Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence from the meeting were received from Councillors L Street and S Atkinson.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest in respect of matters contained in the agenda.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests.

There was no public participation.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report outlining the progress on this Committee’s 2024/25 capital programme for the period to the end of June 2024.

At the end of June 2024 £287,932 had been spent or committed. This was 7.8% of the full year approved capital programme budget for this Committee of £3,690,170. 

Of the eight schemes in the capital programme, it was noted that one scheme was underway but unlikely to be completed within the financial year, three schemes had/would miss some key targets but the overall end date within the financial year would be met and four schemes were on track with targets and would be completed within the financial year.  Details by cost centre were outlined in the report for information

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Approve the requested virement of £4,630 between the Clitheroe Affordable Housing scheme (CLIAH) and the Temporary Housing Scheme (TEMPH).

2.     Request approval from Policy and Finance Committee for the above virement

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

The Chief Executive submitted a report seeking approval from Committee on the proposed civil penalty amounts to be imposed for the offence of emitting smoke within a smoke control area within the Borough of Ribble Valley and to review and agree the new ‘Policy on Civil Penalties for Smoke Emissions under the Clean Air Act 1993, as amended by the Environment Act 2021’.

Amendments to the Environment Act 2021 replaced a criminal prosecution enforcement regime with a civil penalty procedure.  It was noted that Ramsgreave and Simonstone are currently classed as smoke control areas.  Members discussed the proposed civil penalty amounts and agreed that £175 for a first offence and £225 for a second offence would be more appropriate.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Approve the following civil penalty amounts for the offence of emitting smoke within a smoke control area within the Ribble Valley:

^a Where in the opinion of the Council no demonstrable measures have been implemented to minimise smoke emissions a maximum £300 fine will be issued for a first offence.

^b Within 12 months of 1st offence.

^c Within 12 months of 2nd or last offence

^d Where appropriate (for example for repeated offences), the use of statutory nuisance and/or anti-social behaviour powers under section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and/or Section 43 of the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 may follow the serving of a civil penalty.

2.     Including the above amendments to the Civil Penalty Bandings, approve the Ribble Valley Borough Council ‘Policy on Civil Penalties for Smoke Emissions under the Clean Air Act 1993, as amended by the Environment Act 2021’.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report seeking Committee’s approval to proposed amendments to the Discretionary Private Sector Grant Policy.

Members were reminded that the First-Time buyers grant is included within the Council’s Discretionary Private Sector Grant Policy.  The purpose of the grant is to encourage first-time buyers to purchase older housing stock in the borough and to improve the energy efficiency of the property.

A requirement to re-calculate the EPC rating at completion stage is to be re-introduced. Whilst there is no requirement being set in terms of reaching a minimum EPC rating, Members were assured that RVBC would monitor the impact that the grant is having, and a further report would be brought back to Committee in due course. 

It was further proposed that the policy should stipulate that a person with savings in excess of £30,000 would be ineligible for the grant.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve the amendments to the Policy as shown in track changes in Appendix 2 of the report.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report providing an update on the Ribble Valley Health and Wellbeing Partnership and asking for Committee to endorse the membership of the Partnership, its sub-groups and its priorities.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Endorse the Health and Wellbeing Working Group’s recommendation that Cllrs M Hindle, M Robinson and N Stubbs sit on the Health and Wellbeing Partnership.

2.     Endorse the three health and wellbeing priorities agreed by the Partnership and the membership of the three sub-groups to consider each priority. 

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report outlining the outturn for the financial year 2023/24 in respect of the Revenue Budget for this Committee.

There had been a number of variations in both income and expenditure during the year, and this had given rise to an overall overspend of £58,033 on the net cost of services. After transfers to and from earmarked reserves there was an overall net underspend of -£56,046.  Details by cost centre were outlined in the report for information.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report outlining the progress of the 2024/25 revenue budget as at the end of June 2024.

The comparison between actual expenditure and the original estimate budget for this Committee for the period to the end of June 2024 showed an underspend of -£75,959, or an underspend of -£70,552 after allowing for transfers to and from earmarked reserves.  Details of the variances by cost centre were included in the report for information.

Minutes of the Strategic Housing Working Group dated 29 February 2024 enclosed

The minutes of the Strategic Housing Working Group dated 29 February 2024 were noted.

There were no reports from representatives on outside bodies.

RESOLVED: That by virtue of the next item of business being exempt information under Paragraph x of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be now excluded from the meeting.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report updating Committee on the Homelessness Prevention Grant and seeking approval to use part of the grant to assist households who are homeless / at risk of becoming homeless.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Agree to using part of the Council’s top-up grant to fund a temporary Homelessness Prevention Officer until the end of March 2025.

2.     Delegate Authority to the Director of Economic Development and Planning to extend the temporary contract until the end of March 2026 if top-up Homelessness Prevention Grant is awarded to Ribble Valley in the 2025/26 financial year.

3.     Agree to providing a deposit to private landlords to enable households, to whom the Council have a full statutory homeless duty, to move into settled privately rented accommodation.

Report of the Chief Executive enclosed

The Chief Executive submitted a report advising Committee regarding the request made by central government for environmental health officers within the Ribble Valley to inspect funeral directors within its borough further to the Legacy Independent Funeral Director scandal in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Four funeral directors located within the borough of Ribble Valley had been inspected to date and the findings from the inspections were extremely positive. Officers identified that the facility conditions, processes, record keeping, and the compassion and respect shown to the deceased were exemplary.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

Members noted the report submitted by the Director of Economic Development and Planning informing Committee about the homeless prevention and relief work carried out in the Housing Service.

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report informing Committee of recent approvals for Disabled Facilities Grants and Landlord Tenant Grants.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

Members noted the report submitted by the Director of Economic Development and Planning informing Committee of the total number of affordable housing completions of each tenure type across the borough in 2023/24.