Agenda item - PART I DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

Agenda item

PART I DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

To consider the following Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on 20 January 2021.

 

2.       Minutes – 9 December 2020                                                  5 - 16

3.       Minutes of Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select          17 – 30

          Committees

4.       Covid-19 Update

5.       Launch of Stevenage Amenity Tree Management Policy         31 – 70

6.       Launch of Stevenage Cemetery Policy                                   71 – 118

7.       Future Town, Future Transport Strategy                                119 – 134

8.       Council Tax Base 2021/22                                                     135 – 140

9.       Final Housing Revenue Account and Rent Setting 2021/22    141 – 234

10.      Draft General Fund and Council Tax Setting 2021/22(Supp1) 3 - 170

11.      Draft Capital Strategy 2020/21 – 2025/26(Supp2)                   3 – 46

 

Notice of Decisions to follow

 

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

MEETING HELD ON 20 JANUARY 2021

Decision:

The Committee considered the decisions on the following matters arising from the Executive meeting held on 20 January 2021.

 

Minutes of the Executive – 9 December 2020

 

Noted.

 

Minutes of Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees

 

Noted.

 

Covid-19 – Update

 

The Strategic Director (RP) advised that he would be providing a brief update on the latest Covid-19 position at the Council meeting on 28 January 2021 and a fuller report to the Coronavirus Executive Committee on 2 February 2021.

 

In response to a series of Members’ questions, the Strategic Director replied as follows:

 

·         Information relating to the rate of those individuals who had refused the vaccination had been requested from the Local Resilience Forum and would be shared with Members when it was available.

·         A lot of coverage had been made recently regarding the efficacy of the vaccine since the change in the timing of the administration of the second dose. Further clarity was awaited from the Director of Public Health.

·         In relation to the provision of free school meals, the SD advised that confirmation was currently awaited regarding the HCC provision for the school summer holidays.

·         The armed forces had been involved in the planning of the Mass Vaccination Centre at Robertson House.

·         In terms of the upcoming elections, officers were continuing to prepare for the May 2021 polls following the formal Government advice to continue to plan for the poll.

 

Launch of Stevenage Amenity Tree Management Policy

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Environmental Policy and Development Manager replied as follows:

 

·         Although less trees were being planted than in the past, a wider, more interesting selection of trees were now being used.

·         Any new developments in the town would require the developers to replace trees on a 3 to 1 basis. Where resources allowed the Council would replace any felled trees on a 2 to 1 basis.

 

 

Launch of Stevenage Cemetery Policy

In response to a question, the Cemeteries Services Supervisor advised that she would look at the suggestion of the Council providing a service to tend graves when nobody was able to look after them once resources would allow the Council to consider it.

 

Future Town Future Transport Strategy

 

Members were pleased to note that the Executive had requested a further report back in 12 months’ time in order to review progress on the Strategy post-pandemic.

 

Council Tax Base 2021/22

 

In response to a question, the Strategic Director (CF) advised that although every year was different, this was the first year she had ever seen a decrease in the Council Tax Base

 

Final Housing Revenue Account and Rent Setting 2021/22

 

In response to a question, the Strategic Director (CF) advised that there were 2 free rent weeks per year at Christmas and at the end of the financial year.

 

Draft General Fund and Council Tax Setting 2021/22

 

A Member expressed concern regarding the level of LCB’s and in particular that the Stevenage Youth Mayor’s budget was higher than the rest of the Members. The Strategic Director (CF) advised that following consideration it had been agreed to reduce all budgets by 40%

 

Draft Capital Strategy 2021/21 – 2025/26

 

Noted.

Supporting documents: