Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

RESOLVED:   The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2024 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

It was noted that the Directors of the Housing Companies would be invited to the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:   The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2024 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

It was noted that the Directors of the Housing Companies would be invited to the next meeting of the Committee.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There were none.

There were none.

There was none.

There was none.

To note the names of any Councillors who wish to address the meeting under Standing Order 34.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

There were none.

There were none.

To consider any business, which by reason of special circumstances, the Chair proposes to accept, under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was none.

There was none.

RESOLVED:           That Kate Blakemore, Chief Executive be appointed as a Director of Alive Management Ltd whilst the company is formally wound up.

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The Committee was reminded that Alive Management Ltd remained a live company of the borough council, although currently dormant. Steps were now being taken to formally wind the company down and arrange for it to be struck off from Companies House.

There were two Directors of Alive Management Ltd. Michelle Drewery the Section 151 Officer and Oliver Judges, a former Executive Director who left the organisation in January 2025 and had now resigned as a Company Director.

In order to complete the necessary work to formally close the company, permission was sought from the Shareholder Committee to appoint a further company director to Alive Management Ltd to provide resilience whilst the closedown actions were carried out.

RESOLVED:           That Kate Blakemore, Chief Executive be appointed as a Director of Alive Management Ltd whilst the company is formally wound up.

RESOLVED: That the 2 items below be clarified prior to the amended Articles being agreed:

·         legal clarification be sought on the question of the ability to prevent the transfer of shares if the Shareholder Committee wished to do so, and

·         whether capitalisation of profits - para 17- is the right intention for the company, without approval of the Shareholders.

Reason for Decision

To enable West Norfolk Property to file the updated Articles of Association with Companies House.

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The Committee was informed that West Norfolk Property Ltd had reviewed their Articles of Association. Prior to submission to Companies House, they were required to be agreed by the Shareholder Committee either by written resolution or a special resolution at a general meeting.

The Committee in reviewing the Articles raised some queries which required legal clarification prior to it approving the amended articles.

RESOLVED: That the 2 items below be clarified prior to the amended Articles being agreed:

·         legal clarification be sought on the question of the ability to prevent the transfer of shares if the Shareholder Committee wished to do so, and

·         whether capitalisation of profits - para 17- is the right intention for the company, without approval of the Shareholders.

Reason for Decision

To enable West Norfolk Property to file the updated Articles of Association with Companies House.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the Annual Assurance Report be noted, with future reports to include progress against Business Plan.

Reason for Decision

To ensure the Shareholder Committee is kept up to date on the work of West Norfolk Housing Co.

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The report provided an update on West Norfolk Housing’s activities over the past 6-12 months in relation to finances, governance and progress against the business plan. 

In discussing the funding element of the Company, it was stressed that it was important to put in place all the financial elements of the Company to get as much as possible in place prior to Local Government Review in order that a successor authority can continue as deemed appropriate.

It was noted that 2 new Directors had been appointed and a further Director was in the process of being appointed.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the Annual Assurance Report be noted, with future reports to include progress against Business Plan.

Reason for Decision

To ensure the Shareholder Committee is kept up to date on the work of West Norfolk Housing Co.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the Annual Assurance Report be noted with future reports to include progress against Business Plan.

Reason for Decision

To ensure the Shareholder Committee is kept up to date on the work of West Norfolk Property Co.

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The report provided an update on West Norfolk Property’s activities over the past 6-12 months in relation to finances, governance and progress against the business plan.

Recruitment for new Board Members the Company’s embers was underway and would be reported to the Committee for approval.

The numbers of properties already purchased, and in the pipeline was now becoming a significant number.  It was suggested that the properties at Southend Road Hunstanton could be looked at for private rental properties.

It was requested that reports to future meetings contain the performance progress against the Business Plan, along with any gap analysis.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the Annual Assurance Report be noted with future reports to include progress against Business Plan.

Reason for Decision

To ensure the Shareholder Committee is kept up to date on the work of West Norfolk Property Co.

RESOLVED:   That the progress on the transfer of Alive West Norfolk back to the council be noted.

Reason for Decision

To provide assurance to the Shareholder Committee that the project is progressing on schedule and there are no significant risks to the transfer taking place on 1 April 2025.

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Following the decision in July 2024 to transfer Alive West Norfolk (AWN) from a wholly owned Local Authority Company to an in-house function of the council officers began the work required to ensure an efficient and effective transfer of services was realised by 1 April 2025.

Appendix A to the report provided the Committee with a high-level summary of the project work that had taken place to date and its RAG status.   The Committee was pleased to note that the considerable amount of work required for the insourcing was all on schedule and congratulated all the officers involved.

RESOLVED:  That the progress on the transfer of Alive West Norfolk back to the council be noted.

Reason for Decision

To provide assurance to the Shareholder Committee that the project is progressing on schedule and there are no significant risks to the transfer taking place on 1 April 2025.

RESOLVED:            That the contents of the report be noted, and the Grant Thornton risk premium be re-visited. 

Reason for Decision

To provide an update regarding funding arrangements for the Council’s wholly owned housing companies including details of existing arrangements, interim measures and new facilities to be put in place.

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The Committee was presented with a report which provided an update regarding funding arrangements for the Council’s wholly owned housing companies including details of existing arrangements, interim measures and new facilities to be put in place.

A discussion was held on the Grant Thornton recommendations and it was agreed that its risk premium details should be re visited.  It was noted that the although the Bank of England base rate had reduced this was not currently reflected in the Public Works Loan Board lending rates. 

RESOLVED:           That the contents of the report be noted, and the Grant Thornton risk premium be re-visited. 

Reason for Decision

To provide an update regarding funding arrangements for the Council’s wholly owned housing companies including details of existing arrangements, interim measures and new facilities to be put in place.

RESOLVED:   That the Forward Plan be noted with the addition of the following items:    

·       Invitation of Company Board Members to the next meeting.

·       Final version of Articles following queries at the meeting.

·       Finance reports

·       Revised Business Plans

·       Alive transfer Progress report

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RESOLVED:  That the Forward Plan be noted with the addition of the following items:          

·         Invitation of Company Board Members to the next meeting.

·         Final version of Articles following queries at the meeting.

·         Finance reports

·         Revised Business Plans

·         Alive transfer Progress report

15 April 2025 @ 4.00pm

15 April 2025 at 4pm

15 April 2025 at 4pm