Agenda

Venue: TBC

Contact: Karon Hadfield 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 216 KB

To agree that the minutes of Cabinet held on 7 September 2021 be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair

3.

DISCLOSURE OF MEMBERS' INTERESTS

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required to disclose any personal interest (which includes any disclosable pecuniary interest) they may have in any of the items included on the agenda for the meeting in accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council on 4 July 2012, and are reminded that if they have any personal interests of a prejudicial nature (as defined under paragraph 17 of the Code Conduct) they must not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room. NB Any member needing clarification must contact monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

4.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE pdf icon PDF 214 KB

Proposal to Amalgamate Seaton Sluice Middle School and Whytrig Middle School

 

This report sets out the request of the Governing Body of the Seaton Valley Federation to the Council to carry out informal consultation on a proposal to amalgamate Seaton Sluice Middle School and Whytrig Middle School on the current Whytrig and Astley Community High School site in Seaton Delaval or alternative site, should one be identified as part of the site option appraisal.  This proposal has arisen in the light of the capital project to reprovide new buildings for Astley and Whytrig Middle School on their current site, these two schools already being co-located on the high school’s site in Seaton Delaval.  Although the initial project was limited to the reprovision of new buildings for Astley and Whytrig, in the course of planning this project the federated Governing Body has identified a number of significant educational and financial benefits for all students within the Seaton Valley Federation to be co-located on one site in new buildings, and these are included in this report. 

 

Furthermore, the proposal would require the expansion of the capacity of the planned new buildings for  Whytrig in order to accommodate students relocated from Seaton Sluice and this would be included within the informal consultation.  Therefore, the report also notes that Cabinet may be requested to permit the publication of a statutory proposal in line with the requirements of The School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013 and The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 following the outcomes of informal consultation at a future date (Appendix A).

Additional documents:

5.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Proposals for Atkinson House

 

This report sets out proposals for Atkinson House Special School in Seghill, a secondary provision for boys with Social, Emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs in Northumberland which are to relocate the school to a new site at the former Richard Coates CE Primary School building in Ponteland and at the same time to change the designation of the school from single sex provision to co-educational provision in light of the growing number of girls who are being assessed as having SEMH needs in Northumberland.  The proposals would be with effect from 1 September 2022. 

 

The nature of these proposals require that a statutory process would need to be undertaken prior to any final decision being made by Cabinet.  Cabinet is therefore also asked to permit the initiation of the statutory process, beginning with approval for a six week informal public consultation process.  Cabinet may be requested to permit the publication of a Statutory Proposal in relation to these proposals at a future date following the outcome of consultation (Appendix B).

Additional documents:

6.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE pdf icon PDF 99 KB

School Organisation Plan 2021-2024

 

This report asks Cabinet and FACS to note the second iteration of the School Organisation Plan 2021-2024 for Northumberland, the first iteration being for 2018-2021.  The report also asks Cabinet to approve the circulation of the plan to schools and academies for information and feedback prior to its subsequent publication.

 

This latest version of the plan covers the period 2021 to 2024, but it will be subject to annual update in order to capture changing information or circumstances relating to schools and academies as appropriate (Appendix C).

Additional documents:

7.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE pdf icon PDF 101 KB

Update of the Education Infrastructure Contribution Policy

 

The Council’s Education Infrastructure Contribution Policy was approved for implementation by Cabinet in December 2017.  Cabinet is now asked to approve an update to the policy specifically in order to approve an increase in the requested contribution towards SEND provision in the county reflect the increased number of young people in the County requiring specialist provision (Appendix D). 

 

Additional documents:

8.

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Integrated Domestic Abuse Services for Northumberland – Permission to Tender

 

The purpose of this report is to seek permission from Execs to go to the market to commission a range of services to provide an Integrated Domestic Abuse Service for Northumberland which will allow the Council to meet its statutory duties.  The length of contracts will be 2 years, with an option to extend for a further 2 years (Appendix E).

 

Additional documents:

9.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND S151 OFFICER pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Council Tax Support Scheme 2022-23

 

The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2022-23 to continue to provide support at a maximum level of 92% of council tax liability (Appendix F).

Additional documents:

10.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REGENERATION pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Establishing a Culture and Creative Zone

 

To outline the opportunity presented by the North of Tyne Culture and Creative Zone prospectus and agree the pilot approach to be adopted in Northumberland to maximise this opportunity (Appendix G).

11.

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE pdf icon PDF 253 KB

Thirston Neighbourhood Plan

 

To seek approval to formally ‘make’ the Thirston Neighbourhood Plan. The Plan passed independent examination in June 2021. A local referendum held in the Parish of Thirston on 16 September 2021 returned a majority vote in favour of using the Plan to make decisions on planning applications. The Council is now obliged by statute to make the Neighbourhood Plan unless it considers that doing so would breach European Union obligations (Appendix H).

Additional documents:

12.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND S151 OFFICER pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Summary of New Capital Proposals considered by Officer Capital Strategy Group

 

The following report summarises proposed amendments to the Capital Programme considered by the officer Capital Strategy Group via email on 6 September 2021 (Appendix I).

13.

URGENT BUSINESS

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chair, should, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

PART II

It is expected that matters included in this part of the Agenda will be dealt with in private.  Reports referred to are enclosed for members and officers only, coloured pink and marked "Not for Publication".

14.

EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

The Committee is invited to consider passing the following resolution:

 

(a)    That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the Agenda as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Act, and

 

(b)    That the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure for the following reasons:-

 

Agenda Items          Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

 

11 (1-3)

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).   

 

AND 

The public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure public interest in disclosure because for item 11(1), disclosure would adversely affect commercial confidentiality requirements and hence the Authority’s ability to conduct its affairs, and for items 11(2-3), the information can be considered to be commercially sensitive. 

 

 

 

12 (1-2)

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).   

 

AND

The public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure because for 12(1) disclosure would prejudice the partners’ in the Energy Central Campus’s (as set out in the report) ability to negotiate with partners and give its competitors a commercial advantage, and for 12(2) disclosure would prejudice Advance Northumberland’s ability to negotiate with partners and give its competitors a commercial advantage. 

 

                               

15.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND S151 OFFICER

Newcastle Airport – Shareholder Loan Guarantee

 

The purpose of the report is to consider the provision of a loan facility to Newcastle International Airport Limited (NIAL) (Appendix J).

 

16.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND S151 OFFICER

Disposal of Land, West of Choppington Road, Bedlington

 

To seek approval to terms for the disposal of development land, west of Choppington Road in Bedlington (Appendix K).

 

17.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND S151 OFFICER

Summary of New Capital Proposals considered by Officer Capital Strategy Group

 

The report summarises proposed amendments to the Capital Programme considered by the officer Capital Strategy Group via email on 6 September 2021 (Appendix L). 

 

18.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REGENERATION

Energising Blyth Programme - Energy Central Campus Update

 

To update Cabinet regarding the development of the Energy Central Campus, one of the flagship projects in the Energising Blyth Programme supported by the Governments Towns Fund including the Future High Streets Fund and Town Deal (Appendix M).

19.

REPORT OF THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF REGENERATION

Shareholder agreement for disposal of Northumberland Energy Park 1 (NEP1) at East Sleekburn

 

This report seeks Cabinet’s agreement to allow Advance Northumberland to lease a site at Northumberland Energy Park (NEP1).  It also seeks agreement to allow Advance Northumberland to sell the site to the company, and to grant them a “call option” which would enable them to acquire an extension to the site subject to certain conditions being met (Appendix N).