This report forms part of the previously approved process to secure MCF funding, that, like other reprioritised MCF schemes, forms part of a North Active Travel Corridor spanning from the M60 Junction 7 via Talbot Road through to Salford and onto Manchester via the A56 Old Chester Road to the Cornbrook Junction.

The report summarises the outcomes of the consultation of the proposed improvements and to recommend that the proposed scheme and progress to detailed design stage and, subject to all necessary MCF business case approvals, proceed to delivery as per programme of works.

a)    That the content and findings of the presentation and consultation report be noted.

b)    That the Executive Member notes that the scheme, incorporating enhancements following input from the consultation, be progressed to detailed design, and thereafter subject to all necessary MCF business case approvals, proceed to delivery.

c)    That the programme as set out in Section 3 of the report, be noted.

d)    That the Executive Member delegates authority to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Systems, to negotiate and finalise the grant funding agreements, construction contracts and any other contracts or documents required to implement the decision.

e)    That the Executive Member delegates authority to the Director of Legal and Governance to enter any contracts or other documents requires to implement this decision.

This report requests an exemption to the Fund criteria to allow monies to be granted to Mosscare St Vincent’s (MSV) for the Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme (RSAP) scheme in Flixton. Currently the Fund criteria does not allow for monies to be granted from the Trafford Affordable Housing Fund (TAHF) where another grant has been secured on the same units.

The RSAP scheme has received funding of £780,000 (capital) and £85,000 (revenue) from the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities (DLUHC) to provide 12 new build units of accommodation for rough sleepers. However, there are additional costs associated with new planning requirements such as upgrading the boundary fence to a wall with planting on both sides, increasing the footprint of the development to accommodate trees, adding in Juliet balconies and larger windows.

These additional requirements have meant the grant received from DLUHC does not cover the scheme costs.  Therefore, MSV have requested £22,500 from the TAHF to cover these additional costs to enable to scheme to be delivered.

That the Executive Member for Housing and Advice grants the exemption in principle, subject to planning permission and awards a grant of £22,500.

The report sets out the Executive’s updated 3-year budget strategy proposals including the draft revenue budget proposals for 2024/25 and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for the period 2025/27. 

The key summary of figures for the revenue budget, based on current estimates are:

·         The draft overall budget movement for 2024/25 is an increase in the net budget of £8.59m or 4.1%, from £209.81m to £218.40m.

·         The budget gap for the three years before applying any of these draft budget proposals is currently estimated to be £54.93m with £20.08m relating to 2024/25.

·         The report presents a draft set of budget proposals to balance the planned budget gap of £20.08m in 2024/25, which in line with our three-year strategy, contributes towards closing this budget gap by £13.68m via a mixture of measures:

o    Additional funding 

o    Planned use of earmarked reserves

o    New savings and income generation

·         The proposals within the will now form the basis of consultation with members of staff and, where required, the general public and are therefore subject to change; the draft proposals are also subject to review by the Scrutiny Committee.

·         It should be noted that if all the budget proposals in the report are implemented there currently still remains a residual budget gap of £29.80m over the three years, comprising:

o    £6.41m in 2024/25,

o    £12.75m in 2025/26,

o    £10.64m in 2026/27,

·         Final decisions will be taken by the Executive after taking into consideration further proposals to address the gap, all relevant matters and feedback, at which time a proposed budget will be put to full Council for approval on 21 February 2024.

a)    That the 2024/27 proposed budget strategy, including the 2024/25 draft revenue budget and the 2025/27 MTFS be approved and the income and savings proposals be included for the purposes of consultation only (where necessary) and these proposals will also be referred to the Scrutiny Committee for their consideration;

b)    That the proposal to increase Council Tax by 4.99% in 2024/25 (comprising 2.0% adult social care precept and 2.99% general increase) and by 2.99% for the remaining years of the MTFS 2025/27 be noted;

c)    That the assumptions made in setting the MTFS in Section 4 and the degree of uncertainty be noted;

d)    That the remaining budget gap for the years 2025/26 to 2026/27 be noted;

e)    That the commentary of the Director of Finance and Systems, the Council’s statutory S151 officer, regarding the financial sustainability of the Council in Section 1 be noted. 

f)     It was noted that the draft proposals are subject to various consultation exercises, further analysis of reserves, savings and income including impact assessments, potential future movements in core funding and specific grants, revised costings and robustness assessments.

g)    It was note that the review of the Capital Programme which is ongoing and the prioritisation process to be undertaken to compile an affordable capital programme 2024/25 to 2026/27.

h)    That the continued use of flexible use of capital receipts to support in part the cost of the Modernisation Team in developing the Council’s Finance and Change Programme for 2023/24 and 2024/25 be noted.

The Council, as the Licensing Authority under the Town Police Clause Act 1847 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, has responsibility for the licensing of Hackney Carriages and Private Hire vehicles, drivers and operators within its district.

In July 2020 the Department for Transport published its Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Standards. In the Standards the Department recommended that all licensing authorities make publicly available a cohesive policy document that brings together all their procedures on taxi and private hire licensing.

Officers have prepared a draft policy which brings together all the Council’s current policies and procedures into one document; including amendments to the policies and conditions in respect of the Greater Manchester Minimum Licensing Standards which were adopted by the Council in 2021.

The report proposes the Council adopt this new overarching Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy to be effective from the 1^st December 2023; and to be reviewed every five years.

1)    That the content of the report be noted;

2)    That the approval of the proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy which includes the amendments detailed at 3.19 be recommended to Council;

3)    That the delegation of authority to the Corporate Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Communities and Safety to bring the implementation date for vehicle age and emission standards (for existing licensed vehicles) forward from 1^st April 2026 should it be deemed appropriate in support of the Clean Air agenda be recommended to Council.