Decisions

That:

1)     The relocation of Twyford library be proceeded;

2)     The allocation of £330,000 of S106 funds to the project be agreed; and

3)     The lease agreements for the new library site (as summarised in the report), and the delegation of authority to the Director of Place and Growth, in consultation with the Executive Member for Climate Change & Resident Services and the Executive Member for Business & Economic Development, to complete the lease be approved.

That:

1)     The capital programme review carried out by directors and lead members be noted and approved, which includes;

·           Confirmation for £136m of capital projects to continue as planned.

·           Savings of £12.5m achieved through the removal of projects or reductions in budget. Taking into account lost capital receipts, the net saving is £9.3m. Details set out in Appendix A.

·           Re-profiling capital budgets of £15.7m from 2022/23 into future years. Details set out in Appendix B.

2)   The £4m saving identified from ‘Managing Congestion & Pollution’, to be reinvested in ‘Active Travel and Bus Priority’ over two years (£2m in 2023/24 and £2m in 2024/25) and considered as part of the medium term financial plan for 2023/24 be approved; and

3)   The figures in recommendation one are in addition to the financial information presented in the Capital Monitoring 2022/23 - Quarter 1 Executive report be noted.

That:

1)     The position of the capital programme at the end of Quarter 1 (to 30 June 2022) as summarised in the report and set out in detail in Appendix A to the report be noted;

2)     The proposed carry forwards in the capital programme as set out in Appendix B be approved and noted; and

3)     A capital budget supplementary estimate of £5,576,900 for SEND sufficiency plan to help meet the actions identified under the High Needs Block management plan. This budget will be funded through a budget virement from reallocating existing SEND project budgets (£425,000) and allocation of the Higher Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) Grant (£5,151,900) be approved. Further information is set out in the report.

That the overall forecast of the current position of the General Fund revenue budget, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) illustrated in the Executive Summary and appendices attached to the report be noted.

That:

1)     The extension of the contract for Capita One for another two years from 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2026 be approved; and

2)     The procurement business case for the Education Management System be approved.

That:

1)     Subject to planning, Football Foundation funding and endorsement by formal public consultation prior to planning application, the outcome of the option appraisal analysis, Maiden Erlegh School, is progressed as the proposed 3G pitch site; and

2)     Funds for use of S106 finance for physical activity enhancements at Forest School be approved and released.

To update the Executive on the changes to the Boards of the Council Owned Companies.

That the following changes to the non-executive directors of the Council owned companies as follows be noted:

1)     WBC (Holdings) Limited – Retirement of Cllrs John Kaiser, Stuart Munro and Wayne Smith and appointment of Cllrs Clive Jones (Chairman), Stephen Conway, Prue Bray. Re-appointment of Graham Ebers;

2)     Wokingham Housing Limited and Berry Brook Homes Limited – Retirement of Cllr John Kaiser and appointment of Cllr Prue Bray;

3)     Loddon Homes Limited – Retirement of Cllrs Shahid Younis and Norman Jorgensen and appointment of Cllrs Clive Jones (Chairman) and Stephen Conway; and

4)     Optalis Limited – Retirement of Cllr Charles Margetts and appointment of Cllr David Hare

To update the Executive on the delivery of the Toutley East Masterplan

That:

1)     The update on the delivery of the Toutley East development be noted;

2)     The proposed strategic masterplan and land uses for the site, including a new 68-bed dementia care home and up to 130 residential units (on 13th July 2022 Planning Committee resolved to grant outline planning consent for the strategic masterplan) be noted;

3)     The financial business case (Return on Investment) for the Toutley East development, including how the proposed land uses financially support each other and the net revenue benefit of £337,000 per annum rising to £700,000 per annum over an approximate 4 year time period be noted;

4)     The delivery options for the residential development identified at this stage, which will be subject to a future business case being approved by Executive and Council be noted;

5)     Authority to the Director of Assets and Resources, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, the Executive Member for Business and Economic Development and the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services, be delegated to deliver the strategic masterplan in line with the approved financial business case; and

6)     Officers provide a report on the impact of poor air quality and noise on dementia as reported in the national press.

That:

1)     The proposal to transfer service provision from existing care services at Suffolk Lodge to the new dementia care home at Toutley East, and delegates authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and the Director of Resources and Assets, jointly, in consultation with the Executive Members for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services and the Executive Member for Finance, to make any changes necessary to the contract between Wokingham Borough Council and Optalis Ltd to give effect to this change in service, up to a value of £2m per annum be noted;

2)     Authority jointly to the Director of Adult Services and the Director of Resources and Assets to increase the value of the care contract in place with Wokingham Borough Council’s Local Authority Traded Company (Optalis Limited), by way of contract variation, up to the value of circa £4m, subject to inflationary increases, to deliver the staffing requirements for the care home, be delegated, that in each case:

a)    the budget for the costs of the services has already been approved as part of the agreed Council Budget;

b)    the business case has been approved by both Directors;

c)    the Executive Member with responsibility for Adult Services and the Executive Member with responsibility for Finance have been consulted.

3)     The procurement strategy set out in the Procurement Business case for the construction consultants and contractor required for the development of the new dementia care home and associated works; and delegates authority to the Director of Resources and Assets, in consultation with the Executive Member for Finance, to implement and/or adapt this strategy within the approved budget be approved.