Agenda and minutes

None

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 September 2021. 

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 September 2021 as a correct record and agree that the Chair signs them as such. 

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

None

To receive notification of any matters which the chair determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chair. 

None

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

(1)       Carole Lindsey, speaking as a market trader, made a statement regarding the poor condition of the public conveniences at Thame Market House, by the High Street car park.  She asked for her photographs to be displayed to illustrate the issue.  Traders wished to know what the council planned to do to improve the public conveniences, the only ones in the town centre.  She called on the council to consider establishing a forum with the market traders to improve communication as the traders wished to work with the council to ensure a thriving town centre.  Mrs Lindsey asked the council to advise on the timescale to refurbish the public conveniences. 

The Cabinet member responsible for the service thanked Mrs Lindsey for her statement and agreed to investigate this matter further. 

(2)       Councillor Sam Casey-Rerhaye addressed Cabinet on item 7—the use of community infrastructure levy funds to support the council’s capital projects.  Councillor Casey-Rerhaye asked whether the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee would be able to feed in green project suggestions to the projects working group. 

To consider any recommendations to Cabinet from other committees. 

Cabinet noted an update from other committees, including the matters discussed at recent meetings of the Scrutiny Committee and the Licensing Acts Committee.  There were no recommendations for Cabinet to consider at this meeting. 

To consider the interim head of development and corporate landlord’s report. 

Cabinet considered the report of the interim head of development and corporate landlord.  This set out a proposal to use community infrastructure levy to fund capital projects.  The report set out a process and criteria to assess potential projects through a councillors’ working group with officer input. 

The Cabinet member reported that the aim was to set a process to assess projects and progress those that met the corporate objectives.  The aim was to hold the first working group meeting in November.  The projects would then be considered for inclusion in the next year’s budget.  The Cabinet member believed there was scope to consider any green projects suggested by the Climate and Ecological Emergencies Advisory Committee. 

Cabinet supported the proposal and looked forward to the working group’s proposals for projects in 2022/23.  The preferred projects should support the council’s corporate objectives. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)        agree the proposed structure for identification of projects by a member working group; and

(b)        authorise the interim head of development and corporate landlord and the head of finance, in consultation with the Leader and the Cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, to prepare terms of reference for the member working group. 

To consider the head of corporate services’ report. 

Cabinet considered the head of corporate services’ report on the joint technology strategy.  This updated the current strategy agreed in 2018, allowed the council to develop its technology infrastructure to meet the needs of the corporate plan, allowed the council to provide for future needs as it moved to new offices, and allowed it to adapt to changes in IT provision.  The strategy was set out in appendix A to the report, published with the agenda. 

Cabinet welcomed the updated technology strategy and noted that it would support all objectives set out in the corporate plan, not just reduce costs.  The council would be investing in key systems to provide better services to the public.  Cabinet particularly welcomed the emphasis on reducing the council’s carbon footprint.  Cabinet also welcomed the proposed customer relationship system proposals, and strategic move towards cloud-based services.  The strategy would allow the council to move forward and adapt to changes in the IT environment. 

RESOLVED: to note the update on the projects incorporated in the Joint Technology Strategy and to support the continuing implementation of the programme. 

To consider whether to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following item of business under Part 1 of Schedule 12A Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 on the grounds that:

(i)          it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 to 7 Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and

(ii)        the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

RESOLVED: to exclude members of the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business under Part 1 of Schedule 12A Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 on the grounds that:

i.            it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and

ii.           the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the exempt minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 September 2021. 

The exempt minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 30 September 2021 were adopted as a correct record.   

To note the exempt appendices of the head of corporate services’ report. 

Cabinet noted the exempt appendices to the joint technology strategy update report.  

To consider the head of corporate services’ report. 

Cabinet approved investment for a project to consolidate and upgrade the IT systems used for the property, asset management and technical services.