Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of 14 November 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2022 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

For Cabinet to approve the Draft Business Plan 2023-24 for public consultation.

Members considered the Draft Business Plan 2023/24 report presented by Councillor Tierney.

Councillor Tierney stated that he was pleased to commend what he regarded as a well presented and good report. 

Councillor Boden said that as the document will be going out to public consultation there is one point he would like to raise and see reflected in the document and that is the importance of the new transformation process that the Council will be undertaking as to the way in which decisions are made and the way in which this council operates. That is going to be of fundamental importance to the future of the Council and is something that will be initiated in the next financial year, and it is his view that it needs greater prominence in the report than it does currently.

Proposed by Councillor Tierney, seconded by Councillor Mrs French and Cabinet AGREED to approve the Draft Business Plan 2023-24 for public consultation.

To consider and approve: the revised General Fund Budget and Capital Programme for 2022/23; the Draft General Fund Budget Estimates 2023/24 and the Draft Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 to 2027/28 for consultation; and the Capital Programme 2023-2026.

Members considered the Draft Budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2023/24 report presented by Councillor Boden. 

Councillor Boden said he wanted to pay particular credit to Mark Saunders, Chief Accountant, as well as other officers, for putting this report together saying that is getting more difficult each year to produce a meaningful and accurate set of figures at this stage of the process.

Councillor Mrs French said she too congratulated officers for an exceptional job, but she also wanted to thank Councillor Boden for overviewing and scrutinising every penny that goes through the Council.

Proposed by Councillor Boden, seconded by Councillor Benney and Cabinet AGREED that:-

(i)    the draft budget proposals for 2023/24 be approved for consultation;

(ii)   the revised General Fund Budget and revised Capital Programme for 2022/23 be approved; and

(iii)  the proposed Capital Programme for 2023-2026 be approved.

The purpose of this report is to review the Council’s Treasury Management activity for the first six months of 2022/23 and to provide members with an update on matters pertinent to future updates to the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy.

Members considered the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy Mid-Year Review 2022/23 report presented by Councillor Boden.

Councillor Tierney said when a council has gone wrong and finances and borrowing are out of control, then people focus on that but when a council is well managed and finances are stable, then we should also recognise the good work done by people who know what they are doing so he paid tribute to officers and Councillor Boden for their sound financial decisions and he thanked all involved in the work behind this report. Councillor Boden thanked Councillor Tierney, stating that the day-to-day operational decisions about where the Council places its funds are made entirely by officers and all credit is due to them. However, what members and officers have done collectively is to ensure the Council maintains as much cash balance as possible and that means we are able to earn that much more in investment income. 

Cabinet AGREED to note the report.

The purpose of this report is to inform and seek agreement from Cabinet on the FDC formal consultation response to the proposed Fens Reservoir to be located north of Chatteris.

Members considered the FDC Formal Response to Fens Reservoir Consultation report presented by Councillor Laws.

Councillor Laws said it needs to be registered that Fenland District Council recognises the effort by Anglian Water, acting together with Cambridge Water, to engage and collaborate with the council and other stakeholders in the plans for the Fens Reservoir. This is a project for long-term water security in the region that also impacts on various cross-boundary issues such as transport, flood risk, environment, and community. The Council also recognises the pressure it places to expedite this project. Councillor Laws added that the Council is very keen to engage in working with Anglian Water and Cambridge Water to develop this project in collaboration.

Councillor Mrs French said she fully supports the scheme. She attended a flood meeting just this morning attended by Middle Level and Anglian Water. The chairman of the Navigations Committee pointed out the hundreds of thousands of pounds it has cost Middle Level over the years to pump, so she asked if they would be looking to pump into the reservoir to save such a vast sum of money, and the answer is yes they are working together. Councillor Boden said that was very positive to hear.

Councillor Count said he agreed with the responses made on behalf of this Council and the letter sent but he would like to draw attention to the word ‘potential’. Here is a proposal from Anglian Water to build a reservoir for the supply of water to homes. The consultation papers show drawings of people windsurfing, fishing, rowing a boat etc. However, when looking at the detail behind those parts of the consultation, the words ‘potential’, ‘work with partners’ and ‘could be made to happen’ are used. Councillor Count stressed that as we go through this process it is essential that those move from potentials to deliverables. He said it will be a fantastic asset for us all if so, but if it just delivers the core purpose then it will be an eyesore on a very bland landscape. Therefore, we should embrace this opportunity and keep a close eye on converting potentials into reality.

Councillor Tierney said this is fantastic news, of course we need the water but the aspects for leisure are incredible and will be such a boon for the area. However, Councillor Count raises an important point because there is a danger of slippage on some projects like this where early promises are never fulfilled, and we must keep an eye on this. It will be awesome if it delivers as promised.

Councillor Boden said that the comments made by Councillor Count and Councillor Tierney are highly valid and that we must all be alert to the danger that what has been promised somehow slips away. What has not been mentioned is the effect this will have on jobs and skills; this construction process will probably be the largest in Fenland since the 17^th century when the Fens were drained. Some  ...  view the full minutes text for item CAB46/22

Further to the carbon reduction and climate adaptation Council Motion of 11th July 2022 to present an action plan for review by Cabinet and referral as appropriate to Council for approval.

Members considered the Carbon Reduction and Climate Adaptation report and action plan presented by Councillor Tierney.

Proposed by Councillor Tierney, seconded by Councillor Hoy and Cabinet AGREED that:

·         it be recommended to Council that the adoption of the Carbon Reduction and Climate Adaptation report and related action plan be approved;

·         Appendix A of Part 3, Table 4 of the Constitution is amended so as to also include reference to the Environment Act 2021 and so as to enable officers to fulfil Fenland District Council’s obligations under that Act in accordance with their ordinary delegations; and

·         authority be delegated to portfolio holders to take forward the actions in the plan in line with their portfolio holder responsibilities.

This paper seeks Cabinet approval to transfer Council owned land to Fenland Future Ltd at market value to enable development to progress as agreed by the Investment Board.

Appendices A and B to this report comprise exempt information – to exclude the public (including the press) from a meeting of a committee it is necessary for the following proposition to be moved and adopted: “that the public be excluded from the meeting for Items which would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) as indicated.”

Members considered the Land Transfer – Wisbech and Chatteris report presented by Councillor Boden.

Councillor Mrs French said she welcomed this report; we have been talking about this land in Wisbech for years so hopes that when it is transferred, something happens with it.

Proposed by Councillor Boden, seconded by Councillor Hoy and Cabinet AGREED to:

·         approve the land transfer of FDC owned land at The Elms, Chatteris at the value of £200,000 to FFL as determined by the independent red book valuation in Appendix A;

·         approve the land transfer of FDC owned land at Nene Waterfront, Wisbech at the value of £1 to FFL as determined by the independent red book valuation in Appendix B; and

·         instruct the FDC Legal Team to prepare land transfer documents.

(Councillor Boden, Councillor Tierney, and Councillor Benney declared their membership of the Investment Board but stated they were not predetermined and would keep an open mind).

To provide Cabinet with an update regarding ongoing work related to 11–12 and 24 High Street Wisbech and to ask approval for acceptance of a grant to support the building work at 24 High Street.

Members considered the Wisbech High Street update report presented by Councillor Seaton.

Councillor Hoy said if we do go down the affordable route in respect of 11-12 High Street, then she would be keen for there to be a local lettings policy. Councillor Seaton agreed that would not be a problem and thanked Councillor Hoy.

Councillor Count said that he noted in respect of 24 High Street, it references that the CPCA wants affordable housing; it references separately that there will be a specific lettings policy. He asked if the only difference with the lettings policy is in relation to the fact that this is for affordable tenure and that there are no other differences to be made aware of. Councillor Hoy said that she believed this had been put in at her request because her concern was that if there was not a local lettings policy in place and it was just left as affordable, we could not control who the properties were let to. Given the central location of the property and some of the issues in the town centre perhaps we should be selective about who we let the units to. Councillor Count thanked Councillor Hoy for the clarification and said that makes perfect sense. Councillor Boden added that the reference to affordability is just a matter of percentage of market rental value, which would be a maximum of 80%.

Councillor Tierney stated that he is relaxed about the final use within the specification that Councillor Hoy has already raised but what the people of Wisbech want is to see the buildings looking nice again and that gateway into town looking like it used to.    

Proposed by Councillor Seaton, seconded by Councillor Tierney and Cabinet AGREED that:

·         the current position in relation to these two significant projects in Wisbech High Street be noted;

·         the S151 Officer be authorised to enter into a grant funding agreement with the Combined Authority to accept the grant funding of £210,000 to support 24 High Street’s development costs; and

·         the 6 residential units in High Street would be let with a specific lettings policy for these flats being developed upon build completion and that the policy will conform with the grant funding agreement.

For information purposes.

Councillor Boden presented the Cabinet Forward Plan for information.