A maximum of 15 minutes will be allocated to public questions submitted in writing to Democratic Services (democratic.services@trafford.gov.uk) by 4 p.m. on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must be relevant to items appearing on the agenda and will be submitted in the order in which they were received.

It was reported that no questions had been submitted for consideration at the current meeting.

Members to give notice of any interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

No declarations were made by Executive Members.

To receive and, if so determined, to approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Budget Executive Meeting held on 12^th October 2020.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Executive’s Budget Meeting held on 12^th October 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To consider any matters referred by the Council or by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Councillor Acton, as chair of the Pandemic Scrutiny Committee, advised that the Committee had recently held its Budget Scrutiny sessions, and that the resulting report would be referred to the Executive in January 2021. In discussion it was noted that, as agreed by Council at its recent meeting, Scrutiny would revert to its standard structure and pattern of meetings in the New Year.

To consider a report of the Chair of the Pandemic Scrutiny Committee.

That the report be received and noted, and that a formal response to its recommendations be made to Scrutiny in due course.

Councillor Acton, as Chair of the Pandemic Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report, noting that it represented a summary of the work undertaken during the Committee, following its establishment in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, the Leader of the Council thanked the Committee’s Chair and Members for all the work they had undertaken, and advised that the Executive would consider the report and its recommendations and respond formally to Scrutiny in due course.

RESOLVED - That the report be received and noted, and that a formal response to its recommendations be made to Scrutiny in due course.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships.

1. That the content of the report be noted.

2. That the ‘One Year’ Poverty Strategy as detailed in the report be approved.

The Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships submitted a report which provided a summary of the work completed to date and the next steps required to progress the one and three year Poverty Strategy. In discussion, the report was welcomed as a significant contribution to addressing need in the Borough, and that other initiatives could be incorporated as the strategy progressed.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the content of the report be noted.

(2)       That the ‘One Year’ Poverty Strategy as detailed in the report be approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration.

1. That the draft Trafford Local Plan (Regulation 18) and supporting documents be approved for consultation.

2. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration, to make any necessary minor amendments the draft Trafford Local Plan and supporting documents prior to commencement of public consultation.

3. That it be noted that, in the event that any substantial changes to the draft Trafford Local Plan are required to be made, a further report is to be submitted to the Executive detailing the changes for approval prior to commencement of public consultation.

The Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration submitted a report which presented the draft Trafford Local Plan for approval to commence public consultation. The draft Trafford Local Plan set the vision for what type of place Trafford will be in 2037 and what strategic objectives and planning policies will achieve it. Once adopted, the Local Plan will form part of the overall Trafford Development Plan. In introducing the report, the Executive member laid stress on the issues of housing, carbon neutrality and appropriate control of development; and expressed thanks to all who had been involved in the Plan’s production.

In response to a question regarding the scope of the document, it was noted that the proposed consultation would be divided between themes and areas to facilitate response; and Members were encouraged to participate in the consultation and to feed in a range of issues identified at the meeting.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the draft Trafford Local Plan (Regulation 18) and supporting documents be approved for consultation.

(2)       That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration, to make any necessary minor amendments the draft Trafford Local Plan and supporting documents prior to commencement of public consultation.

(3)       That it be noted that, in the event that any substantial changes to the draft Trafford Local Plan are required to be made, a further report is to be submitted to the Executive detailing the changes for approval prior to commencement of public consultation.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration.

That the Publication be approved of the Draft Civic Quarter Area Action Plan (CQ AAP), including the Updated Integrated Assessment, for Regulation 19 public consultation for a period of no less than six weeks; and that the Corporate Director of Place be authorised to carry out all necessary steps in relation to such consultation.

The Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration submitted a report which set out the background to the development of the AAP and sought approval for the proposed formal public consultation on the Publication Draft CQ AAP (Regulation 19) in line with the Council’s published Statement of Community Involvement and the Local Plan Regulations (2012), scheduled to commence in January 2021. This would provide an opportunity further to involve all interested parties, including local people, businesses and key stakeholders, in the development of the final CQ AAP.

RESOLVED - That the Publication be approved of the Draft Civic Quarter Area Action Plan (CQ AAP), including the Updated Integrated Assessment, for Regulation 19 public consultation for a period of no less than six weeks; and that the Corporate Director of Place be authorised to carry out all necessary steps in relation to such consultation.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Environment and Regulatory Services.

1. That the outcome of the soft market testing relating to EV charge points in Trafford be noted.

2. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Governance and Community Strategy and the Corporate Director for Finance and Systems, to agree the final form of the procurement documents and commence the procurement exercise.

3. That it be noted that a further report will be brought back to the Executive on the conclusion of the procurement with a final business case, and to seek approval to award the contract.

The Executive Member for Environment and Regulatory Servicessubmitted a report which provided updated information to Members relating to the rollout and options associated with the introduction of EV charge points across Trafford. An opportunity was provided for members to raise queries on the report’s content, which focussed on the timescale for the rollout of charging points and co-ordination with the development of a local car club for electric vehicles. It was agreed that further information on these issues would be incorporated into the next update report to be referred to the Executive.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the outcome of the soft market testing relating to EV charge points in Trafford be noted.

(2)       That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Corporate Director for Governance and Community Strategy and the Corporate Director for Finance and Systems, to agree the final form of the procurement documents and commence the procurement exercise.

(3)       That it be noted that a further report will be brought back to the Executive on the conclusion of the procurement with a final business case, and to seek approval to award the contract.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council.

1. That the progress made since the September meeting of the Executive be noted.

2. That the Carbon Neutral Action Plan be noted and approved as a working document to be progressed and monitored through the working arrangements detailed in the plan.

3. That the working arrangements outlined in the report and Action Plan, through establishment of the Climate Emergency and Air Quality Commission, Council-Business Alliance and Climate Emergency Residents’ Panel, be noted and approved.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report which provided an update on activities that had taken place since the previous report to Executive on 28 September 2020, including the commitment to report back in December 2020 with a Carbon Neutral Action Plan that identified deliverable actions across Trafford, in the short, medium and long terms, through new working and governance arrangements. Thanks were accorded to Councillor Adshead and to the Scrutiny Task and Finish group which had contributed to the development of the plan. An opportunity was provided for Members to raise questions, which focussed on monitoring arrangements for performance across the operational estate, the risks of “silo working”, and the implementation timescales for short term actions proposed. On the latter, it was emphasised that Spring 2022 was intended to be the conclusion date for actions identified in that category.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the progress made since the September meeting of the Executive be noted.

(2)       That the Carbon Neutral Action Plan be noted and approved as a working document to be progressed and monitored through the working arrangements detailed in the plan.

(3)       That the working arrangements outlined in the report and Action Plan, through establishment of the Climate Emergency and Air Quality Commission, Council-Business Alliance and Climate Emergency Residents’ Panel, be noted and approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance and the Corporate Director of Finance and Systems.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance and the Corporate Director of Finance and Systemssubmitted a report which gave Members a summary of the Treasury Management activities undertaken for the first half of 2020/21, with particular reference to debt activity, investment activity and the adherence to Prudential Indicators. Members’ attention was drawn to the impact on Treasury activities of such factors as the airport dividend and the Bank of England base rate. It was noted that during the period in question the Council had complied with its legislative and regulatory requirements and that there had been no breaches of prudential indicators.

RESOLVED – That the Treasury Management activities undertaken in the first half of 2020/21 be noted.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Finance and Governance.

The submitted a report in compliance with the Council’s statutory duty to report to Members on adverse outcomes of complaints formally investigated by the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman. The report set out the background to this duty, and provided Members with a summary of complaints determined by the Ombudsman in 2019/20. Members noted the outcome of the Ombudsman’s public interest report, which had previously been notified to the Executive in July 2020; and that the Ombudsman had since confirmed that it was satisfied that the issues in relation to corporate processes and individual complaint remedies had been satisfactorily completed.

            RESOLVED – That the content of the report be noted.