Agenda item

The Cabinet is requested to consider the report and make the following resolutions:

(a)   that the recommendations and comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 30 June 2020 be considered;

(b)   that the serious impact Covid 19 has had on the Council’s finances be noted and taken into account when considering this report;

(c)   that the Governance arrangements as set out in appendix 6 be approved and;

(d)   that progress on the Recovery Action Plans and Future Services Framework be reported to the Cabinet every 6 months

The Cabinet is also requested to recommend to Council:

(a)  the Covid 19 Recovery Action Plans for the four thematic areas as set out in appendices 1-4;

(b)  the future services framework as set out in appendix 5;

(c) the following policy options:

(i)           to forego the Homefinder’s fee at a cost of £20k pa;

(ii)          to contribute £20k towards an economic impact study for Novium, CFT and PHG. To be funded from reserves;

(iii)        to increase the current level of support for Visit Chichester by £100k per year in years 2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23  and provide new support of £130k per year in 2023/24 & 2024/25, and that delegated powers is given to the Director for Growth and Place to approve a new Service Level Agreement with Visit Chichester following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration;

(iv)        to create a new grants fund of £500k. To include £250k for a Community Recovery Grants Fund and £250k for an Economic Recovery Grants Fund, and that delegated powers are given to the Director of Housing & Communities and the Director of Growth and Place to approve criteria for the grants following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration respectively. To be funded by reducing the sum allocated for parish NHB grants by an equivalent amount.

RESOLVED

a)           that the recommendations and comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 30 June 2020 be considered;

b)           that the serious impact Covid -19 has had on the Council’s finances be noted and taken into account when considering this report;

c)           that the Governance arrangements as set out in appendix 6 be approved and;

d)           that progress on the Recovery Action Plans and Future Services Framework be reported to the Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Committee every 3 months.

*RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

(a)  the Covid 19 Recovery Action Plans for the four thematic areas as set out in appendices 1-4 as amended;

(b)  the future services framework as set out in appendix 5;

(c) the following policy options:

(i)           to forego the Homefinder’s fee at a cost of £20k pa;

(ii)          to contribute up to £20k towards an economic impact study for Novium, CFT and PHG. To be funded from reserves;

(iii)        to increase the current level of support for Visit Chichester by £100k per year in years 2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23  and provide new support of £130k per year in 2023/24 & 2024/25, and that delegated powers is given to the Director for Growth and Place to approve a new Service Level Agreement with Visit Chichester following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration;

(iv)        to create a new grants fund of £500k. To include £250k for a Community Recovery Grants Fund and £250k for an Economic Recovery Grants Fund, and that delegated powers are given to the Director of Housing & Communities and the Director of Growth and Place to approve criteria for the grants following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration respectively. To be funded by reducing the sum allocated for parish NHB grants by an equivalent amount.

The Chair introduced the item and then invited each Cabinet member to discuss the recovery teams they would be leading on.

Cllr Moss was then invited to outline the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which were as follows:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

(i)            Supports the development of the Covid 19 Recovery Action Plans for the four thematic areas as set out in appendices 1-4;

(ii)          Supports the policy options as set out in paragraph 6.4;

(iii)         Endorses the future services framework as set out in appendix 5;

(iv)         Endorses the governance arrangements as set out in appendix 6; and;

(v)          Requests that progress on the Recovery Action Plans and Future Services Framework be reported to the Committee every 3 months.

Cllr Oakley was then invited to speak. His questions related to the scope for instructing consultants at a cost of £20,000 to undertake an economic impacy assessment, the rationale of maintaining a New Homes Bonus grants fund for parish allocations and horticulture in relation to the Tangmere Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). Mrs Hotchkiss explained that consultants would be required as the council will be asked to provide Economic Impact and Social Impact studies in order to apply for future external funding grants. Mrs Shepherd advised that as the New Homes Bonus parish allocation scheme commenced in January 2020 and parish council’s had already committed time and resource to the application process so it would not be appropriate to remove the scheme this year. Mrs Rudziak added that it would be timely to consider any future changes to the Scheme in October/November in order to allow parish council’s time to adjust their precepts if required. With regards to the Tangmere CPO Mr Frost advised that the Recovery Plan should remain high level with reference to horticulture needs and future policies rather than detail specific locations.

The Chair then took two votes. The first on the resolutions to be made by Cabinet and the second on the recommendations to be made to Council. Both votes were carried with the Cabinet making the following resolutions and recommendations to Council:

RESOLVED

a)           that the recommendations and comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 30 June 2020 be considered;

b)           that the serious impact Covid -19 has had on the Council’s finances be noted and taken into account when considering this report;

c)           that the Governance arrangements as set out in appendix 6 be approved and;

d)           that progress on the Recovery Action Plans and Future Services Framework be reported to the Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Committee every 3 months.

*RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

(a)  the Covid 19 Recovery Action Plans for the four thematic areas as set out in appendices 1-4 as amended;

(b)  the future services framework as set out in appendix 5;

(c) the following policy options:

(i)           to forego the Homefinder’s fee at a cost of £20k pa;

(ii)          to contribute up to £20k towards an economic impact study for Novium, CFT and PHG. To be funded from reserves;

(iii)        to increase the current level of support for Visit Chichester by £100k per year in years 2020/21, 2021/22 & 2022/23  and provide new support of £130k per year in 2023/24 & 2024/25, and that delegated powers is given to the Director for Growth and Place to approve a new Service Level Agreement with Visit Chichester following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration;

(iv)        to create a new grants fund of £500k. To include £250k for a Community Recovery Grants Fund and £250k for an Economic Recovery Grants Fund, and that delegated powers are given to the Director of Housing & Communities and the Director of Growth and Place to approve criteria for the grants following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration respectively. To be funded by reducing the sum allocated for parish NHB grants by an equivalent amount.