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.

Councillor Myers declared a Personal Interest in respect of Trafford Housing Trust and its Limelight development at Shrewsbury Street, and Councillor Lamb declared a Personal Interest in respect of his Board Membership of the Trafford Leisure Company.

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

There were no issues to be reported to this meeting.

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

1. That approval be given to the 2017/18 to 2019/20 proposed budget strategy, draft revenue budget and MTFS including the income and savings proposals for the purposes of consultation only; and to the referral of these proposals also to the Scrutiny Committee for their consideration.

2. That the proposals be noted to increase Council Tax by 1.99% for the three years 2017/18 to 2019/20, and to levy the permitted 2% precept over the same period, which is only permitted to be allocated to adult social care.

3. That the budget gap for the years 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 be noted.

4. That it be noted that the draft proposals are subject to various consultation exercises and impact assessments, movements in core funding, specific grants, costing and robustness assessments.

5. That it be agreed that the decision is to be deemed urgent for the reasons set out in the report, and thus not subject to call-in.

The Executive Member for Finance and Chief Finance Officer submitted a report which set out the Executive’s three year budget strategy proposals and detailed draft revenue budget proposals for 2017/18 and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2018/19 – 2019/20. An opportunity was provided for Members to raise initial questions in relation to the report; and it was noted that the proposals were subject to further development, consultation and review by Scrutiny prior to the Council’s determination of its budget in February 2017.

            RESOLVED -

(1)        That approval be given to the 2017/18 to 2019/20 proposed budget strategy, draft revenue budget and MTFS including the income and savings proposals for the purposes of consultation only; and to the referral of these proposals also to the Scrutiny Committee for their consideration.

(2)        That the proposals be noted to increase Council Tax by 1.99% for the three years 2017/18 to 2019/20, and to levy the permitted 2% precept over the same period, which is only permitted to be allocated to adult social care.

(3)        That the budget gap for the years 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 be noted.

(4)        That it be noted that the draft proposals are subject to various consultation exercises and impact assessments, movements in core funding, specific grants, costing and robustness assessments.

(5)        That it be agreed that the decision is to be deemed urgent for the reasons set out in the report, and thus not subject to call-in.

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

1. That the Physical Activity Vision be adopted.

2. That the recommendations of the Commercial Prospectus be noted and approved, in principle and subject to further consultation where required.

3. That approval be given to the principle of the Council making a capital investment of £24.39m identified as necessary in the Commercial Prospectus for all three phases/lots of works and subject to the need for further Executive approval, of any investment, once detailed business cases are produced demonstrating sufficient income growth to fund the capital costs;

4. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive, to procure project management support and develop detailed schemes for the first two phases and release £250,000 to fund this development work.

5. That approval be given to consultation on proposals for the closure of George H Carnall Leisure Centre and the consolidation of leisure services in that area at an improved Urmston Leisure Centre.

6. That the proposals for the consolidation of golf facilities in the Flixton area be noted and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources to enter into negotiations with existing providers to bring forward a detailed proposal in this regard.

7. That the appointment be approved of Trafford Leisure Community Interest Company Limited as the operator of leisure services at the Council’s leisure facilities and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to negotiate the terms of and enter into a new operating agreement to support the delivery the Physical Activity Vision.

The Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships submitted a report setting out the case for investing capital to improve and modernise the Council’s leisure centres. Investment was predicated on increasing usage of leisure centres with some consolidation of facilities to generate income sufficient to meet the capital costs over a reasonable period of time. The proposals were set within the context of ever increasing cost pressures on the health and social care system and the absolute imperative to secure improved health and wellbeing outcomes through a strategy of increasing levels of physical activity. An opportunity was provided for Members to raise questions on the report’s content. Further financial details relating to the proposals were set out in a report considered in Part II of this agenda. (Minute 48 refers.)

            RESOLVED -

(1)        That the Physical Activity Vision be adopted.

(2)        That the recommendations of the Commercial Prospectus be noted and approved, in principle and subject to further consultation where required.

(3)        That approval be given to the principle of the Council making a capital investment of £24.39m identified as necessary in the Commercial Prospectus for all three phases/lots of works and subject to the need for further Executive approval, of any investment, once detailed business cases are produced demonstrating sufficient income growth to fund the capital costs.

(4)        That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive, to procure project management support and develop detailed schemes for the first two phases and release £250,000 to fund this development work.

(5)        That approval be given to consultation on proposals for the closure of George H Carnall Leisure Centre and the consolidation of leisure services in that area at an improved Urmston Leisure Centre.

(6)        That the proposals for the consolidation of golf facilities in the Flixton area be noted and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources to enter into negotiations with existing providers to bring forward a detailed proposal in this regard.

(7)        That the appointment be approved of Trafford Leisure Community Interest Company Limited as the operator of leisure services at the Council’s leisure facilities and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Resources in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services to negotiate the terms of and enter into a new operating agreement to support the delivery the Physical Activity Vision.

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

That the content of the report and the changes to the Capital Programme as detailed in paragraph 19 of the report be noted.

The Executive Member for Finance and Chief Finance Officer submitted a report which informed Members of the current 2016/17 forecast outturn figures relating to both Revenue and Capital budgets. It also summarised the latest forecast position for Council Tax and Business Rates within the Collection Fund. In response to a query, it was agreed that further information would be provided in relation to the profile of vacancies within the EGEI Directorate.

RESOLVED - That the content of the report and the changes to the Capital Programme as detailed in paragraph 19 of the report be noted.

Motion   (Which may be amended as Members think fit):

            That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining items on the agenda, because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within one or more descriptive category or categories of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, and specified on the agenda item or report relating to each such item respectively.

RESOLVED - That the public be excluded from this meeting during consideration of the remaining items on the agenda, because of the likelihood of disclosure of “exempt information” which falls within one or more descriptive category or categories of the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A, as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, and specified on the agenda item or report relating to each such item respectively.

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

Further to the report considered in Part I of this agenda (Minute 45 refers), the Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships submitted a report setting out financial details of the case for investing capital to improve and modernise the Council’s leisure centres. More details of the proposals and resolutions made in relation to this item are set out at Minute 45.