Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence from the meeting were received from Councillors R Ray, N Stubbs, H McFall and S Farmer and S Atkinson.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 August 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 seeking Member approval on proposals to increase this Committee’s fees and charges with effect from 1 April 2025.

The proposed list of fees and charges for this Committee’s services for implementation from 1 April 2025 were attached to the report and were based on a review undertaken by Financial Services, Heads of Service and budget holders.  If Members agreed to the proposed fees and charges, this Committee would be setting charges that will produce on average a 2.47% increase to fees and charges, meeting the 2.5% increase assumed in the Council’s Budget Forecast.

It was noted that, after review, the Self Build and Custom House Build Registration Fees would now sit under the Planning and Development Committee, rather than Health and Housing.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve the 2025/26 fees and charges proposed for this Committee in Annex 1 of the report, for implementation from 1 April 2025.

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

At the end of September 2024, £423,275 had been spent or committed. This was 11.5% of the full year approved capital programme budget for this Committee of £3,690,170.

It was noted that, of the eight schemes in the capital programme, one scheme was underway but unlikely to be completed within the financial year, four schemes will/have missed some key targets but the overall end date within the financial year will be met, and three schemes were on track with targets and will be completed within the financial year.

The Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive submitted an information report on the progress of the 2024/25 revenue budget as at the end of September 2024.

The comparison between actual expenditure and the original estimate budget for this Committee for the period to the end of September 2024 showed an underspend of £60,878 or £110,341 after allowing for transfers to and from earmarked reserves.  Details of the variances to date were included in the report for information.

Report of the Director of Economic Development and Planning enclosed

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted an information report updating Committee on the Clitheroe Market Improvements, the contents of which were noted.

It was confirmed that the refurbishment work is due to commence on 4 November 2024.  A programme timetable is due to be provided next week and this will be included in the report that is submitted to Policy & Finance Committee on 12 November 2024.

The work being undertaken will predominantly take place on non-market days.  There may be occasions where some non-intrusive work takes place on market days, but this will not stop trading.

The Head of Environmental Health advised Committee as to the work that will be undertaken to modernise the stall booking system, and how it will be publicised to entice new businesses/traders.

It was further suggested that a group could be set up specifically to discuss issues surrounding the market and what the vision is for it going forward.  It was agreed that Councillor L Street (and perhaps Councillor D Birtwhistle) would take the lead in organising this.

Report of the Chief Executive to follow

The Chief Executive submitted an information report informing Committee about the year-end report for 2023/2024 detailing performance against the Council’s local performance indicators.

Analysis showed that of the 23 Health and Housing key performance indicators (KPIs) they can be compared to target as follows:

·       26% (6) of the KPIs met target (green) and or are on track.

·       13% (3) of the KPIs close to target (amber) where delivery is on track and is currently being managed.

·       35% (8) of the KPIs missed target (red) where performance is or is likely to be off track.

·       17% (4) of the KPIs provide data only.

·       9% (2) of the KPIs are either awaiting data, data is unavailable, or a target has not been set.

Of the 23 Health and Housing KPIs reported to committee, 10 relate to Regeneration and Housing, and 13 to Environmental Health.

Further detailed information was provided in the report, the contents of which were noted.

There are no items under this heading

There were no minutes from Working Groups.

There are no items under this heading

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 enlosed

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report providing an update of all affordable housing commuted sum monies collected to date and proposing a further option for spending. This new option would introduce an affordable homeownership option.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

1.     Agree to widening the search area to utilise the Chatburn commuted sum payment to purchase a property within a 5-mile radius of Chatburn.

2.     Approve the purchase of dwellings in Longridge, using the first tranche of the Dilworth Lane commuted sum payment (and possibly part of the second tranche depending on renovation costs), to be renovated as necessary and sold as a discount open market sale product.

3.     Approve the option to utilise both the Chatburn and Barrow affordable housing commuted sums to deliver either affordable rented properties or discount open market sale properties depending on the type of property purchased and the most suitable tenure in that case.

4.     Delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development and Planning, in consultation with the Chair of Health and Housing Committee, to negotiate the purchase of any properties using the commuted sum monies.

5.     Delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development and Planning to agree any necessary renovations required to enable the properties to be sold as a discount open market sale product.

6.     Note that the option of a shared ownership lease scheme has now been discounted.

7.     Note the update in respect of the Chipping commuted sum payment

The Director of Economic Development and Planning submitted a report informing Committee of recent approvals for Disabled Facilities Grants and Landlord Tenant Grants, and to seek an exemption to the Council RVA Policy.

RESOLVED THAT COMMITTEE:

Approve up to £11,000 for a Ribble Valley Adaptions Grant for the property detailed in the report, as an interim measure to enable the issues with the shower installed to be fixed quickly. A repayment of the overpayment of the grant will be sought.

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 report provided details of the number of homeless applications in the second quarter, a snapshot of the number of households in temporary accommodation, and a summary of the information shared at the Homeless Forum that took place on 25 September 2024.