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 Fionuala Foley made a prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of the Committee’s consideration of Cabinet Minute 65 (Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policies), in respect of her employment within the housing sector.

·        Councillors Brian Mattock, Jane Milner-Barry and Gary Sumner made prejudicial declarations of interest in respect of the Committee’s consideration of Cabinet Minute 65 (Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policies) in their capacity as landlords.

·        Councillor Robert Wright (Chair) made a personal, non-prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of the Cabinet Item 10 (Library Strategy) in his capacity as he was a member on the Swindon Community Library Trust.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th January 2019.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th January 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

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, a Haydon Wick resident, asked questions regarding the Council’s library proposals, specifically:

a)    The lack of comparative visions and cost analysis for both the Council’s and PS Mutual’s projects in the report.

b)    How the Council envisaged the role of librarians in the future. 

c)     Whether the Council had considered the option of merging with Libraries West.

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council, and Sally Burnett, Head of Skills and Lifelong Learning, responded to Mr Worman’s questions at the meeting.

Mr Worman raised his concern that the hearing loop in the meeting room was not effective.

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council, acknowledged Mr Worman’s concern and asked the officers to investigate.   

The Committee considered a report introducing decisions arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 6^th February 2019.

Item Number Minute 65. Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policies

Councillor Cathy Martyn, Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, with the assistance of the Head of Housing, and the Service Manager, Healthy Neighbourhoods,responded to questions put by Councillors Emma Bushell, Emma Faramarzi, James Robbins, Chris Watts and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The Council’s methods of identifying rogue landlords and actions taken to ensure compliance with relevant legislation.

·         The various methods used to report private sector housing issues.

·         The resources and funding utilised to enforce the provisions of the Housing Planning Act 2016 to ensure tenant safety.

·         The successful implementation of the Safe and Warm Scheme in Swindon.

·         The use of the Council’s electoral registration scheme to identify issues of over occupancy.

Councillor Fionuala Foley made a prejudicial declaration of interest in respect of the Committee’s consideration of Cabinet Minute 65 (Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policies), in respect of her employment within the housing sector.

Councillors Brian Mattock, Jane Milner-Barry and Gary Sumner made prejudicial declarations of interest in respect of the Committee’s consideration of Cabinet Minute 65 (Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policies) in their capacity as landlords.

Resolved – That Minute 65 of the Cabinet be noted.

Item Number 56. Budget 2019/20 and Beyond

The Leader of the Council and Councillor Russell Holland, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, with the assistance of the Director of Finance, responded to questions put by Councillors James Robbins, Chris Watts and the Chair on the following matters:

·        The Diversity Impact Assessment carried out on the effect of a 5% standard uplift on fees and charges.

·         Budget provision in respect of the County Ground improvement.

·         The details of the Revenue Support Grant settlement.

·         The projected reserves at the end of the current financial year and its planned allocation.

·         The statements made by the Local Government Association on behalf of the sector regarding financial challenges being faced by councils.

Resolved – That Minute 56 of the Cabinet be noted.

Item Number Minute 57. Capital Programme 2019/20

The Leader of the Council and Councillor Russell Holland, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, responded to questions put by Councillors Vera Tomlinson, Jane Milner-Barry and the Chair on the following matters:

·        The reasons for the allocation of £348k from Section106 funding to Blunsdon Parish.

·         The full review of Coate Water Park facilities being undertaken to ensure sustainability and how any identified work would be financed.

·         The breakdown of the budget being allocated for the improvement of Rodbourne Park and Park Lane. 

Resolved – (1) That Minute 57 of the Cabinet be noted.

2) That the Director of Finance be requested to circulate information on how Blunsdon Parish was allocated funding under Section106.

(3) That the Corporate Director of Communities and Housing be requested to circulate preliminary information regarding the LTP budget allocated for Rodbourne Road and Park  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

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:

·     Provide the strategic direction for the management of all aspects of the Council’s social housing

·     Provide strategic direction to reduce and prevent homelessness where possible

·     Promote partnership engagement to address rough sleeping

·     Provide strategic leadership to promote safe public areas

·     Set the strategic vision for the Borough’s continuing social development

·     Ensure that the Council's agreed priorities within the portfolio are delivered.

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

·       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.

·       Complete the redevelopment of Sussex Square.

Councillor Martyn, with the assistance of the Head of Housing and the Licensing Manager, responded to questions put by Councillors Emma Bushell, Fionuala Foley, James Robbins, Tim Swinyard, Vera Tomlinson, Chris Watts and the Chair on the following matters:

·       Support for gamblers to help them break their addiction.

·       The potential to provide taxi drivers with an additional restricted licence to allow them to accept work from other operators. 

·       How and when businesses need to apply for a SESAC licence (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) when planning an event in Swindon and information on the services provided by the department to businesses applying for this licence. 

·       The promotion and successful implementation of the ‘Ask for Angela’ joint initiative between Wiltshire Council, the Police and the proprietors of licenced premises and the number of licenced establishments currently participating in the initiative. 

·       The neutral cost to the Council of pursuing licensing prosecutions

·       The location, tenure and projected number of affordable houses in Swindon.

·       The support provided for the homeless at day centres and how partnership working with Big Breakfast Plus and the Avon and Wiltshire Primary Mental HealthTrust had improved engagement with the homeless.

·       The success of the Council’s Temporary Winter Housing Project.

·       The procuring of properties by the Housing Department to increase its housing stock.

·       Discussions on how clients in under-occupied properties were encouraged to find suitable properties for their needs. 

·       The successful bid for funding being used to support children with alcohol dependent parents.

·       The timescales for completing Fire Safety maintenance at David Murray John building and George Hall Court.  

·       The need to consider traffic flow to improve air quality at Kingshill, Swindon.

·       The proposal to distribute notices to residents and properties in the town centre detailing information regarding help and support available to rough sleepers.

Resolved – (1) That Councillor Cathy Martyn be thanked for attending the meeting to present her performance report and for her full and open responses to members’ questions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

The Committee considered a report of the Interim Director of Law setting out the topics for inclusion in the 2018/2019 Scrutiny Work Programme, as agreed by the Committee at its meeting on 18^th June 2018, and updated during the course of the Municipal Year.

The Committee noted that the next Cabinet meeting on the 13^th March 2019 was rescheduled and was now being held on 20^th March 2019. The Committee further noted that the next Scrutiny meeting was due to be held on 25^th March 2019 and agreed that the meeting on the 15^th April 2019 be cancelled. 

Resolved – That Committee noted:

a) The Work Programme for 2018/19.

b) The next scheduled meeting was now due to be held on the 25th March 2019.

c) That the meeting on the 15^th April 2019 be cancelled.  

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.