Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Adrian Collett. Councillor Jackie Porter attended in his place as the Liberal Democrat substitute.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 October 2018.

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed, subject to the removal of those substitute members (Councillors Cooper, Joy and Porter) who were not required to attend on this occasion, and were subsequently signed by the Chairman.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

There were no deputations on this occasion.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman announced that the following projects have been shortlisted for a number of accolades in local, regional and national awards:

·         The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) annual awards have selected The Lookout at Lepe and Whitchurch Silk Mill for shortlisting. Results will be announced in June 2019

·         Reading Abbey, The Lookout, Lepe and Whitchurch Silk Mill have been selected for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors South East awards to be announced in May this year

·         The Lookout has also been shortlisted for a New Forest National Park Design Award to be announced on the 28 March

·         The D-Day Museum for Portsmouth City Council has been nominated for two awards – the Museum and Heritage award and the European Museum of the Year awards. The outcome of both will be announced in May 2019

Members will be pleased to note that many of these projects are for external clients demonstrating our Property Services experience in securing and delivering successful projects for other public sector organisations.

To receive a presentation from the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services on the work of Hampshire County Council’s Property Services.

The Panel received and noted a presentation on the work of Hampshire County Council’s Property Services (a copy of the presentation is included in the Minute Book as Item 6).

The Director gave an overview of the work of the County Council’s Property Services which looks after, amongst other things, 10,000 buildings on some 1,000 sites and  2,000 hectares of farms.

Members were shown designs undertaken by Property Services of developments at various stages of completion including:

·         East Anton South Primary School

·         The Butts Primary School

·         North Baddesley Infant School

·         Park Community School

·         Reading Abbey Ruins

·         Royal Victoria Country Park Chapel

·         Whitchurch Silk Mill

To receive a presentation from the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services on delivering free schools in Hampshire.

The Panel received and noted a presentation on the County Council’s delivery of free schools in Hampshire (a copy of the presentation is included in the Minute Book as Item 7).

The Director explained the different processes gone through to building free schools with funding direct from the Department of Education.  So far, the County Council had been commissioned to deliver 3 new free schools in Hampshire.

The presentation included showing designs and locations of several free schools including the secondary school being established in Botley to be known as Deer Park.

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services providing an update on major programmes, projects and issues currently being progressed by the Department.

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services giving an update on major programmes being progressed within Property Services (Item 8 in the Minute Book).

The Director highlighted the main points of the report including giving an update on progress made with the Three Minsters House building following the fire. Members were made aware that it was anticipated that the building would be ready for reoccupation in the Summer.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Panel notes the progress of each of the programmes.

2.    That the Panel recommends to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources that the project appraisal for the Elizabeth II Court South Heating Improvement Works project, to be funded from the Policy and Resources Energy Performance Programme budget be approved at an estimated value of £355,000.

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services setting out proposals for the County Council’s repair and maintenance programmes for the budget allocations for 2019/20.

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services on proposals for the County Council’s repair and maintenance programmes and budget allocations for 2019/20 (Item 9 in the Minute Book).

During discussion, Members heard that the projects and programmes of work shown in the report total around £43 million of capital and revenue investment in the repair and maintenance of schools and corporate buildings in Hampshire. This was funded through a combination of local resources, school contributions and government grant.

The Chairman asked who held the responsibility for the management of legionella in Academy Schools. It was reported that the Director of Children’s Services had written to the Department for Education for clarification but no response had been received as yet.

RESOLVED:

That Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel recommends to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources to:

1.    Approve the proposal to carry forward the balance of the landlord repairs and School Condition Allocation budgets 2018/19 that are not expended by year end to 2019/20 to meet the commitments made against these budgets.

2.    Approve the Landlord’s corporate estate repair and maintenance programme for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix E.

3.    Approve the planned schools revenue and Schools Condition Allocation (SCA) programmes for 2019/20 as set out in Appendix F.

4.    Note  the progress made to reduce health and safety risks and the maintenance liability in the corporate estate in the context of the available budgets.

5.    Note the progress in addressing the health and safety risks and condition liabilities in the school estate and the continuing maintenance pressures arising from of the system buildings of the 1960s and 1970s.

6.    Note the projected 2018/19 budget outturn position for reactive and planned repairs budgets.

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services regarding proposals for the supply of electricity and gas.

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services on energy supply contracts for the County Council (Item 10 in the Minute Book).

Members noted that the current framework, with Laser, for the supply of electricity and gas used by the Council and its partners, including schools, Fire, Police and a number of other Local Authorities since 2016 was due to expire in September 2020.

The new framework would allow the Property Services energy team to continue developing strategic relationships with the selected suppliers and to investigate innovative ways of reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption.

RESOLVED:

That Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel recommends to the Executive

Member for Policy and Resources:

that a contract is let with Laser (a public sector energy buying organisation) for the supply of electricity and gas using the new enhanced supply framework for the period 2020-2024. The annual spend is estimated to be in the order of £20 million for Hampshire County Council and its partners.

To consider a report of the Director of Transformation and Governance – Corporate Services seeking approval for various procurement contracts.

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Transformation and Governance – Corporate Services on various procurement contracts for the County Council (Item 11 in the Minute Book).

The Director gave details on each of the procurement contracts requiring approval which were:

·         Fuel Cards and Ancillary Services for Hampshire Transport Management

·         Provision of Insurance Services

·         Membership, Booking and Electronic Point of Sale

·         Provision of Cleaning Services for Non-Educational Establishments

In relation to the Cleaning Services, Members were made aware of further details being provided in the exempt appendix later on the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel makes the following

recommendation to the Executive Member for Policy and Resources:

That spend approval, as appropriate, be given for the contracts as detailed in

Appendix 1 of the report.

To resolve that the public be excluded from the meeting during the following items of business, as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of  the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during these items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the reports.

The public were excluded from the meeting during the following items of business, as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during these items there would have been disclosure to them of exempt information within Paragraph 3 of Part I Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and further that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons set out in the reports.

To consider an exempt appendix to Item 11 on the agenda.

The Panel considered and noted the exempt appendix in relation to Item 11 on the agenda (Item 13 in the Minute Book).

To consider an exempt report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services seeking approval of the business plans for 2019/20 for the Business Services Group.

The Panel considered an exempt report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services regarding the 2019/20 Business Plans for the Business Services Group (Item 14 in the Minute Book).

The Director updated Members on plans of each of the business units within the Business Services Group and key points were highlighted.

RESOLVED:

That the Buildings, Land and Procurement Panel made the following recommendations to the recommendations to the Executive Member for Economic Development:

1)    That the 2019/20 business plans for the Business Services Group be approved.

2)    That the planned application of funds in the accumulated surpluses of the Business Services Group as set out in paragraphs 4.6 and 4.7 and Appendix 1 be noted.

3)    That the provision of up to £3 million annually for the purchase of new and replacement vehicles by Hampshire Transport Management, as set aside in the County Council’s Capital Programme, be noted.