Agenda and draft minutes

Members and officers must declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to any business on the agenda.  Declarations should also be made at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. 

If in doubt, contact the Legal or Democratic Services representative for this meeting.

Cllr Hunt declared an interest as a member of Transition Town Worthing who were supported by Community Works

To receive any questions from members of the public.

Questions should be submitted by noon on Thursday 30 January 2025 to Democratic Services, democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk    

(Note: Public Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes)

There were no public questions

Pre-submitted Members questions are pursuant to rule 12 of the Council & Committee Procedure Rules.

Questions should be submitted by noon on Thursday 30 January 2025 to  Democratic Services, democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk   

(Note: Member Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes)

A Member asked the following question:

With the prospect of losing approximately £50k of funding for staff to run the gallery space and associated activities, Colonnade House has recently conducted a week of consultation and engagement with creatives and interested folk about its future. They have also led an exciting programme of workshops with local artists and makers to raise funds for Adur & Worthing Trust and the Trust is also running a fundraiser. It's clear from all of this there is real enthusiasm and energy to sustain and develop an income generating, artistic hub at Colonnade House for the benefit of everyone in Worthing. But they haven't had long to prepare for the withdrawal of funds by the council and with the budget being set now, what will happen if the Trust hasn't secured the full amount of funds needed by the March deadline? Is there allowance within the budget for the council to continue their support beyond March?

Response:

I also attended the consultation and engagement events at Colonnade House and it was great to see the enthusiasm for the space, especially from the creative community across Worthing. As you know, the Council has had to make difficult choices to balance the budget for 25/26 and one of those was adapting the business model at Colonnade House to be more sustainable for the Councils, however I’m delighted to say we have active and ongoing conversations with the Adur & Worthing Trust about how the operation could sustain into 25/26. To be clear, there isn’t an allowance in the budget for the Councils to continue fully supporting the Trust, however based on conversations and changes in the last week, it’s looking more hopeful that a funding solution will be found to sustain the operation into 25/26. 

A Member asked the following question:

In the recent report by Community Works about delivering effective, adaptive and financially sustainable community spaces, there is a wealth of learning and insight that I am sure the Council must be very pleased with. Community Works propose a key next step should be community representation and contribution into the Adur & Worthing Councils' Asset Management strategy and review. In Agenda Item 5, 3.5, it says the council wants to 'make decisions with communities'. So do you agree that having produced this excellent work and with such strong community connections Community Works is ideally placed to facilitate and enable that representation on behalf of the Voluntary & Community Sector?

Response:

The Community Works report echoes the findings of our work undertaken in late 2024 with Ideas Alliance in late 2024 which has informed the commission to support our future approach to participation..

Through this work, we reached out to around 400 local groups, networks and organisations to carry out a survey, carried out 15-hours of interviews and observations, with active citizens including young people and undertook a series of deliberative events. We received 93 responses, collected 149 stories of organisations and groups and over 200 wishes for the future

We learnt  ...  view the full minutes text for item WCAB/3/24-25

To consider any items the Chairman of the meeting considers to be urgent.

There were no urgent items

To consider a report from the Director for Sustainability & Resources, a copy is attached as item 5.

The Cabinet had before it a report from the Director for Sustainability and Resources, attached to these minutes as item 5.

The report before Members was the final budget report of the year, the culmination of the annual budgeting exercise, and asked members to consider: The final revenue estimates for 2025/26 including adjustments arising from settlement, An updated outline 5-year forecast, The provisional level of council tax for 2025/26, prior to its submission to the Full Council for approval on the 25th February 2025; this would be subject to any proposals to change the draft revenue budget following consideration of the budget by the Executive.

The report outlined the Worthing Cabinet specific decisions to be made with respect to areas such as fees and charges and the setting of council tax. It also included the Worthing Cabinet decisions on the shared services which were reported to the JSC for review at its meeting on 6th February as part of the Joint Services Budget.

The report outlined the medium term financial challenge through to 2029/30 and described the key risks and assumptions which underpin this medium term financial view.

Major points were raised with Members including a full update on the impact of the Local Government Finance Settlement,  Indicative funding for initiatives to support the councils’ ambitions, Proposals to invest in services, alongside outlined savings and growth,  Considerations to be taken by the cabinet as to whether to increase council tax by 2.99% and Confirmation of the amount being asked for within the exceptional financial support framework through a capitalisation direction.

The Cabinet took a recorded vote on the individual recommendations before it

For: - Councillors  Sophie Cox, Rita Garner, Odul Bozkurt, Dom Ford, Vicki Wells, John Turley                                                               

Against: (0)

Abstentions: (0)

Decision

1.    That the proposals for savings and growth outlined in Appendix 2 be approved.

2.    That the proposals to invest in services outlined in Appendix 3 be approved.

3.    That the use of capital receipts to support the delivery of the Organisation Re-design Programme be noted, as approved by members as part of the 2024/25 budget and set out at appendix 4.

4.    That the progress with the Exceptional Funding Request be acknowledged and it be  recommended to Full Council that the draft budgets for 2025/26 at Appendix 7 (broken down by cabinet member portfolio) and the transfer to reserves leading to a net budget requirement of £17,815,180, which includes provision for the proposals in Appendix 2 and 3, subject to any agreed amendments.

5.    That it be recommended to Council an increase of 2.99% in Council Tax, making Band D £275.67 per annum for Worthing Borough Council’s requirements in 2025/26, as set out in paragraph 4.3

6.    That the council tax base of 39,464.6 for 2025/26 as set out in section 11.3. Be approved

7.    As set out in paragraph 6.3 of the report, it be agreed to:

a.    accept the UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant into the Council for 2025/26 totalling £327,146 (Revenue £266,745 & Capital £60,401)  ...  view the full minutes text for item WCAB/5/24-25

To consider a report from the Director for Sustainability & Resources, a copy is attached as item 6.

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 7.

The report before members recommended the investment programmes for Worthing Borough Council which supported both the strategic ambition of the Council and the vital regular investment toward the upkeep and improvement of our public assets and the delivery of services. Members were asked to approve new schemes for 2025/26 including the schemes for inclusion in the overall Capital Investment Programmes for 2025/26; and an indicative list of schemes for 2026/27 which will be confirmed next year. 

Decision

1.    That the General Fund Capital Investment Programmes have been considered for 2025/26 and the schemes be included as detailed in Appendix 1 and 3.

2.    That the full programme detailed at Appendix 2 be recommended for   approval by Council on the 25th February 2025.

Reason for Decision

To protect and maintain the Borough’s Assets

Alternative options considered

As outlined in the report.

Call-in

The call-in deadline for these decisions is Friday 14 February 2025 at 5.00pm.

There is no call-in for those recommendations to Full Council