Decisions

Openreach 11 December 2024 between 0830 and 1530 – PILSDON LANE, PILSDON between its junction with B3164 and its junction with Yard Lane. 

This Notice will enable Openreach safe access to carry out pole replacement. 

Consultation period: 16 October 2024 – 26 November 2024 

Following consultation, no comments received. 

This notice will enable Dorset Council to carry out carriageway maintenance and resurfacing works.

Decision: Approved

Dorset Council 03 December 2024 until 04 December 2024 between 0900 and 1600 – CHAPEL LANE, MAIDEN NEWTON between its junction with Station Road and The Old Chapel. 

This Notice will enable Dorset Council to carry out carriageway maintenance works. 

Consultation not carried out by Traffic Team.

Decision:

Approved

Dorset Council 03 December 2024 until 04 December 2024 between 0900 and 1600 – CHAPEL LANE, MAIDEN NEWTON between its junction with Station Road and The Old Chapel.

This Notice will enable Dorset Council to carry out carriageway maintenance works.

Consultation not carried out by Traffic Team.

Wyke Christmas Street Fayre 2024 - 1 December 2024 until 1 December 2024, between 08:00 and 17:00

This Order is to facilitate a public event on the highway.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the

Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Decision: Approved

Wyke Christmas Street Fayre 2024 - 1 December 2024 until 1 December 2024, between 08:00 and 17:00

This Order is to facilitate a public event on the highway.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the

Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Openreach, 22 November 2024 between 0930 and 1530 – ANNINGS LANE, BURTON BRADSTOCK between the entrance to Northover Close and Graston Copse Holiday Park. 

This Notice will enable Openreach safe access to carry out urgent works in the highway to restore customer service. 

Urgent works therefore no consultation carried out. 

Decision:

Approved

Openreach, 22 November 2024 between 0930 and 1530 – ANNINGS LANE, BURTON BRADSTOCK between the entrance to Northover Close and Graston Copse Holiday Park.

This Notice will enable Openreach safe access to carry out urgent works in the highway to restore customer service.

Urgent works therefore no consultation carried out.

1.    Approve entering into an agreement with Dorchester Town Council for them to operate Fairfield Market and Cornhill Market under the governance of the Dorchester Market Joint Informal Panel from 3 April 2026.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Interim Executive Lead for Place in consultation with the Director of Legal and Democratic Services (and their nominated officers), to facilitate the necessary agreement with Dorchester Town Council for the operation of Fairfield Market and Cornhill Market.

3.    That similarly, the terms of reference for the Dorchester Market Joint Informal Panel be revised to provide effective governance for the arrangements.

To consider a co-location opportunity at County Hall

This report provides an update on the progress of Weymouth Harbour’s future development, focusing on the modification of the Harbour’s Open Port Duty to allow for commercial development opportunities in line with the Council’s Government funding commitments. The proposal allows for a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) to restrict the current Open Port Duty, allowing the harbour to accommodate vessels of a specified size while ensuring compliance with Statutory Harbour Authority obligations.

(a)    That an application be made to the Marine Management Organisation for a Harbour Revision Order in respect of Weymouth Harbour to restrict the Open Port Duty

(b)    That authority be delegated to the Executive Lead for Place Services, in consultation with the Cabinet member for Place Services, to determine the wording of the Harbour Revision Order based on legal advice and to undertake all procedures for the submission of the Harbour Revision Order to the Marine Management Organisation.

(c)    That a budget o £40,000 be allocated for the work set out in (a) and (b) above from Harbours Reserves.

Reason for the decision

The decision allows Weymouth Harbour to:

·       Develop the Peninsula in line with the Harbour Business Plan and the Government funding commitments, which included public space enhancements, commercial developments, and housing.

·       Reduce the financial and operational burden imposed by the unrestricted Open Port Duty, which currently required the harbour to accommodate large commercial vessels that were no longer viable or necessary for future growth.

·       Secure long-term financial sustainability through commercial opportunities aligned with the Government funding programme.

Proposal for securing mitigation to address the liability associated with the withdrawal Nitrogen Reducation in Poole Harbour SPD.

This will provide the strategic framework for whole council transformation including target operating model, governance farmwork, high-level transformation roadmap and success measures for 2025-29.

(a)            That the ambition, approach and scope for the Our Future Council transformation programme be approved, and plans to progress to a full business case, be endorsed. This would be presented to Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(b)            That the draft transformation plan, target operating model design, governance plans and draft delivery plans for whole-council transformation, be endorsed (appendix B) The final versions would be presented Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(c)             That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development to commission strategic advisor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, (PwC) to the value of £520,000 to deliver a full business case with investment and implementation plans.

(d)            That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Capital Strategy, to replenish and approve use of the transformation fund allocated from capital and revenue reserves of £3m to be made available to support invest to save transformation activity.

Reason for the decision

Dorset Council was facing significant financial pressures and increasing demand for services, a challenge common to many local authorities. To address this, we must undertake a comprehensive, whole-council transformation to ensure sustainable and effective service delivery.

This policy set out the discretionary and mandatory financial assistance Dorset Council offer to eligible residents to improv or adapt their property in the DORSET Council area. The Council are required by the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 to agree and publish a policy for any housing assistance it wishes to offer.

1. That the Dorset Council Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy be adopted.

2. That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Housing and Community Safety in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Housing to:

(a)           Make minor amendments to the policy to comply with legislation and guidance.

(b)           Suspend the approval of any discretionary housing assistance offered in this policy.

(c)           Introduce new assistance to help private residential property should funding become available.

Reason for the decision

The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 required Councils to publish a policy if they wished to provide assistance in a range of areas related to private sector housing.  Dorset Council last approved a Private Sector Housing Assistance policy in November 2020.

The council defines a key decision, in terms of procurement activity, as those with a financial consequence of £500k or more. This report will provide notice of the planned / known procurement activities that Cabinet will need to make a key decision on.

To consider a report on the Dorset SACRE agreed syllabus.

That the Dorset SACRE syllabus be approved to enable teaching and learning from Autumn Term 2025.

Reason for the decision

So the formal agreed Dorset locally Agreed Syllabus can be shared with all our schools and academy settings.

A draft of the new Council Plan for discussion and approval, setting out the council’s strategic priorities for the next 5 years.

The Council Plan had been drafted to provide visible accountability for performance, risk management, and to shape how Dorset Council would be adapting to a changing world over the next five years.  The updated draft plan provided the ‘golden thread’ for the work of officers to ensure that the council was delivering against priorities of the administration. The draft plan had been reviewed by the Joint Overview Committee on 29 October 2024 and the committee had made a few recommendations; the draft plan had been updated as a result for Cabinet consideration.

In response to a question from Cllr O’Leary the Leader of Council requested that officers send Cllr O’Leary information on the verge management schedule.

Cllr S Gibson highlighted that highways were a priority for Dorset residents and felt that this should be better reflected in the new Dorset Council Plan.  Cllr K Wheller also highlighted that the potential for economic growth from harbour and marine businesses did not feature in the new plan. The Leader of Council reminded members that not every service could be included in this high-level document however agreed to take the comments from Cllr Gibson and Cllr Wheller into account before the document was submitted to Full Council for final approval.  It was also noted that there may be some additional amendments to the plan following a late response from the LEP.   

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland, seconded by Cllr S Robinson.         

Recommendation to Council

That the updated draft Council Plan for 2024-29 be adopted.        

To establish a cross-directorate and multi-agency taskforce with the purpose of improving social mobility, reducing poverty, and ensuring cohesive responses across the Council and with wider partners.

That a cross-directorate and multi-agency taskforce be established, with the purpose of improving social mobility, reducing poverty, and ensuring cohesive responses across the Council and with wider partners.

This would: -

·       Revisit the recommendations made to the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee in the paper ‘Social Mobility in Dorset’, November 2021 and use this to inform the taskforce membership suggested in Appendix two of the report to Cabinet 19 November 2014.

·       Define and agree future actions as suggested in Appendix two.

·       Develop local data insights and analysis to inform and refine our approaches at both community and authority level.

·       Implement relevant recommendations at a local level from the national Social Mobility Commission’s annual reports.

·       Report progress annually.

Reason for the decision

Working to reduce inequalities was not a one-off piece of work; improving life chances for all was already what we strive to do and was woven throughout our various strategies and long-term plans. This approach brought together all our ambitions to ensure we were moving collectively towards reducing poverty and improving social mobility as business as usual for Dorset Council.

The challenges were complex and could not be held by any one directorate or organisation. These were deep rooted socio-economic structural issues that warrant a considered, coordinated, and long-term response.

To receive a budget update for 2025/26.

Cabinet: -

(a)        noted the updated cost pressures set out in this paper and the validation work that has been carried out on them.

(b)        agreed the assumptions being used in the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP).

(c)        noted the financial gap arising from (a) and (b) above.

(d)        agreed the 2025/26 principles for budget setting as outlined in section 13 of the report to Cabinet 19 November 2024.

(e)        noted the approach to closing the budget gap set out in this paper of 19 November, recognising that this was work in progress.

(f)          agreed to continue to lobby local MPs and work with peers to press the case for additional, multi-year funding.

(g)        agreed that Cabinet Members work with officers to continue to identify and develop further efficiencies and savings.

(h)        endorsed the next steps and timetable leading up to the 2025/26 budget which would be presented to Full Council on 11 February 2025.

Reason for the decision

Councils were required by law to set an annual budget and for that budget to be ‘balanced’ or fully funded. Essentially this means that expenditure was balanced by income without unsustainable use of one-off, or short-term sources of finance.

To consider the Quarter 2 Financial Monitoring Report 2024/25

(a)  Cabinet notes the Senior Leadership Team’s forecast of the full year’s outturn for the Council, made at the end of September 2024 including progress of the transformational and efficiency savings incorporated into the budget.

(b)  That the capital programme for 2024/25, be noted.

(c)   That the capital spend of £3.45m against Sewerage Treatment Services Improvement Works as agreed by Capital Strategy & Assets Management Group on 7 October 2024, be noted.

(d)  That the additional capital spend of £2.8m for Weymouth Harbour Walls F&G of which £1.3m to be funded from Dorset Council resources and £1.48m from Harbour reserves, be approved (subject to harbour advisory committee). A detailed breakdown is shown in the appendix which brings total project spend to £13.8m.

(e)  That the additional capital spend of £1.0m for Foster and Kinship Carers Adaptations Capital Fund, be approved.

(f)    To reallocate the budget of £160k from Parkdean improvement works to Greenhill.

(g)  To continue procurement to deliver Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) Transformation programme – part 2 with an expected value of £9m, of which Dorset Council is committing to up to £1.5m with a further step of making any contract award and finalising the partnership agreement with NHS partners should be delegated to the relevant Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, after consultation with the relevant Executive Director, Jonathan Price, Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Strategy, Cllr Clifford and Executive Director for Corporate Development (s151 officer), Aidan Dunn.

Reason for the decision

The Council provided a mix of statutory and discretionary services to communities across Dorset and was legally required to set a balanced budget every year, and so must deliver services within the resources made available through the revenue and capital budgets for 2024/25.  This report summarised the Council’s forecast financial performance for the year at the end of September 2024.

Draft Contaminated Land Strategy and report of consultation findings on the draft strategy.

That the Dorset Council Contaminated Land Strategy be approved.

Reasons for the decision

The Strategy ensures that the Council continues to meet its land contamination regulatory duties in a manner which was rational, ordered and efficient, and reflective of Dorset’s local circumstances.

This Notice will enable Openreach to carry out works to underground structures

Consultation period: N/A as urgent works

Following consultation, comments - N/A as urgent works

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution.)

Decision:

TRINITY STREET, DORCHESTER - 3 December 2024 until 4 December 2024, between 22:45 and 06:00.

This Notice will enable Openreach to carry out works to underground structures

Consultation period: N/A as urgent works

Following consultation, comments - N/A as urgent works

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the

Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 15^th October 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This Notice will enable Openreach to install new pole and overhead cabling

Consultation period: 7/10/2024 - 4/11/2024

Following consultation, comments received:

Bus companies contacted to express concern with the disruption these works will cause to services.

Openreach agreed to delay works until Saturday 30 November

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Decision:

NORTH STREET, CHARMINSTER - 30 November 2024 until 30 November 2024, between 09:30 and 15:30.

This Notice will enable Openreach to install new pole and overhead cabling

Consultation period: 7/10/2024 - 4/11/2024

Following consultation, comments received:

Bus companies contacted to express concern with the disruption these works will cause to services.

Openreach agreed to delay works until Saturday 30 November

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the

Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Various Lanes, Wareham as listed: [i] Cow Lane, Wareham from junction with North Street to outside 10 Cow Lane, Wareham; [ii] Mill Lane, Wareham from junction with B3070 West Street to junction with Cow Lane - 2nd December 2024 until 11th December 2024.

This Order will enable Dorset Council to carry out carriageway maintenance and resurfacing works. Consultation period: 16th October 2024 to 15th November 2024. Following consultation, no comments received.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given. Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution.)

Decision: Approved

Various Lanes, Wareham as listed: [i] Cow Lane, Wareham from junction with North Street to outside 10

Cow Lane, Wareham; [ii] Mill Lane, Wareham from junction with B3070 West Street to junction with Cow

Lane - 2nd December 2024 until 11th December 2024.

This Order will enable Dorset Council to carry out carriageway maintenance and resurfacing works.

Consultation period: 16th October 2024 to 15th November 2024.

Following consultation, no comments received.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the

Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution.)

This Notice will enable Dorset Council to carry out essential highway maintenance works.

Consultation period: Unknown as internal works Following consultation, comments - unknown as internal works (Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Waterston Lane and Druce Lane Puddletown - 27 November 2024 until 29 November 2024, between 09:30 and 15:30.

This Notice will enable Dorset Council to carry out essential highway maintenance works.

Consultation period: Unknown as internal works Following consultation, comments - unknown as internal works (Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Decision: Approved

Rodwell Street, Weymouth - 2nd December 2024 until 6th December 2024.

This Notice will enable Scottish and Southern Power Distribution safe access to provide new supplies to a property.

Consultation period: 6th November 2024 to 18th November 2024.

Following consultation,no comments received.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).

Decision: Approved

Rodwell Street, Weymouth - 2nd December 2024 until 6th December 2024.

This Notice will enable Scottish and Southern Power Distribution safe access to provide new supplies to a property.

Consultation period: 6th November 2024 to 18th November 2024.

Following consultation,no comments received.

(Decisions included can be executive or non-executive in nature, depending on the delegation given.

Please state if the delegation was granted by the Cabinet or any other Committee or is detailed within the Scheme of Delegation in the Council’s Constitution).