Agenda, decisions and minutes

In accordance with the Council's Code of Conduct, councillors are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

No disclosures of interests were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet held on 8 September 2021.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 September 2021 were approved as a correct record.

To answer any questions asked by the public which are relevant to the functions of the Cabinet.

Public Question Time will be concluded by the Chair when all questions have been answered or on the expiry of a period of 15 minutes, whichever is the earlier.

There were no questions from the public.

To consider any matters referred to the Cabinet (whether by a scrutiny committee or by the Council) and those for reconsideration in accordance with the provisions contained in the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Budget Procedure Rules and the Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out in Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

It was confirmed that no matters had been referred to the Cabinet for further consideration.

Public Protection & Community Engagement Portfolio

To consider report HCS/29 of the Head of Community Services, which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 27 September 2021.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet

a)    approves the Community Grants Procedure and Outcomes Framework including the associated proposal, process, priorities and outcomes and decision making delegations as set out in sections 5.1 to 5.20 of report HCS/29

b)    approves a ring fenced sum of £140,569 for the new Community Advice and Support Service (CASS) contract from the strategic grants & commissioning allocation as set out in section 5.6 of report HCS/29

c)    delegates authority to the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Engagement in consultation with the Head of Community Services, and Head of Legal, Governance and HR to enter into an Inter-Agency Agreement to support continued partnership working, and approve the award of the CASS contract following an appropriate procurement process.

d)    delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation, following the awarding of the contract to the Head of Community Services, Head of Legal, Governance and HR, Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Engagement.

Reasons for the Recommendations

The recommendation supports the Council to achieve a balanced budget position for 2022/23 onwards.

It responds to the approach agreed at Cabinet on 3 February 2021, to develop a strategic/commissioned and small grants funding programme with a focus on high quality outcomes that, with the new priorities, better responds to particular needs of our community.

The Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Engagement introduced report HCS/29 of the Head of Community Services.  The report sought approval for updated community grants procedure and outcomes framework, which built on the decision that Cabinet took last year, including some alterations to strengten the process going forward. The changes included adding a further fourth priority – Community Spirit and altering the small grants scheme to enable a booster pot that would enable a more adaptable approach and adding a new aim for the small grants scheme of “Foster greater levels of community connectivity and cohesion”.

Councillor T Belben presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 27 September 2021, which included the Commission having sought clarity on the support that would be provided to third sector organisations and community groups with the new online application process. Questions were also raised during the Commission’s discussion on the report over the crowdfunding threshold and how the  monitoring of the success of the new process would occur.

Councillor Crow was invited to speak to the item. He welcomed the report and the new priorities and hoped that there would be a light touch review after a year to ensure that the scheme was proving to be effective in its support.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet

a)    approves the Community Grants Procedure and Outcomes Framework including the associated proposal, process, priorities and outcomes and decision making delegations as set out in sections 5.1 to 5.20 of report HCS/29

b)    approves a ring fenced sum of £140,569 for the new Community Advice and Support Service (CASS) contract from the strategic grants & commissioning allocation as set out in section 5.6 of report HCS/29

c)    delegates authority to the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Engagement in consultation with the Head of Community Services, and Head of Legal, Governance and HR to enter into an Inter-Agency Agreement to support continued partnership working, and approve the award of the CASS contract following an appropriate procurement process.

d)    delegates the negotiation, approval and completion of all relevant legal documentation, following the awarding of the contract to the Head of Community Services, Head of Legal, Governance and HR, Head of Corporate Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Community Engagement.

Reasons for the Recommendations

The recommendation supports the Council to achieve a balanced budget position for 2022/23 onwards.

It responds to the approach agreed at Cabinet on 3 February 2021, to develop a strategic/commissioned and small grants funding programme with a focus on high quality outcomes that, with the new priorities, better responds to particular needs of our community.

Wellbeing Portfolio

To consider report HPS/28 of the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet approves the extension of the contract variation with Everyone Active under the terms set out in section 5.7 of report HPS/28.

Reasons for the Recommendations

The recommendation facilitates the continued re-opening of the leisure centres providing the opportunity to grow customer base and membership numbers while adhering to the Government’s Procurement Policy Note 02/20 (Supplier Relief Due to Coronavirus).

The Cabinet Member for Wellbeing presented report HPS/28 of the Head of Major Projects and Commercial Services.  The report set out the arrangements the Council had entered into with Everyone Active (EA) following the initial lockdown in March 2020 and recommended that the Cabinet extends the variation order to facilitate the continued opening of the leisure centres over the period 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022. It was noted pleasingly that the number of users using the facilities at K2 Crawley were slowly but surely increasing and it was hoped that this pattern would continue. 

Councillor Crow was invited to speak on the item and commented that he acknowledged that there were no real alternatives for the Cabinet to consider, but to continue in the proposed approach of the contract variation, however the increasing users was a positive.

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet approves the extension of the contract variation with Everyone Active under the terms set out in section 5.7 of report HPS/28.

Reasons for the Recommendations

The recommendation facilitates the continued re-opening of the leisure centres providing the opportunity to grow customer base and membership numbers while adhering to the Government’s Procurement Policy Note 02/20 (Supplier Relief Due to Coronavirus).