Decisions

This reports seeks Cabinet approval for virements exceeding £500,000 between departments to consolidate ICT budgets across the Council

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve the net virement of budget totalling £6.219m from Children’s Services (£2.099m), Place (£1.457m) and Adult Social Care and Health (£2.663m) into Corporate Services and Transformation, to facilitate the centralisation of Digital functions within the Council; and

2)      Note that:

a)      the digital related posts (£0.086m) and non-staffing expenditure (£1.201m) with a total estimated cost of £1.287m funded from grant and fees/charges will also be centralised;

b)      the net budget virement associated with this expenditure is nil due to there being a corresponding income budget to cover expenditure; and

c)      the actual costs incurred each year will be funded from grant or income in the relevant department through an internal transfer mechanism. 

To approve the allocation of capital funding received from the Department for Education via the Childcare Expansion Capital grant for projects in the early years sector designed to increase the number of early years places in Derbyshire.

 

RESOLVED:

To approve the distribution of the Department for Education allocation of Childcare Expansion Capital Funding to allow the Council to increase the number of early entitlement places in Derbyshire.

To consider and approve the budget virement in order to centralise our support functions and deliver the first stage of our One Council Support functions proposal

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve the net virement of budget totalling £14.031m from Children’s Services (£6.001m), Place (£1.383m) and Adult Social Care and Health (£6.646m) into Corporate Services and Transformation, to facilitate the centralisation of supporting services across the Council; and

2)      Note that posts with a total estimated cost of £5.726m which are funded from grant(£2.491m) and fees/charges (£3.235m) are also to be centralised. The net budget virement associated with these posts is nil due to posts having a corresponding income budget to cover expenditure. The actual costs incurred each year will be funded from grant or income in Children’s Services through an internal transfer mechanism.

To seek Cabinet approval for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Khmelnytskyi region in Ukraine, to deepen understanding between the two regions and explore areas for cooperation.

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Khmelnytskyi region in Ukraine, to deepen understanding between the two regions and explore areas for cooperation; and

2)      Note that further reports will be presented to Cabinet members, as and when areas of deeper co-operation have been resolved and proposals developed.

To seek Cabinet approval.

RESOLVED:

To approve the recommendations as detailed in the not for publication report.

To seek Cabinet approval, under Protocol 10 of the Council’s Financial Regulations, to increase an upper limit value.

RESOLVED:

To approve the recommendations as detailed in the not for publication report. 

To inform Cabinet of the latest Capital budget monitoring position as at 31 December 2024

RESOLVED:

To note the current position on the monitoring of Capital schemes.

To seek Cabinet approval to make inflationary increases on fee rates for 2025-26 from 1st April 2025

RESOLVED:

To agree to the following with effect from 1 April 2025:

1)      Increase independent sector home care fee rates by an average of 7%;

2)      Increase the fee rate for in-house home care and extra care provision by 7%; and

3)      Increase up to 7% for specialist home care where evidence is provided by them of inflationary pressures. 

To note progress on the plans for the development and the proposed next steps and to consider and approve the proposed procurement route for appointing a development partner to delivery the project.
 

RESOLVED to:

1)      Note the findings resulting from the due diligence work carried out on the outline business case;

2)      Approve the recommendation to deliver the project via a master developer who would work with the council to deliver the overall vision, and its individual component parts and to come back to Cabinet for approval of the recommended partner following that process;

3)      Approve the recommended procurement route for the master developer via a competitive, two stage, flexible tender procedure and delegate to the Executive Director for Corporate Services and Transformation the ability to oversee the tender process and negotiate the final details ahead of a report back to Cabinet before final appointment.;

4)      Note the cost of the next steps for the project, including the submission of the outline planning application, enabling works to the site, further work to develop and de-risk the project and develop the Council’s requirements and specialist support for the procurement process and approve expenditure against the sum of £4.244m allocated in the capital programme for these purposes;

5)      Authorise the procurement of specialist consultants and legal advisors as necessary to support the procurement of a master developer and initial site enabling works; and

6)      Authorise the Executive Director – Corporate Services and Transformation, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to procure and appoint such consultants as may be required to deliver the next steps.

To seek Cabinet approval.
 

RESOLVED:

To approve the recommendations as detailed in the not for publication report. 

To seek approval for the current BSIP to be extended for a further 12 months in 2025-26.
 

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve to continue to deliver the Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme with governance through the current Derbyshire Enhanced Partnership Board in 2025-26;

2)      Approve to delegate Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme decisions,  in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, to the Executive Director – Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Member – Highways, Assets and Transport including:

(a)    acceptance of further Bus Services Grant funding and Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme funding from the East Midlands Combined County Authority to deliver long-term bus service improvements in Derbyshire in 2025-26;

(b)    the award of Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme contracts via existing internal and external  frameworks or by other relevant tender processes in line with the Council’s Financial Regulations, to the most cost effective and competent organisations or individuals; and

(c)     the addition of the Bus Service Improvement Plan Programme capital projects to the capital programme.

To accept the Government's additional stopping the start funding of £1,081,621 for stop smoking services in Derbyshire in 2025/26.

RESOLVED to:

1)      Agree to accept the additional Government’s Stopping the Start funding of £1,081,621 for stop smoking services in Derbyshire in 2025/26;

2)      Note that the Government is committed to provide the additional Stopping the Start Funding for a five-year period commencing in 2024/25: and

3)      Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health for the expenditure and use of this funding in line with any grant conditions, Derbyshire County Council Adult Social Care and Health Scheme of Delegation, Derbyshire County Council Financial Regulations and relevant procurement regulations and other procedures which may include competitive tendering, necessary to comply with Council requirements.

To update Cabinet on progress towards delivery of a key enabling infrastructure scheme and to seek approval to the making of legal orders.
 

RESOLVED to:

1)      Note the outline of the critical next steps in ensuring timely delivery of the South Derbyshire Growth Zone project;

2)      Approve to proceed to deliver enabling infrastructure within the South Derby Growth Zone (“the Scheme”);

3)      Approve to enter into Delegation Agreements with Derby City Council and National Highways;

4)      Approve the making of the Side Roads Order (“the SRO”) followed by the Compulsory Purchase Order (“the CPO”) for the areas of land as shown on the plans in Appendices 2 and 3 taking into account the Project’s funding status in making these Orders;

5)      Approve the publication and notice of the CPO and SRO being given to land owners and members of the public in accordance with statutory procedures;

6)      Approve the submission of the CPO and SRO to the Secretary of State for Transport for confirmation and the taking of such steps as may be required to achieve confirmation;

7)      Approve to authorise the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Executive Director – Place, to take all necessary steps in connection with the conduct and, if appropriate, settlement of such proceedings, in the event that any question of compensation is referred to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber);

8)      Approve to authorise the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to appoint suitable counsel to advise and represent the Council at any Public Inquiry held in respect of the SRO and CPO;

9)      Approve to authorise the Executive Director – Place to negotiate with objectors to the CPO and SRO and other landholders impacted by the Scheme to resolve objections to the scheme, including without limitation, agreeing accommodation works and the acquisition of interests in land to enable the Scheme to proceed and for the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to draw up and execute any such documents as are necessary to withdraw any objections raised;

10) Approve taking ownership of land voluntarily or pursuant to the CPO to deliver the Scheme and authorise the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to draw up and execute any such documents as are necessary to the completion of such acquisitions;

11) Approve to authorise the Executive Director – Place to negotiate the compensation and payment of the same to affected landowners in accordance with the Compensation Code;

12) Approve to authorise the Executive Director – Place to approve payment of relevant and reasonable professional fees incurred by landowners and others with compensatable interests in taking professional advice in connection with the acquisitions of their interests required for the Scheme and related compensation claims and related claims in advancing the development or implementation of the Scheme; and

13) Approve to authorise the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Executive Director – Place to make minor amends to the schedules to the CPO as may arise as a result of any update to land referencing carried out prior to making the CPO.

Cabinet is asked to note the decisions of the Schools Forum regarding the allocation of Central School Services Block for 2025-26

RESOLVED:

To note the Central School Services Block settlement and the budget decisions approved by the Schools Forum. 

To inform Cabinet of the High Needs Block settlement of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and to seek approval to its allocation for 2025-26

RESOLVED to:

1)      Note the high needs settlement for 2025-26;

2)      Approve the places commissioned in Appendix 3 of the report;

3)      Approve the rates for special school, support centre and ER Element 3 profiles in top ups as set out in Section 4.2 and Appendix 4 of the report;

4)      Approve the central high needs budgets in Appendix 5 of the report; and

5)      Agree to accept the Forum’s request to de-delegate funds for the functions listed in section 4.6 of the report. 

To inform Cabinet of the Early Years settlement of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and the related decisions of the Schools Forum, and to seek approval to the Early Years funding formula for 2025-26

RESOLVED to:

1)      Note the national early years funding rates for 2025-26;

2)      Note the changes in supplement funding arrangements and funding rates for 2025-26;

3)      Approve the changes to the Early Years Single Funding Formula allocations for 2025-26 as set out in section 4.5 of the report; and

4)      Note the central early years budgets approved by the Schools Forum.

To accept additional funding (the Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant) from OHID and delegate authority to the DPH to approve allocation

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve acceptance of the Drug & Alcohol Treatment, Recovery and Improvement Grant noting that the total indicative funding amount for 2025/26 has been confirmed by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities as £2.711 million and is made up of the Supplemental Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant (£2.586 million), and the Inpatient Detoxification Grant (£0.125 million), noting the breakdown of funding into each grant;

2)      Approve the ongoing membership of the East Midlands IPD Consortium and the existing funding mechanism; and

3)      Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health to award this funding in line with the Derbyshire County Council Adult Social Care and Health Scheme of Delegation, Derbyshire County Council Financial Regulations, Provider Selection Regime Regulations 2023 and Procurement Regulations 2024.

To update Cabinet on investment proposals under the East Midlands Combined County Authority’s funding programmes and to seek approval to early Derbyshire priorities for investment.
 

RESOLVED to:

1)      Approve the proposed Derbyshire regeneration pipeline - programme areas and longlist of potential projects as set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

2)      Note the update to the potential range of funding streams likely to be made available by the East Midlands Combined County Authority in the immediate and medium term;

3)      Approve the projects likely to be suitable for accessing early investment opportunities in 2025-26 under the East Midlands Combined County Authority’s available funding programmes;

4)      Agree that the Executive Director – Place be given delegated authority to make initial funding applications to EMCCA in line with the proposed programmes and projects set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

5)      Agree that the Executive Director – Place be given delegated authority to approve the acceptance of specific offers of funding for Pipeline programmes and projects, in liaison with the Director of Finance and the Cabinet Members for Infrastructure and Environment, Highways and/or Clean Growth and Regeneration, as appropriate, and to authorise any required consultation for funded projects;

6)      Approves in principle:

(a)   the receipt of grant funding from EMCCA;

(b)   the addition of funded projects to the Council’s capital programme and the commercial pipeline;

(c)    the carrying out of public consultation in relation to proposed projects, as required:

(d)   the distribution of grant funding, including monies passported to the Council from EMCCA, to outside bodies where appropriate (as detailed in paragraph 4.24 of the report); and

7)      Agree that officers continue to assess the Derbyshire Regeneration Pipeline (Appendix 2) and identify appropriate funding opportunities for bringing forward programmes and projects as and when they become available, including opportunities for financial year 2026-27 and beyond.

To provide Cabinet with an update of Council Plan performance and the Revenue Budget/forecast outturn for 2024-25, as at 31 December 2024 (Quarter 3).

RESOLVED to note:

1)      The update of Council Plan performance, progress with the delivery of savings, and the Revenue Budget position/forecast outturn for 2024-25 as at 31 December 2024 (Quarter 3);

2)      The position on reserves;

3)      The significant actions, set out in the report, which will be undertaken across the Council, and are required to reduce the significant revenue overspend detailed in this report, and to ensure the delivery of planned savings; and

4)      That the report will be considered at the Council meeting on March 26.

To ask the Cabinet member to confirm the nominations of persons to serve as local authority school governors.

That the Cabinet Member confirm the nominations for persons to serve as local authority governors as set out in Appendix 2 of the report. 

To seek approval for the publication of the Derbyshire Joint Dementia Strategy 2025-30.

That the Cabinet Member approves the Derbyshire Joint Dementia Strategy 2025-30 for publication.