Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that the non-exempt Minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 18 November 2021 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Communities provided an update and sought approval to consult on the proposals for the Council’s review of Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) recurring grants.

The report gave considerable background to the crucial role the VCS in Derbyshire supporting local communities and delivering a wide range of activity to meet local needs. The Council provided approximately £3 million of grant funding to VCS organisations on average each year.  Ensuring future allocations to the Service and encouraging the long-term sustainability of the sector, were key priorities.

A Council-wide review of VCS grants was undertaken in 2019, together with an audit of voluntary and community sector grants. The audit highlighted the complexity of grant funding arrangements across the Council but recognised the grants it provided fell into two main categories: One-off grants and Recurring grants.

A number of progress reports had been presented to Cabinet and it had been agreed that Recurring grant payments be extended for a period of six months to 31 March 2022 to ensure organisations were not adversely affected during the review process and to maintain the security and stability of the sector.  Work had also taken place to finalise proposals for the review, with the Council engaging with organisations in receipt of a recurring grant payment and other key stakeholders to ensure that they were fully informed of plans and decision-making timetables.

The review had identified grants had been extended without review or a competitive process to award funding.  It was recommended that Cabinet agreed to consult on whether the Council should adopt the principle that it would no longer support the award of grant funding to any organisation in the future without a fixed end date (save in exceptional circumstances).  The Derbyshire Compact outlined the Council’s obligations to undertake 12 weeks consultation on any proposals which would result in changes to funding arrangements for VCS organisations.

It was considered that adopting the principle referred to above would be an important part of the new approach and would increase the annual amount of funding available to a wider range of organisations.  They would be made aware that funding was finite and not to expect additional grant funding following allocation of the original award.

This proposal would not result in the blanket cessation of funding - the Council would commission the activities to which the grant related to where either it was a service that was necessary for the Council to discharge its statutory obligations or met the Council’s strategic aims and priorities, provided value for money and supported a fair and equitable distribution of resources.  Commissioning services would provide the organisation in receipt of funding a more stable platform to grow and enhance their offer.  Funding would be reviewed regularly and there would be an expectation that organisations would apply and re-apply for future funding.

It was also proposed that current grant awards be redesigned and commissioned thematically and that the Review be progressed in two stages.  Stage One: The Pathway  ...  view the full minutes text for item 198/21

The Cabinet Member for Health and Communities provided an update on the progress of the new funding approach and sought approval to consult on the proposals for the Council’s review of Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) infrastructure provision and sought approval to extend VCS infrastructure grants for a period of twelve months from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.

Cabinet had already approved proposals for the future approach and funding of VCS infrastructure support provision from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2022.  A progress report outlined the new approach with providers and agreed a six-month extension to 31 March 2022, allowing for a full year’s monitoring using the new outcomes framework.  Cabinet had also agreed an additional £250,000 funding to ensure there was adequate VCS infrastructure in place to provide ongoing support to COVID-19 response, recovery and potential resurgence.

The Council had continued to progress the new shared approach provision across Derbyshire, underpinned by:

•     District level funding allocations;

•     New Service Level Agreements (SLA) on an organisation/district basis;

•     A comprehensive list of co-designed Key Performance Indicators;

•     Active and frequent engagement with providers through monitoring and partnership meetings; and

•     Regular meetings with Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The Council had also committed to ensuring a greater equity of provision across Derbyshire and was looking at ways it could make longer-term funding arrangements with providers however, it was not in a position to fulfil these, mainly due to the on-going nature of the pandemic.   Funding had been maintained at its current level and secured additional funding for providers.

Given the on-going nature of the pandemic and the sector’s role in providing a vital community response, it was recommended that all grant allocations were maintained at current levels until March 2023 (excluding additional one-off Public Health funding which was in place until 30 September 2022).  The total cost of infrastructure support was £452,228 - further details were set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

It was also recommended that Cabinet noted the following work to further develop and embed the approach and fulfil previous commitments:

•     Develop options for how the Council could allocate funding which ensured greater equity of provision;

•     Look at ways the Council could make longer-term, multi-year funding arrangements with providers;

•     Work with infrastructure providers to refine Key Performance Indicators and ensure the objectives in the shared outcomes framework are being met;

•     Work with funding partners to work towards a more consistent approach; and

•     Work with Derby and Derbyshire CCG through the transition to the new Integrated Care System to ensure understanding and commitments were maintained.

Updates on the continued development and future plans for VCS infrastructure provision would be reported back to Cabinet in due course.

RESOLVED – that Cabinet (1) notes progress of the Council’s approach to the voluntary and community sector infrastructure core provision and agree the additional work to further develop and embed the future approach; and (2) approves  ...  view the full minutes text for item 199/21

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Budget presented the Executive’s Forward Plan for the period 1 January 2022 – 30 April 2022.

The Forward Plan, a four-month rolling plan, enabled the five Improvement and Scrutiny Committees to prepare better informed work programmes.  The Plan included any item that was likely to require an Executive decision of Cabinet or Cabinet Member whether it was a key decision or not. The Plan was updated on a rolling monthly basis and all items had been discussed and approved by the Corporate Management Team.

The document would be published on 15 December to comply with the requirements to give 28 days’ notice of key decisions to be considered at the 13 January 2022 Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED – that Cabinet notes contents of the Forward Plan attached at Appendix 2.

A report was presented on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Environment to update Cabinet on proposals for the preparation and delivery of two specific projects within the regeneration programme and to request authorisation to carry out a public engagement exercise in relation to these projects.

Regular reports were received by Cabinet outlining progress on current transport and regeneration projects or setting proposals to develop such schemes.  A ‘pipeline’ of projects was actively planned and managed by the Council, which was completing the Woodville - Swadlincote Regeneration Route and the infrastructure to support the expansion of Ashbourne Airfield Industrial Estate, as well as enabling works to bring forward the Hollis Lane Link Road Phase 1.

The Council also had a number of projects which were progressing through the ‘development stage’ and Cabinet had previously agreed to support preparatory work on the Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route, the South Derby Growth Zone and Ashbourne Relief Road and to the use of the dedicated Regeneration Kickstart Fund to ‘pump prime’ the preparatory work.

Current projects included potential schemes for development and construction, including improving access to Shirebrook; addressing transport problems on the A61 and bringing forward a solution to Swarkestone Bridge at significant risk of damage.  A full review of the forward pipeline was underway, with work being carried out to assess and confirm a prioritised programme of projects.

To ensure progress was maintained, approval was sought to undertake specific activity:

Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route (CSRR) - the next approval stage, the Outline Business Case, was expected to be submitted in the final quarter of the current financial year and needed to demonstrate that an appropriate level of stakeholder and public engagement had taken place.  The CSRR was protected against other land use that would prevent construction of the scheme. 

Recent work had identified a number of detailed points on which there was legitimate public interest - where the proposed Route crossed the River Rother and the Chesterfield Canal, Works Road south of Barrow Hill and where it met Hall Lane and the A6192 Ireland Close at Staveley, where flood zone protection was also an issue.

A61 South of Chesterfield - work was being taken forward by in-house resources and was supported by previously-commissioned work already carried out and was closely interfaced between the A61 work and elements of the Clay Cross Town Investment Plan.  The recent introduction of signalised junction improvements and real-time bus passenger information along the A61 was likely to be followed by further similar projects including a possible link across or through the Avenue site to the A617 or a potential scheme to address traffic levels and congestion through the centre of Clay Cross.

Cabinet noted that the Clay Cross Town Investment Plan had to fulfil its own public engagement and any approach taken by the Council to engage the public needed to avoid duplication or confusion.  Recent experience showed that virtual formats were very effective in engaging groups of people and could help secure wider take up.

RESOLVED  ...  view the full minutes text for item 201/21

The Cabinet Member for Health and Communities sought approval to extend the physical activity grant funding for Exercise by Referral, Walk Derbyshire and Active Fostering services delivered by district and borough councils from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and to extend the grant funding for Jog Derbyshire, delivered by SHIFT for the same period.

Exercise by Referral was a 12-week programme for inactive adults with specific health conditions.  More recently, cancer and Long Covid had been added to the criteria. The programme equipped people to be more active in their local leisure centre or through other community-based activity.  Face-to-face provision was paused due to Covid-19 restrictions so providers adapted the service, delivering online content, developing home-based programmes and providing 1 to 1 support via telephone and video.  Face-to-face provision was now back in place and numbers were steadily increasing, with a new pathway developed for individuals who had been diagnosed with Long Covid.

Walk Derbyshire funding had focussed on growing the network of supported walks for inactive people.  It included developing more family-friendly organised walk opportunities and supporting people with physical and mental health conditions, dementia and their carers and buggy walks that enable new mothers to socialise and be active.  Covid-19 caused disruption to the walking groups.  Now those restrictions had lifted, groups had been reinstated and would link closely with the new Walk Derbyshire programme and Active Neighbourhoods Pilot, funded through the Public Health Investment Fund.

Active Fostering supported initiatives to engage Looked After Children and their families in physical activity.  This included leisure centre access which was supplemented by new and diverse activity opportunities. This was a priority area given that physical activity was one way to support children to develop skills and confidence.  Approximately 300 fostering households in Derbyshire had a leisure pass, 90 of which accessed activities through the scheme on a weekly basis.  Over 20 Children in Care had learnt to swim in the year to March 2020 and, the annual fostering survey showed over 90% of respondents gave Active Fostering the highest possible rating.

Jog Derbyshire worked with people to become more active through jogging regardless of age or ability, led by qualified jog leaders.  There were 51 Jog Derbyshire groups established including groups affiliated to GP practices and workplaces.

The pandemic had seen a reduction in physical activity levels, disproportionately affecting those aged over 55 and those with a disability or long-term condition.

The grant agreements would be replaced with a wider physical activity commissioning model that was being explored.  Due to the complexity of pulling together the whole physical activity system with a comprehensive needs assessment to inform a collaborative commissioning approach, coupled with Covid-19 pressures, the hoped start date of April 2022 could not be achieved.  Extending the funding for the current service provision would enable continuation of these services to support residents, while engaging with stakeholders to develop a future model.

RESOLVED – that Cabinet approves (1) the extension of the existing physical activity grant funding for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 202/21

A report was presented on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Education which informed Cabinet of the receipt of a recent Section 106 developer contribution and sought approval for the allocation of this contribution to a project in line with the Section 106 agreement.

There was significant housing growth in the normal area of The Ecclesbourne School, which had a masterplan to expand and improve its provision to meet the increased demand for places.  It moved forward with its building plans ahead of the receipt of funding under agreements under Section 106 Town and Country Planning Act 1990, on the basis that it would be repaid once those funds were received by the Council.

Details of the S106 funding (£562,624.61) received by the Council were shown at Appendix 2 of the report. The most recent projects were an expansion of the sixth form block (£1,151,105) and the improvement to the science block (£507,075) – totalling £1,658,180.  Cabinet approved Section 106 funding:

·        £52,980 towards the science block in July 2017;

·        £70,637.75 towards the sixth form block in February 2018; and

·        additional£1,163,701 from the Kedleston Road development in March 2021.

The report detailed the final contribution, plus indexation from this development,  totalling £562,624.  It was proposed to allocate the funds received to the projects at The Ecclesbourne School.

RESOLVED – that Cabinet (1) notes the receipt of S106 funding; and (2) approves the allocations to the project outlined in Appendix 2 to the report.

To move “That under Regulation 4 (2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England)  Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that in view of the nature of the items of business, that if members of the public were present, exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 would be disclosed to them.”

RESOLVED that under Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that in view of the nature of the items of business, that if members of the public were present, exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 would be disclosed to them.

RESOLVED - to confirm the exempt minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 18 November 2021.