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Councillors and committees

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Blaydon Room - Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Kevin Ingledew Email:  keviningledew@gateshead.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

C62

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Councillor Mary Foy

C63

Minutes pdf icon PDF 431 KB

Cabinet is asked to approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 17 September 2019

Minutes:

The minutes of the last meeting of the Cabinet held on 17 September 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

C64

Transport Funding Bids pdf icon PDF 467 KB

Report of the Acting Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to external funding grants which could provide the Council with an opportunity to secure additional capital funding for transport and highway improvements in the borough, together with the scope and purpose of each grant and suggestions for possible schemes for submission.

 

RESOLVED -

(i)            That the submission of bids for the Gateshead Quays Link Road (Local Pinch Point) and unclassified road/footway maintenance and removal of Gateshead Flyover (Challenge Fund), as set out in the report, be approved.

 

 

(ii)          That the Service Director, Development, Transport and Public Protection be authorised, following consultation with the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, to accept funding awards linked to these bids and to programme works accordingly in accordance with the grant conditions.

 

The above decisions have been made to maximise investment in the local transport network.

 

C65

Senior Management Structure pdf icon PDF 310 KB

Report of the Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to a revised senior management staffing structure which will reflect a more effective way of working across Council services.

 

RESOLVED -           

      That the Council be recommended to approve:

(i)            The organisation structure, detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, for implementation from 1 November 2019 although transitional arrangements will need to apply whilst vacant posts are being recruited to.

 

 

(ii)          That the Chief Executive be authorised to approve the final salary grades of Strategic and Service Directors, within the Council’s current pay policy framework and grading structure, taking into consideration advice from the LGA, following the application of the LGA job evaluation scheme.

 

 

(iii)         The changes to the Chief Officer terms and conditions of employment, as detailed in the report.

 

 

(iv)         That the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance be authorised, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree any changes to the Council’s Constitution as deemed necessary as a consequence of the changes so approved.

 

 

(v)          The requests for voluntary redundancy from three current Service Directors whose posts are proposed to be deleted from the staffing establishment.

 

(vi)         That the Chief Executive be authorised, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree any changes that may be required to the senior management job titles as currently outlined in the report.

 

The above decisions have been made to enable continued improvement on the co-ordination of Council functions, the organisation of its employees, and to enable Council services to focus on delivery of the Thrive agenda in a more efficient and effective way, embracing the Public Service Reform principles.

C66

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020/21 to 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 347 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2020/21 to 2024/25 and the outcome of a review of Council Reserves.

 

RESOLVED -

      That the Council be recommended to:

 

(i)            Approve the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2020/21 to 2024/25 including the proposed MTFS principles.

 

 

(ii)          Note the outcome of the reserves review of both the general fund and strategic earmarked Council reserves and approve the creation of four strategic reserves at the financial levels outlined in the report:

 

                        (a)       Financial risk and resilience

                        (b)       Budget sustainability

                        (c)       Economic, housing and environmental                            investment

                        (d)       Poverty, health and equality investment

 

(iii)         Note that the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, following consultation with the Chief Executive, will continue to produce and monitor on an annual basis, a rolling programme of five-year budget forecasts taking account of the key issues facing the Council.

 

(iv)         Note that the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, following consultation with the Chief Executive, will continue to keep under review and update the MTFS as appropriate to respond to Government policy and funding announcements.

 

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

 

(A)       To contribute to the good financial management           practice of the Council.

 

(A)       To assist the financial sustainability of the Council       over the medium to long term.

C67

Proposals to Reduce Plastic Waste pdf icon PDF 471 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the Council’s approach to reduce the volume of single use plastics and proposed recommendations to further reduce plastic waste within the Council.

 

RESOLVED -

(i)            That the proposals, set out in paragraph 6 of the report, continue to be implemented.

 

 

(ii)          That the Council sign up to the UK Plastics Pact.

 

(iii)         That the Council be recommended to amend its Social Responsibility Pledge to encourage the Council’s supply chain to also sign up to the UK Plastics Pact.

 

(iv)         That the Council be recommended to approve the implementation of the procurement protocol, as set out in appendix 3 to the report.

 

The above decisions have been made to minimise the use of single use plastics within the Council and across the borough.

C68

Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Review of Helping to Increase Support / Capacity of the Voluntary Sector: Final Report pdf icon PDF 273 KB

Report of the Acting Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the findings and recommendations of a review by the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to Council support provided to the community and voluntary sector.

 

RESOLVED -

(i)            That the findings from the four evidence gathering sessions undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the 18 recommendations agreed by the Committee on 9 September 2019 outlined in the report be noted.

 

 

(ii)          That the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee review as set out in Appendix 2 be approved.

 

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

 

(A)      To ensure the Council continues to support the             community and voluntary sector across             Gateshead.

 

(B)      To ensure the Council can meet its Thrive          pledges, in particular to put people and families at        the heart of everything we do, to tackle inequality             so people have a fair chance and to support our       communities to support themselves and each    other.

C69

Update on the Council’s EU Exit Preparations pdf icon PDF 392 KB

Report of the Acting Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to an update on the Council’s preparations for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.

 

RESOLVED -

            That the Council’s preparations for the potential            impacts of the European Union exit and mitigating       responses be noted.

 

 

The above decision has been made to ensure that the Council has proportionate preparations in place for the potential impacts of the European Union exit within Gateshead.

C70

Safeguarding Children Unit Annual Report and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Annual Report 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 278 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the Safeguarding Children Unit Annual Report and the Local Authority Designated Officer Annual Report 2018/19 in respect of allegations against adults who work with children.

 

RESOLVED -

That the Safeguarding Children Unit Annual Report and Local Authority Designated Officer Annual Report 2018/19, as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 respectively, be endorsed.

 

The above decisions have been made to ensure that the Council is meeting its statutory duties and that the needs of children, young people and families continue to be met.

C71

Better Care Fund 2019-20 Submission for Gateshead pdf icon PDF 395 KB

Report of the Strategic Director, Care, Wellbeing and Learning

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the Better Care Fund submission for Gateshead for 2019/20.

 

RESOLVED -

            That the Better Care Fund submission 2019/20 for             Gateshead, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be             endorsed.

 

The above decision has been made for the following reasons:

 

(A)       To enable the Council, working with local partners        and local communities, to take forward the        Better Care Fund plan 2019/20 for Gateshead to      support integrated health and care for the benefit         of local people.

 

(B)       To help ensure that the health and care economy         is sustainable for the future and is in a position to          respond to demographic and funding pressures            across the system.

C72

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The Cabinet may wish to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the following item(s) on the grounds indicated:

 

Item                                                     Paragraph of Schedule 12A to the Local                                                                   Government Act 1972

 

12                                                                    3

13                                                                    3

14                                                                    3

Minutes:

RESOLVED -

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the remaining business in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

 

C73

District Energy Scheme Extension Proposals

Report of the Acting Strategic Director, Communities and Environment

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to expansion opportunities for the Gateshead District Energy Scheme, to proposed measures to continue to reduce the carbon emissions of the Scheme, and to the submission of funding bids to the Heat Network Investment Programme.

 

RESOLVED -

(i)            That the funding from the Council’s capital programme for the energy connection to Gateshead Quays, as set out in the report, be approved.

 

(ii)          That the submission of funding applications to the Heat Network Investment Programme for funding support for the east network extension, as set out in the report, be approved.

 

(iii)         That the submission of funding applications to the Heat Network Investment Programme for funding support for the River Source Heat Pump, as set out in the report, be approved.

 

 

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

 

(A)       To support the Thrive Agenda.

 

(B)       To continue to reduce energy costs for homes and       buildings in Gateshead town centre.

 

(C)       To support the Council moving towards net zero           emissions by 2030.

 

(D)       To continue to generate income and savings for           the Council to support its finances.

 

C74

Disposal of Various Industrial Estates and Ground Leases to PSP Gateshead LLP

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to the disposal of various estates and ground leases to PSP Gateshead LLP for onwards sale on the open market.

 

RESOLVED -

(i)            That the Chief Executive be authorised, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to approve the disposal of the Council’s interests in the assets, listed in the report, to PSP Gateshead LLP.

 

(ii)          That the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance be authorised, in consultation with the Strategic Director, Corporate Resources, to agree the details of the transfer.

 

 

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

 

(A)       To generate a capital receipt.

 

(B)       To enable the LLP to commence trading of the Council’s Tenanted Non-Residential Portfolio      assets to reposition the portfolio with assets of       greater value.

C75

The Old Town Hall Quarter - Lease Variation

Report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services and Governance

Minutes:

Consideration has been given to a variation in the wording of the lease granted to Dinosauria Ltd for the Old Town Hall.

 

RESOLVED -

That the variation of the lease for the Old Town Hall, as set out in the report, be noted.

 

 

The above decisions have been made to attract further investment and facilitate the development of the property.

 

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