Councillor Phil Davies opened the Cabinet meeting and informed that he intended to reorder the agenda.  He would be bringing forward Agenda Item No. 6 – Medium Term Financial Strategy and Council Budget 2018/19 and the Cabinet would now consider it after Agenda Item No. 3 – Executive Key Decisions Taken Under Delegated Authority. Councillor Davies also informed that he would be proposing a budget resolution which would then set the context for the other items on the agenda that needed to be considered.

Members of the Cabinet are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary and/or any other relevant interest, in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

No declarations of interest were received.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 27 November 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Key Decisions – taken under delegated powers. Period 17 November, 2017 (date of publication of last Cabinet agenda) to date.

·  Leader of the Council

Highway Services Re-Commissioning from October 2018

(Executive Member Decision Form attached)

Call-in expired on 6 December, 2017.

RESOLVED:

That the Key Decisions made in relation to Highway Services Re-Commissioning from October 2018 that had been taken under delegated authority during the period 17 November 2017 to date, be noted.

Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report which informed that the Cabinet, throughout the year, received financial updates through which the Council’s financial position was revised, considered and understood. The Council was in the process of producing its budget for 2018/19. The report updated Members on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and included details of the preparations for the next financial year. It contains the following details:

·  The approach to the preparation of the 2018/19 budget. It was currently anticipated that the Council would set a balanced budget in 2018/19 through the use of one off funding, Council Tax decisions and the implementation of a number of financial proposals that would close the funding gap.

·  An update on the progress of the MTFS.

·  Details of the main financial challenges and changes that would occur during the next financial year. The Council continued to face a funding gap projected at £61 million due in part to the Government’s austerity measures, £25 million investment in Children’s Services and increasing demand for services.

·  The key financial factors affecting 2018/19 including growth, savings and changes to funding including income.  In relation to the latter, the Cabinet at its meeting on 19 February 2018 would consider a Council Tax increase of 4.99% for next year. This was made up of a 1.99% rise to fund a number of Council wide pressures and an Adult Social Care precept of 3% to finance pressures faced by the service. The Council at its meeting on 5 March 2018 would be requested to agree Council Tax amounts for 2018/19.

·  The use of general fund balances, earmarked reserves and other sources of one off funding to support services and bridge the budget gap faced in 2018/19.

Councillor Phil Davies informed that he wanted to make progress on next year’s budget.  He informed that the people of Wirral had placed their trust in Labour to defend the services they relied upon, to bring investment and jobs to the borough, and to protect the environment, which played such a vital role in the lives of residents and visitors alike.

Councillor Davies informed that to deliver these outcomes, the Council needed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report which informed that following the signing of a Development Agreement with the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group (NJVG) in November 2016, as reported to Members (Cabinet Minute No 55 and 61) the NJVG and their consultants Grant Thornton had submitted their Funding and Phasing Plan for the Hoylake Golf Resort project. The Council’s consultants had conducted a detailed analysis of the submission and their report, a confidential document, was appended to this report and was exempt from publication due to commercial sensitivity considerations under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. (Cabinet Minute No. 76 refers.)

The Cabinet noted that this option had been selected from a range of development proposals as part of a competitive dialogue procurement process.

The Cabinet report set out the publicly available information which included:

(a)  the project description and proposed timetable;

(b)  the partners;

(c)   a summary of the assessment of the Funding and Viability Plan (with the commercial detail in the exempt appendix);

(d)  the requirement for prudential borrowing;

(e)  arrangements for funding highway works in the area if grant is not secured for these works; and

(f)  a recommendation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report which proposed that the Cabinet recommend to Council the Agenda and Procedure for Budget Council scheduled for 5 March 2018.  The Budget Council Procedure was appended to the report as Appendix 1.  The proposed amendments to the Council’s Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (Standing Orders), Part 4(c) of its Constitution were appended to the report as Appendix 2.

No other options were considered given that all three Political Group Leaders had been consulted in relation to the proposed Council Budget Procedure.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet recommends

(1)  the Agenda and Procedure for Budget Council to be held on 5 March 2018 set out at Appendix 1 to this report for approval;

(2)   the Assistant Director: Law and Governance be authorised to make changes to the Agenda and/or Procedure for Budget Council set out at Appendix 1 in consultation with the three Political Group Leaders and the Mayor; and

(3)  that Council adopts the changes to the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (Standing Orders), Part 4(c) of the Council’s Constitution, as set out at Appendix 2.

Councillor Janette Williamson introduced a report which brought together related issues regarding the proposed Council Tax-Base for 2018/19 upon which the annual billing and Council Tax levels would be set, the proposed Council Tax Discounts including Local Discounts, exemptions for 2018/19 and the Council Tax Support Scheme to be used during 2018/19.  All needed to be approved by Council by 31 January 2018. 

Councillor Williamson informed that on 22 July 2004 the Cabinet had awarded a local discount to Wirral Women’s and Children’s Aid.  The discount left no Council Tax to pay, on the basis of the valuable work undertaken at the premises.  The circumstances had remained unaltered and the cost of the award was currently £3,817.  A decision was required as to whether this discount continued for 2018/19.

The Cabinet noted that as the Council Tax-Base had to be set by 31 January each year there were no other options. The Local Discounts, Exemptions and the Council Tax Support Scheme were reviewed annually and could be amended which would have a financial impact for the authority as detailed in the report.

RESOLVED: That 

(1)  the figure of 92,255.9 be approved as the Council Tax Base for 2018/19;

(2)  the level and award of each local discount for 2018/19 be as follows:

Wirral Women’s & Children’s Aid

Award the Refuge discount of 100%.

Care Leaver’s Discount

Award Care Leaver’s the requisite discount to reduce their Council Tax liability to zero until they are 25, from 1 April 2018.

Empty Property Discounts

The discount and premium rate charges remain unchanged for  2018/19:

Discount category D = 0% Full charge on properties undergoing  renovations.

Discount category C = 0% Full charge on empty properties from date they become unoccupied.

Empty Property Premium = 150%. Properties empty for more than two years.

Council Tax Discretionary Relief Scheme

The Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Relief Scheme continues in its current format for 2018/19;

Council Tax Support Scheme;

(3)  the Council Tax Support Scheme approved for use in 2017/18 be also approved as the Scheme for 2018/19 with additional amendments to incorporate the introduction of Full Service for Universal Credit; and

(4)  a review of the Scheme be undertaken by the Business Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider options for change of this Scheme for 2019/20 financial year.

The following items contain exempt information.

RECOMMENDATION:  That, under section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

RESOLVED: That, under section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to that Act in that they contain commercially sensitive information. The Public Interest test has been applied and favours exclusion.

Appendix to agenda item 4.

Exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 as it contains commercially sensitive information.

RESOLVED:

That the content of the exempt appendix (reference report Agenda Item No. 4 – Minute No. 72) be noted.

Exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 as it contains commercially sensitive information.

Councillors G Davies and Phil Davies introduced a report about Birkenhead Market.

Councillor Phil Davies moved and Councillor George Davies seconded and it was

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That agreement be given to the Council acquiring the long leasehold interest in Birkenhead Market on the terms that are set out in the report.