Agenda and minutes

In accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chair advised the meeting that he intended that the following additional item should be considered as a matter of urgency for the reasons stated:

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

Mr Richard Symonds, a local resident, asked a question regarding bus services in the Railway Village and the damage he felt was being caused by buses, particularly by buses mounting kerbs. Councillor Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transport, responded to Mr Symonds’ question.

The Director of Law and Democratic Services responded to a question put by Mr Symonds regarding the scheduling of committee meetings. The Director of Law and Democratic Services and Councillor Faramarzi, the Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, responded to a question put by Mr Symonds to the 12 January meeting of the Scrutiny Committee regarding dog fouling prosecutions.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2015.

Resolved – (1) That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th January 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

(2) That, further to her question at the meeting, regarding the recruitment of social workers, Councillor Cindy Matthews be advised of the number of agency social workers and agency social work managers within the service.

The Committee was invited to confirm the membership of its Task Group to review the Local Resilience Forum’s independent, multi-agency report on the Averies’ Fire incident. It was noted that the report was expected to be finalised shortly.

Resolved – That the following members and deputies be appointed to the Committee’s Task Group to review the Local Resilience Forum’s independent, multi-agency debrief of the Averies’ Fire incident and to submit a review report to a public meeting of the Scrutiny Committee:

Councillors Dempsey, Elliott, Penny, Weisinger and Wright (Deputies: Councillors Matthews and Tomlinson).

The Director of Law and Democratic Services submitted a report introducing decisions arising from the Cabinet meeting held on 4^th February 2015.

59.      Motion at Council - Use of Police Community Support Officers in Supporting Council Parking Enforcement (Minute for Council to Note)

Councillor David Renard, Leader of the Council and Chair of Cabinet, and Councillor Garry Perkins, Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration and Skills, responded to questions put by the Chair and Councillor Toby Elliott regarding the apparent reticence of the Wiltshire Police to use Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to support car parking enforcement and how this issue might be pursued further with the Police and Crime Commissioner.

            Resolved - That Minute 59 of the Cabinet be noted and that, further to resolution (4), this Committee’s support of any request to the Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner to facilitate the use of PCSOs to support car parking enforcement be recorded.

60.      Consultation on Proposals for a Combined Fire and Rescue Service

Councillor Garry Perkins, Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration and Skills, responded to questions put by Councillor Toby Elliott and the Chair regarding the viability of the proposals for a combined service and the “backup position” in the event that the proposals prove to be unsustainable.

            Resolved - That Minute 60 of the Cabinet be noted.

61.      Budget 2015/16 and Beyond (Minute for Confirmation)

Councillors Russell Holland, Cabinet Member for Finance, and Councillor Brian Mattock, Deputy Leader of the Council, Vice-Chair of Cabinet, and Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, responded to questions put by the Chair and Councillors Mark Dempsey, Cindy Matthews and Stan Pajak on the following issues:

·        The medium term financial strategy and the projected year-on-year funding gap.

·         The Council’s proposed response to addressing the projected funding gap.

·         Management of the increasing demand for adult social care services.

·         The delivery of savings and the likely impact on the delivery of Surestart and library services.

·         The predicted grant funding reduction.

·         The transfer of clients in receipt of Independent Living Allowance to the Council’s responsibility and the future funding of that support.

·         The Council’s minimum reserves level and the feasibility of utilising reserves to respond to particular and budget pressures.

            Resolved - That Minute 61 of the Cabinet be noted.

62.      Capital Programme 2015/16 to 2017/18 (Minute for Confirmation)

Councillors David Renard, Leader of the Council and Chair of Cabinet, Garry Perkins, Cabinet Member for the Economy, Regeneration and Skills, Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transport, and Russell Holland, Cabinet Member for Finance, responded to questions put by the Chair and Councillors Toby Elliott, Stan Pajak and Mark Dempsey on the following issues:

·        The Superfast Broadband Extension opportunity.

·         Capital expenditure at the County Ground and the provision of an additional (running) lane to bring the track up to a standard for larger scale meets.

·         The availability of Section 106 monies for investment in the County Ground and the provision of new changing rooms and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

The Committee received a report of the Board Director Resources, providing members with the opportunity to better understand the financial context of the organisation and the process the Council has adopted to ensure it has a balanced budget for 2015-16 and a sustainable financial position moving forward.  The Committee was also invited to consider the respective roles of the Scrutiny Committee and the Resources Overview Committee in relation to the Council’s budget setting process, particularly with regard to on-going austerity and the potential advantages of a more cross-party approach to budget setting.

Resolved - That the report be noted and that the Corporate Governance Working Group be asked to review the respective roles of the Scrutiny Committee and the Resources Overview Committee in relation to the Council’s budget scrutiny function, with a view to enhancing the role of the Resources Overview Committee so that it might be involved earlier in the overall budget setting process and better able to influence resource allocation in relation to specific projects.

Councillor Emma Faramarzi, Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, was in attendance and presented a detailed 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

·        Police Authority/Police and Crime Commissioner liaison

·        Community Safety Partnership

·        Environmental and Public Protection Services

·        Gypsies, Travellers and Unauthorised Encampments

·        Reducing Drugs, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

·        Reducing Domestic Violence

·        Control Room Operations

At the request of the Chair, Councillor Faramarzi, in her presentation of the report, commented specifically on those elements within her portfolio that she felt had been most successful, those where a different approach might have produced better results and the lessons that might have been learned as a consequence, and the challenges she expected to be faced by the Council relation to these service areas in the coming year and beyond, particularly in relation to on-going budgetary constraints.

Following her presentation of the report, Councillor Faramarzi, supported by her team of officers, responded to members’ specific questions and observations on the following matters:

·        The increasing availability of illicit tobacco and alcohol products and the cost to the Council of investigating allegations of such sales, particularly in cases where illegality is not subsequently established.

·         The Council’s policy in respect of the offer of flexible tenancies and the circumstances where such introductory tenancy would not eventually lead to an offer of a secure tenancy.

·         The Housing Waiting List and the Council’s response to meeting the particular demand for 1 and 2 bedroom properties.

·         The Council’s statutory compliance activity and the action that can be taken to overcome problems encountered in gaining access to some properties in order to carry out requisite gas safety checks.

·         Empty Homes and options available to the Council to bring such properties back into use.

·         Homelessness and the suggestion in the report that the number of prevention cases has reduced, mainly due to a buoyant rental market and rental values increasing above the Local Housing Allowance.

·         The point of contact (24/7) at the Council for individuals facing homelessness and the ways in which Councillors can best assist when contacted about specific homelessness cases.

·         The Council’s housing allocations policy and the reasons for the apparent reduction in the number of applicants on the housing waiting list (Appendix 2 to the report).

·         The feasibility of advising applicants for housing transfers of potential implications for school placements (where a move is sought into a new catchment area).

·         The suitability of information provided by the Police in relation to licensing applications.

·         Councils’ counter-terrorism responsibilities under the new statutory “Prevent” duty forming part of the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill currently before Parliament.

·         The “Safe and Warm” scheme and the reasons for the apparently low take up of insulation measures following assessment.

o  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.