THE “CALL IN”PERIOD FOR THESE DECISIONS EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON THURSDAY, 25 JULY 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, 16 JULY 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

 

Present :

 

Mrs S A Smart (Chairman), Mr R R Barry, Mr E Fox, Mr P G Harris, Mrs M A Jarman, Mr D J Knowles, Mrs B Lawson, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr H Rees, Mrs J L Wareham

 

Also present non-voting :

 

Mr J H Fleming, Mrs D Gardiner, Mr P D Joyce, Mr A J Mundy, Mr A A Taylor, Mr D T Yates

 

 

 


59.              MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 2 July 2002 be confirmed.

 

60.              DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

There were no declarations received at this stage.

 

61.              DEPUTY LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

 

(a)        Pump Priming Bids – Best Value Reviews 2001/2

 

            The budget for 2002/3 allowed £250,000 to be spent on Best Value service improvements that required pump-priming money for one year.  These improvements had been identified through the Best Value Review process and had met the criteria approved by the Directors Group.  The Deputy Leader informed members that the pump primping bid for Youth Services had not met the criteria and the monies identified for that item would now be added to the bid from the Economic Development Unit.

 

            RESOLVED :

 

            THAT the following list of pump priming bids be approved;

 

           

Service

Pump-Priming Project

Amount - £ (000)

Economic Development Unit

External Fund Finder

40

Community Fire Safety

Fire Prevention Demo Unit

13

Environmental Health

Reception Area at St Nicholas House

10

Leisure Services

Extension to One Card for Young People

50

Community Care Services

Project Management + Store Manager

40

Fire Service Procurement

Equipment Management Software

 4

Children SEN

Project Officer

51

Fire Service Procurement

Replace Stores ICT Software

  7

Economic Development Unit

Central Research Unit One Post – One of two people transferred from IWEP

30

Community Fire Safety

Fire Safety Livery

  5

 

 

 

Total for Approval

 

250

 

           

(b)        The Best Value Performance Plan 2001/02

 

The Best Value Performance Plan 2001-2 had been published on the 28 June 2002.  The document set out the Council’s performance for 2001/2 against national and local indicators, set targets for the future and showed how improvements would be made.

 

            RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL:

 

                        THAT the Council’s Best Performance Plan 2001/2 be adopted

 

62.              PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR RESOURCES

 

(a)        Capital Strategy and Asset Management Plan

 

            Members were informed that the Authority was required to produce and submit to the Government a capital strategy and asset management plan. This was due to be submitted by the end of July 2002. The Government would assess these with a financial reward for a good or satisfactory grading.  The guidance for this year had altered slightly to reflect movement between primary and secondary requirements with a stronger focus on performance and outcome of the asset management and capital planning process.  Each document would be scored separately and there was potentially a maximum of £100,000 of capital allocations that could be earned.

 

            RESOLVED :

 

THAT the draft capital strategy and asset management plans be approved for submission.

 

(b)        Capital Programme and Asset Management – Acquisition and Disposal of Assets

 

            Consideration was given to the proposal by the Portfolio Holder for Resources to begin using the delegated powers procedure in the Council's constitution, as agreed by the Council in April 2002, to buy and sell property where those decisions were in accordance with Council policy.  The use of this delegated power would relate to property required for highway or school improvements, to extend existing assets that were in existing policy and for the sale of surplus non-operational assets.  Details were given of the procedure that would be followed when a portfolio holder wished to exercise their delegated authority.  The Strategic Director confirmed that the call in period would apply to decisions made under delegated authority and the decisions would be subject to the same consultation procedure as decisions made by the Executive.

           

            RESOLVED :

 

THAT this approach be endorsed for all future property transactions for `the following categories:

 

(i)                    Highway and school improvement

(ii)                  The disposal of surplus non-operational assets; and

(iii)                 Where an opportunity arises to extend existing asset where falls within existing policy

 

63.              CAPITAL STRATEGY: PROPOSED TRANSFER OF PROCUREMENT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTIONLINE

 

(Mr A J Mundy declared a personal interest due to a possible family connection)

 

(Mr P Joyce declared a personal and prejudicial interest as a director of F W Marsh Ltd and left the room for this item)

 

The Executive considered the replacement of the Council’s existing selective tender lists for building and civil engineering consultants and contractors with a scheme called Constructionline, a nationwide register of qualified construction services, that was managed and maintained by the Government.  As part of the Modernising Agenda the use of Constructionline had been promoted by the Government under the ‘Rethinking Construction’ agenda and Best Value initiatives.  Constructionline was designed to streamline the pre-qualification and procurement procedures by supplying the construction industry and its clients with a single national qualification system.  The Portfolio Holder outlined the benefits of Constructionline and advised members that it was currently a free service to the Council and would save approximately £12,000 per year in maintaining in-house selective tender lists for consultants and contractors.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Council move to using Constructionline for the procurement of building and civil engineering services for the Council’s Capital programme.

 

64.              FAIRWAY PARK, THE FAIRWAY, LAKE PARISH, ISLE OF WIGHT

 

The Leader informed members that further consultation with Lake Parish Council and the Council’s legal department were required before a decision could be made.

 

RESOLVED :

 

            THAT the matter be deferred to the next meeting of the Executive

 

65.              URBAN CAPACITY AND THE MANAGED RELEASE OF HOUSING SITES

 

As part of the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) review, an Urban Capacity Study had been undertaken to assess the potential of the settlements on the Island to accommodate new development. Members recognised the importance of providing affordable housing. The Executive considered the Consultation Draft Urban Capacity Study and the Consultation Draft Phasing Report so that these documents could go out to public consultation, with the view to adoption as Supplementary Planning Guidance.  The Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee on 24 June 2002 had considered the Studies. The results of the consultation would be brought back to the Executive for consideration during October 2002.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Consultation Drafts of the Urban Capacity Study and Phasing Report be approved for public consultation with a view to eventual adoption as Supplementary Planning Guidance

 

66.              RURAL BUS SUBSIDY GRANT

 

Members were reminded that the award of contracts for the provision for local bus services subsidised by the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant had been deferred from the last meeting of the Executive. This was to allow for further negotiations to take place in respect of the combination bid received from Southern Vectis.

 

The Portfolio Holder updated members as to the progress of negotiations in respect of the content of the combination bid and the modification of some routes and timings. No agreement had been reached regarding the reduction of the length of tender period although some changes to routes, in particular the Nettlestone to St Helens service had been agreed.

 

RESOLVED :

                                                                         

THAT the Southern Vectis Group Tender combination bid for a two year period at a cost of £142,000 in 2002/03 and £167,000 in 2003/04 be accepted.

 

67.              FORWARD PLAN

 

In order to update the Executive, each Portfolio Holder gave an oral summary of the current work being undertaken within their remit and identified items due to be reported in the near future to the Executive

 

68.              MEMBERS’ QUESTION TIME

 

Questions were put to the Chairman as follows :

 

Mr Bartlett asked a question in relation funding for Undercliffe Drive (MQ46/02)

 

The Leader asked a question on behalf of Mr Mazillius relating to the pension fund. (MQ47/02)

 

Copies of the questions and replies given are contained in the Members' Question Register.

 

 

 

 

CHAIRMAN