Agenda and decisions

That Cabinet approve:

a)       the inclusion of the Armed Forces Covenant into the policy;

b)       the increase in the discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant funding from £20,000 to £30,000 to be funded through the Better Care Fund Allocation;

c)        the increase to the Minor Works Grant funding from £5,000 to £10,000 to be funded through the Better Care Fund Allocation;

d)       a review of the outcome of the amendments to the discretionary grant maximum amounts after 6 months of the policy update approval; and

e)       delegated authority to the Director – Communities & Environment, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder - Housing and the Leader of the Council to increase the discretionary grant by a further £10,000 without requiring a further report to the Cabinet, if considered appropriate, following the review.

That Cabinet note the work delivered to date in line with the Health & Wellbeing Strategy for 2022 to 2026.

That Cabinet:

a)       approve, subject to appropriate legal mechanisms and formal decision from Newark Town Council it does not wish to take on the land, the Council entering into a long-term arrangement to adopt and maintain the open space from the first phase of the Middlebeck development in Newark;

b)       approve the maintenance of the land in return for a £2million commuted sum agreed with the developer, Urban & Civic;

c)        agrees that, at the end of the 20-year period, ongoing maintenance of the land would be funded from the Council’s own resources;

d)       approves that delegated authority be given to the Council’s Directors - Communities & Environment and Planning & Growth, in consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Biodiversity & Environmental Services and Strategy, Performance & Finance, to enter into an appropriate legally-binding contract with the developer Urban & Civic, as detailed at paragraph 2.6 of the report; and

e)       approves that Newark Town Council be formally approached for a decision about whether it wishes to take on responsibility for the future ownership and maintenance of the land in line with the principles set out in the Devolution Agreement. 

That Cabinet:

a)        approve the overall General Fund, Capital & HRA Budget Strategy for 2025/26;

b)        note the consultation process with Members;

c)        note that Budget Officers continue work on the assessment of various budget proposals affecting services for consideration in setting the Council's budget; and

d)        note that Budget Managers work with finance officers in identifying further efficiency savings, increasing income from fees and charges and in identifying new sources of income.

That Cabinet note the update on the Commercial Plan.

That Cabinet:

a)       note the report, with those items considered as no longer exempt by report authors being released into the public domain; and

b)       this annual review report continue to be brought to the Cabinet going forwrard.

That Cabinet:

a)       note and welcome the progress on the Towns Fund Programme; and

b)       approve, subject to agreement from the Newark Town Board, the following:

i.               an increase to the Newark Cultural Heart delivery budget by £2,203,737 (made up of £2,110,000 from the Towns Fund Capital grant and £93,737 from the Towns Fund Revenue grant;

ii.             delegate to the Director - Resources, in consultation with the Director - Planning & Growth, authorisation to submit a Project Adjustment Request form to Government seeking authorisation to re-allocate the remaining £2,203,737 detailed at b) ii from the Newark Gateway scheme to the Newark Cultural Heart project; and

iii.           to undertake the Full Business Case and return to Cabinet for approval in late 2024.

That Cabinet approve:

a)       the Section 106 contributions for open space off site sports held by the District Council be transferred to Ollerton Town Football Club for improvements at the Walesby Lane Sports Ground in Ollerton; and

b)       the Council’s Capital Programme for 2024/25 is increased by £59,696.76 financed by the Section 106 receipt reference AG924 held for open space off site sports improvements in Ollerton.