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 meeting held on 1^st December 2014 and of the Special Meeting held on 15th December 2014.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 1st December and of the Special Meeting held on 15^th December 2014 be approved as correct records.

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

a) Overview and Scrutiny Review of the Executive's Draft Budget Proposals for 2015-16

On behalf of the Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Mitchell introduced a report which presented for the Executive’s further consideration issues and recommendations arising from the Committee’s review of the Executive’s Draft Budget Proposals for 2015-16.

            RESOLVED -

(1)       That the content of the report and the recommendations made be noted.

(2)       That a response be incorporated within the Budget report to be considered by Executive and Council on 18^th February 2015.

(3)       That it be noted that the Scrutiny Committee and Health Scrutiny Committee are intending to follow up work on a number of areas as part of their future work programmes.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Economic Growth and Planning.

1. That the content of the report and the outcome of the consultation be noted.

2. That the Trafford Homelessness Strategy be approved and adopted.

The Executive Member for Economic Growth and Planning Submitted a report setting out the outcome of consultation on, and seeking approval for, the updated Trafford Homelessness Strategy 2015-18.

            RESOLVED -

(1)        That the content of the report and the outcome of the consultation be noted.

(2)        That the Trafford Homelessness Strategy be approved and adopted.

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

1. That the content of the report be noted.

2. That approval be given for the Retail Rate Relief to be increased to up to £1,500 for 2015/16 for all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of £50,000 or less (as per the policy). Such increase to apply from 1 April 2015 to 31^st March 2016.

3. That approval be given for the Transitional Relief scheme, to apply from 1 April 2015 to 31^st March 2017.

4. That the existing National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) Discretionary Rate Relief Policy be amended as set out at Appendix 1 to the report to reflect the increased Retail Rate Relief amount and introduction of the Transitional Relief scheme.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which sought approval to amend the Council’s National Non-Domestic Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy to maximise government funding available, and to extend the transitional relief scheme to 2016/17.

            RESOLVED -

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

(2)        That approval be given for the Retail Rate Relief to be increased to up to £1,500 for 2015/16 for all occupied retail properties with a rateable value of £50,000 or less (as per the policy). Such increase to apply from 1 April 2015 to 31^st March 2016.

(3)        That approval be given for the Transitional Relief scheme, to apply from 1 April 2015 to 31^st March 2017.

(4)        That the existing National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) Discretionary Rate Relief Policy be amended as set out at Appendix 1 to the report to reflect the increased Retail Rate Relief amount and introduction of the Transitional Relief scheme.

To consider a report of the Acting Corporate Director, Transformation and Resources.

The Acting Corporate Director of Transformation and Resources submitted a report which provided an overview of the budget 2015/16 consultation process and an update on the outcomes of the consultations to date.

RESOLVED – That the content of the report and the consultation process, and the outcomes to date, be noted.

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

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which provided details of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2015/16, and noted that the final settlement would be announced in February 2015.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the grant settlement taken into account by the Executive in setting the budget in February 2015.

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

That the latest forecast be noted and agreed.

The Executive Member for Finance and Director of Finance submitted a report which informed Members of the position regarding the monitoring of the current year’s revenue budget, to the end of November 2014 (period 8).

RESOLVED - That the latest forecast be noted and agreed.

To consider a report of the Executive Member for Transformation and Resources.

The Executive Member for Transformation and Resources submitted a report which provided information on Council-wide health and safety performance and trends in workplace accidents, and provided a summary of other key developments in health and safety over the 6-month period ending 30^th September 2014.

            RESOLVED –

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

(2)          That the report be referred to Council at its meeting on 25^th March 2015

The Executive received for information details of decisions taken by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and by the Joint GMCA and AGMA Executive, on 28^th November and 19^th December 2014, and of the GMCA and Joint GMCA and AGMA Executive Forward Plans.

RESOLVED – That the content of the decision summaries and forward plans be noted