Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Price.

The record of the meeting held on 19 December 2023 was agreed by the Cabinet and signed by the Leader as correct.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

Councillor Edwards declared an OSI in item 7 (Transition of Local Enterprise Responsibilities to Medway Council) as she was a Director of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and therefore left the meeting for the duration of the discussion and decision on this item.

Other interests

There were none.

The Leader referred to the Medway Together Pledge, a local campaign to help people better connect with their local community and reduce loneliness and social isolation. He explained that the Cabinet Members would be making their pledge and encouraged residents and organisations across Medway to do the same to collectively help tackle loneliness across Medway.

Background:

This report provided details of the provisional local government settlement that had been announced, via a written statement on 19 December 2023.

The report explained that the Council Tax referendum limit had been set at 3%, which was in addition to an Adult Social Care precept, which provided the flexibility to relevant local authorities to increase Council Tax by a further 2% above the referendum limit. Medway’s Draft Budget had reflected this and had assumed a 4.994% uplift.

Concerning business rates, the report explained that the Autumn Statement had made a series of announcements to help businesses, and the Provisional Settlement confirmed that the impact of these measures would be funded by the Government.

The report also provided details of the impact on other grants, set out at sections 9 to 13 of the report, all of which resulted in a net reduction in resources of £1.699million to that reflected in Medway’s draft budget.

Reasons:

The provisional levels of funding announced are a fundamental component of the 2024/25 budget, and their announcement is a further stage in the process to prepare a balanced budget for the coming financial year.

Background:

This report provided details of proposals to increase the capacity and resilience of the Macmillan Welfare Benefits Service and to expand the service to support those in West and North Kent.

The proposals would provide an enhanced service for Medway’s residents that would be more resilient, providing a robust service for the people of Medway who required it alongside introducing a service for patients who were not currently able to access support in neighbouring authorities. The service would be fully funded by Macmillan.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken on the proposals, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Reasons:

Agreeing to expand the Macmillan Service will enable the team to provide the service to eligible residents in North and West Kent, filling the current gap in provision in that area. The expansion will also increase resilience for the service it provides to Medway’s residents.

Background:

This report provided details of three initiatives - to purchase further units of temporary accommodation, to take on leases for the use of temporary accommodation and the setting up of a lettings department with a view to managing and generating business and ensure certainty around availability of units of accommodation.

The proposals were in response to an unprecedented increase in demand and cost for providing homeless households with temporary accommodation, which had led to a budget pressure. The report explained that pursuing a combination of options would ensure that there was availability of accommodation and that costs for accommodation would not escalate further.

Reasons:

There is an overreliance on the private sector for units of temporary accommodation and with increasing costs of these units and the increased demands on the homeless service there is a need to look at providing services in a different way. 

Purchasing and leasing accommodation gives some certainty about units that will be available and ensures that the spend for these units is known for the short and medium term. 

Creating our own lettings agency allows for better access to the private rental market for homeless households to enable the homeless duty to be discharged and prevent households coming through into temporary accommodation, which is costly to the Council.

Background:

This report requested Cabinet to agree to transfer Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) functions, in partnership with Kent County Council (KCC), following the Government’s announcement in August 2023 that the functions of LEPs would be delivered by upper tier and combined local authorities in future.

The report explained that further LEP transition guidance had confirmed that Government expected LEP functions to be transferred to either a whole county level, or functional economic area with a minimum population of 500,000. Due to Medway’s population being under the threshold, the Council therefore needed to agree to take on LEP functions in partnership with Kent County Council (KCC). The South East LEP would cease in March 2024.

A joint Kent and Medway LEP Integration Plan had been submitted to Government and covered the five LEP workstreams that Medway and KCC had participated in: Governance and Capital Programmes; Partnerships and Networks; Data and Intelligence; Growth Hub and Business Support, and Resourcing.

Reasons:

The transition of LEP responsibilities to local authorities is mandated by Government. There has been no indication that Government will change this decision or propose an alternative. The Council must adhere to this to comply with Government decision making. This may have an implication on future funding programmes to be determined by Government.  

The July SELEP Strategic Board agreed to work towards SELEP closure by March 2024 in line with Government expectations, swift decision making is required to meet this deadline.

Background:

This report provided options being considered for the redevelopment of the former Debenhams building and also requested capital additions to deliver the Healthy Living Centre (HLC) in the Pentagon Centre, a cost which would be reimbursed by the NHS. The report also sought approval for virements for reporting clarity purposes.

In relation to the former Debenhams building, the report explained that the market conditions had changed and officers were therefore looking to review alternative delivery options such as potential tenant uses including but not limited to; Private Rented Sector (PRS), key worker accommodation, temporary accommodation, retirement living and affordable housing.

In relation to the HLC, the designs had progressed and following further design work and subsequent cost inflation, further funding was required to enable the tender exercise to be undertaken to build out the HLC. The funding would be reimbursed by the NHS subject to their final approvals and S106 contributions.

Lastly, the approval of the virements being sought was to assist with reporting clarity.

Reasons:

Officers will be able to explore alternative potential options which could result in repayment of the capital borrowing via future revenue income, as opposed to capital receipts. The final business case for the redevelopment of Debenhams will require further Cabinet approval. 

Additional funding is required, following the design progression and subsequent cost inflation to build out the Healthy Living Centre in the Pentagon Centre. The additional funding will be reimbursed by the NHS. 

Lastly, the virements will not impact project delivery, with no change to the funding source/project budgets but will improve reporting clarification. The virements are in line with the decision approved by Council, that a proportion of the underspend on the purchase of the Pentagon Shopping Centre would be utilised for future capital works at the Pentagon Centre. (Minute no.713D, 20 February 2020).

Background:

This report detailed the options relating to the delivery of the One Public Estates (OPE) Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) enabling works Contract, with subsequent information relating to directly awarding a contract thereafter.

The enabling works would focus on the main access road into the site, primarily addressing the level differences and installing drainage as well as rediverting of utilities. Funding requirements stipulated that a contractor needed to be appointed by March 2024.

Medway Development Company Ltd (MDC) had been established as a teckal compliant LATCo, for the purposes regeneration projects, who could be directly engaged to deliver these services. The Council had confidence that MDC was able to meet the funding programme.

Reasons:

The appointment of MDC as Project Manager and Contractor to deliver the enabling works for the OPE BLRF, will ensure the project is completed and the grant funding is utilised.

Background:

This report requested approval to award the procurement of the Support to Live at Home framework agreement, which included the provision of Homecare and Extra Care services.

It was proposed that the new framework agreement would commence on 1 April 2024 and end on 31 March 2028.

The report had previously been considered by the Procurement Board in December 2023.

An Exempt Appendix to the report set out details of the proposed contracts to be awarded.

Reasons:

The award of the framework agreements for the Support To Live At Home Service will deliver a Homecare and extra care service that will enable the following: 

• High Quality – enhanced service for Medway residents.
• Outcomes Focused Care – to ensure the care received meets the service users’ desired outcomes.
• Ongoing Development - the ability to continuously develop the service, in line with innovative approaches.

Background:

This report requested approval to award the procurement of the Medway Domestic Abuse Service, which was a community-based support service consisting of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs), who worked to increase the safety and reduce the risk posed to victims of domestic abuse and their children, by perpetrators of abuse.

The report had previously been considered by the Procurement Board in December 2023.

An Exempt Appendix to the report set out details of the financial analysis of the procurement and tender evaluations.

Reasons:

There is ongoing need for a domestic abuse support service and the community based Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) service also supports the requirements set out within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.