Agenda and decisions

Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on Tuesday, 8 October 2024 to be confirmed 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; 

1. 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. 

2. 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. 

3. 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. 

4. 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. 

5. 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. 

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Supporting Business and Opportunities and the Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources

The purpose of the report is to provide an update to Cabinet on the potential impact, the next steps to mobilise  the Northumberland Growth and Investment Endowment Fund (GIEF) and to seek approval to establish key programmes of activity.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet note the modelling which demonstrates that the Northumberland Growth and Investment Endowment Fund (GIEF) could result in the creation of over 5,500 direct FTE jobs in Northumberland over 20 years, generate over £860million in the local economy and every £1 of GIEF investment will generate £7.52;

(b )     Cabinet agree to utilise £1.2million of the Capital Allocation Strategic Acquisition Fund, to fund initial land acquisitions;

(c )     Cabinet agree to utilise £1.8million from the Strategic Management Reserve to establish a revenue reserve to support GIEF programme development activities, as set out in paragraph 7.5;

(d )     authority of up to £1.2million be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Director for Transformation and Resources, the Director for Law and Corporate Governance and the Portfolio Holder for Supporting Business?and Opportunities to progress relevant land purchases and enter into relevant agreements as part of the Strategic Site Acquisition Programme;

(e )     Cabinet agree to progress the necessary arrangements to mobilise the development and delivery arrangements for GIEF related programmes and funds to be launched in 2025. This includes:?

A Strategic Employment Site Acquisition and Enablement Programme?

A Business Growth Programme?

A Commercial Property Investment Programme?

(f )      Cabinet agree to receive an update on a GIEF Investment Strategy before May 2025 setting out the objectives, priorities, type of investment and the criteria for accessing investment opportunities;

(g )     Cabinet confirm the Governance arrangements for the fund with Cabinet having decision-making authority, approving a programme level approach for the GIEF and the NCC Programme Board having overall responsibility for effective delivery of the programme; and

(h )     it be noted that any expenditure from the GIEF will be subject to Council approval in February 2025 as part of the budget for 2025/26 and Medium Term Financial Plan.?

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Supporting Business and Opportunities

The purpose of this report is to provide Cabinet members with an update on two active travel schemes that are underway, following a successful bid via what was known as the ‘Levelling Up Fund’ and specifically to approve in principle the use of compulsory purchase powers in respect of the Hexham to Corbridge scheme. A background will be provided for both the ‘Hexham to Corbridge’ corridor ("the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme") and the ‘Bedlington’ corridor ("the Bedlington Scheme") detailing the key issues, the need for change and the anticipated benefits that the schemes will deliver. This report will primarily focus on the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet note progress on each scheme to date, as the detailed design process nears completion;

(b )     Cabinet approve the chosen route alignment for both the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme and the Bedlington Scheme;

(c )     Cabinet note and approve the collective decision taken by the Active Travel Corridors board at the 5th Board Meeting held on 23/05/2024 to develop the CPO process for the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme;

(d )     Cabinet note that if a CPO is required for the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme then a further detailed report will be submitted for Cabinet approval prior to the making of any CPO;

(e )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Director for Transformation & Resources to take all necessary steps to effect the delivery of the project including any changes to detailed design of each scheme as may be required;

(f )      authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Executive Director for Transformation & Resources to acquire all third party interests in land required for the totality of the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme as set out in paragraphs 5.39 to 5.43 of the report including negotiating compensation payable on a deemed compulsory purchase basis;

(g )     Cabinet note the phased approach to each scheme as set out in the report; and

(h )     Cabinet approve in principle the use of compulsory purchase powers under sections 239, 240, 246, 250 and 260 of the Highways Act 1980 to acquire such 3rd party land interests and rights necessary to deliver the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme and that authority be given to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration to progress a Compulsory Purchase Order ("CPO") to deliver the Hexham to Corbridge Scheme in parallel with seeking to acquire such 3rd party rights and interests.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources

This report summarises proposed amendments to the Capital Programme considered by the Capital Strategy Group on 1 October 2024.

Cramlington S106 Highway Improvements

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet note that an overall funding contribution of £0.570 million for highways improvements has been secured via a section 106 agreement from the Cramlington South West Sector development;

(b )     Cabinet approve the spend of £0.141 million for the Cramlington highway improvements in 2024-25. This spend will be funded from S106 funding; and

(c )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the Capital Programme to include £0.141 million in 2024-25 for the project.

Woodhorn Structural Works

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the spend of £1.297 million (£0.417 million in 2024-25 and £0.880 million in 2025-26) to carry out structural restoration works to the heapsteads at Woodhorn Museum. This spend will be funded from the existing Woodhorn Structural Works budget in the capital programme;

(b )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to reprofile the Woodhorn Structural Works project in the capital programme to match the profiling detailed in table 7.11; and

(c )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration to enter into a contract with a construction contractor up to a value of £1.297 million for the structural restoration works and scaffold to the Heapsteads at Woodhorn Museum on the basis that the contract sum is affordable within the budget allocated to the scheme.

Great Northumberland Forest – Additional Funding

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet note the additional grant income of £0.655 million from the Department for Education, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA);

(b )     Cabinet approve the spend of £0.655 million in 2025-26 for planting grants to be awarded. This spend will be externally funded from the DEFRA grant; and

(c )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to include £0.655 million in 2025-26.

Stakeford Depot Rapid Charger Installation

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the spend of £0.120 million in 2024-25 to install three 50kW rapid chargers at Stakeford depot. This spend will be funded from the existing Climate Change Capital Fund budget in the capital programme; and

(b )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to reallocate £0.120 million in 2024-25 from the Climate Change Capital Fund project to the Stakeford depot Rapid Charger Installation project. 

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Replacement

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the spend of £0.112 million for the replacement of 10 public Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Points in 2024-25. This spend will be funded from the existing Climate Change Capital Fund in the capital programme; and

(b )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to reallocate £0.112 million in 2024-25 from the Climate Change Capital Fund project to the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Replacement project. 

Amble HUSK bungalows

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the spend of £2.668 million to redevelop 5 sites of Council owned garages across Amble into bungalows. The spend will be funded from the existing Amble HUSK bungalows project in the capital programme;

(b )     Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to reprofile the  ...  view the full decision text for item 6.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Promoting Healthy Lives

The purpose of this report is to seek Cabinet approval to realign functions between Northumberland County Council and Visit Northumberland Ltd to create efficiencies in the delivery of sustainable visitor economy growth.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )       Cabinet note the contents of the report to realign functions between Northumberland County Council and Visit Northumberland to create efficiencies in the delivery of sustainable visitor economy growth which will take the form of the transfer of the Visit Northumberland team, currently sitting in Visit Northumberland Ltd to Northumberland County Council; 

(b )       authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration together with the Executive Director of Transformation & Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to authorise and enter into:

·       the Transfer Agreement to affect the transfer of staff to enable the delivery of sustainable visitor economy growth activity from Visit Northumberland Ltd to Northumberland County Council, to implement the operational and legal aspects of the transfer;

·       a refreshed Partnership Agreement which will set out NCC and Visit Northumberland Ltd responsibilities regarding the Local Visitor Economy Partnership;

·       such other agreements as may be required to implement the operational and legal aspects of the transfer including, but not limited to, in relation to TUPE transfers and novation of relevant licences and contracts whilst maintaining delivery of marketing and engagement functions of Visit Northumberland Ltd; and

(c )       authority be delegated, subject to finalisation of the Transfer Agreement, to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration together with the Executive Director of Transformation & Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to approve the financial resources required to implement the transfer of the delivery of sustainable visitor economy growth function from Visit Northumberland Ltd set out in the report. The additional staff costs will be funded from ceasing the £130,000 annual partnership agreement contribution to Visit Northumberland Ltd from 1 December 2024, reorganisation of vacant roles within the Tourism Service and from existing tourism budgets as set out in the table at 6.14 in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment

The purpose of this report is to inform the Cabinet of the government requirement to provide all households   in Northumberland with a weekly food waste collection by 1st April 2026 and request that Cabinet approve the release of New Burden capital funding already received by DEFRA and allocated to Northumberland for the purchase of food waste collection vehicles and collection containers.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approves the allocation of £2,949,940 capital new burdens funding already received from DEFRA to be added to the 2024-25 capital programme and used for the purchase of food waste collection vehicles and food waste containers;

(b )     Cabinet approves the commencement of a procurement process in conjunction with NCC’s Procurement Team, for food waste collection vehicles and containers based on the phased approach to roll-out of this service as detailed in this report, to allow NCC to go to the market in advance of many other local authorities and increase our chances of having vehicles in place for 1st April 2026; and

(c )     Cabinet delegates authority to Executive Director of Place and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment to award two separate contracts for the provision of new food waste collection vehicles and food waste containers, following a compliant procurement exercise, up to a maximum combined value of £2.95m.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking after the Environment

To seek approval to the submission of applications for major funding through two Government grant funding schemes to implement energy efficiency measures in homes and to secure the necessary delegations to enable the timely acceptance of funding and implementation of the programmes should the bids be successful so that the retrofitting activity can commence as quickly as possible. The “Local Grant” scheme will grant fund measures in low-income private tenure homes (owner occupied and privately rented). The “Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3” scheme will grant fund measures in Northumberland County Council social housing stock and requires co-funding from the Council. The report proposes to develop a £15.6m bid for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 that requires a £7m capital contribution to secure up to £8.6m in grant funding. The “Warm Homes: Local Grant” scheme is 100% grant funded and the Expression of Interest submission will aim to improve 900 homes at an estimated cost of £15.5m.

RESOLVED:-

In relation to the Warm Homes:Social Housing Fund Wave 3: 

(a )     Cabinet agree to the submission of an application for funding from the Warm Homes : Social Housing Fund Wave 3 as part of the North East consortium led by the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub by the submission deadline of 25th November 2024;

(b )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment and Monitoring Officer, to enter into a Strategic Partnership Agreement in relation to the Warm Homes:Social Housing Fund Wave 3, with other North East and Yorkshire local authorities to set up / govern the consortium arrangement for programme delivery, to be led by North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub (NEYNZ Hub); 

(c )     Cabinet note that a capital budget allocation up to a maximum of £7,000,000 within the Housing Revenue Account will be submitted as part of the Budget 2025-26, Medium Term Financial Plan 2025-29 and 30 Year Business Plan for the Housing Revenue Account for approval at County Council in February 2025, as co-funding for an application to the Warm Homes:Social Housing Fund Wave 3 grant scheme on a maximum 50% intervention rate;

(d )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment and Section 151 Officer to accept grant funding for Warm Homes:Social Housing Fund Wave 3 subject to agreeing the final details of the Grant Funding Agreement, to enable the timely implementation of the programme should the bid be successful; 

(e )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment and Section 151 Officer to undertake in relation to the Warm Homes:Social Housing Fund Wave 3, compliant procurement exercise(s) as required for programme delivery and subsequent contract award up to a maximum programme budget of £15.6m. 

In relation to the Warm Homes: Local Grant

(f )      authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment to submit an Expression of Interest application to Warm Homes: Local Grant, by the submission deadline of 1st December 2024;

(g )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment and Section 151 Officer to accept grant funding for Warm Homes:Local Grant subject to agreeing the final details of the Grant Funding Agreement, to enable the timely implementation of the programme should the bid be successful; and 

(h )     authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Looking After Our Environment and Section 151 Officer to undertake compliant procurement exercises as required for programme delivery and subsequent contract award up to a maximum programme budget of £15.5m over 3 years, or £25.9m in the  ...  view the full decision text for item 9.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment

To seek approval for our PFI Contract Delivery Partner Suez to go to the open energy market on behalf of Northumberland County Council (NCC) to sell electricity generated by Line 3 Energy from Waste Facility (EfW) for the period 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. This fixed price agreement would be for a 12-month period.

NCC have received industry advice from Suez to utilise an online auction house to achieve the most competitive market price. Online auctions take place every 2 weeks, with the ability to set a reserve price. There is no charge to NCC if the reserve price is not met and a buyer not found.

It is recommended that NCC go to auction in Q4 of 2024/25.

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.

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 Item            Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

13                             3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information).  The public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosure because disclosure could adversely affect the business reputation of NCC and could adversely affect commercial revenue.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment

This confidential appendix relates to item 10 in Part 1 of the agenda above. Unless Cabinet are of the opinion when considering the matter under item 10, that they wish to exclude the press and public to allow discussion of the confidential issues, and they pass the appropriate resolution at that point, then the confidential appendix will be taken as read, and the debate will be in public so far as practicable.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet authorise the Council’s Waste PFI Contractor (Suez) to enter online energy auction in Q4 of 2024/25 and offer the sale of electricity generated at the Line 3 (EfW) during 2025/26 for a one-year fixed price, and;

(b)      authority be delegated to the Director of Environment and Transport to set the reserve price (as detailed in the attached confidential appendix to the report), and to amend the reserve price based on latest market analysis advice received up to the auction date, provided that the reserve price is not set below breakeven in terms of the expected income levels already built into the Council’s MTFP. This stance will be subject to market analysis until the end of Q3 2024/25.