Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Akhtar.  

There were no public questions received.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 21^st September 2022 be approved as a correct record.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Director of Finance which sought approval to allocate the Household Support Fund grant from the Department of Work and Pensions in the sum of £2,419,369 over the period 1^st October 2022 to 31^st March 2023.

The report set out the options for the allocation of the funding across several initiatives including food support for children and young people over the school holiday periods and help with costs of duel and essential items for pensioners and vulnerable households.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 - provides £1.95m of school vouchers and contributes £385,000 towards the Council’s Response to the Cost of Living Crisis.

Option 2- is as per Option 1 but with an additional cash payment of £30 to support the purchase of school uniforms for parents with children who qualify for Free School Meals (FSM) at reception and year 7, based on £30 per child. This would cost £75,000 and reduce the contribution to the Response by the same amount.

Option 3- reduces the school voucher payment over the Christmas holiday to £15 and allocates £500,000 to fund a payment of £22.50 towards fuel costs to all residents currently receiving Council Tax Reduction benefits.

Option 4 - the Council could choose not to deliver a package of support to vulnerable residents over the April to September 2022 period. As the DWP funding is ringfenced, this would mean returning the funding to the Government. This option can be quickly discounted.

RESOLVED – That Cabinet approved Option 1 which utilised the Housing Support Fund grant funding in full.

·         Food Support for children and young people at £15 per week for the October,February and Easter holidays and total payment of £20 per week per eligible child over the Christmas holiday 1,950,000.

·         Additional Support for the Local Welfare Provision Scheme 25,000.

·         Allocations to support the Council's response to the Cost of Living Crisis:

·         Support for the Warm Homes Team to provide fuel vouchers for those in emergency need and the provision of a boiler repair/replacement service 1 00,000.

·         Enlisting support in partnership with funding administered by Action

Together, from the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise

sector to provide support ) in the following areas, 220,000

-       warm clothing /bedding

-       support for those with no recourse to public funds

-       essential items for the elderly including food

·         Provide additional funding for Age UK to support older people with fuel

payments.50,000.

·         Providing additional HUGGG vouchers to complement the Holiday Activity Fund. 15,000

·         Administration costs 59,369

·         Total £ 2,419,369

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Executive Director, Place and Economic Growth which sought to confirm the value of the grant available to Oldham via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and to notify the Cabinet of the intention to bring this additional resource into the transport capital programme to commence development of the Quality Bus Transit Corridor Scheme.

The report provided details of the steps Oldham Council would need to take to procure the necessary support to develop the scheme in the appropriate timescales and to meet the finding requitement for both development and future delivery of the scheme.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 – To accept the grant, enter into a funding arrangement with Transport for Greater Manchester, approval for all procurement activity and tender be given.

Option 2 – Not to accept the grant funding.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    The grant offer from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for scheme development of the Oldham section of the Rochdale – Oldham – Ashton Quality Bus Transit (QBT) Corridor, on behalf of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), be accepted.

2.    Approval is granted to enter into a Funding Delivery Agreement with TfGM in relation to the proposed scheme development.

3.    The intention to bring the additional resource into the transport capital programme in 2022/23 and complete development of the scheme in the appropriate timescales be noted.

4.    Approval to procure and make tender awards relating to the necessary external support required to develop the QBT scheme (examples listed in the report) be delegated to the Executive Director for Place & Economic Growth.

5.    Approval to use part of this resource to progress the development of and tender for a Strategic Partnership Agreement with a view to awarding the works packages to a single Contractor to meet the expectations and timescales of the funders be granted. 

6.    Approval to use part of this resource to appoint temporary agency support within the Highways Team to progress design options to secure further capital funding for Oldham be granted.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Director of Adult Social Care which sought to update the contract arrangements for residential and nursing home provision in the Borough and sought approval to conduct an open tendering exercise.

The current Oldham Council contract and service specification that was used when care home places were commissioned dated back to 2011nad a refreshed approach was needed. Pivotal changes such as the Health and Care Act 2022 and adult social care charging reforms needed to be reflected in the commissioning and contacting arrangements for the future.

The intention was to implement revised contracting arrangements with market by April 2023 and the report set out the implementation plan. The proposed arrangements would be in place for a minimum of 5 years with the option to extend for a further 2 years.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 – Do nothing

Option 2 – Approval to go out to market with a revised contracting approach and provide delegated authority to the Director of Adult Social Care to award the contracts to compliant providers following the tender process.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    The revised commissioning and contracting arrangements are put in lace with the market reflecting those changes, including implementation of a revised service specification referencing all legislative requirements.

2.    Approval be given to undertake an open tender exercise for residential provision in the Borough.

3.    Authority be delegated to the Director of Adult Social Care to award the contracts following the evaluation and moderation process being conducted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Executive Director for Place and Economic Growth which sought approval of recommendations relating to the Accessible Oldham Programme that would create an improved town centre pedestrian link and connectivity.

It was reported that the proposals would create an improved pedestrian access and connectivity in the Town Centre significantly improving the linkage on Henshaw Street, Albion Street and the proposed linear car park.

The costs would be financed from within existing external Future High Streets Fund allocation for the Accessible Oldham Scheme.

A central focus of the programme included the redevelopment of the former Tommyfield Market which included a proposed linear ca park and residential development.

Options /alternatives considered

The options were considered at Item 12 of the agenda.

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

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Director of Education, Skill and Early Years, which sought approval of the utilisation of Regulation 72(1) (b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to enable a modification to the term of the existing contracts for Targeted Youth Support (TYS) Lots 2 and 3 currently held by Positive Steps to allow a further extension of 12 months from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

This approach if approved would compliment and feed into the proposed early help, early intervention work, build on integrated commisisoing intentions and the development of a range of delivery options.

Option /alternatives considered

Option 1 – TYS lot 2 and 3 are modified and extended for a period of 12 months up until 31^st March 2024.

Option 2 – Services are tendered via The Chest.

Option 3 – Services are delivered in house from1 April 2024.  

RESOLVED -That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive formation as detailed at Item 13 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(s) 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 9 Accessible Oldham - Henshaw Street.

RESOLVED – That:

1.    Recommendations (i) (ii) (vi) be approved.

2.    Delegated authority be given to the Executive Director for Place & Economic Growth to finalise the terms together with any ancillary documentation.

3.    Delegated authority be given to the Director of Legal Services or his nominated representative to sign and affix the Common Seal of the Council to all contractual documentation necessary to give effect to the above authorisations and delegations.

4.    The costs could be financed from within the existing Future High Streets Fund allocation for the Accessible Oldham scheme.

The Cabinet gave consideration to the commercially sensitive information in relation to Item 10 Positive Steps Contract Extension for Targeted Youth Support lots 2 and 3.

RESOLVED – That the utilisation of Regulation 72(1) (b) pf the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 be approved to enable a modification to the terms of the existing contracts for Targeted Youth Support (YTS) Lots 2 and 3 currently held by Positive Steps to allow for a further extension of 12 months from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.