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 Gary Sumner made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 5 (Consideration of Cabinet Panel on School Organisation Decisions – Minute 10. Proposal to Increase the Published Admission Number (PAN) at Brimble Hill Primary Special School from 77 to 85 from September 2018) as his wife is currently employed as a Deputy Head teacher.

·       Councillor James Robbins made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 6 (Cabinet Member Question and Answer Session - Cabinet Member for Children's Services and School Attainment) as he is a foster carer for Swindon Borough Council.

·       Councillor Caryl Sydney-Smith made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 6 (Cabinet Member Question and Answer Session - Cabinet Member for Children's Services and School Attainment) as she is a School Governor at Oliver Tomkins Primary School.

·       Councillor Bob Wright made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of agenda item 6 (Cabinet Member Question and Answer Session - Cabinet Member for Children's Services and School Attainment) as his property is the former park bungalow transferred to Ferndale School.

Mr Brian Shakespeare, Swindon Tenants Campaign Group, asked questions regarding the Council’s proposals for the regeneration of Queens Drive, specifically:

a)    Why this matter was not brought for discussion to the meeting of the Housing Advisory Forum CMAG on 7^th March 2018 given the nature of the proposals.

b)    Whether the Council will suspend its proposals for the redevelopment of Queens Drive until tenants have been consulted on the matter at a meeting of the Housing Advisory Forum CMAG.

Councillor Cathy Martyn, Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, responded to Mr Shakespeare’s questions at the meeting.

Mr Roy Worman, Haydon Wick resident, referred to the digitisation programme implemented by Northampton County Council and the discussion at the last meeting of this Committee on how lessons learned from its programme might be used to inform the Councils own digitisation programme. Mr Worman asked whether, given the perilous state of said council, are there any lessons that can be adapted by Swindon Borough Council and, if so, what?

The Chair advised that a written answer would be provided in accordance with the Public Question Time protocol. 

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th February 2018.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th February 2018 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Committee considered a report introducing decisions arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 14^th March 2018, and from the meeting of the Cabinet Panel on School Organisation held on 15^th March 2018.

a)    Cabinet Minutes – 14^th March 2018

86. Moredon Recreation Ground - Multi Sports Hub Proposals

Councillor David Renard, (Leader of the Council), and Councillor Mary Martin (Cabinet Member for Communities and Place), responded to questions put by Councillors Dale Heenan, Des Moffatt, Chris Watts, and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The accuracy of details within the Council’s recent press release regarding these proposals, and actions required to ensure that cross party support, where appropriate, is accurately reflected within future press releases.

·       The capacity within the Council’s Legal and Property Team to ensure that any leases and sales documents are completed within expected timelines.

·       Potential connections with the work being undertaken to achieve savings by the Council’s Transformation Team.

Resolved – That Minute 86 of the Cabinet be noted.

87. Queens Drive Regeneration

Councillor David Renard, (Leader of the Council), Councillor Oliver Donachie (Cabinet Member for the Economy and Skills),Councillor Toby Elliott (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Sustainability), andCouncillor Cathy Martyn (Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety), responded to questions put by CouncillorsDale Heenan,Des Moffatt,Chris Watts,and the Chairon the following matters:

·       The expected net gain in the number of accommodation units with discrepancies in the report indicating that it might be either 43 or 60.

·       The survey of any utilities which may be underneath these roads and the assessment of the cost of moving these before final site decisions are made.

·       The level of income from social rents necessary to support the required borrowing for the project, and whether this will be sufficient to secure the planned development without excluding low income households.

·       The methodology for the assessment of average property rents within the proposal. 

·       Consultation with the rent-paying residents affected by the addition of £25m to the Housing Revenue Account for this scheme.

·       The potential of similar projects being built in other areas across the Borough.

·       The impact of the Homelessness Reduction Act, coming in to force in April 2018, on the plans for the demolition and rebuilding on the site of St Ives Court. 

·       Extending the borrowing period of this scheme to 40 years and the Council’s policy on building social housing across the Borough going forward.

·       The feasibility of postponing the determination of the tenure mix on site until confirmation of the Homes England funding for social housing.

Resolved – That Minute 87 of the Cabinet be noted.

88. Budget Management Update

Councillor Fionuala Foley (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment), and the Director of Finance responded to questions put by Councillors Mark Dempsey and Des Moffatton the following matters:

·       The number of children going in to care in the two years prior to the closure of the children’s centres and in the years since the closure, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

Councillor Fionuala Foley, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment, 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:

·       Children and Family Services including Early Help, Youth Offending Team, Young Person Substance Misuse team, Targeted Mental Health, Education Welfare, Educational Psychology, Youth Engagement, Services for Disabled Children

·       Children’s Social Work services

·       Community Health Services including Health Visitors, School Nurses and Family Nurse Partnership, Paediatric Therapy Services, Speech and Language and Portage

·       Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

·       Corporate Parenting Board

·       Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

·       Education Services including, Provision for Early Years, LA Maintained Schools, Provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Education Other Than At School, Tuition Service, Championing Excellence and Promoting High Standards

·       Children Voluntary Sector Contracts

·       Public Health – Children

·       Fostering and adoption services

·       Troubled Families

·       Education Services including, Provision for Early Years, LA Maintained Schools, Provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Education Other Than At School, Tuition Service, Championing Excellence and Promoting High Standards

·       Educational Challenge Board

·       Schools’ Forum

·       Music Services

·       PlasPencelli Outdoor Education Centre

·       Governor Support services

·       Traded Services

In overseeing these areas, the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment is responsible for delivering the following Priorities and Pledges of Swindon’s vision for 2016-2020:

• Priority two: Offer education opportunities that lead to the right skills and right jobs in the right places.
• Pledge 15 - In addition to the two new free secondary schools, build one secondary and 12 primary schools to meet the needs of our increasing population.
• Pledge 17 - Improve educational attainment, in particular at ages 16-19 so we are above the average in England within five years.
• Priority four: Help people to help themselves while always protecting our most vulnerable children and adults.
• Pledge 28 - Increase the number of foster carers in Swindon so that every ‘child looked after’ who should be, is placed in their home borough.
• Pledge 29 - Work with all of the 1270 families in Swindon who are in most need of support by 2020 in phase 2 of the Troubled Families Programme

Councillor Foley responded to the observations and questions put by Councillors Ray Ballman, Mark Dempsey, Claire Ellis,Dale Heenan, Emma Faramarzi,Des Moffatt, James Robbins, Gary Sumner, Chris Wattsand the Chair on the following matters:

• The detailed review undertaken by the Director of Children’s Services to assess the progress Children’s Social Care in Swindon has made on the improvement journey since the Ofsted inspection in 2014.
• The proposals to remodel the Early Years Help service, and the options for changes being considered.
• The impact of the closures of children’s centres on the number of children being taken into care in Swindon.
• The work being done to investigate instances of child exploitation within Swindon.
• Responsibility for the maintenance of Ferndale Field being transferred to the relevant Parish Council.
• The level of support offered by health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

Councillor Russell Holland, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercialisation, was in attendance and presented to the Committee a report summarising progress and performance in respect of each of the following service areas within his portfolio of responsibility:

·       Financial Management (Revenue and Capital Programme)

·       Finance Management Overview

·       Preparing Future Year’s Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan

·       Procurement

·       Implementing Commercialisation Strategy

·       Lead Member for commercial housing development

·       The Council’s Transformation Programme including Stronger Together

·       Revenue and Benefits Services

·       Developing Welfare and Benefits Policy

·       Cabinet Member for the Commercial Investment Fund and Procurement

·       Financial Management (Revenue and Capital Programme)

·       Finance Management Overview

·       Preparing Future Year’s Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan

In overseeing these areas, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Commercialisation is responsible for delivering the following Priorities and Pledges of Swindon’s vision for 2016-2020:

• Priority four: Help people to help themselves while always protecting our most vulnerable children and adults.
• Pledge 24 - Provide early support for people in debt so that we significantly reduce the need to use bailiffs to recover Council Tax and other debts.

Councillor Holland responded to the observations and questions put by Councillors Ray Ballman, Des Moffatt, James Robbins, and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The work of the Social Inclusion and Enterprise Manager in publicising and encouraging residents to join Credit Unions, and involvement with the credit union in Pinehurst.

·       The movement of people on to Universal Credit, and subsequent rises in the level of Council Tax arrears potentially linked to this increase, which the Council is attempting to address.

·       The amount of capital invested under the commercialisation programme in Swindon and elsewhere.

·       Whether issues with the maintenance of the commercial real estate owned by the Council is preventing the full use of these spaces being utilised, such as The Platform not having its potential realised.

·       The regeneration context of commercial development decisions being determined on a case by case basis. 

·       The nature of the Council’s investments, and the potential for liquidity, should there be a financial crisis.

·       The maintenance backlog at both Lydiard Park and St Luke’s School, and the sufficiency of the funding set aside for maintenance work on the Council’s assets.

Resolved – (1) That Councillor Holland be thanked for attending the meeting to present his performance report and for his 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.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services setting out the topics for inclusion in the 2017/2018 Scrutiny Work Programme, as agreed by the Committee at its meetings 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. It was agreed that these reports would be added to the Work Programme for the 2018/2019 Municipal Year.

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.