Agenda item

The Committee considered a report introducing decisions arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 5^th February 2020.

Minute 63. Budget 2020/2021 and Beyond (Minute for Confirmation)

Councillors Russell Holland (Cabinet Member for Finance, Education and Skills), Penny and Brian Ford (Cabinet Member for Adults and Health) responded to questions put by Councillors Steve Allsopp,Emma Faramarzi, Jim Grant and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The reserves available for supporting the 2020/21 budget and beyond given the CIPFA resilience evaluation having judged the council as having a low level of reserves against the budget going forward.

·         The financial modelling undertaken for the next three years of budget forecasts and whether external factors have been evaluated to see how robust any assumptions made are going forward. Further information from this analysis will be made available to members once completed.

·         The decrease to the budget for waste and recycling in 2020/21 (with savings in the region of £2.2m having to be found) and the potential disruptions to waste collections as a result. The Committee noted that the national average is 80 on missed waste collections, and the Council is at 50, with missed collections usually being attributable to a shortage of Class 2 drivers.

·         Other ramifications from missed waste collections such as litter, safety from suspicious packages, and pavements being blocked by waste bins.

·         The vast majority of proposed savings coming from adults and children’s social services, and the anticipated effects this will have on the vulnerable people receiving support.  

·         The upgrading to the national living wage for adult social care employees, with the effect on the central government grant being estimated at around £600k per 1% agreed. Details of the amounts involved were requested and will be circulated to members subsequent to the meeting.  

Resolved – (1) That Minute 63 of the Cabinet 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.

Minute 64. Capital Programme 2020/2021 (Minute for Confirmation)

Councillors David Renard (Leader of the Council), Holland, Gary Sumner (Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning), Cathy Martyn (Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety) and Maureen Penny(Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment) responded to questions put by Councillors Emma Faramarzi, Jim Grant,James Robbins and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The reasoning behind the £4.8m budget transfer to the improvement works at J15 of the M4 when it could, for example, be used to electrify the Council’s transport fleet and help to reduce poor air quality across the town. The Committee noted that this junction is overdue an upgrade and is an essential piece of infrastructure required to deliver housing growth in the town. Improving it will also assist with reducing congestion and poor air quality.

·         The Centre for Cities data, which indicate that approximately 5.2% of each death in Swindon could be partly attributable to PM2.5. The Council monitors this and the evidence is showing there is less in Swindon than in the background shown in the model used by DEFRA. The Committee agreed that a training session on air quality would be useful for all members to help understand these issues.

·         The works to J15 being a Highways England scheme supported by S106 contributions from Badbury Park, a government grant, £3m from the Local Enterprise Partnership and £4.8m from this Council. The drawdown on borough funds will be done towards the end of the project with all other funds used first.

·         The issue of S106 monies being recorded in the future capital budget programme when perhaps the work is already underway.

·         The consultation planned for proposed works in the Rodbourne area, with Ward members having already been contacted.  

Resolved – (1) That Minute 64 of the Cabinet be noted.

(2) That the Member Development Advisory Group be requested to consider the addition of a session on air quality to the member training and development programme. 

Minute 65. Treasury Strategy Statement 2020/21 (Minute for Confirmation)

Councillor Holland responded to questions put by CouncillorSteve Allsopp and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The impact upon treasury management from the percentage point increase in the rate of borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) and when members can expect to be advised of the outcomes of any review of this via the Cabinet budget monitoring process and Audit Committee.

·         Other national funders, such as the Municipal Bonds Agency, which are potential alternatives to the PWLB. 

·         There not having been any occasions to date when unexpected situations have overcome the Council’s reserves.

·         The impact from any changes to business rates and the level of confidence that no demands will be placed on the Council’s reserves as a result. 

Resolved – That Minute 65 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 66. Housing Revenue Account - Rents and Charges 2020/21

Councillors Renard and Martyn responded to questions put by Councillors Steve Allsopp,Jim Grant and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The proposed £4m acquisition programme for 2020/21, the scope of which will include the purchase of all property types to help meet priority housing needs arising from homelessness and clients supported by Adult Social Care.

·         The number of council houses lost to right to buy in the last three years compared to the number built.

·         The number of repurchased properties that were previously right to buy properties, the details of which will be circulated subsequent to the meeting.

·         Opportunities for the Council to convert office buildings to quality social housing, working with the owners of vacant buildings. The Committee noted that the Local Government Association is lobbying for local authorities to have control over permitted developments.

Resolved – (1) That Minute 66 of the Cabinet 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.

Minute 67. School Admission Arrangements 2021-22 and Home to School Transport Policy

The Chair requested that the way in which the current framework delivers an outcome to parents having difficulties with the staggering of school start / end times on second and third choice preferences be reviewed. 

Resolved – That Minute 67 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 68. Swindon Pay Policy Statement (Minute for Confirmation)

Resolved – That Minute 68 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 69. Transfer of the Community Meals Service to AGE UK Wiltshire

Councillors Penny and Ford responded to questions put by Councillor James Robbins and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The potential effect on other council services as a result of this transfer. 

·         The assurances given by the new provider that it will not be raising costs to service users in the near future. The Committee noted that the Council will continue to monitor the service provision, and that using AGE UK will expand the service and help more vulnerable people.

·         The arrangements being put in place to monitor those individuals using this service and for reporting any issues to the Council. 

·         That the service would come back in-house should AGE UK suddenly be no longer able to provide it.    

Resolved – That Minute 69 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 70. Transfer of Parish Services to Parish Councils

Councillor Penny responded to questions put by Councillors Steve Allsopp,Matthew Courtliff, Timothy Swinyard and the Chair on the following matters:

·         That officers have experience of the statutory processes involved with TUPE transfers.

·         Concerns that have been raised over the schedule of transfers, with contracts stating it will be a four month changeover period.  

·         The support that the Borough will provide to the four affected parishes to ensure staff are protected and there is no dip in service. 

·         That the parishes in question will have to decide whether to raise precepts to pay for these services. Parishes may also decide to work in partnership to share services and costs.

Resolved – That Minute 70 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 71. References from Other Council Bodies - Health and Wellbeing Board

Councillors Ford and Mary Martin (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services) responded to questions put by Councillors Matthew Courtliff, Emma Faramarzi, Jim Grant,Barbara Parry, Timothy Swinyard and the Chair on the following matters:

·         The framework and resources being put in place and the 101 actions being taken by officers, required as part of adopting the Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention Strategy.

·         The £1.7m cost associated with a person committing suicide and the mechanisms that could be put in place to help improve preventative measures. The Committee noted that suicide rates in Swindon are lower than national and regional averages so prevention work is already helping.

·         The links with external organisations and other services such as housing to help identify those at risk of becoming suicidal in the future. 

·         The importance of councillors being aware of suicide and of how to signpost residents to support. It was agreed that a training session for members would help improve knowledge and skills in this area. 

·         The support and help in place for a person’s family who has committed suicide.  

·         That additional funds have been allocated to the Trailblazer Programme, which provides additional mental health services via schools, and it is being launched on Thursday 12^th March 2020.

·         The accredited mental health first aiders in place for staff.

Resolved – (1) That Minute 71 of the Cabinet be noted.

(2) That the Member Development Advisory Group be requested to consider the addition of a session on suicide awareness to the member training and development programme.

(3) That information regarding the Swindon Trailblazer Mental Health Support Teams Service Launch will be circulated to members subsequent to the meeting.

Minute 72. Wichelstowe Joint Venture - NHBC Guarantee

The Leader of the Council declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item and left the room during the discussion.

Councillor Sumner responded to questions put by Councillors Matthew Courtliff,Roger Smith and the Chair on the following matters:

·         That officers have considered the indemnity and are confident that the risk of exposure for the Council is low. The Committee noted that the joint venture uses sub-contractors for a number of works, and there is a right of redress if there is a failure of quality on those works.

·         How the proposal is for the Council to indemnify jointly with the joint venture partnernership for two years only, with the usual National House-Building Council (NHBC) warranty in place for the remaining eight years, giving an underlying benefit to the Council of not losing around £1.2m on the land value that would be lost if the full NHBC warranty was bought at market rates.

·         The levels of confidence in the joint venture partnernership, and in the ability of the Council to mitigate risk in partnership with this national house builder.    

Resolved – That Minute 72 of the Cabinet be noted.

Minute 73. Land in Central Swindon

The Committee resolved that, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to in this item, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Councillor Heenan (Cabinet Member for the Town Centre) responded to a question raised by Councillor James Robbins regarding the updated information, which had been circulated at the Cabinet meeting.

Resolved – That Minute 73 of the Cabinet be noted.