To receive apologies for absence from Members / Officers for the reasons so stated.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Officer for the reason so stated:

Deborah McMillan – Corporate Director Education & Transformation - Leave

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008.

The following Declarations of Interest were made:

Councillor PJ White declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – Communities First 2016/17 as a Trustee Board Member of the Bridgend Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Councillor PJ White declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 – Establishment of a Framework Agreement for the Provision of Domiciliary Care as his mother in law is in receipt of care provision.

Councillor M Gregory declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – Communities First 2016/17 as a Trustee Board Member of the Bridgend Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Councillor M Gregory declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 – Establishment of a Framework Agreement for the Provision of Domiciliary Care as his mother in law is in receipt of domiciliary care.

Councillor CE Smith declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 – Establishment of a Framework Agreement for the Provision of Domiciliary Care as his mother in law is in receipt of care provision.     

To receive for approval the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet of 15 December 2015.

RESOLVED:    That the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet of 15 December 2015 be approved as a true and accurate record. 

To seek approval from Cabinet to submit a Single Delivery Plan to Welsh Government for grant funding for the Communities First programme for 2016/17; seek endorsement for a 12 month  extension of contract arrangements for a Financial Well-Being and Support project provision with Bridgend Citizen Advice Bureau (CAB); authorise a waiver  from the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules under rule 3.2.3 to enable the Council to enter into a Service Level Agreement  with Newport City Council for the provision of an on-line monitoring tool for the Communities First (C1st) programme and to update Members on the Communities For Work programme.

The Chief Executive reported that funding for the current Communities First Programme is to end on 31 March 2016 which was based on 3 separate Cluster Delivery teams and Delivery Plans in Upper, Mid and Lower in the County Borough.  He stated that in addition, contract arrangements are in place with Bridgend CAB for the provision of a Financial Well-Being and Support project to the value of approximately £80,000 per annum with an extension in place to allow the continuation of this project for the 2016/17 financial year.  Funding for 2015/16 has also included a Communities First and Pupil Deprivation Grant match funded with schools in the Lower Cluster.   The Welsh Government has confirmed that the current arrangements for a Pupil Deprivation Grant will not be taken forward for the 2016/17 year. 

He also reported that the Welsh Government has issued in principle offer letters to award a maximum grant of £1,738,317 to the Council subject to the development of a Single Delivery Plan rather than the 3 separate Cluster Plans in place.  This would simplify the management of the grant and allow a move to a more thematic way of working without adversely affecting delivery within the Cluster areas.   

The Chief Executive also reported that Cabinet had previously approved in principle to deliver a European Social Funded project Communities for Work and discussions are ongoing with the Welsh Government regarding the legal agreements which will require the signing of a Deed of Entrustment.  He stated that Newport City Council has developed a bespoke software system for the recording and monitoring of the Communities First Programme, the system is being made available to other local authorities for a one off fee of £3,000 per cluster, which would be covered by Welsh Government funding.  A waiver from the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules under rule 3.2.3 is required to enable the Council to enter into a Service Level Agreement with Newport City Council for the provision of the online monitoring tool for the Programme. 

The Chief Executive  reported that due to the level of funding indicated for this Council there would not be a requirement to re-structure the Programme on a wholesale basis and activities will be refined and re-shaped to meet WG targets and outcomes framework to ensure that activities remain fit for purpose.  It was intended to implement a minor re-shaping of management to simplify the management of the Programme to allow for the move to more thematic way of working.  This will require consultation with affected members of staff before April 2016 and subject to Welsh Government confirmation of funding, staff contracts will be extended to the 31^st March 2017.  Any staff changes will follow the Council’s Human Resources policies and be subject to any appropriate staff and Trade Union Consultation.  He stated that redundancies were not expected given the indicative level of funding allocated to the Council as Lead Delivery Body. 

The Chief Executive informed Cabinet that the commissioned Financial Well-being project currently delivered by the CAB  ...  view the full minutes text for item 822.

To present Cabinet with the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016-17 to 2019-20, which includes a financial forecast for 2016-20 and a detailed draft revenue budget for 2016-17. 

The Section 151 Officer presented a report on the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2016-17 to 2019-20, which included a financial forecast for 2016-20 and a detailed draft revenue budget of 2016-17.   

The Section 151 Officer reported that the Corporate Plan is reviewed each year to ensure it continues to reflect the Council’s corporate improvement priorities, commitments and performance indicators.  The final plan would be considered for approval at Council in March 2016 alongside the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016-20.  The Corporate Plan and the Medium Term Financial Strategy would be fully aligned and would include explicit links between resources and corporate priorities.  The Medium Term Financial Strategy articulated how the Council planned to use its resources to support the achievement of its corporate priorities and statutory duties, including the management of financial pressures and risks over the next four years.

The Section 151 Officer reported on the financial context in that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had announced as part of the Comprehensive Review in November 2015 an improvement of £27 billion in public sector finances over the next 5 years.  As a consequence of this the Welsh Government had been given a cash increase of 0.85% for 2016-17.  She stated that the provisional Local Government Settlement which provided an average -1.4% reduction in Aggregate External Finance for 2016-17 across Wales, with Bridgend’s reduction being 1.2%.  This took into account £1.4m Outcome Agreement Grant which had now been included in the Revenue Support Grant.  The settlement included sufficient funding to protect school budgets equivalent to 1% above the change in the Welsh Government’s Revenue Budget as well as additional funding to help Councils support pressures in social services.  The provisional settlement compares favourably to the -4.5% “most likely” assumption contained within the MTFS for 2016-17 and is better than the “best” case scenario assumption of -3%. 

The Section 151 Officer reported that there was no indication of local government settlements for 2017-18 onwards and while the 2016-17 draft settlement was better than forecast there continued to be uncertainty around the economy, the prospect of interest rate increases and the pace of the UK Government’s austerity programme.  She stated that the most likely assumption was a -3.2% annual reduction in Aggregate External Finance for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, which would mean a total recurrent budget reduction requirement forecast to be £36.549m for 2016-17 to 2019-20. 

The Section 151 Officer also reported on the grant transfers into the revenue settlement for 2016-17, however the full picture on specific grants was not yet clear , but the draft settlement did include information on a number of changes to the level of grants at an all Wales level which impact on the Council’s resources.  She stated that the Welsh Government had ceased the Regional Collaboration Fund in 2016-17 but had increased the Intermediate Care Fund from £20m in 2015-16 to a proposed £50m across Wales for 2016-17 in the draft budget which would be allocated to the NHS to manage working in partnership  ...  view the full minutes text for item 823.

To seek Cabinet approval to award a framework agreement for the provision of domiciliary care to the providers listed.

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing sought approval to award a framework agreement for the provision of domiciliary care.  

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that Cabinet had previously approved the remodeling homecare implementation plan, which set out the Council’s intentions for meeting the increasing demands for internal homecare and external domiciliary care in a sustainable and managed way.  Commissioning Officers had since developed a service model that will enable the Council to meet the increasing demands for services through the commissioning of high quality, flexible and sustainable domiciliary care support.  She stated that the service had been developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders.  During the consultation, feedback indicated the importance of staff being reliable and on time and as such, a contractual requirement had been made for all framework providers to implement electronic call monitoring which will generate alerts if staff arrive late at a scheduled visit or miss a scheduled visit. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Cabinet of the tender process undertaken to appoint providers to the framework agreement for an initial 2 year period with an option to extend for a further 24 months.  The tenders had been assessed of on the basis of 60% quality and 40% on price.  She stated that responses were received from 14 bidders, of which 13 bidders had sufficiently demonstrated their commitment to the quality requirements. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Cabinet that letters would be sent to the successful and unsuccessful providers and a 10 day standstill period will be applied and subject to there being no challenge the framework will commence on 1 April 2016.  She stated that it was essential that changes to the current arrangements for commissioning the domiciliary care sector are undertaken in a manner which is sensitive to the needs of those in receipt of domiciliary care.    

The Cabinet Member Adult Social Care and Health and Wellbeing in commending the proposal to enter into the award of a framework agreement stated that there is a commitment by the Council to ensure that the provision of domiciliary care is delivered sensitively.  The Deputy leader stressed the importance of the tenders having a strong emphasis on quality with tenders being assessed on the basis of 60% of quality and not solely on price.               

RESOLVED:     That Cabinet approved the award of a framework agreement for the provision of domiciliary care for the period 1^st April 2016 to the 31^st March 2018 (with an option to extend for a further period of up to 24 months), to the bidders listed in Appendix 1, subject to no challenge being received during the standstill period.  

To inform Cabinet of the Information Reports and Minutes of Joint Committees which have been published since its last scheduled meeting.

The Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Regulatory Services presented a report, the purpose of which was to inform Cabinet of the Information Reports and Minutes of Joint Committees that had been published since the last meeting.

RESOLVED:     That Cabinet acknowledged the publication of the documents listed in the report:-

                                 Title                                                     Date Published

                                    Archbishop McGrath Outcome of        6 January 2016

Estyn Monitoring Visit   

Estyn Inspection Outcomes for Cefn  6 January 2016

Glas Infants School      

Estyn Inspection Outcomes for Coleg 6 January 2016

Cymunedol Y Dderwen            

Nantymoel Primary School Outcome  6 January 2016

of Estyn Monitoring Visit                                   

                                    St Mary’s and St Patrick’s Primary      6 January 2016

Outcome of Estyn Inspection Monitoring                     

Homecare – Status Report at the        6 January 2016

End of November 2015

Kenfig National Nature Reserve          6 January 2016

Management Plan        

Minutes of Coychurch Crematorium    6 January 2016                       Joint Committee of 18 September 2015

Minutes of Catalogue Supplies Joint   6 January 2016

Committee of 24 September 2015

The Deputy Leader congratulated the staff, pupils and governing body of Cefn Glas Infants School on the outcomes of the recent Estyn inspection and that the school had been invited by Estyn to prepare a written case study which described the excellent practice identified during the inspection.  He also acknowledged the good progress made by the staff, pupils and governing bodies of Archbishop McGrath Catholic School, Nantymoel Primary and St Mary’s and St Patrick’s Primary School in coming out of Estyn monitoring visits. 

The Deputy Leader was disappointed to note that Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen had been placed in special measures by Estyn.  He stated that Estyn will continue to monitor the school’s progress and that Schools Challenge Cymru will support the school to improve outcomes and to address the recommendations made by Estyn.  He acknowledged the significant impact made by the Interim Head Teacher since the inspection.

The Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development referred to the Management Plan for Kenfig Hill Nature Reserve and informed Cabinet that the onus was on the Trust to plan ahead for the new structure.          

To consider any items of business that by reason of special circumstances the chairperson is of the opinion should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency in accordance with paragraph 2.4 (e) of the Cabinet Procedure Rules within the Constitution.

There were no urgent items.  

The minutes and reports relating to the following items are not for publication as they contain exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 14 and 16 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007.

If following the application of the public interest test Cabinet resolves pursuant to the Act to consider these items in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

RESOLVED:    That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as they contained exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 14 and 16 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007.

Following the application of the public interest test it was resolved that pursuant to the Act referred to above, to consider the under-mentioned items in private with the public being excluded from the meeting as they would involve the disclosure of exempt information as stated above.

To receive for approval the exempt minutes of the meeting of Cabinet of 15 December 2015. 

RESOLVED:    That the exempt minutes of the meeting of Cabinet of 15 December 2015 be approved as a true and accurate record.