Agenda and minutes

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 17 January 2018

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 17 January 2018 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive and respond to any questions from members of the public.

Public questions can be delivered in writing to Democratic Services or sent by email to: democratic.services@wyre.gov.uk. Public questions for this meeting must be received by noon on Thursday 8 February 2018. Questioners should provide their name and address and indicate to which Cabinet member the question is to be directed.

The total period of time allocated for public questions will not normally exceed 30 minutes.

None

Report of the chairman of the Digital Transformation task group and Service Director Performance and Innovation

The Chairman of the Digital Transformation task group and Service Director Performance and Innovation reported the work of the Digital Transformation task group to the Cabinet.

Decision taken

Cabinet approved the task groups recommendations on how the Modern.Gov Committee Minutes System should be implemented as follows:

      i.        Implementation of paperless meetings should begin with one of the
14-Member committees.

     ii.        The roll out should be to one committee at a time.

   iii.        A programme for the roll-out of paperless meetings should be planned and delivered, with all meetings (Committee meetings, task group meetings, working group meetings and other meetings) being paperless by May 2019 at the latest.

   iv.        Every councillor should be offered one-to-one or small group training at a level that is appropriate for them.

     v.        The implementation of a new committee system and the move to paperless meetings should include all councillors unless there are specific medical conditions that prohibit that.

   vi.        Regular, on-going support must be provided for councillors, perhaps to include regular iPad clinics before Full Council meetings.

  vii.        Democratic Services officers will play a key role in implementation and on-going support for councillors.

 viii.        All councillors should be issued with a device that is appropriate to the individual’s needs – an iPad with 9.7 inch screen is a minimum requirement.

   ix.        Individual devices should be easily identifiable.

     x.        Devices to be used for agendas, committee papers, email, calendar, invitations, etc. – in fact, as much as possible, with appropriate guidance.

   xi.        The policy for the retention of files and documents needs to recognise that councillors might need to access historical documents in meetings on occasion

  xii.        Confidential ‘green paper’ documents must be easy to access.

 xiii.        Full consideration should be given, at a later stage in the implementation process, to the provision of data for devices.

 xiv.        The wi-fi system in the council’s committee rooms will need to be fit for purpose

  xv.        Charging points and chargers should be made available to Members, but not in the committee rooms.

Following discussion, Cabinet agreed that the implementation of paperless meetings should begin with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Report of the Resources Portfolio Holder and Head of Finance (s.151 Officer)

The Resources Portfolio Holder and Head of Finance (S151 Officer) submitted a report seeking confirmation of the Revenue Budget, Council Tax, Revised Capital Budget 2017/18 and Capital Programme 2018/19 onwards.

Decision taken

1.  Cabinet approved

1. The Revised Revenue Budget for the year 2017/18 and the Revenue Budget for 2018/19.

2. For the purpose of proposing an indicative Council Tax for 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22, taking into account the Medium Term Financial Plan at Appendix 2 which reflects an increase of 2.99% each year, any increase will remain within the principles determined by the Government as part of the legislation relating to Local Referendums allowing the veto of excessive Council Tax increases.

3. Members’ continuing commitment to the approach being taken regarding the efficiency savings, detailed within the Council’s ‘Annual Efficiency Statement’ at Appendix 1 of the report.

4. Any increases in the base level of expenditure and further additional expenditure arising during 2018/19 should be financed from existing budgets or specified compensatory savings, in accordance with the Financial Regulations and Financial Procedure Rules.

5. The use of all other Reserves and Balances as indicated in Appendices 4 and 5 of the report.

6. The manpower estimates for 2018/19.

7. In accordance with the requirements of the Prudential Code for Capital Finance, those indicators included at Appendix 7 of the report.

8. The Revised Capital Budget for 2017/18 and the Capital Programme for 2018/19 onwards.

2.   Cabinet noted that, in accordance with the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, as agreed by Council at their meeting of 24 February 2005:

1. The amount of 36,270.29 had been calculated as the 2018/19 Council Tax Base for the whole area [(Item T in the formula in Section 31B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)]; and

2. A Council Tax Base, for dwellings in those parts of its area to which a Parish precept relates, had been calculated as indicated below.

3.  Cabinet affirmed that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purposes for 2018/19 (excluding Parish precepts) be £7,034,260.

4.  Cabinet agreed to the calculation of the following amounts for the year 2018/19 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Act: