MinutesOF A MEETING OF THE |
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Cabinet
Held on Thursday 7 March 2024 at 6.00 pm Meeting Room 1, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE
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Present in the meeting room:
Cabinet members: Councillors David Rouane (Chair), Robin Bennett, Pieter-Paul Barker, Andrea Powell, Anne-Marie Simpson and Freddie van Mierlo
Officers: Emily Barry (Democratic Services Officer) and Steve Culliford (Democratic Services Team Leader).
Remote attendance:
Cabinet members: Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers
Officers: Andrew Busby (Head of Development & Corporate Landlord), Philip Ealey (Housing Needs Manager), Paul Fielding (Head of Housing and Environment), Mark Minion (Head of Corporate Services), Tim Oruye (Head of Policy & Programmes), Adrianna Partridge (Deputy Chief Executive -Transformation and Operations), Bertie Smith (Broadcasting Officer) and Vivien Williams (Head of Legal and Democratic (Interim))
1 Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Councillor Sue Cooper
2 Declaration of interests
None.
3 Urgent business and chair's announcements
The meeting noted the fire evacuation arrangements.
4 Public participation
None.
5 Recommendations and updates from other committees
None.
6 Empty Homes Policy
Cabinet considered the head of housing and environment’s report which sought adoption of the Empty Homes policy and to delegate authority to the head of housing and environment to make minor amendments to the policy in future.
The Cabinet member for community well being presented the report and highlighted what the policy sought to achieve. She went on to inform Cabinet that by adopting the policy a proactive approach to bringing homes back into use would be implemented with the addition of a staff member to deliver this. The Cabinet member for community informed Cabinet that the number of empty homes was calculated based on council tax data and that through the proposed positive engagement more properties may be brought back into use.
Cabinet welcomed the officer report and were keen to ensure that effective communications were employed to ensure the wider community were aware of the policy. Cabinet noted that there was wider benefit to bringing homes back into use than the financial cost including provision of housing for those in need and reduction in anti-social behaviour associated with empty properties.
RESOLVED to:
(a) approve the adoption of the Empty Homes policy;
(b) authorise the head of housing and environment to make minor amendments to the policy in the future.
7 Corporate Performance Report and Climate Action Plan Performance Report, Quarter 3, 2023/24
Cabinet considered the corporate performance report and the climate action plan performance report for quarter 3, 2023/24, being the period October to December 2023.
Cabinet welcomed the reports and highlighted areas of the council’s achievements particularly noting the useful highlights page on page 25 of the agenda pack.
It was highlighted that feedback had been taken on board to include the dates the report applied to and to make the report more high level with links to the website where greater detail could be found. Cabinet members were encouraged to include links to the reports in their parish reports.
Cabinet also noted it had been pleased to see specific reference to the reports and how they will be used by the scrutiny committee included in the scrutiny work plan.
RESOLVED: to note the Corporate Performance Report and Climate Action Plan Performance Report for quarter 3, 2023/24.
The meeting closed at 6.30 pm
Chair Date
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