 Mae'r gweithio. Hefyd, gallwn hynny'n gweithio gynnig gyda'r fforddau ac mae'r ddiolch i'r ddechrau i'r cymdeithasol, a dyna'r cyflwyno'n gweithio, yn y gyrddwyr ymlaen i fynd i ddweud. Mae'r ddweud o'r fforddau Cymru Cymru Cyswpeth Cymru. mae'n gweithio ddim yn ffwrdd o'r gweithio'r cyfnoddau yn y ddweud, ond ddweud i'r cyswyr John Batchelor i ni i gwybod y llanddau sy'n gwybod, felly i'n cull gweithio ar gael rhai'. The normal procedure in cabinet is that we take votes by affirmation and we'll continue with that. When we move to a vote on any item, I'll ask if members agree with a proposal if they disagree with them or if they're abstaining. Only those members who are present in the chamber will be able to move and ystafell theodraeth, dechrau aogaeth, ond y bydd committee no llyfrisi yn galli adín y dd gabbledd. twitter ond fwy o'r gyflin arlau y mae'r methu y cwmno'i Majesty, yer bydd yn gewdd y gweithio, ac y gallai rhywbeth yn cael ei ddod ar honno i'w hwn. Rwy o'r cychwyn i gael'ch gweithio'r gweithio', mae'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio i'r gweithio'r gweithio a'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio. Thank you very much indeed. Can I begin by asking, Jonathan, if the meeting is quorate? Thank you, chair. I can confirm this meeting is quorate. That's lovely. Thank you very much indeed. So do we have a couple of apologies for absence or certainly one? Yes, we do, chair. We have apologies for absence from councillor Dr Tumi Hawking to lead member for planning. Thank you very much indeed. That's noted. Are there any declarations of interest pertaining to any items on today's agenda, please? So moving on to item four is the minutes of the previous meeting. And I moved the approval of those minutes as a correct record. I think I'll second that. So councillor Brian Mills will second. Does anybody want to bring up any issues to deal with the minutes? No. OK, so do members agree to approve the minutes? Anyone wish to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? So cabinet, therefore, agrees the approval of the minutes as a correct record by affirmation. So item five is public questions. We received one request from a member of the public to make a statement which was refused as it did not accord with the public speaking scheme. So moving on to item six are issues arising from scrutiny and overview committee. And I don't think we've got anybody from scrutiny present. Do we either in the room or online? Ah, are you speaking for scrutiny? Catsen, sorry. I'm very pleased if you are. Catsen, with I didn't come prepared to, I wasn't asked. That's that's fine. OK, so thank you. I mean, so we've obviously got a report from scrutiny. Is there anything that you'd like to say pertaining to it from your recollections of being at the meeting? Let me let me just mention two things. The first is something I'm closely involved with because I'm chairing the task and finish group on young people's involvement. The one of the requests made by the group to the committee was to approve the terms for the task and finish group which were approved. We had a discussion, a number of members raised some questions. Councillor Arlington, for example, asked, you know, how could we make sure that we finished the activity, how we could actually finish in reasonable time. And the group has decided to focus the work program in the three months January to March next year. So this is a satisfactory outcome and we've subsequently had another meeting on which we've acted on some of those recommendations. There was a request by members. Councillor Bear Park and myself for the committee to look in more detail at Section 106 processes. There was a discussion around that. And I think principally following the recommendation of the chief executive, we've decided to hold a workshop to which members are submitting a number of ideas. We think this is the best way to do the investigation and several things will come out of that which can be here. We can dig into it in a little more depth. That's really helpful. And Councillor Arlington, since you're on scrutiny as well, is there anything you'd like to add? I've come totally unprepared for this meeting. Sorry, put your hands up. My head is not quite there, but I do remember that we all agreed, as Councillor Stubbarton states, that I was concerned that the task and finish group can go on ad nauseam and actually bringing it to an end is quite important. Otherwise, it just trails and is not productive. So I was very pleased about that. I'm also very enthusiastic about all the activities that we're looking to cover during this task and finish group. And I hope we achieve it. That's lovely. Thank you very much. The clue is in the task and finish, isn't it? It does have to finish. Councillor Stubbarton. Thank you, Chair. So there's just one other thing. We started the meeting. The Council of Williams had asked some questions about delays in the planning process. And we had a presentation from Stephen Kelly, which actually, I believe, partly answered that question and presented an impression of the control of variance in the timing, the duration of planning applications. So that was just something I wanted to note that was a fairly lengthy discussion and some useful data presented. Thank you very much. We've got a report on all the KPIs, and actually that shows that there's been a marked improvement over the last six to 12 months in planning performance, which we're very pleased with. Thank you very much, indeed. So are there any questions from Cabinet Members? Okay, thank you. So we are asked to note the report from scrutiny and overview. So going straight on to item seven, which is the quarter two performance report. So that's now over to Councillor Brian Milnes, who's going to present it and recommend it. Thank you. Thank you, Llywydd. So we have before us the quarter two performance report with appendix A and B, which looks at the council's quarter two position regarding its KPIs, its key performance indicators, and the 2020-25 business plan actions for our consideration and comment. Going through it, I was noted that because of the timing of our meeting, we're close to the end of quarter three, and so some of the comments are seemingly out of date, but they're all under actions in the report. So we are recommended to review the KPI results and comments of appendix A and progress against the business plan appendix B. And I'd just like to thank Kevin Ledger, who again has done a great job in putting these reports together for us, very straightforward and clear, and we recommend approval noting the recommendations before us. Thank you. Thank you very much. And I think Councillor MacDonald is going to second this. Yes, and I'd like to second share. Would you like to speak now? No, thanks. Thank you. To decide the point about Kevin online, Kevin, is there anything you want to add and almost a memory, is there anything that you'd like to say at this point? So Kevin, you first. I don't think there's anything in particular from me. Obviously, if there are any questions, then more than happy to kind of chip in and answer those if there are any. Thank you very much indeed. Jeff, is there anything that you want to say at this stage? OK, thank you. In questions from Cabinet, please. Nothing, so I'm very pleased with the narrative that we now have with all these results, because it makes it far more meaningful than just having rag ratings. It's interesting that we've had an issue with electrical meters on our housing stock. Is that kind of being resolved now? I'm going to come to Peter Campbell to see where we are with that, because it sounds as if it says these have now been resolved. That's like no been resolved. OK, so we're on catch up now, are we, on that? That's very satisfying. Thank you very much. OK, so nothing, any other questions from anybody else in the room or online? Lovely, thank you very much indeed. So, we are now going to take a vote on this. So, the recommendation is set out at paragraph four of the report, and that's to review the KPI results and comments at Appendix A and progress against the business plan actions at Appendix B, recommending where appropriate any actions required to address issues identified and approving onward submission to Cabinet. So, do members agree with the proposal? Agree. Anyone wish to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? Cabinet therefore agrees the proposals by affirmation. And swiftly on to item eight, which is providing additional self-contained accommodation for single homeless people. Now, councillor John Bachelor is going to introduce this, but because he's not present, I will be making the recommendation, and I think councillor Handley will be seconding it. So, councillor Bachelor. Thank you very much, Chair. I'm very happy to recommend this to Cabinet. This is a project designed to address a particular issue that we have with single homeless people who get sort of trapped in B&B facilities for much too long, because we have great difficulty in finding proper accommodation for them. So, this proposal is a partnership between the Housing Department, Irmene Street, and Shire Homes, and it uses government grant money in order for Irmene Street to be able to buy properties in the locality, and the Housing Department actually provides grant money in order to make it financially viable. So, I think this is a jolly good inventive way of dealing with the problem, and I hope you will support it. Thank you. Thank you very much, councillor Bachelor. Councillor Handley, do you want to speak? I don't wish to speak, thank you. Any questions from Cabinet on this? Any questions from anybody else? No, so I'm really pleased about this, and we all know, as local members, who probably quite regularly are approached by single people with facing homelessness, particularly single middle-aged men in my experience, and it's a real problem trying to find provision for them. So I'm really, really pleased we're being proactive in this. So that's excellent. Well done to Peter Campbell and all his team on this. It's very innovative, good problem-solving, thank you. So the recommendation set out in paragraph five says, supports the proposed scheme to increase the supply of self-contained single-person accommodation. Do you members agree with the proposal? Agree, agree, agree. Anyone wish to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? So Cabinet, therefore, agrees the proposal by affirmation, and so thank you very much to all the officers who I know have been working extremely hard on that. So item nine, the paper should have been attributed to Councillor Brian Mills. We've had a bit of a change in Cabinet personnel and roles, so my apologies that this has got slightly confused. So Councillor Mills is going to recommend it, and I'm very happy to be seconding it. So over to you, Councillor Mills. Thank you, Llywydd. The Water Reach Renewable Energy Network is now moving forward, and we have before us a business case update, and that includes news from the combined authority that they approved a significant chunk of funding towards this project along with ourselves and the City Council. This report presents a summary of the business case and implementation plan for the Renewable Energy Network at Water Beach depot. It's a micro grid to increase the electrical capacity at the waste depot, and this will provide a further step along our Fleet Decalment Carbonisation Plan and looks to power some 20 to 24 electric refuse vehicles that are planned. Obviously this will provide not only renewable but significantly cheaper energy than what we would get from the grid, even if the local grid had capacity. So we've allocated funding from the capital programme for this project, so no funding consideration is required by Cabinet. However, this update shows the business case review undertaken and the next steps for implementation, and I'm very happy to recommend it to Cabinet. Thank you very much indeed. So I think this is a very exciting project shows us leading the way yet again in finding our own solution to problems. So I certainly look forward to seeing this happen and I'm keen to have a ride on electric bin lorry actually as well. Any questions from Members of Cabinet? Cater Henry Batchelor. Thank you, Leader. Just to point out as well some of the money has recently been approved to come for this project from the Combined Authority, so I just want to say thank you to our representatives on the Combined Authority for flying that flag and also to officers for putting that package together. So just a comment from me. Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you. Thank you very much indeed. Yes, and there was a considerable amount of work had to go into the preparation of the business case in order that it got the support of the Combined Authority Board. I don't know if it hadn't been so good, it wouldn't have got the support, so it was good to be able to represent this council on something so positive. Councillor Stavard. Thank you, Leader. So this is the realisation of a vision and it's great. I wondered what's the next stage? I suppose the members were a bit greedy for progress and stuff, but where does this go? Is it a scalable architecture? Could we add 50%, 75% at a future time when that is required? I'd be nice to know that there is a way ahead from this point. Well, I might ask Bally to take on that. So the neighbour to Water Beach plant has other areas of land proximate to the plant. So in terms of future development, we are already considering options in and around the plant to extend this. We've got a fleet of over 50 vehicles, which eventually we would want to see electrified. In the meantime, as you know, that we're implementing an HVO programme to run as many vehicles as possible, which is a sustainable fuel, giving us diesel equivalents from a sustainable basis. So it's part of a longer term plan. You're absolutely right to point out. I should have thanked Bally and his team, Alex, particularly for the hard work that they've done on this project, because it's been a very difficult one to do, particularly in terms of supply chain economics, which has faced inflationary pressures just recently. So I don't know whether Bally wants to add anything. Thank you. Not much else to add to what Councillor Brown-Mill has said. I think the only thing just to point out is the level we are starting at with about 20 to 24 vehicles is about the most optimum, because from what we've done so far, the constraint now seems to be not in our ability to deploy additional electricity, which, luckily, like Brad Mill said, we don't have the support of the landlord who has a bit of land available. The biggest constraint actually is on the vehicles, so we don't want to go too far with the fleet, because at the moment, there's a limited range that electric vehicles can cater for, so we can just about get about half our fleet to be electric, because once we start beginning to go beyond that boundary to the wider extremities of the council area, we're not sure. Well, we know for certain that the current breed of electric vehicles cannot deal with that, so we're having to re-route our rounds. So I think it gives us a good starting point to start with this 2024 and just see how far technology moves on, and whether or not we have the electric vehicles new breed that can then go much for that in the meantime, that Councillor Mill said, we're going to be augmenting the electric vehicles with hydrochetech vegetable oil, with a diesel truck, which can then go much for that. So I think we're about to have the right balance for now for the next few years. And I might add to that the current weather conditions are informing a lot of new electric vehicle owners that there is a performance impact on the very cold weather, including rain. It was quite surprising how much it plummets actually. Yes, when it's cold. And if only I'd been able to lock my electric vehicle, which you can't do when it's minus four, never mind. Hopefully nobody wants to drive it when it's that cold. Thank you very much indeed, Bode. And thank you particularly to you and Alex Snelling Day for considerable amounts of work on this. I know it hasn't been easy, and I know it was a huge relief when the combined authority agreed to partly match fund this. So the recommendations set out, I'm sorry, are there any other questions? I beg, my apologies, Councillor Ellington. No problem. I've had one of my questions answered about routes. But one of the things I noted this morning was snow seems to cut it off altogether. So what do we do? How do you charge the vehicles if you're short of electricity off the grid when such conditions as snow stops any snow energy being made? Yes, that's fine. Clearly, we need the panels to be able to operate in all conditions, don't we, for them to be successful? And indeed, the availability of lights during winter months is an issue in terms of the amount of available energy. The solar panels do actually keep some heat, interestingly. So the typical effect of that is for the snow to slide off. But in fact, we might have seen that on the way to the offices this morning, is that the drain covers are all melting the snow on the roads because there's a small amount of heat and the differential means it melts. I don't know if Bodey wants to add anything to that. But I presume there's always backup from the grid, isn't there? There's always backup, so, yeah. OK, thank you, Councillor Ellington. Fine, so the recommendation set out at paragraph four is that the Cabinet are asked to note the update for the Water Beach Renewable Energy Network business case. Do you members agree with the proposal? Agree. Anyone wish to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? Cabinet, therefore, agrees the proposals by affirmation. OK, so we're moving on to the sort of finance part of the agenda. So item 10 is the 2022-23 revenue and capital budget monitoring for quarter two. And Councillor John Williams is going to recommend this. And I think Councillor Milnes is going to second it. So, Councillor Williams. Thank you, leader. I move that we note this report for quarter two for the general fund revenue and capital. I think I refer you to paragraph 23 of the report, which says that this is not necessarily a good guide to the after because clearly the first two quarters of this year although interesting, roughly show that we are on track. But, you know, it not necessarily gives us a good guide to the end of this, to the out turn at the end of this financial year. I would like to take the opportunity, though, and the next section, which is the energy bill support to thank the officers for the tremendous amount of work that went on during those two quarters to ensure that we got the government's energy package out to those that needed it. Very pleased that, you know, in relation to how much we received, we managed to actually distribute most of that money, even though it was rather difficult sometimes to identify those people who were entitled to it because clearly we were under pressure from the government that if we didn't do it properly, they would ask for the money back. So I'm very grateful to the officers for the work they did on that and clearly that has benefited our local residents. But I'm happy to take any questions on the report. Thank you very much. Can we have that noted in the minutes, please? Thank you very much indeed, because I think we've got stuff out very quickly and the majority of it. Councillor Mills, do you want to comment at this point? No, that's fine, thank you. Thank you very much and I reiterate your thanks to officers who yet again, in the finance departments, came to our rescue, as they did with COVID grants and business grants and as they do with Ukraine and just keep stepping up to the mark again and again. Any questions from Members of Cabinet? Any questions from anybody else? OK, thank you. So the recommendation is, A, note the 2223 revenue position against the approved revenue budget to date, should appendix B, project a major variances with reasons for these variances at appendices C1 to C7 and the actions being taken to address the underlying issues and B, note the latest capital programme for 2223 position and variances, if any, as shown at appendix D. So, do Members agree with the proposal? Agree. Anyone wish to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? So Cabinet therefore agrees the proposals by affirmation. Thank you. And item 11 is the medium term financial strategy and this is the first submission. I gather that we'll get an announcement about the financial settlement on the 21st. I think it's going quite late from government this time. So, OK. So Councillor John Williams is going to recommend this and Councillor Milne is going to second it again. So thank you. Thank you over to you, Councillor Williams. Thank you, Leader. I think this report emphasises that we live in an age of great uncertainty when it comes to local government finance. We have continued to make the assumption that there will be a fair funding review and that this review is now like to take place after the general election in 2526. But obviously as a result of that review, we will see our income from business rates reduced considerably. And that is why, if you look on the table, that we are forecasting a deficit but it's largely due to that drop in income from business rates. Again, officers are working very hard to find ways to reduce that deficit. But as you see, I think from the chart which shows the various assumptions from the best to the most pessimistic, the range is such. I think that indicates where we are in regards to certainty on local government finance going forward. So this is the best that we can do at the moment from the information that we have got from government and other financial sources. But no doubt this will change as we go forward and probably will be different once we know the settlement later this month. Thank you very much. Councillor Mills, do you want to come in? I think just to thank Peter Maddick and his team for the work on this is always very strenuous and waiting for the results from the government is an extra burden that they have to cope with, so I thank you. And now, secondly, Merthyn. Thank you very much. So we discussed this at the local government association board meeting last week and they've got some sort of indications of what's coming, but obviously that's all confidential at the moment. But there was quite a lot of pushback from members of all parties about using the narrative that things aren't as bad as they could have been and actually that's really, really not helpful for us in local government, particularly as it is always us, particularly at district level, who will uncount, of course, who have to step in when there's a crisis because we're most closely connected to our communities. And that needs to be acknowledged by government and we need to be properly remunerated to do the really outstanding job that we all want to do. So, you know, not as bad as it could have been is not helpful. It means it still means things are not good financially, but we will see what comes on the 2021st. Any questions from cabinet members? Any questions from anybody else? Peter Maddox, is there anything you want to add to this? No, not particularly other than to say that quite clearly when we get the settlement, the figures will be back changed and we'll see what happens on the 21st. We will indeed. I don't think it's going to be a Christmas present somehow, but hopefully it won't be as bad as it could be. OK, so thank you very much indeed. And again, thank you to Peter and all of your team, as always, for helping us steer a very steady ship here. So, reconditions set out in paragraph four to acknowledge the projected changes in service spending and the overall resources available to council over the medium term to 27-28. Recommend a full council, the updated medium term financial strategy once the 23-24 budget is complete and the settlements finalised. Do you members agree with the proposal? Great. Anyone wish to vote against? And anyone wish to abstain? And so, cabinet therefore agrees with the proposals by affirmation and my thanks to Councillor Williams, who is also very, very key in steering that ship. So, thank you. And on to item 12, which is bids and savings, and again, Councillor Williams, and I believe seconded by Councillor Milne's again. So, Councillor Williams again. Thank you, leader. Well, this is pretty every year. We look to the next financial year as to what we should, new things we should put into the budget and what new savings we can find in next year's budget. And these are outlined in the two appendices that are attached to the report. And I would ask the cabinet to note the bids that have been put forward and to be included in next year's budget in terms of additional things that we want to do, but also the efficiency savings and the additional income that we're expecting next year. Thank you very much indeed, Councillor Milne's. Well, under the risk of repeating myself, I'd like to thank Peter Madden for his team for the work on this as well. A very extensive report. And I think when you consider what other councils around the country are having to say right now, we're in a much better position than many. So thanks to the Office of Board and John Williams for the work they do in preparing this. Thank you very much indeed. And again, the appendices, the descriptions we have in appendix A and B is really, really helpful. It makes it all very meaningful. So thank you very much for that. Any questions from cabinet members? Any questions from anybody else? No. Peter Maddox, do you want to add anything on this? Just to say that the figures included in there are also in the MTFS, so the MTFS includes all of those bits. Thank you very much. So let's say life has never had more uncertainty or less certainty in local government finance than now. So thank you very much indeed. So recommendations set out in paragraph four and five. And noted the growth bids put forward, both one-off and ongoing, detailed appendices A and B and consider whether those for 23-24 should be included in the budget to be proposed in February 23. Noted the proposed range of service efficiencies, savings and additional income detailed in the appendices C and D and consider whether those for 23-24 should be included in the budget to be proposed in February 23. So do members agree with the proposal? Great. Anyone want to vote against? Anyone wish to abstain? Cabinet therefore agrees the proposals by affirmation and moving on to item 13, which is the capital program update and new bids. And again, Councillor John Williams and I believe Councillor Milne's is seconding this one, which I think is our last one. So, Councillor Williams. Thank you, leader. I move that we note the proposed capital program. I think it's fair to say, if you look at paragraph 21, going forward, clearly there are fewer opportunities, investment opportunities for us because of changes in the rules to the public works loan pool where we can't invest simply for a return, for a commercial return. But, however, there are, and of course we are limited, being where we are in the country and there is not a great deal of opportunity for regeneration. Nevertheless, there are some projects that we can look at and one of those is 270 Science Park, which we have been able to refurbish a previous single unit into five separate units for labs and other purposes for our biotech companies and proving quite popular, actually, because I think we have now let three of those five units and are very confident that we will let them remain two very soon. We are using our capital wisely to help business in line with our policy to help business grow in South Cairns. But, nevertheless, it is going to be difficult over the next couple of years to identify projects for us to invest in. But having said that, the capital program is one which is a considerable, given the size of South Cairns is a considerable programme and is well within the limits that we have set ourselves for raising capital, for borrowing for this council. So, I would like to move the re-equip. Thank you, Councillor Williams. Councillor Nales. Thank you. Just to echo my previous comments which are applicable here, particularly when you look at other councils' investment policies that have not turned out very well at all. Thank you. Thank you, yes, and it was a very poor decision of government to change the rules on public works loan board borrowing because it allowed councils like us with a very, very good strong track record, successful track record of successfully generating revenue from investments that stopped us from doing it. So, yes, I'm not sure if that's going to get reversed any time soon. Thank you also to Peter Maddick's and Anneane's worth for all the work that they do on all the investment programmes and the bids as well because it makes a massive difference to us that we have such competent people advising us. Any questions from Cabinet, please? Any questions from anybody else? No, OK. I think this is a record as far as time is concerned, but there's more. Do you think I'm going to jinx it, don't you? The recommendation is set out at paragraph 3 of the report to approve the fees and charges as detailed in Appendix A of the report to take effect on 1 April 23, unless otherwise stated all the earliest feasible date thereafter, and note the proposed variations to fees and charges in comparison to the prevailing inflation rate detailed in the report. Do Members agree with the proposal? Does anyone wish to vote against the proposal? Anyone wish to abstain? So, Cabinet therefore agrees the proposal by affirmation. So, we now bring the meeting to a close. Members of the public who are watching this webcast, this means the video stream will now end. Thank you for joining in today's meeting and thank you those Members' officers and so on who came in through the snow to get here. So, the next meeting is scheduled for Monday, the 23rd of January at 10 o'clock. Thank you very much indeed everyone.