Apologies for absence were received form Councillors Terry (substitute: Councillor Ayling) and Ward (substitute: Councillor Woodley).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(a)  Councillors Cox, Flewitt, Holland and Lamb (Executive Councillors) – Disqualifying non-pecuniary interests in all the called-in/referred items; attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19th July 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011;

(b)  Councillor Bright – Agenda Item No. 8 (Shoreline Strategy) – Non-pecuniary interest:  Employer is the Minister for flooding at DEFRA;

(c)  Councillor Cox – Agenda Item No. 7 (Fire Safety Report) – Non-pecuniary interest: Part of the response in conjunction with his employer (London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to Grenfell Tower);

(d) Councillor Flewitt – Agenda Item No. 7 (Fire Safety Report) – Non-pecuniary interest: Friends and family are tenants of South Essex Homes;

(e)  Councillor J Garston – Agenda Item No. 7 (Fire Safety Report) – Non-pecuniary interest: Family member lives in one of the properties mentioned;

(f)  Councillor Habermel – Agenda Item Nos. 9 (Sex Establishment Premises) and 11 (Massage and Special Treatment) – Non-pecuniary interest: Vice-Chair of Licensing Sub Committee C and Member of the Licensing Committee;

(g)  Councillor McDonald – Agenda Item No. 9 (Sex Establishment Premises) – Non-pecuniary interest: Employed by a charity who also support women in the sex industry; Trustee of Essex Feminist Collective who campaign against sex industry; On the management committee of Nordic Model Now! Who campaign for changes to the law around prostitution and the sex industry; and women’s officer for UNISON Essex and on UNISON’s regional women’s committee which both campaign against the sex industry;

(h)  Councillor McGlone  – Agenda Item Nos. 9 (Sex Establishment Premises) and 11 (Massage and Special Treatment) – Non-pecuniary interest: Vice-Chair of Licensing Committee; and

(i)  Councillor Woodley – Agenda Item No. 12 (Objections to Traffic Regulation Orders – Tyrone Road and Fermoy Road) – Non-pecuniary interest: Lives in Tyrone Road.

The Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism and the Economy and the Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste & Regulatory Services responded to written questions from Mr Webb.

Written responses from the Executive Councillor for Housing, Planning and Sustainability responded to two written questions from Mr Grubb were noted and will be sent to them as they were not present at the meeting.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 29^th January 2018 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the special meeting held on Wednesday, 14^th February 2018 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Members are reminded to bring with them the most recent MPR for period ending January 2018.

Comments / questions should be made at the appropriate Scrutiny Committee relevant to the subject matter.

The Committee considered Minute 820 of Cabinet held on 13^th March 2018 together with the Monthly Performance Report (MPR) covering the period to end February 2018, which had been circulated recently.

Resolved:-

That the report be noted.

Note:- This is an Executive Function.

Executive Councillor:- As appropriate to the item.

Minute 819 (Agenda Item 10 refers)

Called in by Councillors Mulroney and Wexham

The Committee considered Minute 819 of Cabinet held on 13^th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) setting out the interim results of the Council’s Fire Safety Review, which was established following the Grenfell Tower fire on the 14th June 2017.

A list of all the properties that had been contacted regarding fire safety in tall buildings owned both in the private and public sectors was circulated at the meeting for Members’ information.  In response to questions regarding the properties, the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) requested that, if any Member was aware of any tall building that was not included on the list to forward the details to him.

Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:

“1. That the work undertaken by the Council and South Essex Homes in respect to Fire Safety, be noted and endorsed.

 2. That a further update be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet.”

Note:- This is an Executive function

Executive Councillor:- Flewitt

Minute 822 (Agenda Item 13 refers)

Called in by Councillors Mulroney, Wexham, Ware-Lane and Gilbert

The Committee considered Minute 822 of Cabinet held on 13th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) presenting the draft Southend Shoreline Strategy.

Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted

“1. That the Southend Shoreline Strategy document for managing the Borough’s coastal defences into the future, subject to approval by the Environment Agency, be adopted.

2. That the Deputy Chief Executive (Place), in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste and Regulatory Services, be authorised to approve the final strategy, following Environment Agency approval.

3. That it be noted that the total value of the Strategy at £410m (Present Value £134m) over a 100 year period, of which part will need to be funded from the Council’s Capital Programme whilst other funding may include Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid and other external sources.

4. That the Strategy will be supported by an appropriate governance process, as set out in Paragraph 6 of the submitted report.

5. That the submission of the Strategy to the EA Large Project Review Group (LPRG) in June 2018, be approved.”

Note: This is an Executive function

Executive Councillor: Cox

Minute 823 (Agenda Item 14 refers)

Called in by Councillors Mulroney, Wexham, McDonald and Gilbert

The Committee considered Minute 823 of Cabinet held on 13th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) setting out a Sex Establishments draft Statement of Licensing Policy as a basis for formal consultation.

Resolved:-

That the following recommendation of Cabinet be noted:

Note: This is a Council function

Executive Councillor: Cox

Minute 824 (Agenda Item No. 15 refers)

Called in by Councillors Ware-Lane and Nevin

The Committee considered Minute 824 of Cabinet held on 13th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) setting out the core accommodation requirements for the development of Forum 2, which the Council is taking forward in partnership with South Essex College and provided an update on the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) funding bid to support the scheme.

In response to a question regarding the length of the proposed lease of the Forum 2 building, the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) undertook to provide a written response after the meeting.

Resolved:-

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:

“1. That the content of the Design Brief for Forum 2, including the initial statement of the Council’s requirements in respect to gallery spaces and a digital workspace hub, be approved.

2. That the current budgetary position in relation to the development of Forum 2, including the partners’ progress in securing funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership Local Growth Fund, alongside the proposed completion date and programme for delivery, be noted.

3. That the proposed procurement route and the project governance arrangements, including the establishment of a joint Council/College Sponsoring Group and Project Board, be approved.

4. That the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) be approved as the Project Executive and, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism and the Economy, be given delegated authority to appoint the Main Design Team and Cost Consultant to progress the design from RIBA Stage 2 (Concept Design) through to RIBA Stage 7 (In Use).”

Note: This is an Executive function

Executive Councillor: Holland

Minute 825 (Agenda Item No. 16 refers)

Called in by Councillors McDonald and Ware-Lane

The Committee considered Minute 825 of Cabinet held on 13th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) updating the standard conditions used to grant and renew the licences for persons carrying on establishments for massage or special treatments under the Essex Act 1987 and proposing the adoption of best practice Codes of Practice specific to the different treatments being offered.

Resolved:-

That the following recommendations of Cabinet be noted:

Note: This is a Council function

Executive Councillor: Cox

Minute 806

Called in by Councillors Woodley and Terry

The Committee considered Minute 806 of Cabinet Committee held on 8th March 2018, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with the report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that appraised Members of the representations that had been received in response to the statutory consultation for proposed Traffic Regulation Orders in respect of various proposals within the Borough.

Resolved:-

1.  That Minute 806 in respect of the proposed introduction of junction protection only as set out in the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (Various Roads) (Stopping, Waiting, Loading and Unloading Prohibitions and Restrictions, Parking Places and Permit Parking Zones)(Consolidation) Order 2016 (Amendment No. 1) Order 2017 be referred back to Cabinet Committee for reconsideration.

2.  That, with the exclusion of the items listed in resolution 1 above Minute 806 in respect of the following decisions of Cabinet Committee be noted:

“1.  That no further action be taken in respect of the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (Various Roads) (Stopping, Waiting, Loading and Unloading Prohibitions and Restrictions, Parking Places and Permit Parking Zones)(Consolidation) Order 2016 (Amendment No. 1) Order 2017.

2.  That no further action be taken in respect of the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (Various Roads) (Consolidation of Moving Traffic and Speed Limit) Order 2006 (as amended) (Amendment No 2) Order 2018.

3.  That the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) be authorised to confirm the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (Various Roads) (Stopping, Waiting, Loading and Unloading Prohibitions and Restrictions, Parking Places and Permit Parking Zones)(Consolidation) Order 2016 (Amendment No. 3) Order 2018 as advertised, subject to the following amendments so as to reduce the effect of the Order:

(a) Rayleigh Road – remove proposed waiting restrictions on the north side from its junction with Eastwood Park Drive westwards to approximately the western boundary of No. 274 Rayleigh Road; and

(b)  The Rodings – reduce the length of proposed waiting restrictions on the west side from its junction with Rayleigh Road to the entrance of the No 15 The Rodings

4.  That the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) be authorised to confirm the Borough of Southend-on-Sea (Off-Street Parking Places) Consolidation Order 2005 (As amended) (Amendment No. 1) Order 2018 as advertised.”

Note:- This is an Executive function

Executive Councillor:- Cox

The Committee received an oral update on the progress that had been made in respect of the agreed in-depth Scrutiny study: Maximising the use of technology through the Smart Cities and Digital Futures agendas.

Resolved:-

That the update be noted.

Note:- This is a Scrutiny Function.