Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2025.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2025 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest to report.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  Further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to Kate.Critchel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk  by 8.30am on 20 March 2025.

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

•         You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

•         a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

•         It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

•         Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

•         when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)

•         Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.

•         questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

•         all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.  

The Leader of the Council accepted one late question from the public.  A copy of the full question and the response is set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The submissions must be emailed in full to kate.critchel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk  8.30am on Thursday 20 March 2025.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13 

There was one question from Councillor K Wheller; this along with the response are set out in Appendix 2 to these minutes.

To consider the draft Cabinet Forward Plan.

The draft Cabinet Forward Plan for April 2025 was received and noted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy.

(a)    Cabinet agreed to begin each of the procurement procedures listed in Appendix 1 of the report of 25 March 2025.

(b)    That authority be delegated to the relevant Cabinet Member, in consultation with the relevant Executive Director to agree

a.      contract award (usually through a recommendation to award report)

b.      changes (within the broad parameters of the procurement briefing notes available on request) related to matters including (usually through a project initiation document and tender evaluation model):

                      i.        scope and contract description

                     ii.        term

                    iii.       value

                   iv.        route to market e.g. tender or grant

                     v.       contract consolidation

                   vi.        and any relevant matters related the Council transformation programme.

Reason for the decision

Cabinet was required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500k or more. Therefore, it was good governance to provide Cabinet with a summary of all proposed procurements, that individually were estimated to be a total value of £500k or more, prior to procurement procedures formally commencing.

The Cabinet Member for Finance & Capital Strategy presented a report on the procurement forward plan and procurement activity within the 2025-26 programme, which was likely to exceed the £500k key decision threshold. Cabinet approval was sought to start the proposed procurement as set out in the appendix to the report.

It was proposed by Cllr S Clifford seconded by Cllr J Andrews.

Decision

(a)    Cabinet agreed to begin each of the procurement procedures listed in Appendix 1 of the report of 25 March 2025.

(b)    That authority be delegated to the relevant Cabinet Member, in consultation with the relevant Executive Director to agree

a.      contract award (usually through a recommendation to award report)

b.      changes (within the broad parameters of the procurement briefing notes available on request) related to matters including (usually through a project initiation document and tender evaluation model):

                      i.        scope and contract description

                     ii.        term

                    iii.       value

                   iv.        route to market e.g. tender or grant

                     v.       contract consolidation

                   vi.        and any relevant matters related the Council transformation programme.

Reason for the decision

Cabinet was required to approve all key decisions with financial consequences of £500k or more. Therefore, it was good governance to provide Cabinet with a summary of all proposed procurements, that individually were estimated to be a total value of £500k or more, prior to procurement procedures formally commencing.

To consider a report of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Climate, Performance and Safeguarding.

(a)           That the revised greenhouse gas emission reduction 5-year milestones and trajectories to net zero, be agreed.

(b)           That the Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy be updated to reflect revised targets and trajectories and required programmes of work.

(c)           That £6.025 million be allocated from the Capital programme be allocated to support the acceleration of the Council’s carbon reduction programme to 2027.

(d)           That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate, Performance and Safeguarding to approve individual item spend within the £6.025million programme of work.

Reason for the decision

The Dorset Council Plan 2024-29 sets tackling the climate and nature emergencies as one of four strategic priorities. That included bringing forward the council and county net zero carbon targets by 5 years to 2035 and 2045 respectively. The new corporate targets required a revision of the trajectories and interim targets currently outlined in the Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy and consideration of the action required to accelerate delivery.

The Leader of the Council set out a report which responded to the new Council Plan commitments to bring forward the Council’s carbon reduction targets for the Council and the county to 2035 and 2045 respectively. The report also set out the trajectories that would be required to achieve the new targets and the key milestones that would be needed for 2030, 2035 and 2040. The report set out the detailed work and activities that would be accelerated to meet these targets.

In response to questions, the Corporate Director for Strategy, Performance and Sustainability confirmed that, historically the Council had been successful in bringing in additional external funding, and there were further Salix funding programmes available and likely that other alternative funding would be coming forward.

In response to further questions regarding long-term costs, the Sustainability Team Manager confirmed that there were many variables to consider, however the approach taken, was to look at the next five years, and take into account what progress could be made to move programmes forward. In terms of the capital spend, the additional 6 million pounds aimed to support the acceleration of those programmes and to be able to bring forward newer, bigger schemes.

In reply to a question regarding council owned social housing being part of the building retrofit programme and social housing registered landlords; Cabinet was advised that this would be looked at in more detail going forward.

Responding to concerns raised regarding making changes to the key milestones that were originally set out by the Council, the Corporate Director for Strategy, Performance and Sustainability advised that most of the peer review work of local authorities had indicated that these targets, although challenging, could be met if the right policy levers and clever design was in place.

Replying to a question regarding vehicle tyres being shipped abroad to be burnt rather than recycled, the Leader of the Council advised that he was not aware of the Dorset Council Fleet disposing of its tyres in this way, but he would investigate and report to the individual councillor concerned.

Cabinet Members unanimously supported the report and its recommendations.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland seconded by Cllr C Sutton

Decision

(a)           That the revised greenhouse gas emission reduction 5-year milestones and trajectories to net zero, be agreed.

(b)           That the Natural Environment, Climate and Ecology Strategy be updated to reflect revised targets and trajectories and required programmes of work.

(c)           That £6.025 million be allocated from the Capital programme be allocated to support the acceleration of the Council’s carbon reduction programme to 2027.

(d)           That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate, Performance and Safeguarding to approve individual item spend within the £6.025million programme of work.

Reason for the decision

The Dorset Council Plan 2024-29 sets tackling the climate and nature emergencies as one of four strategic priorities. That included bringing forward the council and county net zero carbon targets by 5 years  ...  view the full minutes text for item 138.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Property & Assets and Economic Growth.

a)    That Cabinet approves the formation of a wholly owned but independent Dorset Council trading company limited by shares and the entry into such ancillary legal agreements and documentation as may be necessary in line with the proposed scope of this report.

b)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Director Legal and Democratic, Executive Director Corporate Development and the Cabinet Member for Assets, Property and Economic Growth, to approve the detailed implementation plans for the Company including the Target Operating Model and Business Case, and to agree the Articles of Association, Shareholder Agreement, Service Contract and Support Contract between the Council and the Company including arrangements for operational delivery.

c)    That an Executive Committee be established, to be known as ‘The Shareholder Committee for ‘Dorset Innovation Park Limited’ with delegated authority within the scope of its terms of reference, including strategic oversight and decision making of matters which were reserved to the Shareholder in accordance with the Shareholder Agreement.

d)    That 5 members of the Executive be appointed to the Shareholder Committee.

e)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Director Legal and Democratic, Executive Director Corporate Development and the Cabinet Member for Assets, Property and Economic Growth to approve the Terms of Reference for the Shareholder Committee.

f)      That Cabinet approve the granting of indemnities for personal liability incurred by any Council Officers or Councillors who may be appointed either temporarily or permanently to the role of directors of the company.

g)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Executive Director Corporate Development and the Cabinet Member for Assets, Property and Economic Growth with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy to approve the allocation to the Company of retained Business Rates generated from within the Enterprise Zone and any additional budget requirement determined as part of the annual approval of the Company Business Plan.

Reason for the decision

In November 2025 Cabinet considered a report to decide on the options for the Dorset Innovation Park and they agreed to set up a management company.  Members had now considered the mechanism by which the council would deliver change and establish a new governance structure as the mechanism to address the key weaknesses that had hampered development of the innovation park to date.

In presenting the report the Cabinet Member for Property & Assets and Economic Growth reminded Cabinet that, in November 2024, it had agreed to review options for forming an arm’s length company as the preferred management arrangement for the Innovation Park. The details of the proposed governance arrangements were set out in the appendix attached to the report.

Responding to questions regarding any deep dive scrutiny relating to the efficacy of arm’s length trading companies, the Executive Director for Place advised that officers had worked closely with legal services to learn lessons from other trading companies that had already been set up by the Council.  However, this was an established model that had been used widely by other councils across the country.

In response to a question regarding the sale of any land belonging to the Council, these decisions would be the responsibility of the Shareholder Committee, following negotiations with the arm’s length company. In reply to concerns around marketing of the site, the Executive Director for Place confirmed that to date the council’s approach to managing the innovation park had been under resourced, under coordinated and under invested. The new arm’s length trading company proposal was intended to create a more forward-looking approach.

In answer to a further question, the Cabinet Member confirmed that community engagement and working with the Parish Council was an important part of the business case.

The Cabinet Members supported the recommendations in the report.

It was proposed by Cllr R Biggs seconded by Cllr S Bartlett

Decision

a)    That Cabinet approves the formation of a wholly owned but independent Dorset Council trading company limited by shares and the entry into such ancillary legal agreements and documentation as may be necessary in line with the proposed scope of this report.

b)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Director Legal and Democratic, Executive Director Corporate Development and the Cabinet Member for Assets, Property and Economic Growth, to approve the detailed implementation plans for the Company including the Target Operating Model and Business Case, and to agree the Articles of Association, Shareholder Agreement, Service Contract and Support Contract between the Council and the Company including arrangements for operational delivery.

c)    That an Executive Committee be established, to be known as ‘The Shareholder Committee for ‘Dorset Innovation Park Limited’ with delegated authority within the scope of its terms of reference, including strategic oversight and decision making of matters which were reserved to the Shareholder in accordance with the Shareholder Agreement.

d)    That 5 members of the Executive be appointed to the Shareholder Committee.

e)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Place in consultation with the Director Legal and Democratic, Executive Director Corporate Development and the Cabinet Member for Assets, Property and Economic Growth to approve the Terms of Reference for the Shareholder Committee.

f)      That Cabinet approve the granting of indemnities for personal liability incurred by any Council Officers or Councillors who may be appointed either temporarily or permanently to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 139.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items considered at the meeting.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There is no exempt business scheduled for this meeting.

There was no exempt business to report.