Decisions

The Executive considered a report proposing the establishment of a Climate Change Working Group. This proposal followed the decisions of the Council at its meeting on 9 October 2019.

The initial Terms of Reference for the Working Group were noted; however, the Key Objectives of the Working Group would be discussed at its first meeting.

Group Leaders would be asked to nominate members to the Working Group in accordance with the membership set out in the Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED that

(i)        a Climate Change Working Group be established

(ii)      the initial Terms of Reference, as set out at Annex A to the agenda report, be endorsed;

(iii)     details of the Key Objectives of the Working Group be discussed at the first meeting of the Working Group; and

(iv)     Group Leaders be asked to nominate members to the Working Group in accordance with the membership set out at Annex A to the agenda report.

The Leader responded to a question from Councillor Morgan Rise concerning the release of exempt information agreed at the Council meeting on 9 October 2019.  It was advised that the Monitoring Officer would write to Councillors to update them on the expected timescales for the release of this information.

To consider improvement works to the frontage of the Camberley Theatre and an upgrade of the theatre lighting desk and projector.

The Executive was informed that, in August 2018, temporary protective netting had been installed around the external frontage of the Theatre following a number of the tiles that had been in place since the 1970s coming loose and falling off. Upon expert investigation, the concrete beneath the tiles had been deemed unstable so the tiles could not be reinstalled; there was also a risk that further tiles may fall off. 

Members were advised that all of the tiles would need to be removed, which would leave the Theatre with an unattractive façade.

The Executive was informed that an upgrade of the theatre lighting desk and projector were also needed due to the age of existing equipment and demands of hirers and professional companies. The current theatre lighting desk would no longer be supported by manufacturer updates from November 2019. A replacement lighting desk was expected to cost in the region of £13,000.

Members were advised that projectors were used regularly for a range of activities. The current projector was inefficient in its energy use and not sufficient for the needs of hirers. A replacement commercial projector was expected to cost in the region of £11,000.

It was proposed to recover the costs of these repair work and acquisitions through a restoration levy of £1 per ticket.A restoration levy had been applied in 2015 to fund replacement auditorium seating, which had recently been repaid. The Executive agreed that the levy would be kept under review.

RESOLVED that

(i)        improvement works to the Camberley Theatre be carried out as detailed in the agenda report;

(ii)      the council funds the cost of the repair and purchase of new equipment of up to approximately £150,000 which will be recovered over the next 5 years by continuing the charge the restoration levy of £1 per ticket (circa £30k pa);

(iii)     a tender process to source and appoint a suitable contractor be undertaken; and

(iv)     the project delivery be delegated to the Executive Head of Business, in consultation with the Places & Strategy Portfolio Holder.

RECOMMENDED that

(i)        £24,000 be added to the capital programme to find the cost of a new lighting desk and commercial projector; and

(ii)      the proposal to add £125,000 to the Corporate Capital Programme for 2020/21 for the cost of the refurbished frontage be noted.

The Executive considered a report detailing the Council’s performance against its corporate objectives, priorities and success measuresin the first 6 months of the year.

RESOLVED to note the 2019/20 Mid-Year Report.

The Executive considered a report seeking authority to write-off irrecoverable revenues bad debts over £1,500. It was advised that all of the debts had been subject to the relevant recovery action and tracing enquiries had been undertaken.

RESOLVED that bad debts totalling £29,578.97 in respect of Council Tax and £384,178.94 in respect of Non-Domestic Rates be approved for write off.

Note: It was noted for the record that Councillors Dan Adams and Paul Deach declared that they had previously worked with some of the companies listed in the exempt annex containing details of the write-offs.