Meeting documents

The Council
Thursday, 28th February, 2013 6.30 pm

Community Services & Culture Scrutiny Minutes

Date:
Tuesday, 29th January, 2013
Time:
18:30
Place:
Civic Suite, Civic Centre, Southend-on-Sea
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
709 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Byford, Robertson (no substitutes) and Van Looy (substitute: Cllr Woodley).
710 Declarations of interest.
 The following declarations of interest were made:-

(a) Councillors Salter and Jarvis (Executive Councillors) - interest in the pre-Cabinet Scrutiny 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 Adam Jones - agenda item relating to Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network - non-pecuniary - Trustee of the Village Charity.

(c) Councillor Flewitt - agenda item 6 (Draft Housing Revenue Account Budget 2013/14), item 8 (Draft Fees and Charges 2013/14), item 13 (Revised Draft Allocations Policy) and item 15 (Monthly Performance Report) - non-pecuniary - friends/family are tenants of SEH and Board Member SEH;

(d) Councillor Betson - agenda item 6 (Draft Housing Revenue Account Budget 2013/14) - non-pecuniary - Board Member SEH

(e) Councillor Norman - agenda item 6 (Draft Housing Revenue Account Budget 2013/14) - non-pecuniary - Board Member SEH

(f) Councillor Caunce - agenda item 12 (Statutory Homelessness Discharge of Duty Policy) - non-pecuniary - owns some privately rented properties with her husband.

(g) Councillor Chalk - Agenda Item 12 (Statutory Homelessness Discharge of Duty Policy) and item 13 (Revised Draft Allocations Policy) - non-pecuniary - privately rents her property.

(h) Councillor Crystall - Agenda Item 16 (Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network) - non-pecuniary - Council appointed Governor of Southend University Hospital Foundation Trust.

(i) Councillor D Garston - Agenda Item 12 (Statutory Homelessness Discharge of Duty Policy) - non-pecuniary - wife owns properties for rent in the borough.

(j) Councillor Holland - Agenda Item 16 (Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network) - non-pecuniary - President of Southend Stroke Club and Trustee and Chairman of The Village disability charity;

(k) Councillor Kaye - all agenda items relating to mental health services - non-pecuniary - Mental Health Act Manager SEPT

(l) Councillor Salter - Agenda Item 12 (Statutory Homelessness Discharge of Duty Policy) - non-pecuniary - landlord.

(m) Councillor Velmurugan - Agenda Item 16 (Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network) and Item 17 (Update on Globe Surgery) - non-pecuniary - NHS GP.

(n) Councillor Betson - Agenda Item 12 (Statutory Homeless Discharge of Duty Policy - non-pecuniary - owns property for rent in the borough.
711 Questions from Members of the Public.
 There were no questions from members of the public.
712 Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 17th October, 2012
  • Minutes
Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 17th October 2012 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.
713 Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday, 27th November, 2012
  • Minutes
Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 27th November 2012 be received confirmed as a correct record and signed.
714 Draft Housing Revenue Account Budget 2013/14 and Rent Settomg
Business for item 714
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

"1. That the HRA budget as set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

2. That it be noted that the draft HRA budget assumes a rent increase in line with the Government's rent restructuring guidance, giving rise to an average increase of 5.03% as set out in section 4 of the submitted report, effective from 1st April 2013.

3. That the increases in other charges as set out in section 5 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

4. That the management fee proposed by South Essex Homes, as set out in section 6 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

5. That the appropriations to the Repairs Contract Pensions earmarked reserve and the HRA Capital Investment earmarked reserve, as set out in section 8 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

6. That the proposal to declare the value of the Council's capital allowance for 2013/14 at £31.633M, as determined in accordance with regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting)(England) Regulations, be endorsed."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Salter.
715 Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17
Business for item 715
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

"1. That the current approved Programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17 of £67.6m, as set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be noted.

2. That the proposed changes to the approved Programme, as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

3. That the proposed new schemes and additions to the Capital Programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17 totalling £23.8m of which £15.8m is for the General Fund and £8m is for the Housing Revenue Account, as set out in Appendices 6 and 7 of the submitted report, be noted.

4. That it be noted that the proposed additions as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, and other adjustments as set out in Appendix 8 of the report, will result in a proposed capital programme of £92.8m for 2013/14 to 2016/17.

5. That it be noted that a final exercise is being undertaken on the 2012/13 projected outturn and that the results will be included in the report to Cabinet on 12th February 2013.

6. That the report be referred to the Scrutiny Committees and then Cabinet (Budget) on 12th February 2013."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that the approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
716 Draft Fees and Charges 2013/14
Business for item 716
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

"That subject to the inclusion of the revised fees and charges for Adult and Community Services, as circulated at the meeting, the proposed fees and charges for each Directorate as set out in the submitted report be endorsed."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
717 Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2013/14
Business for item 717
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

1. "That the 2013/14 draft revenue budget and any required commencement of consultation, statutory or otherwise, be endorsed.

2. That it be noted that the budget has been prepared on the basis of the Council increasing the Southend-on-Sea element of Council Tax by 1.75% (38p per week) and the consequent rejection of the Government's Council Tax freeze grant for 2013/14.

3. That it be noted that the 2013/14 draft revenue budget has been prepared using the provisional finance settlement and that the outcome from the final settlement will need to be factored into the final budget proposals for Cabinet (Budget) and Council (Budget).

4. That it be noted, that arrangements for a discount scheme on Council Tax for Special Constables will be included in the final budget proposals.

5. That the 2013/14 draft revenue budget be referred, as approved, for the views of Scrutiny Committees to inform Cabinet (Budget), which will then recommend the Budget and Council Tax to Council (Budget).

6. That the Schools budget position be noted and that the recommendations from the Schools Forum on 9th January 2013 (set out in Appendices 14 and 14i of the submitted report) would be presented to Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee and then to Cabinet (Budget) and Council (Budget).

7. That the direction of travel 2014/15 and beyond (Section 15 of the submitted report) and the future years savings proposals (Appendix 16 of the submitted report), be endorsed and referred to the Scrutiny Committees to inform Cabinet (Budget), which will then recommend the Budget and Council Tax to Council (Budget)."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that approval of the final budget following Cabinet on the 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
718 Update on Public Health Ring Fenced Grant Allocation and Public Health Budget Prioritisation 2013/14
Business for item 718
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

"1. That the prioritised transitional public health services for 2013/14, be endorsed.

2. That it be noted that during 2013/14 the public health service will be brought into alignment with the Council's strategic objectives, in particular the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Southend, and commissioned on that basis in time for 2014/15

3. That subject to resolution 1 above, the budget allocated to the prioritised public health service areas, identified in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

4. That the conditions governing the use of the grant and formal reporting requirements, be noted.

5. That the report be referred to the Scrutiny Committees for consideration as part of the Council's Budget Process for 2013/14."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that the approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
719 Review of Senior Management Arrangements
Business for item 719
Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:-

"1. That the revisions to the senior management structure set out in the submitted report, reducing the overall senior management number to 16 (excluding public health), be approved.

2. That the senior management structure would consist of the Chief Executive, three Corporate Directors and twelve Heads of Service.

3. That the Public Health function, when it is transferred to the Council, reports to the Chief Executive and comprises the Director or Public Health, one Head of Service and associated staff.

4. That the detailed allocation of functions and implementation of other arrangements be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, subject to no substantive adverse response to consultations.

5. That appropriate amendments be made to the Constitution to reflect the new senior management structure once implemented and also to redesignate the three scrutiny committees as People Scrutiny Committee (including health), Place Scrutiny Committee and Corporate Scrutiny Committee."

Note:- This is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
720 Statutory Homelessness Discharge of duty policy
Business for item 720
Resolved:-

1. That Cabinet be recommended to endorse the Statutory Homelessness Discharge of Duty Policy (incorporating Option 3 in paragraph 3.8 of the submitted report) for consultation with key stakeholders, subject to:

(a) Clarification of the Policy to make it clear that a landlord's agent can satisfy the satisfactory landlord requirement;

(b) Strengthening of the wording in the Policy as to what constitutes 'reasonable physical condition' of a property; and

(c) 6 months after the Policy is implemented there should be a review.

Note: In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.2 Councillor McMahon had her name recorded against the recommendation.

Note: This is an Executive Function
Executive Councillor: Salter
721 Revised Draft Allocations Policy
Business for item 721
Resolved:-

1. That Cabinet be recommended to endorse the Revised Draft Allocations Policy for consultation with local social housing landlords and key stakeholders, subject to:

(a) Increasing the Residential Qualification period to 3 years;

(b) The priority for those in work should be tempered by considerations of need; and

(c) 6 months after the Policy is implemented there should be a review.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Salter.
722 Southend Athletics Clubhouse
Business for item 722
Resolved:-

1. That Cabinet be recommended to support the Southend Athletics Club proposal to develop a Club House at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre that will be funded by Sport England and the Athletics Club.

2. That Cabinet be recommended to approve, in principle, to lease the footprint of the Club House (Appendix 1 of the submitted report) to Southend Athletics Club to allow construction of a building for use as a Club House for a period of 25 years.

3. That Cabinet be recommended to authorise the Corporate Director Adult and Community Services and Corporate Director Support Services to approve the terms of the lease in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Culture and Tourism based on the terms negotiated and recommended by Asset Management.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.
Executive Councillor:- Jarvis.
723 Monthly Performance Report end November 2012
Business for item 723
Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note:- This is an Executive function.
Executive Councillor:- As appropriate to the item
724 Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network - Stroke review
Business for item 724
Resolved:

That the update report be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny Function
725 Further Update on Globe Surgery, Preston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea
Business for item 725
Resolved:

That the update and actions outlined be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny Function.
726 Updated Scrutiny Committee Work Plan
Business for item 726
Resolved:

That the Scrutiny Committee Work Plan be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny Function.
18.30/21.20

Attendance Details

Present:
Cllr A Kaye (Chairman), Cllr M A Flewitt (Vice-Chairman), Cllr M A Betson, Cllr M T Caunce, Cllr A M Chalk, Cllr A Crystall, Cllr D A Garston, Cllr A E Holland, Cllr A J Jones, Cllr G Lewin, Cllr J McMahon, Cllr D A Norman, Cllr I T Robertson, Cllr M Velmurugan, Cllr C W Walker and *Cllr Woodley
Mr E Camp and Ms A Clarke (Co-opted Members).

*Substitute in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31.
In attendance:
R Tinlin, J K Williams, S Leftley, I Ambrose, N Harris, M Boyle, A Atherton, J Lansley, R Harris
Councillors Jarvis, Salter, Gilbert and Ann Jones
Also in attendance: I Stidston (NHS North and South Cluster) and Jenny Mazarelo (NHS SEE).

Business

ItemBusiness
714The Committee considered Minute 678 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the joint report of the Corporate Director Support Services and Corporate Director Adult and Community Services setting out the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget for 2013/14, together with the information necessary to set a balanced budget as required by legislation.
715The Committee considered Minute 679 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Director Support Services requesting that consideration be given to a draft programme of capital projects for 2013/14 to 2016/17.
716The Committee considered Minute 680 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Director Support Services setting out the proposed detailed fees and charges for services included in the budget proposals for 2013/14.
717The Committee considered Minute 681 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Management Team presenting a draft revenue budget for 2013/14 and a range of potential savings proposals for future years.
718The Committee considered Minute 682 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with a report of the Director of Public Health providing an update on the Council's public health ring fenced grant allocation and set out details of the proposed budget for public health services for 2013/14.
719The Committee considered Minute 683 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with a report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk proposing revisions to the senior management structure to reflect the reduction in staff numbers, continuing budget pressures, the transfer of public health to local government and best practice elsewhere. The report also sought to redesignate the three Scrutiny Committees as People Scrutiny Committee (including Health), Place Scrutiny Committee and Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

Members queried the proposed changes to the titles of the Scrutiny Committees and suggested that this could be a matter for the Chairman's Scrutiny Forum to look at.
720(This is a pre Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee considered a report by the Corporate Director Adult and Community Services by way of pre Cabinet Scrutiny. The report presented an outline of the draft policy on how the Council will interpret and implement new powers set out in the Localism Act allowing a more flexible approach to discharging statutory homelessness duty using private rented sector accommodation.
721(This is a pre Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee considered a report by the Corporate Director Adult and Community Services by way of pre Cabinet Scrutiny. The report presented proposed amendments to the way that social housing is allocated in Southend in response to changing local circumstances, wider strategic housing objectives and new powers and duties including in the Localism Act 2011.
722(This is a pre Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee considered a report by the Corporate Director Adult and Community Services by way of pre Cabinet Scrutiny. The report informed Members of the proposal to build a Club House for the Southend Athletics Club at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre at Garon Park.
723The Committee considered the Monthly Performance Report (MPR) covering the period to the end of November 2012. The Committee also had before it an exceptions report showing the latest position to the end of January 2013, which had recently been circulated.
724The Committee considered a report from Jackie King, Interim Director, Essex Cardiac and Stroke Network, which provided an update on the review of stroke services being undertaken across the Midlands and East Region.
725The Committee welcomed Mr Ian Stidston, Director of Primary Care & Partnership Commissioning, NHS South Essex, and Mrs Jenny Mazarelo, Head of Primary Care Commissioining for South East Essex, who provided an update on the Globe Surgery, Preston Road, Westcliff-on-Sea and the steps taken in the provision of a GP service to its patient population.
726The Committee considered the updated Scrutiny Committee Work Plan.

The Committee noted that the Chairman had discussed with health the reconfiguration of vascular surgery services (referred to at item 13.6 on the work plan) and at this stage it looked as though the recommendations going forward were for Southend to be the arterial centre. The Chairman was also meeting with the independent review team in February and would update the Committee on the proposals.

 

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