Meeting documents

Place Scrutiny Committee
Monday, 7th October, 2013 6.30 pm

Place:
Civic Suite, Civic Centre, Southend-on-Sea
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
320 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S J Carr (Substitute: Councillor Hadley), D A Garston (Substitute: Councillor Caunce) and P R Van Looy (Substitute: Councillor Woodley).
321 Declarations of interest.
 The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(a) Councillors Cox, Jarvis and Lamb (Executive Councillors) - interest in the pre-Cabinet scrutiny items / called-in items / referred items - attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19th June 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011.

(b) Councillor Lamb - Agenda Item 8 (Southend Foreshore Fisheries) - Disclosable interest - Chairman of Kent & Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Association (withdrew).
322 Questions from Members of the Public.
 The question received from Mr D Webb was answered at the meeting by the Executive Councillor for Culture & Tourism.
323 Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday, 8th July, 2013
 Resolved:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 8th July 2013 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.
324 Southend Skills Strategy
Business for item 324
Resolved:

That the draft report be noted and endorsed for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 5th November 2013.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillors:- Courtenay and Lamb
325 Review of Victoria Gateway Scheme
Business for item 325
Resolved:

That the report on the review and proposed recommendations be endorsed for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 5th November 2013, with the inclusion of the following comments:

• the surface of the "shared space" should be cleaned of the deposits from the buses' emissions; and
• more planting/greenery and street furniture is required to brighten the area. These could also help to guide pedestrians to the designated crossings.

(In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 40.2 Councillor Ware-Lane requested that his vote against the resolution above be recorded.)

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Cox
326 Shoebury Common Sea Defence Project
 Resolved:

That this matter be deferred for consideration at the meeting of the Place Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, 16th October, 2013 commencing 6.30 p.m.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Lamb
327 Southend Foreshore Fisheries
Business for item 327
Resolved:-

That the draft report be noted and endorsed for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 5th November 2013.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillors: Lamb, Cox & Jarvis.
328 Elm Road Development Brief
Business for item 328
Resolved:

That the draft report be noted and endorsed for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 5th November 2013, with the inclusion of the following:

- There was a general desire to maximise affordable housing and to retain some public parking facility on the site.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- J Garston
329 Item called in from The Cabinet minutes of Tuesday, 17th September, 2013.
 
Petition - Relating to Street Lighting in Kursaal
Scrutiny Comment for item 329
Business for item 329
Resolved:

1. That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:

"1. That Officers monitor the street lighting in Bellevue Place, Bellevue Avenue and Stromness Place to ensure the lighting equipment is safe, in working order and provides adequate illumination levels and undertake essential repairs as may be needed. This situation to be maintained until such time as the lighting columns can be replaced as part of the long term replacement programme.

2. That Officers be requested to prepare a report to a future meeting of the Cabinet on the current standard of street lighting and the situation regarding renewals."

2. That in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 39.2, the matter be referred to Council.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Cox
330 Monthly Performance Report
Business for item 330
Resolved:

That the submitted reports be noted.

Note: This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- As appropriate to the item.
331 Item called in from The Cabinet minutes of Tuesday, 17th September, 2013.
 
Annual Report - Comments, Compliments and Complaints
Scrutiny Comment for item 331
Business for item 331
Resolved:

That the following decision of Cabinet be noted:

"That the performance in respect of compliments, comments and complaints for 2012/13 be noted, which continues to result in the delivery of service improvements as a consequence of effective complaints handling."

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Courtenay, Moring and Salter.
332 Southend Foreshore Erosion
Business for item 332
Resolved:

That the position be noted and a report be submitted to a future meeting with details of further survey work which might be undertaken and the associated costs.

Note: This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor: Lamb
333 Minutes of the Meeting of Chairmen's Scrutiny Forum held on Monday, 15th July, 2013
 Resolved:

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Chairmen's Scrutiny Forum held on Monday, 15th July, 2013 be received and noted and the recommendation contained therein be endorsed.

Note:- This is a Scrutiny Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft
6.30 p.m./10.05 p.m.

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillor A E Holland (Chairman),
Councillors M Assenheim (Vice-Chairman), R A H Brown, T K Byford, M T Caunce*, M F Evans, S J Habermel, R E Hadley*, A J Jones, G Lewin, J McMahon, D F Russell, M W Terry, C W Walker, J G S Ware-Lane, P A Wexham and R A Woodley*
(*Substitute in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31)
In attendance:
Councillors T Cox, D J Jarvis and J L Lamb (Executive Councillors)
Councillors P M Collins, A Crystall and A P Jones
A Lewis, J K Williams, P Geraghty, N Harris, D Patel, R Atkins, P Mathieson, S Fox, E Cooney and T Row

Scrutiny Comment

ItemComment
329 Called in by Councillors M L Borton and I D Gilbert.
Final call on 25/09/2013 at 16:24
Resolved:

1. That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:

"1. That Officers monitor the street lighting in Bellevue Place, Bellevue Avenue and Stromness Place to ensure the lighting equipment is safe, in working order and provides adequate illumination levels and undertake essential repairs as may be needed. This situation to be maintained until such time as the lighting columns can be replaced as part of the long term replacement programme.

2. That Officers be requested to prepare a report to a future meeting of the Cabinet on the current standard of street lighting and the situation regarding renewals."

2. That in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 39.2, the matter be referred to Council.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Cox
331 Called in by Councillors P Collins and G Longley.
Final call on 25/09/2013 at 16:19
Resolved:

That the following decision of Cabinet be noted:

"That the performance in respect of compliments, comments and complaints for 2012/13 be noted, which continues to result in the delivery of service improvements as a consequence of effective complaints handling."

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Courtenay, Moring and Salter.

Business

ItemBusiness
324(This is a pre-Cabinet Scrutiny item to all three Scrutiny Committees).

The Committee received a joint report of the Corporate Director for People and Corporate Director for Place, by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny. This provided an update on the delivery of skills, education and training in Southend for young people and adults and detailed the strengths of the current position and proposed significant actions to further improve the development of opportunities for local residents for discussion.

The Committee discussed the report in detail and there was general consensus and support for the proposed actions and about the content of the report.
325(This is a pre-Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Place, by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny, that presented the initial findings of the independent review of Victoria Gateway, together with recommendations for further action. Some photographs and illustrations were presented to the Committee at the meeting.

In response to concerns expressed about the misuse of the shared space by taxis to access the taxi rank at the station, the Executive Councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport undertook to raise this matter with the taxi trade representatives at their next meeting.
327(This is a pre-Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Place, by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny, that provided an update on the Council's continuing role in connection with oyster collection from the foreshore. The report also sought the Committee's views on the opportunity to support the fishing industry in establishing a Fishery Local Action Group (FLAG) and the potential for a mussel fishery.

The Committee discussed the report in detail and there was general consensus and support for the proposed actions and about the content of the report.
328(This is a pre-Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Place, by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny, that presented for final consideration and comment, the Council's response to the representations that had been received during the recent public consultation, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, together with proposed amendments to the Elm Road Development Brief, as shown in Appendix 2 to the report.

The Committee discussed the report in detail and there was general consensus and support for the proposed responses to the representations received and the proposed amendments to the Development Brief.
329The Committee considered Minute 258 of Cabinet, which had been called-in to Scrutiny, together with the petition that had been presented at the meeting of the Council held on 18th July 2013 by Councillor McMahon on behalf of local residents concerning street lighting in various roads in Kursaal Ward.

The Committee noted that the prayer of the petition had requested that the Council paint and repair the street lights in the roads mentioned in the petition, namely Bellevue Road, Bellevue Place, Bellevue Avenue and Stromness Place. The Executive Councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport agreed that the Cabinet resolution 1 could be amended to refer to these roads.
330The Committee considered Minute 259 of Cabinet held on 17th September 2013, together with the Monthly Performance Report (MPR) covering the period to the end of July 2013. The Committee also had before them a copy of the MPR covering the period to end August 2013 which had been circulated on 2nd October 2013.
331The Committee considered Minute 258 of Cabinet, which had been called-in for Scrutiny, together with the report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services which had been prepared in response to the Local Authority's statutory duty to produce an annual report on compliments and complaints received about its Children and Adults' Social Care functions.
332Further to Minute 335 of the meeting of the Economic & Environmental Scrutiny Committee held on 20th September 2012, the Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Place. The independent report considering the erosion of the Southend Foreshore and mud flats had been received and a summary was attached at Appendix 1. Mr Mark Johnson, Area Coastal Manager of the Environment Agency, and Mr Gary Watson, Coastal Engineer from the Environment Agency, attended the meeting to answer questions and to provide further detail on the findings of the report.

Members discussed the matter in detail and expressed concern at the apparent continued erosion of the mud flats. The Committee noted that a review of SSSI and RAMSAR designations was anticipated and that the bodies responsible could possibly bring this work forward.

 

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