Agenda and decisions

Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on Tuesday 10 December 2024, as circulated, to 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.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

This report provides an update on the development of the 2025-26 Budget and the MTFP covering the period 2025 to 2029 following the publication of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement on 18 December 2024.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.

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

The report seeks Cabinet approval for the updated Budget 2025-26, Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2025-29 and 30-year Business plan for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

RESOLVED that:

1.1      Cabinet approve the Housing Revenue Account 2025-26 budget as detailed within Appendix 1, which will reduce the balance on the HRA reserve from £24.379 million at 31 March 2025, to £16.030 million at 31 March 2026; and note the indicative budgets to 2028-29 which will reduce the balance of the HRA reserve to £12.178 million;??

1.2      Cabinet note that from 1 April 2025, social housing rent will be increased by Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1.00% as per the previously agreed Rent Standard. The budget detailed in Appendix 1 assumes that rents will rise by CPI 1.70% plus 1.00% with recoverable service charges also rising by CPI plus 1.00% for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026;

1.3      Cabinet approve the increase of 2.70% for housing rents from 1 April 2025 in line with the Government rent standard;?

1.4      ?Cabinet approve the increase of 2.70% for housing service charges from 1 April 2025;

1.5      Cabinet approve the Non-Recurrent Growth Item of £1.000 million for additional resources to tackle the backlog in the turnaround of void properties (detailed in point 6.11);

1.6      Cabinet approve the Non-Recurrent Growth Item of £0.600 million for demolition costs of unused dwellings (detailed in point 6.11);

1.7      Cabinet approve the Non-Recurrent Growth Item of £0.400 million for additional consumable materials (detailed in point 6.11);

1.8      Cabinet approve the use of £0.400 million from the Rent Hardship Fund Reserve, to contribute to the additional non recurrent growth. (detailed in point 6.6);

1.9      Cabinet approve the use of £2.003 million from the HRA Reserve to fund non-recurrent growth and to contribute to the ongoing pressure within the budget and to ensure the HRA sets a balanced budget (detailed in point 6.13);

1.10    Cabinet approve the estimated pay inflationary increase for 2025-26 of 3.00% totalling £0.723 million, which includes the impact of increased national insurance contributions (detailed in point 6.9);?

1.11    Cabinet approve the Non-Pay Inflation Schedule for 2025-26 totaling £0.298 million (detailed in point 6.9);?

1.12    Cabinet approve the Recurrent Growth as follows:

a)       Additional Stock Condition Survey budget of £0.098 million from 2025-26 to cover cyclical costs of carrying out surveys on current properties to inform future capital expenditure (detailed in point 6.10).?

b)       Additional budget of £0.100 million for electrical testing to comply with The Regulator of Social Housing (detailed in point 6.10);?

1.13    Cabinet approve the expenditure plan relating to £36.347 million which has been set aside over the 4-year period 2025-26 to 2028-29 in the HRA Capital programme to invest in Affordable Housing. Details are set out in Appendix 1;?

1.14    Cabinet approve the expenditure plan relating to £48.200 million which has been set aside over the 4-year period 2025-26 to 2028-29 in the HRA Major Repairs Programme to invest in continued improvement to the HRA housing stock. Details are set out in Appendix 1; and?

1.15    Cabinet note the indicative 30-year Housing Revenue Account business plan as detailed within Appendix 1.

Report of the Leader

This report presents an update to Cabinet on the evolving BEST Strategic Business Case and proposals for the next phase of ways of working which builds upon the previous business case approved in January 2023, incorporating valuable lessons learned and outlining a clear roadmap for accelerated delivery over the next three years. It also sets out the anticipated benefits and costs associated with this next phase.

RESOLVED that Cabinet note the proposals for the next stage of implementation and that the updated Strategic Business Case with associated delivery costs and revenue savings will be brought forward for Cabinet approval as part of the budget setting process in February 2025.

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

The purpose of the report is to provide Cabinet with an update on the progress of the Blyth Relief Road project, to seek approval to the submission of the refreshed Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport and for delegations to enable the timely submission of the planning application for the relief road. The report also details the updated cost and budgetary requirements for the relief road project for inclusion within the Council’s proposed MTFP capital programme to be considered by the County Council when setting its budget in February 2025.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

a)       note progress to date on the Blyth Relief Road project;

b)       approve submission of the refreshed Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport for review and approval following approval of the Council budget in February 2025;

c)       delegate authority to the Executive Director for Place and Regeneration to authorise submission of the planning application to the Local Planning Authority on completion of the necessary documentation;

d)       approve £0.720m of capital expenditure to enable detailed design and development of the scheme and preparation of the planning application documentation to progress during 2024/25 to be funded from the virement of £0.720m of Local Transport Plan funds for schemes that were due to be delivered in 2024/25 but which are now being re-programmed for delivery in 2025/26;

e)       approve the proposed inclusion of a £5.006m match funding allocation within the Council’s proposed MTFP, to be funded from Strategic Management Reserve for the period 2025/26 to 2027/28, which will be considered by the County Council when setting its overall budget in February 2025, and for £0.650m of this funding to be used to continue progressing the scheme to ‘shovel-ready’ status by the end of December 2025, to maintain the overall delivery programme for this strategically important project. This will bring the Council’s total contribution to the project to £8.963 million, representing 15% of the estimated scheme cost; and

f)        approves the updating of the capital programme as set out in 10.9 Table 1.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

To advise members of the estimated year end balances on the Collection Fund in relation to Council Tax and Business Rates for the year ending 31 March 2025.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the declaration of a surplus on the Collection Fund for the year ending 31 March 2025 in relation to Council Tax of £2.497 million to be distributed to the Council and Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner in accordance with Council Tax regulations; the Council’s share being £2.305 million;

(b )     Cabinet note the overall estimated surplus on the Collection Fund for the year ending 31 March 2025 in relation to Business Rates of £7.958 million; the Council’s share being £3.979 million;

(c )     Cabinet note the distribution of the estimated Collection Fund surplus for Council Tax to the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner of £0.193 million, and the distribution of the estimated Collection Fund surplus for Business Rates of £3.979 million to the Secretary of State; and

(d )     Cabinet note the inclusion of the Council’s share of the estimated Collection Fund balances distributable in 2024-25 of £2.305 million surplus and £3.979 million surplus for Council Tax and Business Rates respectively, within the Council’s budget 2025-26.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

The purpose of this report is to inform Cabinet of the latest position of the County Council’s corporate risks following review by Executive Management Team and Cabinet portfolio holders, and to provide an update in relation to the Council’s risk management arrangements.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)      Cabinet agree the contents of the report in accordance with its responsibility for ensuring effective risk management throughout the organisation; and

(b)      Cabinet note that the report will be presented to the next meeting of Audit Committee as a source of assurance in its role of monitoring the effective development and operation of risk management and risk-related issues across the County Council and as part of its ongoing evaluation of the framework of governance, risk management and control within Northumberland County Council’s accounting group boundary.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services

This report summarises proposed amendments to the Capital Programme considered by the Capital Strategy Group on 26 November 2024.

RESOLVED that:-

Cramlington Regeneration Programme Alexandra Park Activity Trail

a)       Cabinet approve the spend of £0.150 million in 2025-26 to deliver the Alexandra Park Activity Trail project. This spend will be funded from the existing Cramlington Regeneration project in the capital programme; and  

b)       Cabinet approve the amendment to the capital programme to reallocate £0.150 million from the Cramlington Regeneration project to the Cramlington Regeneration Programme Alexandra Park Activity Trail project in 2025-26.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Inspiring Young People

To update Cabinet on funding arrangements for financial year 2025/26 for Northumberland schools, and seek approval for the transfer of funding between the funding blocks.  To seek delegated powers to set the formula values in order to distribute the 2025/26 Dedicated Schools Grant.

RESOLVED that:-

(a )     Cabinet approve the proposals for the continuing implementation of the National Funding Formula for 2025/26 as agreed previously, in line with the recommendation of the Schools Forum meeting of 27 November 2024;

(b )     Cabinet approve the transfer of up to 1% funding from the Schools’ Block to the High Needs Block, in line with recommendation of the Schools Forum meeting of 27 November 2024.  Note any amount above 0.5% will require the approval of the Secretary of State for Education (SOS); and

(c )     Cabinet approve the delegation of the final formula values and transfer from the Schools’ Block to the High Needs Block, to the Executive Director for Children, Young People and Education in consultation with  Cabinet Member for Inspiring Young People in line with the principles previously agreed at Schools Forum on 27th November 2024, once the final budget allocations are released by the Department for Education in December 2024.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment

To explain the requirements to undertake reviews of Conservation Area Character Appraisals for Alnmouth, Lesbury, Warkworth, Embleton, Seahouses and North Sunderland, and seek their endorsement to inform Council decision making.

RESOLVED that the contents of the Conservation Area Character Appraisals for Alnmouth, Lesbury, Warkworth, Embleton, Seahouses and North Sunderland be noted, and Cabinet endorse their use as an evidence base and guidance to help manage change in the Conservation Areas. 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Looking After our Communities

The purpose of this report is to share the draft Northumberland Air Quality Strategy and seek approval for publication.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approve the Northumberland Air Quality Strategy 2025-2030 and agree to it’s publication.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequalities

The purpose of this report is to update Cabinet on development of our Joint Strategic Needs and Assets Assessment (JSNAA) and agree the plan for future development.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)      Cabinet approve the use of the data on the JSNAA website where applicable to inform relevant policies, strategies and programmes across the Council; and

(b)      Cabinet agree the work plan for 2025-26 to further build our intelligence about Northumberland’s health and wellbeing.

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 Items          Paragraph of Part I of Schedule 12A

15                             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 or confidence in the person / organisation, and could adversely affect commercial revenue.

This confidential appendix relates to item 9 in Part 1 of the agenda above. Unless Cabinet are of the opinion when considering the matter under item 9, 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.