Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Akhtar and Moores.

There were no public questions received.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th October 2021 be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to a report of the Chief Executive which provided details of the Oldham Council Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan.

Oldham Council undertook a voluntary Corporate Peer Challenge between 21^st-24^th January 2020 which was facilitated by the Local Government Association and undertaken by senior elected members and Chief Officers across Local Government and the Voluntary Sector.

The Action plan at appendix 1 to the report set out the Council’s response to the recommendations contained within the feedback.

Options/alternatives

Option 1 – The Council committed to publishing an action plan in response to the Peer Challenge and Cabinet were asked to agree the plan

Option 2 – Not to agree the Action Plan.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted and the Oldham Council Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan as detailed at appendix 1 to the report be agreed.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Finance which provided the Cabinet with the approved 2020/21 audited Statement of Accounts and External Auditor (Mazzars LLP) Audit Completion report (ACR).

The report presented the Council’s Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2020/21 as considered by the Audit Committee on 29^th July 2021. Delegated Authority was given to the Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee after consultation with the Director of Finance to approve the accounts, pending the completion of the outstanding work on the Council’s group accounts, IT audit and the receipt, by the external auditor of assurances with regard to the audit of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

The accounts were subsequently approved on the 30^th September 2021 within the statutory deadline.

Options/alternatives considered

No option was presented to Cabinet, other than to note the final accounts position 2020/21.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    The Council’s final accounts position for 2020/21, the audited Statement of Accounts, the draft Audit Completion Report and subsequent letter entitled Completion of Pending Matters – Audit Completion Report be noted.

2.    The audit of the accounts for 2020/21 by the External Auditors Mazars LLP could only be finalised once the Value for Money (VFM) opinion was provided and Whole of Government Accounts (WGA) audit was completed and that a further report outlining the VFM and WGA final positions would be presented. This report and Statement of Accounts be commended to Council

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Director of Finance which provided details of the performance of the Treasury Management function of the Council for the first half of 2021/22 and a comparison of performance against the 2021/22 Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators. 

The Council was required to consider the performance of the Treasury Management function in order to comply with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Code of Practice on Treasury Management. This report set out the key Treasury Management issue for Members information and review and outlined:

An economic update for the first six months of 2021/22;

• A review of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy;

• The Council’s capital expenditure, as set out in the Capital Strategy, and prudential indicators;

• A review of the Council’s investment portfolio for 2021/22;

• A review of the Council’s borrowing strategy for 2021/22;

• Why there has been no debt rescheduling undertaken during 2021/22; and

• A review of compliance with Treasury and Prudential Limits for 2021/22.

Option/alternatives considered

In order that the Council complies with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Code of Practice of Treasury Management the Council has no other option but to consider and approve the contents of the report.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    That Cabinet approves and commends to Council the:

2.    The Treasury Management activity for the first half of the financial year 2021/22 and the projected outturn position be approved and commended to Council.

3.    Amendments to both Authorised Limit and Operational Boundary for external debt as set out in the table at Section 2.4.5 of the report be approved and commended to Council.

4.    Amendments to the Capital Financing Requirement (CFR) as set out in the table at section 2.4.5 of the report be approved and commended to Council.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director of Communities and Reform which provided details od a tri-partite agreement with Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and the Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VSCE) Leadership Group on behalf of the VSCE sector in Greater Manchester.

The agreement has an implication for the relationship of all Local Authorities with their local voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises. The success of the accord and the shared commitments that it contains will rely on their recognition, adoption and actions at a locality and neighbourhood level. The Combined Authority authorised the Mayor of Greater Manchester, the Greater Manchester Portfolio lead for Community, Co-operatives, Voluntary Sector and Inclusion and the Chief Executive of the Combined Authority to sign the Accord agreement on their behalf and all the Leaders present at the Combined Authority also signed a copy of the Accord following the meeting.

The Leader expressed thanks to the Voluntary Sector for the support and assistance during the pandemic and advsied this was an excellent example of the Council;s commitment to the accord.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 – To approve and endorse the GM VCSE Accord.

Option 2 – Not to approve the GM VSCE Accord.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    The new Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Accord as presented in the report and the implications and the commitments it contains will have on working with VCSE sector in Oldham be noted.

2.    The new Greater Manchester Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Accord be approved and endorsed, noting the work already being untaken in Oldham to deliver on the commitments contained within.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Public Health and Director of Economy which sought approval of a decision of the appointment of an architect led multi-disciplinary design team, for the Oldham Performance Space project and sought delegation for the appointment of external advisors in the required configuration to support the Council in the delivery of the project.

The Council completed a feasibility exercise for a new theatre and [performance space based within a re-developed Oldham Post Office and former Quaker meeting house at 84 Union Street and have ben successful in obtaining a Towns Fund Grant towards the capital project. The funding was subject to successfully completing Phase 2 of the Towns Find process and submitting a project business case by June 2022.

In order to progress into the next phase of the project development, the Council would need to commission a multi-disciplinary design team to develop the design through RIBA stages 2 and 3 and submission of the Planning and Listed Building consent applications.

A fully compliant mini competition tender process had been carried to enable the next phase of design to commence in October 2021.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 – Proceed to the next phase of the development

Option 2 – Do not appoint the Performance Space design team

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information contained at Item 12 of the agenda before making a decision.

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they contain exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and it would not, on balance, be in the public interest to disclose the reports.

RESOLVED that, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they contain exempt information under paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and it would not, on balance, be in the public interest to disclose the reports.

The Cabinet gave consideration to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 10 Oldham Performance Space: Design Team appointment.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations as contained within the commercially sensitive report be approved.