Agenda and minutes

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting. The following declarations were made:

·       Councillor Bob Wright made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 5 (Consideration of Cabinet Decisions – Minute 75. Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – Rents and Charges 2018/19) as he has family members who run building companies.

·       Councillor Dale Heenan made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 5 (Consideration of Cabinet Decisions – Minute 78. Air Quality Management Area Declaration) as his company produces air quality sensors.

See explanatory note below. Please contact the Committee Officer whose details appear at the top of this agenda if you need further guidance.

Mr Roy Worman, Haydon Wick resident, asked questions regarding the Council’s Superfast Broadband Extension Programme, specifically:

a)    The progress on the erection of all the masts proposed within the project.

b)    The planning approval for the mast site on Cassini Drive.

c)     The Council’s commitment to providing the infrastructure required to support superfast broadband in the future.

Councillor Toby Elliott, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability, responded to Mr Worman’s questions at the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th January 2018.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th January 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

72. Budget 2018/19 and Beyond

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council, Councillor Fionuala Foley, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment and Councillor Toby Elliott, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability, responded to questions put by Councillors Mark Dempsey, Des Moffatt, Jim Robbins and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The use in the report of the terms ‘reshaping’ and ‘redesign’ and what these mean in a practical sense in terms of changes to council processes or outcomes on service delivery.

·       The future access that residents will have to council services following the implementation of the various service revisions proposed in the report.

·       The estimated £5.5m increase in Council Tax income between 2018/19 and 2019/20 and the number of additional properties needed to fund this increase.

·       Core library services, as well as satellite library services, being placed in to a Trust Model, and engagement with the Charity Commission regarding the service transfer.

·       The expected efficiency savings from the digital redesign of service delivery in Street Cleaning.

·       The digitisation programme implemented by Northamptonshire County Council and lessons learned from that programme that might be used to inform the Council’s own digitisation objectives.

·       The funding being allocated to the White Horse Federation and the condition of the building at St Luke’s School and the repair / maintenance works required on it.

Resolved – That Minute 72 of the Cabinet be noted.

73. Capital Programme 2018-19

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council, Councillor Fionuala Foley, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment, and Councillor Toby Elliott, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability, responded to questions put by Councillors Dale Heenan, Emma Faramarzi, Chris Watts, Des Moffatt, Mark Dempseyand the Chair on the following matters:

·       Questions put by Councillor Dale Heenan at the Cabinet meeting in December, relating to capital investment in the A419 sound barrier being removed from the programme that remained to be answered.

·       The difficulties some members had encountered in obtaining responses within specified deadlines to issues raised through the Members Hotline.

·       The borrowing cap for housing accounts.

·       The additional need for school places in Swindon, and associated costs to the Council if the free schools programme remains frozen.

·       The borrowing terms for funding to replace the Council’s telephone platform, and the possibility that the term of the loan might exceed the lifetime of the technology. 

Resolved – That Minute 73 of the Cabinet be noted.

74. Treasury Strategy Statement 2018/19

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council,and Councillor Oliver Donachie, Cabinet Member for the Economy and Skills,responded to questions put by Councillors Mark Dempsey, Des Moffatt, Chris Watts, Dale Heenanand the Chair on the following matters:

·       The importance of portfolio diversification to mitigate risk, and the need to reduce reliance in the future on portfolios that depend on housing to provide an income stream.

·       The Council’s total current debt figures, and its current debt repayment position.

·       The effect of debt repayment on revenue figures.

·       The case for increasing borrowing now  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

Councillor Cathy Martyn, Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, was in attendance and presented to the Committee a report summarising progress and performance in respect of each of the following service areas within her portfolio of responsibility:

·       Allocations and Advice Services

·       Empty Homes

·       Estate and Tenancy Management

·       Housing Enabling and Strategic Services

·       Homeline Services

·       Homelessness

·       Housing Right to Buy/Sales Services

·       Neighbourhood Wardens

·       Private Sector Housing Renovation Grants

·       Repair and Improvements to Council Housing Stock

·       Sheltered Accommodation

·       Environmental and Public Protection Services Gypsies, Travellers and Unauthorised Encampments

·       Reducing Drugs, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

·       Control Room Operations

·       Principal Member for consultation on Public Space Protection Orders

·       Envirocrime

·       Licensing, including taxis, etc.

·       Community Safety Partnership including young offenders and reducing anti-social behaviour

·       Reducing Domestic Violence and Abuse

·       Lead Member for PSPOs

In overseeing these areas, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety is responsible for delivering the following Priorities:

·       Priority one: Improve infrastructure and housing to support a growing, low-carbon economy.

·       Pledge 7 - Build new affordable homes including 200 new council homes and 66 units through the Affordable Housing Development programme at sites including the Hawthorns, the Royal British Legion site in Penhill, Townsend House in Old Town and the Former Refuge in Park South.

·       Pledge 8 - Complete the redevelopment of Sussex Square.

Councillor Martyn responded to the observations and questions put by Councillors Dale Heenan, Emma Faramarzi, Des Moffatt, Gary Sumner and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The difficulty faced by an applicant who wishes to electronically complete a licensing application form on the Council’s website, and the plans for the future digitalisation of the licensing service.

·       The social housing building programme, and the number of houses planned.

·       The length of time required for the recovery of building costs through rental charges, and consideration of maintenance costs during that time.

·       The ‘borrowing headroom’ in the Housing Revenue Account and the timeline for the housing programme.

·       The homeless shelter on Carfax Street.

·       The non-renewal of the roofing contract due to a gas safety issue.

·       Compliancy with the required safety checks on things such as gas and electricity, and fixed appliance testing.

Resolved – (1) That Councillor Martyn be thanked for attending the meeting to present her performance report and for her full and open responses to members’ questions and observations on the issues raised.

(2) That information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to them via the Committee Clerk.

Cherry Jones, Director of Public Health, was in attendance and presented to the Committee a report setting out the Civil Protection Arrangements within Swindon Borough Council.

Mrs Jones responded to the observations and questions put by Councillors Ray Ballman, Mark Dempsey and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The bomb scare incident in Pinehurst on 14^th January 2018 which resulted in the evacuation of 40 residents, and members’ concerns that no Borough Council officer had been in attendance during this incident.

·       The response time expected from officers that are on call.

·       The regular reviews that are held following all incidents to consider what worked well and what required improvement.

·       The cross-border work with Wiltshire Council, and the regular drills that are run to practice responses. 

Resolved – (1) That the contents of the report be noted. 

(2) That information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to them via the Committee Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services setting out the topics for inclusion in the 2017/18 Scrutiny Work Programme, as agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 19^th June 2017 and 17^th July 2017, and updated during the course of the Municipal Year.

The Chair provided an update with regard to the reports expected to be submitted to future meetings of the Committee on (i) the outsourcing of services and (ii) Policing in Swindon.

The Committee received an updated report advising on the status of outstanding issues and member requests for information.

Resolved – That the report on the status of outstanding issues and member requests for information be noted.