Agenda and decisions

To receive from Members, declarations of interest in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting in accordance with the Councillor Code of Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 19 March and 27 March 2025.

The minutes of the meetings held on 19 March 2025 and 27 March 2025 were confirmed as correct. The Deputy Leader signed the minutes.

The Deputy Leader of the Council made the following announcements:

District and Borough Leaders agree on preferred unitary map for Surrey

District and borough leaders in Surrey met last week to review the interim findings from the ongoing work into local government reform in the county.

As part of that meeting, leaders considered a proposal that outlines a three unitary authority model for Surrey.

The vast majority of district and borough councils prefer a three unitary model, while Surrey County Council continues to explore a two unitary approach.

Both the two and three unitary options will be included in the final report, which will be submitted to government in due course.

Our public survey on reorganisation closed on Sunday and we will update you with the results when we have them. 

Unlicensed dog breeders convicted following our investigation

Thanks to the diligent work of our Animal Welfare Licensing Officer and their tenacity to see a case through, we successfully helped prosecute two people this month for running a dog breeding establishment without a licence.

This followed an in-depth investigation by our council and a protracted legal process.

It took five years for the case to come to a conclusion and we hope this will shine a light on an industry that needs to be closed down permanently.

Marking 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day

On 8 May we’ll be marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Our celebrations will bring the community together in remembrance and reflection to honour those who served and sacrificed during World War II.?

All are welcome to the special flag-raising ceremony being held at the Guildhall at 9am or join an evening celebration in Stoke Park from 8pm. Musical performances will start at 8.45pm, followed by speeches, tribute and beacon lighting.

Report to follow.

Decision:

1.          Note the progress on the Flood Alleviation Scheme.

2.          Endorse the scope of the next phase of the town centre regeneration plan relating to the land owned by the Council, noting the revised objectives and deliverables.

3.          Endorse the preparation of Planning Briefs by the Local Planning Authority in relation to the Council-owned sites.

4.          Approve the transfer of £200,000 revenue earmarked in the 2024-25 Budget from Usable Reserves to fund the next phase of work.

5.          Approve the use of any Surrey Empty Homes Fund grant secured for Shaping Guildford’s Future and the Flood Alleviation Scheme to support the delivery of the scope set out in this report.

Reason(s):

The recommendations in this report support the Council’s ongoing commitment to work in partnership with the Environment Agency and SCC to progress work on a Flood Alleviation Scheme in Guildford town centre. The recommendations also support the Council’s aspiration to identify opportunities to accelerate the delivery of housing within the town centre on Council owned sites.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

1.        Do nothing – The Executive could decide to pause the continuation of any work relating to Shaping Guildford’s Future and its involvement in Guildford Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS). This would delay the delivery of key sites which will support the economic regeneration of the town centre which requires flooding remediation. It is likely that without a strategy and progression of the FAS, the sites will remain undeveloped, or development will come forward in an uncoordinated manner and fail to address the substantial existing constraints. If the project is abandoned, monies spent to date on previous phases would be written off.

2.        Only progress the Flood Alleviation Scheme – The Executive could decide to progress solely with work on the Flood Alleviation Scheme. However, without the progression of the wider regeneration plan work, sites will remain undeveloped and not play the role they need to within the overall economy of the town and contribute to meeting housing need within the borough.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Report to follow.

This report was deferred to 17 July 2025.

Decision:

To approve the proposed Corporate Procurement Strategy 2025-2027 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Reason(s):

1.       The purpose of the Corporate Procurement Strategy (Appendix 1) will provide us with structure and framework from which we will operate throughout the procurement cycle (Appendix 2).

2.       The Strategy sets out the following six strategy principles that are supported by practical objectives alongside guides/tools as provided in our Procurement Toolkit.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Continue as is without an overarching operating framework in respect of the procurement cycle.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

Approve the new Housing Strategy 2025-2034 and accompanying action plan, intended to cover the first 12 months of the Strategy.

Reason(s):

1.       Although not statutorily required, it is prudent and usual for local housing authorities to have a document outlining their policies and objectives for housing in their area.

2.       Housing strategies provide a framework for policy development, guiding the delivery of housing services and improvements. With the previous strategy now out of date, and an improvement programme for housing services underway, having a new housing strategy is essential to help us continue to improve and deliver improved services for our residents.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Defer the strategy for further review and development.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

Approve the new Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2034 and accompanying action plan, intended to cover the next three years of the Strategy with an annual review.

Reason(s):

1.     There is a statutory requirement for the council to have a Prevention of Homelessness Strategy.

2.     Housing strategies provide a framework for policy development, guiding the delivery of housing services and improvements. With the previous strategy now out of date, and an improvement programme for housing services underway, having a new homelessness prevention and rough sleeping strategy is essential to help us to deliver improved services for our residents.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Defer the strategy for further review and development.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

1.     Approve the proposed revised Damp & Mould Policy at Appendix 1; and

2.     Authorise the Joint Assistant Director of Housing Services to make any necessary minor amendments to the Policy in consultation with the Lead Councillor.

Reason(s):

1.     As a landlord, the Council is responsible for maintaining the properties it owns and manages in line with the relevant regulations, legislation and guidance. This includes keeping tenants’ homes safe from hazards under the Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) under section 9 of the Housing Act 2004. One of those hazards is identified as damp and mould.

2.     A Damp and Mould policy for the Council was published in January 2023. This policy has been reviewed to incorporate changes following Awaab’s Law and the wider Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which came into force in April 2024.

3.     The key objective of the policy is to keep residents safe and well, and in so doing provide assurance that the Council is meeting legal and regulatory requirements.

4.     The Housing Ombudsman published a spotlight report on damp and mould on 26 October 2021. The report states that landlords should take a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould and that landlords need to be proactive when addressing damp and mould to improve the experience of tenants. The Ombudsman report was written following a high number of complaints from tenants that certain landlords did not act appropriately to deal with these issues.

5.     The Housing Ombudsman published a severe maladministration report in October 2024 specific to damp and mould – timeliness. The report provides lessons to help prepare for the introduction of Awaab’s Law.

6.     Since the publication of the Housing Ombudsman spotlight report and the tragic case of two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died after prolonged exposure to mould in his home, the Government is planning to introduce a tabled amendment to the Social Housing (Regulation Act) which will require landlords to fix reported health hazards within specified timeframes.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

1.     Approve the proposed Housing Aids & Adaptations Policy at Appendix 1.; and

2.     Authorise the Joint Assistant Director of Housing Services to make any necessary minor amendments to the Policy in consultation with the Lead Councillor.

Reason(s):

1.     To ensure that the Housing Service has documented policies to support community well-being, ensuring long-term sustainability while fulfilling legal and ethical obligations.

2.     There are also specific expectations placed on the Council, as a social housing landlord, by the Regulator of Social Housing as part of the Safety and Quality standard to assist tenants seeking housing adaptations to access the appropriate service. Specific expectations include to:

•  Clearly communicate to tenants and relevant organisations how they will assist tenants seeking housing adaptations services.

•  Co-operate with tenants, appropriate local authority departments and other relevant organisations so that a housing adaptations service is available to tenants where appropriate.

•  Allocate homes that are designed or adapted to meet specific needs appropriately.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

1.    Approve the proposed Planned Maintenance Policy at Appendix 1; and

2.    Authorise the Joint Assistant Director of Housing Services to make any necessary minor amendments to the Policy in consultation with the Lead Councillor.

Reason(s):

To ensure that the Housing Service has a documented planned maintenance policy to ensure major repairs are planned, implemented and managed effectively.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

1.     Noted the Council’s latest financial monitoring for the financial year 2024/25; and

2.     Noted that underspends will be earmarked for any additional interim support needed at the current time.

Reason(s):

To ensure that councillors and Executives fulfil their responsibilities for the overall financial management of the Council’s resources.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Decision:

To adopt the Marketing Requirements Supplementary Planning Document (‘the SPD’) as shown in Appendix 1 to the report, and to authorise the Assistant Director for Planning Development to make such minor factual changes to the SPD in future, post-adoption, as necessary, in consultation with the relevant Lead Councillor

Reason(s):

1.     Adopting the SPD will support implementation of several policies in the Local Plan that require applicants to submit detailed evidence that certain land uses, as detailed in section 6.0 of this report, that are proposed for redevelopment or change of use have been marketed actively and comprehensively.

2.     The SPD’s guidance aims to provide clarity to applicants, assisting them to prepare planning applications affecting the types of development protected under these policies and thus subject to its marketing requirements. The SPD’s adoption should therefore help limit the need to request further evidence or information from applicants and thereby contribute to greater efficiency during the planning application process. It will also aid decision makers to consistently determine planning applications that comply with these policies.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

1.     The recommended option is to adopt the SPD. The clear guidance within the SPD will assist applicants to prepare planning applications in accordance with marketing evidence requirements in the Local Plan. It will also aid decision makers to consistently determine planning applications that comply with relevant Local Plan policies. Adopting the SPD will ensure that the guidance carries material weight in planning decisions.

2.     The alternative option is to not adopt the SPD. This would lead to less certainty for decision-makers and applicants than the recommended option.

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

Report to follow.

Decision:

1.     Delegate the Legal Services and Information Governance functions to Waverley Borough Council for delivery of services through a joint team with effect from 1 July 2025;

2.     Note that Guildford Borough Council officers within the existing Legal and Information Governance Service will be transferred to the employment of Waverley Borough Council where joint posts will be created to deliver the service; and

[DU1] That the Executive recommends that Council resolves to:

1.     Note the Executive’s delegation of the Legal Services and Information Governance functions to Waverley Borough Council for delivery of services through a joint team with effect from 1 July 2025.

2.     Note that the joint staffing structure for delivery of the Legal Services and Information Governance functions will consist of staff transferred from Guildford Borough Council on 1 July 2025 and Waverley Borough Council staff.  [DU2] [DU3] 

3.     Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Democracy, Law & People, in consultation with the co-Chairs of the Joint Governance Committee, to update the Inter-Authority Agreement to include provisions that ensure all decisions in relation to any delegated functions are made by both Guildford Borough Council and Waverley Borough Council.

Reason(s):

1.     To enable Legal Services and Information Governance to operate in an efficient and cost-effective way, making use of the resources available and sharing experience and knowledge. 

2.     To ensure that joint working is undertaken in a consistent manner and in accordance with existing HR policies for such posts and the Inter-Authority Agreement between the two authorities for the sharing of staff.

3.     To provide increased resilience across both authorities as there will be a larger pool of officers delivering the services across Waverley Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council.  This will provide additional resilience to cover sickness absence, annual leave, vacancies or increased workload should this be required.

4.     The ability to provide more specialist skills across both authorities leading to increased efficiency and a potential for a reduced external legal spend.  There will be an expansion of knowledge for individuals and sharing of best practice in the delivery of services. 

5.     To deliver the capacity and capability needed to embed successes in ongoing collaboration efforts and enhance the pace of future collaboration and local government reorganisation, continuous improvement in service delivery and realisation of cashable and non-cashable savings.

6.     To reduce dependency on expensive external resources and further implement succession planning and career development which have already seen an increase in internal promotion appointments to vacancies.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

Option 1: Do nothing. Each authority would retain its own separate Legal Services and Information Governance Team undertaking work for their own client departments only providing consistency for staff and client departments.  The disadvantage of this option is that it does not further the collaboration, provide resilience or reduce costs.  External legal support would continue to be needed to provide additional capacity and specialism.  At present Guildford Borough Council provides support to the Waverley Borough Council legal team and recharges on  ...  view the full decision text for item 15.