the line
8.	Pentagon Shopping Centre Development Brief View the background to item 8. View the decision for item 8. Decision: 201/2005 The Cabinet approved the revised Pentagon Centre Development Brief (Second Consultation Draft September 2005) for a statutory consultation period of four weeks subject to the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Strategic Development and Economic Growth being consulted first on the proposed changes to the brief.
9.	Adoption Plan View the background to item 9. View the decision for item 9. Decision: 198/2005 The Cabinet approved the Overview and Scrutiny recommendations as laid out in paragraph 9 of the report with the exception of recommendation 9.2. Given the operational focus of the plan the approval of the statement of purpose on an annual basis be delegated to the Director of Children's Services in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children's Services.
10.	First Quarter Report on the Council's Critical Success Factors (CSFs) View the background to item 10. View the decision for item 10. Decision: 211/2005 The Cabinet noted the current performance against the Council's CSFs as indicated by the first quarter figures for this year. 212/2005 The Cabinet noted the comments made by Overview and Scrutiny Committees concerning CSF performance. 213/2005 The Cabinet agreed the set of revised critical success factors to be used for monitoring from October 2005.
11.	Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2005/2034 View the background to item 11. View the decision for item 11. Decision: 199/2005 The Cabinet approved the Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2005/2034 for submission to GOSE. 200/2005 The Cabinet instructed officers to undertake a review of the impact and consequences of reducing the percentage of void properties being offered to the homeless with the results of the review being presented to the Health and Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee upon completion.