Agenda and decisions

Councillors Renner Thompson and Watson

Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 30 May 2023, as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 30 May 2023, as circulated, be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required where a matter arises at a meeting;

a.         Which directly relates to Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter.

b.         Which directly relates to the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not remain the room.

c.         Which directly relates to their financial interest or well-being (and is not DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room.

d.         Which affects the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting.

e.         Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it.

NB Any member needing clarification must contact monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full. Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

Loan to Northumberland Community Bank

The report provides details of a potential loan facility to Northumberland Community Bank (NCB) of £50,000 towards the capital reserve (Appendix A).

Loan to Northumberland Community Bank

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve a loan facility of £50,000 to Northumberland Community Bank subject to the following:

·       NCB agreeing to the proposed terms and conditions;

·       NCC’s Legal Team completing a legal agreement with NCB in advance of any loan drawdown by NCB, containing the terms and conditions set out within this report; and

·       Subsidy Control implications being investigated and satisfied. 

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 (CSG) via email on 3 May 2023 (Appendix B).

Summary of New Capital Proposals considered by Officer Capital Strategy Group

RESOLVED that:-

2.1 Capita One EMS System Modules:

Cabinet approve the reallocation of £19,920 in 2023-24 from Craster Mast project to Capita One in relation to securing additional modules for the Capital One EMS system (Children’s Services Education Management System) incorporated within the contract renewal for ongoing licencing, support and maintenance.

2.2      County Hall Solar PV Carport:

Cabinet approve an increase in the County Hall Solar PV Carport Project budget of £423,000 funded by an additional contribution from the European Regional Development Fund.?

2.3      Great Northumberland Forest – Storm Arwen Restoration:

Cabinet approve the inclusion of an additional £1.500 million from the national Nature for Climate Fund within the capital programme for the Great Northumberland Forest.

2.4      New Hartley First School Classroom Modifications:

Cabinet approve the reprofiling and reallocation of Devolved Formula Capital (£14,267) and Energy Efficiency (£12,913) capital budgets to fund the increased capital requirement for classroom modifications at New Hartley First School.?

2.5      Energising Blyth Energy Central Campus Phase 1- Learning Hub:

Cabinet approve the allocation from the Energising Blyth Acquisitions and Deliveries budget within the MTFP for the acquisition and construction works costs at the Commissioner’s Quay Carpark (£0.555m) in 2023-24 in order to maintain a realistic contingency in the original Energy Central Learning Hub budget.?

2.6      Prudhoe Waterworld Improvement Scheme:

Cabinet approve an allocation of £1.500 million (£0.250 million in 2023-24 and £1.250 million in 2024-25) from the Capital Contract Price Inflation contingency budget within the MTFP for improvements at Prudhoe Waterworld.

Enhanced Pothole Repair Invest to Save Trial

To seek approval to undertake an ‘invest to save’ trial of first-time patch repair of a proportion of actionable carriageway pothole defects, to quantify the costs and benefits associated with this alternative approach to one of the main revenue funded highway maintenance activities undertaken by the Council (Appendix C).

Enhanced Pothole Repair Invest to Save Trial

RESOLVED that:-

(a)  Cabinet approve the commencement of a 3-month ‘invest to save’ trial of first-time patch repair of a proportion of actionable carriageway pothole defects in the North and Tynedale Local Area Committee areas of the County; and

(b)  Cabinet approve the allocation of £492,600 in revenue funds from the severe weather reserve to fund the pilot scheme.

Ashington Regeneration Programme Establishment

To update Cabinet regarding the establishment, development and delivery of the £30m Ashington Regeneration Programme, which will have a catalytic impact on the town’s economy and drive forward the implementation of the Ashington Town Investment Plan. 

This report also seeks approval for the strategic acquisition of the Woodhorn Road site and the Wansbeck Square site from Advance Northumberland (Commercial) Limited to create the required development platform to enable implementation of the Ashington Regeneration Programme (Appendix D).

Ashington Regeneration Programme Establishment

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet endorse the Ashington Investment Plan as the overarching strategy that will provide the context, vision and aspirations for delivery of the phased Ashington Regeneration Programme;

(b )     Cabinet agree the establishment of the Ashington Regeneration Programme with two initial phases associated with the Ashington High Street Innovation Programme (HSIP) and Town Centre Renewal of Strategic Sites Programme;

(c )     Cabinet approve the associated financial profiles as set out in Appendix 1 whilst: 

·       endorsing the bid submitted to extend the HSIP Programme with a funding ask of £576,898 and acceptance of this additional funding into the Medium Term Financial Plan, if successful

·       approving an initial allocation of £1,000,000 in the Medium Term Financial Plan to be fully funded by the Government to develop plans for Wansbeck Square Strategic Site 

·       approving an initial grant allocation of £600,000 in the Medium Term Financial Plan to be fully funded by the Government to develop plans for Portland Park Strategic Site

·       authorising the Executive Director for Place and Regeneration to enter into contracts up to the value of £1.6m for the development of the strategic sites and delivery of public realm capital works, subject to confirmation of associated funding being in place and the appropriate procurement processes being followed;

(d )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Place and Regeneration, in consultation with the s151 Officer, to purchase the Woodhorn Road site, at a value up to a maximum of £210,000 from funding already allocated in the Medium Term Financial Plan;

(e )     Cabinet approve the acquisition of the Wansbeck Square site, and delegate authority to the Executive Director for Place and Regeneration, in consultation with the S151 Officer, to acquire the Wansbeck Square site at a value up to a maximum of £1,365,000 with funding from the Strategic Regeneration Projects budget within the Capital Programme; and

(f )      Cabinet agree the associated programme management and assurance arrangements to support the programme’s delivery as set out in the report.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Update and Northumberland Delivery

To provide an update on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme and the UKSPF funded projects secured by Northumberland County Council to support levelling-up activity across the County (Appendix E).

UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Update and Northumberland Delivery

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet endorse the progress and content of the UKSPF Investment `and Delivery Plans for the North of Tyne Area;

(b )     Cabinet welcome and endorse the Northumberland County Council-led UKSPF funded projects, described in this report and summarised in table 1, which secures over £7.085m to deliver a range of levelling-up activities and support for Northumberland’s businesses and residents over 2022 – 2025; and

(c )     Cabinet endorse the Inclusive Economy Community Partnership project, which, working with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), will build capacity and deliver activities in support of the inclusive economy, focused in our most deprived communities and, if successful, accept £0.4m capital and1.15m revenue funding into the Medium-Term Financial Plan, as set out in paragraph 19 and annex A.

Nominations to Outside Bodies

To agree Cabinet’s nominations to outside bodies detailed in Appendix F.

Nominations to Outside Bodies

RESOLVED that the nominations detailed in the appendix be agreed, subject to it being noted that the position with Advance Northumberland was in transition and would change over the next few months, and that a replacement nomination was required for Councillor Pattison on Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Governing Body. Name to be confirmed.

To note the following delegated decisions (Appendix G):-

(1 )     Decision Taken by the Executive Director for Resources & Transformation (S151): Energising Blyth Energy Central Campus Phase 1 - Learning Hub:

Project Virement

(2 )     Decision Taken by the Executive Director, Regeneration & Place: Energising Blyth Energy Central Campus Phase 1 - Learning Hub: Contract Award

RESOLVED that the following delegated decisions be noted:-

(1 )     Decision Taken by the Executive Director for Resources & Transformation (S151): Energising Blyth Energy Central Campus Phase 1 - Learning Hub: Project Virement

(2 )     Decision Taken by the Executive Director, Regeneration & Place: Energising Blyth Energy Central Campus Phase 1 - Learning Hub: Contract Award

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.