Agenda and minutes
PDF 127 KBVenue: Council Chamber - South Kesteven House, St. Peter's Hill, Grantham. NG31 6PZ. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services
Note: Decision implemented date (provided no call-in) - 3 October 2022.
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Register of attendance and apologies for absence
Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adam Stokes and Robert Reid.
A minute’s silence was held at the start of the meeting to remember Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the late Councillor Judy Smith. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting
Minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2022. Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 July 2022 were confirmed as a correct record. |
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Disclosure of Interests
Minutes: There were no declarations of interests at this stage of the meeting. |
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Corporate Asset Management Strategy
This report seeks approval of a Corporate Asset Management Strategy, providing the Council with a clear and consistent approach to the strategic management of its corporate land and buildings, outlining how the use of the Council’s assets will support the delivery of the Council’s priorities.
Additional documents: Minutes: Purpose of report
To seek approval for a Corporate Asset Management Strategy, providing the Council with a clear and consistent approach to a strategic management of corporate land and buildings, outlining how the use of the Council’s assets would support the delivery of the Council’s priorities.
Decision
That Cabinet:
1. Approves the adoption of the Corporate Asset Management Strategy 2022 – 2027.
2. Delegates to the Director of Housing and Property authority to make minor amendments to the Strategy as needed by changes to regulation or legislation.
Alternative options considered and rejected
The continuation with current customs and practice was not recommended as this may have led to a missed opportunity to support the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan.
Undertaking repairs on a purely responsive basis was not recommended as this tended to be more costly than planned maintenance and may have impacted on the delivery of services.
Aiming for a higher standard of building condition than that proposed was not recommended due to the financial implications of exceeding a satisfactory condition.
Reason for decision
The adoption of the Corporate Asset Management Strategy would continue to strengthen the Council’s management of its assets, providing greater assurance that they were safe and complied with statutory requirements as well as creating the opportunity to improve the quality and value for money of the services they could deliver. The foundations of this process would require robust data and process, increased capacity, and strong governance and decision-making.
The Council’s Corporate Plan contained a specific action to adopt a Corporate Asset Management Strategy (AMS), linked to the Corporate Plan priority of being a ‘High-Performing Council’.
Recent achievements listed by the Leader of the Council included the upcoming relocation of the corporate headquarters to St. Catherine’s Road, Grantham, and the vacation of the existing St. Peters’ Hill offices. |
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Asset Transfer to Stamford Town Council
This report sets out proposals for the freehold transfer of specified assets to Stamford Town Council.
Additional documents: Minutes: Purpose of report
To set out proposals for the freehold transfer of specified assets to Stamford Town Council.
Decision
That Cabinet:
1. Approves the freehold transfer of the public conveniences and the upper floor at Red Lion Square Stamford to Stamford Town Council for a nominal consideration of £1.
2. Approves the disposal of the land at West Street Stamford to Stamford Town Council for a nominal consideration of £1.
Alternative options considered and rejected
To not approve the asset transfers as set out in the report; this would result in the Council continuing to own and maintain two assets and incur the operational costs of each. The decisions enable the assets to be transferred to the local Town Council enabling local ownership.
Reason for decision
The Council engaged with local parishes to identify Council owned assets that could be transferred to local ownership in order to enhance responsibility and meet local operational requirements.
Positive dialogue with Stamford Town Council had led to the discovery of two such Council owned assets in Stamford; public conveniences (and the upper vacant floor) at Red Lion Square and the land at West Street Stamford. The assets would be transferred on an existing use basis to ensure there was no adverse financial impact on South Kesteven District Council (SKDC).
The Council had the benefit of a general consent from the Secretary of State for such disposals with an undervalue of less than £2million as long as the proposal contributed to the promotion of economic, social, or environmental wellbeing in its area. This would be achieved by placing the ownership and maintenance of these assets in the hands of the local community (through the Town Council).
The following points were noted during discussion:
· The assets would be disposed of for a nominal sum whilst the use of them would be legally protected. · The Leader of the Council was present at the meeting of Stamford Town Council (STC) where the transfer of these assets was discussed. A unanimous decision to approve the transfer was reached during that meeting. · The transfer of the assets was in the best interests of both STC and South Kesteven District Council (SKDC). SKDC would save around £30,000 per year by transferring ownership of the assets, whilst STC would be best placed to make best use of the assets by being at the heart of that community. |
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Use of the ESPO Liquid Fuel Framework for the Procurement of Diesel Fuel
The Council currently utilises an ESPO Framework for the procurement of diesel fuel. ESPO is establishing a new framework agreement for the provision of liquid fuels from 1 October 2022. Agreement is sought to utilise this Framework.
Minutes: Purpose of report
The Council currently utilises an ESPO Framework for the procurement of diesel fuel. ESPO was establishing a new framework agreement for the provision of liquid fuels from 1 October 2022. Agreement was sought to utilise this Framework.
Decision
That Cabinet approves the utilisation of the ESPO Liquid Fuel Framework for the procurement of diesel fuel from 1 October 2022 until the expiration of the Framework on 30 September 2026.
Alternative options considered and rejected
The Council could go directly out to the market, however, it was considered that this was unlikely to lead to a more competitive alternative, as the benefits of the economies of scale bought about by using the Framework would not be available.
Reason for decision
Except for two electric pool cars, the Council’s vehicle fleet was entirely comprised of diesel vehicles. Whilst opportunities to replace vehicles with alternative fuel equivalents were being explored, it was anticipated that diesel vehicles would continue to be part of the fleet until at least the expiration of the Framework.
The new framework agreement operated in a different way to its previous iteration; previously there was one supplier per region, but now there were a number of suppliers, which allowed for a greater degree of flexibility and competition.
As the Council’s volume usage was standard (approximately 2,500 litres per day) and requirements were not complex, the framework provider strongly recommended that a direct award be made to the most suitable supplier. This ensured the continuity of supply as committing to purchase fuel from one supplier would foster commitment from the supplier to the customer and ensure preferential deliveries in times of fuel supply disruption or driver shortages. This was essential for business continuity to enable the Council to continue to deliver essential services such as household waste collections and housing maintenance. The Council’s approved budget for diesel fuel for 2022/23 was £712,750.
The following points were raised during discussion:
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Essential works relating to new Council Offices, St Catherine's Road, Grantham
This report sets out progress made in relation to the decision to relocate to the Council’s new offices, located in St Catherine’s Road, Grantham and to recommend entering into a contract for the delivery of associated works, using approved funds.
Minutes: Purpose of report
To set out progress made in relation to the decision to relocate to the Council’s new offices, located in St Catherine’s Road, Grantham and to recommend entering into a contract for the delivery of associated works, using approved funds.
Decision
That Cabinet:
1. Delegates authority for the Director of Housing and Property, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Property to enter into a contract with Lindum Construction Group for the required works to the new office space up to a value not exceeding £250k.
2. Delegates authority for the S151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Property, to allocate the remaining approved funding in respect of further minor works, ICT and furniture in order to ensure a smooth relocation.
Alternative options considered and rejected
To proceed with the relocation without remodelling the office space. This would not have provided the Council with facilities that met its aspirations in terms of decent, modern facilities that provide the environment to affect the cultural change that the Council aspires to.
Not proceeding with the work would cause delays to the progression of the relocation and would result in the Council continuing to incur the operational costs of the underutilised offices at a time of rising utility charges.
Reasons for decision
The award of the refurbishment contract would enable the Council to complete the move from the offices at St. Peter’s Hill, enabling staff to be brought together in a modern space, providing benefits in terms of environmental standards, technology and breaking down ‘silo working culture’.
The move would see the Council occupying less than one third of the space that it currently occupied in the outdated St. Peter’s Hill offices.
Vacation of the current St. Peter’s Hill office space would allow the Council to offer full vacant possession to a new owner, allow for the repurposing or redevelopment of the building to enhance the town centre and deliver ongoing savings when comparing the running costs of St. Peter’s Hill offices and the new St. Catherine’s Road offices.
The following points were raised during discussion:
· Entering into the contract for essential works reflected the business need of the Council. The existing space was old-fashioned and did not support collaborative working. In preparation for the move to the new office, hotdesking and flexible working had been gradually phased in. · The amount of office space was being reduced, and this was aided by introducing mobile technology in an organisational-wide programme, breaking down the old-fashioned silo of working every day from the office. · There had been opportunities for staff to view the new office space, through advertised, dedicated open days, and also through charity ‘coffee and cake’ mornings. · Conversations with Lincolnshire County Council over the creation of the public sector hub were continuing productively. · The new working space would create a positive working environment for staff, and there would be no disruption for residents. The site was complete with excellent accessibility. · With the increase in fuel prices, ... view the full minutes text for item 35. |
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Replacement of Gym Equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre
For Cabinet to consider an amendment to the in-year budget framework and provide a loan to LeisureSK Ltd to finance the purchase of gym equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre. Minutes: Note: Prior to consideration of item 36, Councillors Kelham Cooke and Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, and the Chief Executive and the Director of Growth and Culture declared an interest due to being board members of Leisure SK. They left the Council Chamber at this stage and took no part in the debate or the vote.
In the absence of the Leader of the Council, members moved, seconded, and appointed the Cabinet Member for Waste Service and Climate Change as the Chairman for this item only.
This item had been added to the Cabinet agenda as an urgent report and would not be subject to the call-in process.
Purpose of report
To consider an amendment to the in-year budget framework and provide a loan to LeisureSK Ltd to finance the purchase of gym equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre.
Decision
That Cabinet:
1. Approves the addition of £137,000 to the capital budget for 2022/23 to provide a loan to LeisureSK Ltd to facilitate a refurbishment of the gym area and equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre.
2. Delegates to the Chief Finance Officer to agree the terms and conditions of the loan and sign the loan agreement on behalf of the Council.
Alternative options considered and rejected
The options for LeisureSK Ltd to either directly purchase the equipment or enter a lease arrangement had been fully considered. It had been established that it was financially beneficial for the Council to finance the cost of refurbishing the gym at Bourne Leisure Centre via a loan arrangement.
The option not to invest in the gym area at Bourne Leisure Centre had been discounted by the Board of Directors for LeisureSK Ltd. Without this investment, it would become increasingly difficult to attract and retain customers to the centre.
Reason for decision
At their September 2022 meeting, the Board of Directors for LeisureSK Ltd. considered a report concerning the equipment provision at Bourne Leisure Centre. It was thought that the age of the equipment in place there was more than 8 years old, beyond the accepted lifespan as advised by the leisure industry. Work had taken place with suppliers to identify the costs of providing new equipment; these costings would include the removal of the old equipment as well as installation of the replacement items. All servicing and maintenance costs for five years would also be covered. The most cost-effective solution for Bourne Leisure Centre would be the refurbishment of the gym equipment.
The Directors of LeisureSK Ltd. approved the proposal to undertake a replacement of the gym equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre. Work was carried out by SKDC’s finance team to assess the impact of SKDC providing a loan to help meet this proposal.
The resolutions within the report provided the optimal financial outcome for SKDC and the planned refurbishment of the gym at Bourne Leisure Centre would have a significant impact on improving income and aiding the recruitment and retention of customers.
The investment in new equipment for Bourne Leisure Centre demonstrated the Council’s ongoing commitment to ... view the full minutes text for item 36. |
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People Strategy 2022-2025
To communicate the Employment Committee’s recommendation to Cabinet that the People Strategy 2022 – 2025 be approved.
Additional documents: Minutes: Note: Councillors Kelham Cooke and Rosemary Trollope-Bellew, and the Chief Executive and the Director of Growth and Culture rejoined the meeting. Councillor Kelham Cooke resumed the chairing of the meeting.
Purpose of report
To communicate the Employment Committee’s recommendation to Cabinet that the People Strategy 2022 – 2025 be approved.
Decision
That Cabinet:
1. Approves the People Strategy 2022 – 2025.
Alternative options considered and rejected
One option considered was not having an updated People Strategy. If this option were taken there would be no clear message to staff of how the Council intended to deliver the objectives of the Corporate Plan 2020 – 2023 to ensure that SKDC was a high performing Council that attracted and retained the best staff to deliver high-quality services.
Reason for decision
The People Strategy was designed to inspire and achieve widespread, organisation-wide alignment on the Council’s goals and priorities through its employees. The six different themes of the Strategy were:
The People Strategy formed part of the thread from the Corporate Plan through to service and team plans and individual objectives and incorporated the Council’s values and behaviours. It was designed to evolve with the needs of the Council and its employees.
Recent years had been challenging for staff, many of whom had had to work harder to adapt and keep services running throughout a global pandemic; this had an impact on staff wellbeing.
The People Strategy could help staff understand the value of their efforts and how to access the support they needed to maximise their potential. Another forum through which staff could raise concerns and ask questions was the People Panel, an internal meeting including staff from different departments across the Council.
It was key to ensure there was an up to date People Strategy which would help the Council deliver against its priorities and deliver the vision of the Corporate Plan. The People Strategy had been recommended to Cabinet by the Employment Committee.
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Key and Non-Key Decisions taken under Delegated Powers
This report provides an overview of decisions taken by individual Cabinet Members since the last meeting of the Cabinet on 12 July 2022.
Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet noted Key and Non-Key Decisions taken under delegated powers since the previous meeting, as set out in the report. |
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Cabinet's Forward Plan
This report highlights matters on the Cabinet’s Forward Plan. Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet noted its Forward Plan. It was noted by Cabinet that the item on Replacement Gym Equipment at Bourne Leisure Centre was not present on the Forward Plan in the agenda pack; this was due to it being an urgent report that was not present at the time the agenda was published. |