Decisions

Agreed:  thata 1 year extension  of the existing Flying Start childcare placements contracts, from 1^st September 2018 until 31^st August 2019, with an estimated value of  £821,340 be approved

The Appendix to this report is not for publication as it contains exempt information of the description in Paragraph 14 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

Agreed: that the Council continue with the purchase of relevant properties up to a combined value as stated in Appendix 1. 

AGREED: that

1.         those organisations identified in Appendix A as being shortlisted and eligible to be taken forward to the next stage of the procurement process be invited to tender.

2.         the invitation to tender documentation, including the evaluation criteria, draft framework agreement and schedules be approved and issued to those organisations identified in Appendix A.

RESOLVED: that

1.            officers be authorised to consult on a proposal to discontinue Glan-yr-Afon Primary School from 31 August 2019 including changes to community primary school catchments in the local area.

2.            It be noted that officers will bring a report on the outcome of the consultation to a future meeting to seek authorisation as to whether to proceed to publish proposals in accordance with section 48 of The School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013.

3.            It be noted that any decision to redesignate capacity at St Cadoc’s Catholic Primary School for primary education places would be a matter for consideration by the Governing Body of the school with any permanent increase necessitating consultation in accordance with the requirements of the School Organisation Code

The Council requires an Operators Licence to operate its + 700 fleet of vehicles including c.85 Large Goods Vehicles. A review of the Operators Licence compliance requirements has identified a number of areas for improvement.  In response, it was agreed that an Occupational Road Risk Working Group would be established and an Occupational Road Risk Policy be prepared. 

The aim of the policy is to:

• raise awareness of occupational road risks within the Council, and
• Clarify responsibilities and support the Council’s workforce, Directors/Assistant Directors, Operational Managers, Managers and Supervisors, and drivers in delivering high standards of safety

to minimise risks associated with driving and vehicle operation.

It will apply to all Council employees, including Elected Members, who drive Council owned/leased or hired vehicles and those who travel while at work on Council business, driving Council owned/leased, hired vehicles or their own car.

RESOLVED: that the Occupation Road Risk Policy (appendix 1 to the report) be authorised and implementation be authorised so as to take effect on 1 September 2018.

In order to preserve the character or appearance of conservation areas, the Council is able to remove various dwellinghouse permitted development rights under Article 4(2) of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995 (GPDO).

It has become apparent that the existing protections in place to prevent boundary wall removals (primarily to allow parking) are not sufficient in order to effectively manage change within the two Llandaff conservation areas.

In order to address this, additional Article 4(2) Directions are proposed to remove permitted development rights for the partial demolition of any means of enclosure within the Llandaff and Cardiff Road Conservation Areas (Class B of Part 31 of Schedule 2 of the GPDO). Alterations will then require planning permission (no fee is payable for these applications).

RESOLVED: that the service of  additional Article 4(2) Directions for the Llandaff and Cardiff Road Conservation Areas to remove permitted development rights afforded to single dwelling houses under Class B of Part 31 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995 (as amended) for the  demolition of the whole or part of a gate, fence,  wall or other means of enclosure within the curtilage of a dwelling house fronting a relevant location be approved and authorised

RESOLVED: that the Local Authority’s Social Services Annual Report for 2017/18 be approved for consideration by Council

RESOLVED: that the Risk Management Strategy and Policy be approved and the content of the Corporate Risk Register be noted

RESOLVED: that

1.            The proposed transfer of the provision of the Short Break services to the Council’s in-house team be agreed in principle, as detailed in the body of the report, subject to the outcome of further consultation with relevant stakeholders, including service users; and

2.            Authority be delegated to the Corporate Director People and Communities in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Families,  the Section 151 Officer and the Director of Law and Governance, to attend to all substantive matters to give effect to the proposal (provided that the Directorate has taken account of the outcome of the further consultation referred under recommendation 1) including (without limitation):-

(i)     Liaising with the incumbent provider to agree a mutually agreeable date to terminate the existing contractual arrangements and to transfer the delivery of the Short Break service to the Council’s in-house team;

(ii)    Deal with all associated matters, including (without limitation) the registration of the Ty Storrie property and the termination of the existing licence arrangements.

To consider the budget strategy for 2019/20

RESOLVED:

(1)         the budget principles on which this Budget Strategy Report is based and the approach to meeting the Budget Reduction Requirement both in 2019/20 and across the period of the Medium Term Financial Plan. Whilst recognising the objectives set out in Capital Ambition be agreed.

(2)         directorates work with the relevant Portfolio Cabinet Member, in consultation with the Corporate Director Resources and Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance to identify potential savings to assist in addressing the indicative budget gap of £34 million for 2019/20 and £91 million across the period of the Medium Term Financial Plan.

(3)         the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, be delegated the authority to implement any saving proposal in advance of 2019/20 where no policy recommendation is required or where a policy decision has already been taken.

(4)         the Council indicate to Joint Committees and to bodies which raise precepts and levies on the Council, the level of the financial challenge facing the Council, and that this be taken into consideration when they are developing their own financial plans but still within the framework of the objectives set out in Capital Ambition.

(5)         the Corporate Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, be delegated the authority to identify an alternative budget reduction requirement upon receipt of further clarification in respect of Welsh Government funding.

(6)         the Corporate Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, be delegated the authority to amend the Budget Strategy, if this amendment does not significantly depart from the underlying principles. Any requirement to depart significantly from these principles would require a further Budget Strategy Report to Cabinet. 

(7)         Council seek expressions of interest from officers in respect of the voluntary redundancy scheme by 14 September 2018.

(8)         Council be recommended to agree to adopt the Budget Timetable Framework set out in Appendix 2 and that the work outlined is progressed with a view to informing budget preparation.

(9)         there be a two stage process in relation to public consultation on 2019/20 proposals. This will commence with the Ask Cardiff Survey including a section on general budget themes, followed by more detailed consultation on 2019/20 proposals later in the Autumn, once there is further clarity on the 2019/20 funding position.

RESOLVED: that

1.            Officers be authorised to undertake a 6 -12 week public consultation exercise on the proposal to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to introduce dog controls in areas across the Cardiff and to report back to Cabinet.

2.            the consultation for dog control specifically looks at:

·         the prohibition of dog fouling in all public places owned and/or maintained by the Council,

·         the exclusion of dogs in all enclosed playgrounds, marked sports pitches and Schools, which are owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.

·         a requirement that dogs are kept on leads within all Cemeteries owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.

·         a requirement allowing authorised officers to give a direction that a dog (s)  be put and kept on a lead if necessary,

·         setting the fixed penalty fine for breach of the order to the maximum permitted of £100.

3.            the revocation of the current byelaws associated with dog control in Cardiff (appendix d to the report) be endorsed

RESOLVED: that

1.            the progress that has been made to-date on the Council’s Digital agenda be noted

2.            the Council’s proposed new Digital Strategy, as included at Appendix 1 to the report be approved

3.            the overall framework and governance for delivering the Digital Strategy as set out in the report be approved, and the ongoing development of action plans to support the implementation of the Council’s digital agenda be noted.

1.            To seek Cabinet approval to fully establish and resource the new Corporate Landlord Delivery Model.

2.            To seek Cabinet approval to put in place remaining actions to meet the recommendations of the Independent Strategic Review of Statutory Obligations and Health & Safety.

3.            To review the approach to Community Assets

4.            To recommend the principles for the delivery of the enhanced capital receipts programme to support the 21^st Century Schools Programme and the wider Capital delivery for the next 5 years

5.            To ensure that the Council has the requisite improvement plans and resources in place to form the Corporate Landlord Model

RESOLVED: that

1.         the recommendations of the PRAP Scrutiny Task & Finish Group Report attached as Appendix F to the report be accepted, except for Recommendation 6 which is partially accepted as explained in this report.

2.         the recommendations of the independent review of statutory obligations and health and safety compliance set out in Appendices 2 and 3 to the report and the on-going work to address the key recommendations be noted

3.         the strategy outlined in this report for commencinig the identification of disposals and relinquishments to deliver the capital receipts required to meet the Medium Term Financial Plan be approved

4.         the proposals set out in this report to enable the full implementation of the Corporate Landlord model be agreed, including:

a)    Tighter controls over all building related spend.

b)    The delivery of all new build projects through the Corporate Landlord team based in the Economic Development directorate.

c)    Requirement for Property Implications to be included in all Cabinet Reports and Offcier Decision Reports where there is an impact upon Council owned land and buildings.

(5)     authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Investment & Development and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance, to review and implement new senior management arrangements for the Council’s Property Functions within the Economic Development Directorate, including if required the deletion of the vacant Assistant Director post. 

At the meeting on 14 December 2017, Cabinet confirmed the priority schemes to be delivered in Cardiff under Band B of the 21^st Century Schools Programme.  It was agreed that in order to provide assurance that the Council has sufficient capacity and appropriate governance to deliver such a large-scale programme, a subsequent report would be presented advising on these aspects of delivery.

RESOLVED: that

1.            the update in this report on the scheduling and funding issues associated with the delivery of Cardiff’s Band B schemes be noted

2.            the creation of the post of Programme Director -School Organisation Programme at Tier 2, fixed-term for 3 years reporting to the Director of Education, in line with the Council’s pay structure at Assistant Director level be approved

3.            it be noted that the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning will review the roles and structure of the school organisation team to secure the capacity required as identified in the external report cited at Appendix 1, within the funding already agreed under Band B of the 21^st Century Schools Programme, Asset Renewal and the LDP.

AGREED: that

1.    the outcome of the evaluation process as set out in Appendix A to the report be noted in terms of the bidders ranking;

2.   officers be instructed to inform those parties that tendered in this matter (as well as those who expressed an interest in this matter) of the outcome of the evaluation process and proposed way forward (as detailed in this report);

3.   the Council’s Leaseholder team (who have responsibility for carrying out such activities) be instructed to commence consultation with leaseholders in accordance with the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2004 and that this matter be kept under review and reported back to the Director (Communities) for further consideration should any substantive objections or concerns be raised; and

4.   Subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the consultation process referred to in recommendation 3 above and due regard having been given to responses to the same (if any), and the clarification of any outstanding issues regarding the Framework Agreement, it be agreed that the Framework Agreement be formally concluded with the organisation highlighted in Appendix A.