Decisions

An apology for absence was submitted from Councillor Pauline Helliar-Symons.

Councillor Shahid Younis attended the meeting on behalf of Councillor Helliar-Symons. In accordance with legislation Councillor Younis could take part in any discussions but was not entitled to vote.

To set out current arrangements for the education of children and young people aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and to outline options for addressing current and future pressures and to secure approval for a scheme to create 50 additional Special School places.

That:

1)         a scheme for the expansion of Addington School, with an estimated Capital cost of £4,400,000, as set out as Option 1B in the report, be approved subject to any clarification of the points made at the meeting and correction as necessary,  planning permission and other statutory consents being granted, and

2)         the development of further proposals, including a new special free school for children with autism and social emotional and mental health difficulties, improved accommodation for Foundry College and measures to support the retention of children in mainstream schools, including support for schools and sustainable arrangements for special education needs resource bases be approved. It was noted that these schemes will be the subject of a further report or reports in 2019.

3)         the Director of Customer Services and Localities is requested through the Local Plan Update to consider amending the boundary of the SULV to exclude the land in the curtilage of Addington School.

That the proposed Localised Non Domestic Rates Retail Discount Scheme, as set out in the report, be agreed.

To consider the Revenue Monitoring report, including Treasury Management Indicators, to the end of December 2018

That:

1)            the quarter three position of the revenue budget and the level of balances in respect of the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account, Schools Block and the Authority’s investment portfolio be noted;

2)            the estimated general fund budget carry forwards of £575k identified at this stage be noted;

3)            the updates on adult social services’ and children services’ action plans be noted;

4)            a supplementary estimate of £100k in 18/19 for “Optalis IT business case feasibility study” be approved;

5)            a supplementary estimate of £200k in 18/19 for “HRA void costs” be approved.

To agree the use of Wheatsheaf Close for a self build project

That:

1)        Wokingham Housing Limited or another council-owned Local Housing Company be selected as the development partner for Wheatsheaf Close;

2)        the Council transfers the land at Wheatsheaf Close to a council-owned housing company for the purposes of delivering a self-build project on terms to be agreed by the Director of Corporate Services in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, Adult Social Care and Housing, and the Executive Member for Finance, HR and Corporate Resources;

3)        the site, subject to Recommendation 1 above, is appropriated for planning purposes under section 227 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972;

4)       the development brief and self-build delivery approach for the site be approved;

5)       the transfer of land for the site will be subject to Wokingham Housing Limited (WHL) securing an outline planning consent for the scheme and the necessary Board approvals.

Consideration of sites to be promoted to the Local Planning Authority through the Local Plan Update process

That:

1)        the sites listed for submission and consideration, as set out in the report as part of the Local Plan Call for Sites, be approved;

2)        authority be delegated for the submission of a detailed assessment as part of the Local Plan process to the Assistant Director of Commercial Property and the Executive Member for Business, Economic Development and Strategic Planning.

To consider the Capital Monitoring report to the end of December 2018

That:

1)        the quarter three position for the Capital budget, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be noted;

2)        the new budget adjustments in the Capital Programme for 2018/19, as set out in Appendix B to the report, including the additional £1,177,000 grant received from the Department of Transport for Highways Maintenance, be noted and approved;

3)        the new budget virements in the Capital Programme which constitutes a change of use, as set out in Appendix C to the report,  be noted and approved.

To consider the report for approval and recommendation to Council

That:

1)        it be noted that the mid-year Treasury Management report for 2018/19 was approved by the Audit Committee on 7 November 2018;

2)         the mid-year Treasury Management report for 2018/19 be noted;

3)         the actual 2018/19 prudential indicators within the report be noted;

4)         the report be recommended to Council to approval.

That:

1)       the making of an Order for the closure of Footpath Remenham No 4, for a closure of an 80m section of the footpath for the set up and de rig of the Festival stage from Monday 8th to Wednesday 10th July 2019 inclusive and from Monday 15^th July to Tuesday 16^th July 2019 inclusive be approved;

2)       within the closure a 620m section be included for evening performances from Wednesday 10^th July to Sunday 14^th July 2019 inclusive and day time performances on Saturday 13^th July and Sunday 14^th July, under Section 16A of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, subject to the receipt of the requisite consent of the Secretary of State for Transport.

To consider future options relating to Tirabad Education Trust

That:

1)        the report and areas of concern raised by the Tyr Abad Residential Education Centre (TREC) be noted;

2)        the options outlined in Part 2 of the report, in order to facilitate a resolution to the current situation, be noted;

3)         the Council offers support in the areas set out in Part 2 of the report.

To consider the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee’s report on its review of Grounds Maintenance and the Officer response to the report

That:

1)        the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee into the Grounds Maintenance Contract as set out in Attachment 1 to the report be noted;

2)        the Officers’ respective responses to each recommendation, as set out in the Background section of the report, be supported.

To seek approval to commence the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process on the Gorse Ride estate as an option of last resort to enable the Council to secure third party land interests within the planned timeframes required for development where negotiations prove unsuccessful

That:

1)         the considerable progress already underway to support the rehousing of tenants and homeowners on the Gorse Ride estate be noted;

2)         the in principle use of a CPO to acquire all property interests (the extent of which is shown indicatively edged red on the plan in Appendix 1) required to deliver the Gorse Ride Regeneration Project be authorised;

3)        Council Officers continue to negotiate the acquisition by agreement of all third party interests in the land in advance of confirmation of a CPO;

4)         the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Members with responsibility for Housing and Finance, be authorised to take all necessary steps required for the making, confirmation and implementation of the CPO, including securing the appointment of an external specialist CPO adviser to prepare all necessary documents required to support this process, including statements of reasons and requisite statutory notices;

5)        the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Members with responsibility for Housing and Finance, be authorised to make General Vesting Declarations (GVDs) under the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 and  / or serve notice to treat and notices of entry (if required) following confirmation of the CPO.

To set out the Chief Finance Officer’s annual report for the 2018/19 financial year

That:

1)        the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) report and the issues contained within, including the local government finance settlement and the sections on key risks, be noted and consideration will be given to these when setting the council tax for 2019/20 and agreeing the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP);

2)        the Council’s response to the draft local government finance settlement as set out in Appendix two to the report, be supported;

3)        the Council’s ongoing representations for fairer funding for the residents of Wokingham Borough Council be noted.

That:

1)        the budget monitoring position for the month ending 30 November 2018 be noted;

2)         the operational update for the period to 31 December 2018 be noted.