Decisions

1.1              The Government announced a package of support known as the ‘Energy Bills Rebate’ to help households with rising energy bills. The package includes:

·       A £150 non-repayable rebate for households in England in council tax bands A to D, known as the ‘Council Tax rebate’. 

·       Discretionary funding for billing authorities to support households who are in need but not eligible for council tax rebate, known as the ‘Discretionary Fund’ 

·       All households in England, Scotland and Wales will receive a £400 payment to help offset the rising increase in energy bills from October. Energy suppliers will send the money to household’s accounts from October 2022. 

1.2              Lichfield District Council has been allocated Government funding of £140,700 (Discretionary Funding) that needs to be awarded to qualifying households by 30 November 2022.

1.3              Approval is sought to amend the council’s Discretionary Fund Policy to enable all funding to be spent by 30 November 2022.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Commissioning approved the amendment to the Discretionary Fund Policy in order to distribute all the discretionary funding.

Implementing the ETRO with the aim to make Lichfield city centre even more attractive to shoppers, workers and visitors, to reduce traffic movement and reduce air pollution in this locality whilst giving priority to pedestrians where appropriate.

The Leader of the Council approved:

1.1           That the pedestrianisation of additional parts of the city centre is introduced through the implementation of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, which prevents traffic from entering the city centre from 12.00 until 21.00 every day. New restrictions would apply to Market Street, Tamworth Street, Conduit Street, Breadmarket Street and Bore Street and incorporate existing restrictions at Dam Street and Bird Street.

1.2           That the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order runs for 18 months, from 1 January 2023, including a 6 month formal consultation process, and that the results of this are reported to Member Task Group and Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1.3           That Bird Street car park and Lombard Street car park continue to provide for alternative Disabled Persons Parking Bays whilst the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order is in place and that these are clearly and permanently marked out to reflect their use.

1.4           That at the end of the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order process (18 months) the project Steering Group will need to make a recommendation on whether to make the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order permanent or to have it disregarded.

A procurement exercise was undertaken to appoint a qualified and experienced Contractor to repurpose the dilapidated vacant space within the District Council House with a vision to relocate NHS MPFT from Venture House into the space.

The Leader of the Council agreed to award the contract to Lawlors as the highest scoring bidder (overall quality & price).