THE “CALL IN”PERIOD FOR THESE DECISIONS EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON THURSDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2002. NONE OF THE DECISIONS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE.
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON TUESDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM
Present :
Mrs S A Smart (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr E Fox, Mr P G Harris, Mr D J Knowles, Mrs R G Mazillius, Mr H Rees, Mrs J L Wareham
Apologies :
Mrs M A Jarman, Mrs B Lawson
Also Present Non-Voting :
Mr A C Bartlett, Mr J A Bowker, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr C H Lillywhite
99. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 3 September 2002 be confirmed.
100. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Mr D J Knowles declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in Minute No 102 - Respite Care Home for Children with a Disability, as a Care Home Owner.
101. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Questions were put to the Chairman as follows:
Mr Jupe, 1 Briar Cottages, Brook, Isle of Wight asked a question relating to the stabilisation of the Military Road, Freshwater (PQ84/02)
Mr Jupe then presented the Portfolio Holder for Transport with a survey conducted of 180 local residents regarding action in the reinforcement of the Military Road, Freshwater.
Mr R Mullins of 45 Fletchers Close, Bromley, Kent asked a question relating to the Fairway Park, The Fairway, Lake (PQ 85/02)
A copy of the questions and replies given are contained in the Public Question Register.
102. RESPITE CARE HOME FOR CHILDREN WITH A DISABILITY
The Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing referred to the project to build a new residential respite care home for children with a disability. This would replace the current facility at Cowes, which was owned and operated by the Isle of Wight Healthcare Trust. At an earlier meeting of the Executive, on 23 April 2002, approval had been granted of the proposed approach to deal with a number of legal constraints which had been identified, in accordance with Section 22 of the Local Authorities (Capital Finance) Regulations. Since that time work had been undertaken in a number of areas to advance matters. The total cost of the scheme was now estimated to be £1.33m. A capital finance bid under the Joint Investment Plan for Learning Disability had been successful in obtaining a grant allocation of £250,000 which would increase the resources available or committed to £922,125. Members were reminded that the scheme assumed the involvement of a private sector partner in achieving the necessary capital investment. The final structure of the funding, therefore, would be dependant on agreement of the proposed financial terms during detailed negotiations in the procurement of a suitable developer.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the report be noted and the continuation of the process, in accordance with Section 22 of the Local Authorities (Capital Finance) Regulations, be endorsed;
(ii) THAT the proposal, in terms of the procurement of a suitable developer and the proposed capital funding arrangement, be endorsed;
(iii) THAT a further report be presented to the Executive in November setting out the detailed contract arrangements.
103. FINAL ACCOUNTS 2001- 2002
The Executive gave consideration to the Council’s Statement of Final Accounts for 2001 - 2002, which also included a background to the various accounts detailed. Members were reminded that the indicative figures had been considered at the meeting on 30 July 2002. A number of minor adjustments had since been made in order to optimise the Councils financial resources and the Consolidated Revenue Account now showed a net revenue underspend of £124,466 which had been transferred to balances. Overall the General Fund, at the year end, at £2,485,000 was £683,000 higher that originally estimated. The position on the Capital Accounts remained unchanged.
The Portfolio Holder reported that the audit of accounts was scheduled to commence on 14 October 2002 and the District Auditors’ report was expected to be formally issued by 31 December 2002.
Discussion ensued with regard to the Council’s Pension Fund stock holding and to the action taken to protect the pension fund from the vagaries of the stock market. It was proposed that the Investment Panel be requested to re examine the Council’s portfolio, in the light of the specific concerns raised and to report back to a future meeting.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Investment Panel be requested to consider the specific concerns raised with regard to the Council’s Pension Fund and to report back to a future meeting of the Executive.
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL :
THAT the Statement of Accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2002 be approved.
104. PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR TRANSPORT
(a) Decriminalised Parking Enforcement
The Portfolio Holder introduced the study, prepared by consultants, RTA Associates Ltd which outlined the feasibility of Decriminalised Parking Enforcement on the Isle of Wight. A presentation by the consultants had been received by the Environment and Transport Select Committee in November 2000 and when the Select Committee re-examined the issue, in April this year, the proposal had been recommended for approval. Members noted that since the Consultant’s report had been written the Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) value had been increased to £60. The scheme should, therefore, recover set up costs and provide an operating surplus after 3 years of between £101,713 and £316,650 per annum, depending upon the assumptions detailed. The sum of £550,000 sufficient to cover the capital set up costs over the three-year period 2002//3/4, had been included in the Local Transport Plan submission.
It was stressed that the proposal should be viewed as an effective traffic management strategy which should ensure that parking controls would be enforced as the Council decided, particularly those such as resident parking schemes. Members noted that to acquire the necessary powers the Council would have to formally apply to the Department of Transport for a Designation Order. Once formal approval had been given the Council would then be committed to undertake the responsibilities of the majority of parking related offences.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT it be agreed that the necessary work should be undertaken to facilitate the submission of a formal application to the Department for Transport for a Designation Order, which would decriminalise parking enforcement across the whole of the Isle of Wight;
(ii) THAT a further report be presented to the Executive prior to any formal application being made to the Department of Transport.
(b) Military Road - Stabilisation of Afton Down and the Realignment of Carriageway at Shippards Chine
The Portfolio Holder reported on the background to the current situation with regard to proposals for the stabilisation of Afton Down and the realignment of Shippards Chine, Military Road, Freshwater. Following completion of the tendering exercise AMEC had been appointed as the preferred contractor. Subsequent negotiations had since taken place to discuss the way forward and to endeavour to reduce the original tender figure for the proposed works. Following a series of trials to assess the suitability of the ground and tests on a variant method of ground anchorage, the Council’s consultants High Point Rendel now proposed an alternative design, which included the proposals put forward by AMEC, to enable the works to be undertaken in a more efficient and cost effective way. The estimate, however, did not include for a number of possible risk items which were currently the subject of discussion, in order to clarify their impact on the final costs of the works. In addition, details of further savings which could be accrued with regard to the proposed realignment of the Military Road at Shippards Chine were also reported.
In order to reduce the potential risks it was imperative for the stabilisation element of the works to be undertaken as soon as practically possible. Costs of the work undertaken to date had reduced the remaining 2002/03 capital budget provision to £1,775,000 leaving a shortfall of £1,225,000 which could increase due to possible additional costs for items of risk. This comprised of £625,000 shortfall on the stabilisation works plus £600,000 for the carriageway realignment at Shippards Chine. The two local members expressed their support for the proposals.
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL :
THAT an allocation of £1,225,000 be agreed as a first call from the 2003 - 2004 Highway Capital Budget, to allow for the Afton Down works to start as early as practical.
105. PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR RESOURCES
(a) Treasury Management 2001 - 2002
The Portfolio Holder highlighted a number of features of Treasury Management Activities, for the year ending 31 March 2002, which had been undertaken by the Director of Finance and Information in accordance with the Code of Practice for Treasury Management.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
(b) Replacement Computer System for Local Land Charges
Members gave consideration to the request that Standing Orders as to Contracts be waived with respect to the purchase of a replacement computer system at an estimated cost of £65,450, with an annual maintenance cost of £5,000 from ESRI (UK) Ltd for Local Land Charges. The background to the issue was explained together with details of the proposal to replace the existing LLC computer system with their new product TLC. Once negotiations with ESRI (UK) Ltd had been completed, a full business case would then need to be approved by the Project Board prior to completion of the contract. Members requested that a brief resume outlining the advantages of the proposed system and the reasons which necessitated the change in the computer system be circulated via the Bulletin.
RESOLVED :
THAT Standing Orders to Contracts 2.8 be waived and contract negotiations with ESRI (UK) Ltd be entered into for the replacement of the existing LLC computer system with their new product, TLC, subject to the approval of a full business case by the Project Board, in compliance with Best Value principles, prior to completion of the contract.
106. REVISED ADMISSION POLICY FOR ISLAND SPECIAL SCHOOLS
Mrs J Wareham declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in the following item of business.
As a consequence of the forthcoming re-organisation of Medina House and Watergate Special Schools, scheduled to take effect from September 2003, the Portfolio Holder presented the new ‘Admissions Policy for Island Special Schools’. The policy, produced following consultations with the Planning Group for Special Schools Re-organisation and both schools’ governing bodies, recognised the changes to age ranges and to the spectrum of special needs for which the schools would cater.
RESOLVED :
THAT the new Admissions Policy for Isle of Wight Special Schools be adopted.
107. FORWARD PLAN
In order to update the Executive, each Portfolio Holder was invited to provide an oral summary of the current work undertaken within their remit and to identify items due to be reported in the near future to the Executive.
The Portfolio Holder for Fire and Public Safety, on behalf of the Executive, wished to record his thanks to those staff in the Emergency Planning department, the Fire and Rescue Service and the Engineering Services department who had been involved in the clear up operation following the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding on 9 September 2002.
RESOLVED :
THAT the reports be noted.
108. MEMBERS QUESTION TIME
A question was put to the Chairman as follows:
Mr R G Mazillius in relation to savings which could be made by reducing the number of daily newspapers provided in the members lounge (MQ68/02)
CHAIRMAN