The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2019 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any petitions from the public and any questions from the public and Councillors.

Questions on the following matters were submitted by members of the public:

Councillors Brock and Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report outlines the Council’s progress to date in tackling climate change, work in progress and sets outs the proposed approach to responding to the climate emergency declaration made by the Council on the 26th February 2019.

Further to Minute 48 of the meeting of full Council on 26 February 2019, the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report outlining the Council’s progress to date in tackling climate change, work in progress and setting out the proposed approach to responding to the climate emergency  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Councillors Emberson and Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report seeks the Policy Committee’s approval to enter into new contracts for energy supply.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to enter into new contracts for energy supply.  An appendix to the report setting out the Energy Purchasing Strategy was submitted separately in closed session (see Minute 26 below) due to the inclusion of commercially sensitive information.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

Councillors Emberson and Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report seeks the Committee’s approval to enter into a new contract for water supply.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report seeking approval to enter into a new contract for water supply.  A Strategy for Procurement of Water, Wastewater and Ancillary Services, was listed as Appendix 1 to the report, but had been submitted separately as an exempt item due  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Councillor Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report asks the Committee to approve the draft Terms of Reference for the new Cleaner Air and Safer Transport Forum and to appoint the councillor membership of the Forum.

Further to Minute 9 of the meeting of Council on 22 May 2019, the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report setting out proposed Terms of Reference for the new ‘Cleaner Air & Safer Transport Forum’ which had been set up at the Council AGM on 22 May  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Councillor Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report recommends increases to the current charges for residents and visitor parking permits, and sets out proposals for a new virtual visitor permit scheme and improved enforcement of the permit areas.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on a review of the charges for residents and visitor parking permits, which had been included in the Council’s agreed Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The report summarised improvements to the permit scheme since the introduction of a first permit  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Councillor Pearce / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report seeks approval for major refurbishment works to St Michael’s Primary School under the Department for Education’s Priority Schools Building Programme.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on proposed major refurbishment works to St Michaels Primary School as a part of the second phase of the Department for Education’s (DfE) Priority Schools Building Programme.  The report sought approval to award a contract for the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Councillor Pearce / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

This report seeks approval for the release of designated capital programme funding to carry out a three year programme of works on heating and electrical installations across Reading’s community schools and nurseries.

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report on a programme of condition and compliance works for school and nursery heating and electrical installations.  A list of all identified works, shown by school, was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report explained that a survey  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Councillor Brock / Returning Officer

This report gives an update on the Local Government Boundary Commission review of Reading Borough Council seeks approval for a proposed submission on Council Size.

The Returning Officer submitted a report on an electoral review of the Council by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE), and seeking approval for a Council Size submission to the review, which was attached to the report at Appendix C. The current timetable for the review was attached  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Councillor Emberson / Director of Resources

This report sets out the interim revenue and capital outturn positions for 2018/19 as at the end of March 2019, and performance against the measures of success published in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

The Director of Resources submitted a report setting out the interim revenue and capital outturn positions for 2018/19 as at the end of March 2019, as well as performance against the measures of success published in the Council’s Corporate Plan.  The following appendices were attached to the report:

·         Appendix 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

Councillors Page, Brock & Emberson / Director of Resources

This report sets out an operational update from Reading Transport Limited, as part of the company’s reporting obligations to the Council as shareholder.

The Director of Resources submitted a report providing the Committee, acting in its role as shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), with an operational update on the company.  The update was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

The report noted that RTL was a wholly-owned company of Reading Borough  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Councillors Page, Brock and Emberson / Director of Resources

This report asks the Committee, acting as Shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), to appoint Directors to the RTL Board.

The Director of Resources submitted a report asking the Committee, acting as shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), to appoint directors to the RTL Board.  There were four vacancies, arising from Trish Thomas, Mike Townend, Cllr Woodward and Mark Adams (employee representative) coming to the end of their four-year terms.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

Resolved –

          That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of items 25-26 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs specified in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

Councillors Brock, Emberson and Page / Director of Resources

The Director of Resources submitted a report to the Committee acting as shareholder of Reading Transport Limited (RTL), presenting at Appendix 1 a report from RTL providing an update to the shareholder on the following matters:

·         Operational Update

·         Financial Performance to P82018/19 and close-down of FY 2017/18

·         Pension Scheme Commitments  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

Councillors Emberson and Page / Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services

The Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services submitted a report presenting the purchasing strategies listed as appendices to the reports on Energy and Water Procurement, which had been considered in the public session of the meeting (Minutes 14 and 15 above refer).  The strategies contained commercially sensitive information and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.