Browse

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Council Offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham, SN15 1ER. View directions

Contact: Yamina Rhouati  Email: yamina.rhouati@wiltshire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

30.

Apologies and membership

To note the membership of Cabinet.

Minutes:

All Cabinet Members were present.  Membership of cabinet noted.

 

 

31.

Minutes of the previous meeting

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 19 March 2013.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 19 March 2013 were presented.

 

Resolved:

 

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 19 March 2013.

32.

Minutes - Capital Assets Committee

To receive and note the minutes of the Capital Assets Committee held on 19 March 2013.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee meeting held on Tuesday 19 March 2013 were presented.

 

Resolved:

 

To receive and note the minutes of the Cabinet Capital Assets Committee meeting held on 19 March 2013.

33.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

34.

Leader's announcements

Minutes:

The Leader made the following announcements:

 

Cabinet Committees

 

The Leader reported that she would be reappointing the Cabinet Committees with the following membership with terms of reference as detailed in Part 3A of the Council’s Constitution:

 

Cabinet Capital Assets Committee

 

Cllr J Scott OBE

Cllr J Thompson

Cllr R Tonge

Cllr T Sturgis

Cllr F de Rhé-Philipe

 

With the following remaining members of Cabinet as substitutes:

 

Cllr KHumphries

Cllr L Mayes

Cllr S Wheeler

Cllr J Seed

 

Cabinet Business Rates Relief Committee

 

Any three members of the Cabinet appointed by the Head of Democratic Services.

 

The Leader confirmed that she would maintain existing executive delegations as laid down in Part 3A of the Council’s constitution. She also undertook to provide details of the Scheme of Delegations of Executive Functions to the next available Council meeting in July as required under paragraph 3 of Part 7, Cabinet Procedure Rules of the Constitution.

 

 

 

35.

Public participation

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public. This meeting is open to the public, who may ask a question or make a statement. Written notice of questions or statements should be given to Yamina Rhouati of Democratic Services by 12.00 noon on 16 May 2013.  Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

 

Minutes:

The Leader reported receipt of a statement from Cllr Steve Bucknell, Chairman of the Economic Development Working Group of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council in respect of the item on the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Transport Body – Short list of Major Schemes (minute no. 37 refers) which she would take at that item.

 

The Leader confirmed that as usual she would be more than happy to allow participation on any of the items listed on the agenda by any members of the public present.

36.

Disabled Children and Adults (DCA) Pathfinder

Report by Corporate Directors Carolyn Godfrey and Maggie Rae.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Public Participation

 

Mr Brian Warwick, Chairman of the Melksham Seniors Forum addressed Cabinet on this item emphasising the importance of working with the voluntary sector to ensure a successful outcome.

 

Cllr Laura Mayes Cabinet Member for Children’s Services presented a report

which updated Cabinet on the positive progress Wiltshire had made as a pathfinder for the Green Paper ‘Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability’, and the accompanying emerging legislation.  

 

Wiltshire’s approach to this as a pathfinder had been to proactively lead the way by involving parent carers and children and young people in all aspects of this work.  Wiltshire had recently been appointed by the Department for Education, to be a regional Pathfinder Champion – the Council would now also therefore assume responsibility for developing and encouraging good practice across all non-pathfinder local authorities in the South West region.  Additionally, the DCA Pathfinder had been asked to lead at selected national events and share best practice.

 

The report detailed the expectations and requirements of draft legislation due to be in place by September 2014 along with parents expectations of service improvement within Wiltshire.

 

Cabinet was asked to consider the report presented and support the move towards a 0-25 SEND Service to ensure that we meet the requirements of the emerging legislation, respond appropriately to the views of parent carers, professionals and young people, and implement the findings of the systems review led by Children and Adult Services.

 

The development of the 0-25 service will include the transfer of existing budgets from within the wider Children’s Services (7.14 fte staff from Integrated Youth Services) and also from Adult Care Services.  A total of 18.27 fte staff have transferred from Adult Services to Children’s Services and a net budget to transfer of £475,419 will support this.  A Care Placement budget of £720,000 will also be transferred, giving a total net budget transfer from Adult Care to Children’s Services of £1,195,419.  A budget virement has been prepared to implement this development and will be actioned as a Month 1 virement by the end of May 2013.

 

Cllr Mayes emphasised that the proposals would make life better and provide more choice and control to those using the service.  She also thanked officers for their hard work in bringing the proposals forward.  Cllr Jemima Milton added her thanks to parents, carers, schools and the young people involved in the project.

 

Resolved:

 

That the requirements of the Green Paper ‘Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability’ and changes required due to the draft legislation in the Children and Families Bill and the outcomes of the systems review led by Children and Adult Services be noted.

 

Reason for Proposal

 

The Local Authority will have a statutory duty to deliver the changes proposed in the draft Children and Families Bill, the draft regulation and the draft SEN Code of Practice by September 2014

 

 

 

37.

Swindon and Wiltshire Local Transport Body - Short List of Major Transport Schemes

*                  Report by the Service Director for Highways and Transport.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Leader drew Cabinet’s attention to a statement from Cllr Steve Bucknell, Chairman of the Economic Development Working Group of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council which expressed strong support for the two Royal Wootton Bassett schemes; namely the Royal Wootton Bassett railway station and the Royal Wootton Bassett Transport Package.

 

 

Cllr Fleur de Rhé-Philipe, Cabinet member for Economy, Skills and Transport presented a report which asked Cabinet to approve a shortlist of potential major transport schemes to be considered by the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Transport Body (SWLTB) for prioritisation by July 2013. This was in accordance with the new system introduced by the Department for Transport for prioritising and funding local major transport schemes. The indicative funding level for the SWLTB for 2015/16 to 2018/19 was £16.9 million which it was noted could be subject to any future Government spending reviews. This Council’s representatives on the SWLTB would be Cllrs Fleur de Rhé-Philipe and Cllr Toby Sturgis.

 

A long list of 70 major transport schemes had been identified and subjected to the sifting process outlined in the submitted SWLTB assurance framework.  As a result, ten potential major transport schemes had now been shortlisted.

Strategic Outline Business Cases (or equivalent) would be completed for each of the shortlisted schemes to provide the required evidence for the prioritisation process.

 

Cllr Mollie Groom circulated a statement in which she stated that she did not regard the present proposal for Junction 16 as an improvement.

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard was disappointed that the Melksham signal improvements had not been shortlisted due to the lack of an hourly TransWilts service. It was noted that separate meetings between officers and Duncan Hames MP with First Great Western had been arranged and it was agreed to update Cabinet following these meetings.

 

It was also suggested to circulate a briefing note to local members by way of Melksham Area Board, and to seek advice from the Department for Transport on how the process could be aligned to allow for the reprioritisation of major transport schemes should this become necessary as a consequence of a substantial change in circumstances.

 

A number of the schemes proposed for inclusion were discussed during debate as well as some which did not make the short list. It was accepted that there should be a degree of flexibility in being able to reprioritise in the light of any substantially changed circumstances.

 

Resolved:

 

1)    That Cabinet approve the shortlist of potential major transport schemes as follows to be considered by the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Transport Body for prioritisation by July 2013:

 

·         A350 Chippenham Bypass Dualling

·         A350 North of Chippenham Dualling

·         A350 West Ashton Relief Road

·         A350 Yarnbrook Relief Road

·         A36 Southampton Road Improvement

·         Corsham Station

·         M4 Junction 16 Improvements

·         Royal Wootton Bassett Station

·         Westbury Additional Platform

·         Wilton Station

 

 

Reason for Proposal

 

To provide a shortlist of major transport schemes to be considered by the SWLTB.

38.

The New Highways and Streetscene Contract

Progress report by the Service Directors for Highways and Transport and Neighbourhood Services.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

 

Cllr John Thomson, Cabinet member for Highways and Streetscene and Broadband presented a report which updated Cabinet on the progress made on preparing for the start of the new Highway and Streetscene contract which would commence on 1 June 2013.

 

Cllr Thomson introduced Cllr Philip Whitehead as the Portfolio Holder supporting him on this contract. It was noted that the new contract would combine the services currently provided by the three different contractors and those provided by the in–house team. Details of the services covered in the  contract were outlined in the report presented.

 

Resolved:

 

To note the contents of this report and the progress made on preparing for the start of the new Highways and Streetscene contract on 1 June 2013.

 

 

Reasons for Proposal

 

(i)            The new Highways and Streetscene Contract offers opportunities for further efficiencies in future years, and for achieving service improvements from economies of scale, innovations and by incentivising the contractor.

 

(ii)          There are significant benefits that a major contractor such as Balfour Beatty Living Places can bring to the Council, including the provision of a new fully integrated communication system to provide a more responsive service to customers and deliver efficient operation.

 

39.

Statutory Head of Paid Service

Report by Corporate Directors Dr Carlton Brand, Carolyn Godfrey and Maggie Rae

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Cllr Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet member for Hubs, HR, Legal, Democratic Services, Governance, Heritage and Arts presented a report which asked Cabinet to approve and recommend to Council that the statutory Head of Paid Service role now becomes the responsibility of the Corporate Directors, on a rotational basis, and that the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make any consequential amendments to the constitution.

 

The designation of the statutory role of head of paid service to the service director HR & OD has operated well. However recent advice on safeguarding included a clear recommendation for the Chair of Local Safeguarding Children’s Board to report to the head of paid service.

 

Recommendation to Council:

To approve and recommend to Council that the statutory Head of Paid Service role now becomes the responsibility of the Corporate Directors, on a rotational basis, and that the Monitoring Officer is instructed to make any consequential amendments to the constitution.

 

40.

Voluntary Redundancy Programme

Report by Corporate Directors Dr Carlton Brand, Carolyn Godfrey and Maggie Rae

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Public Participation

 

Mr Brian Warwick, Chairman of the Melksham Seniors Forum addressed Cabinet on this item suggesting a ring fencing of resources to ensure work with the voluntary sector would not be affected by proposals.

 

Cllr Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet member for Hubs, HR, Legal, Democratic Services, Governance, Heritage and Arts presented a report which sought approval of a Council wide voluntary redundancy programme to deliver minimum savings of £4m from staffing costs. It was noted that the 2013/14 budget had identified this savings requirement. It was estimated that 340 full time equivalent posts would need to be redundant to deliver the savings.

 

Details of how the voluntary redundancy programme would operate and the timescales proposed were outlined. Cllr Allison Bucknell reassured Cabinet that the usual support measures for staff in redundancy situations would be applied. Cllr Hubbard whilst accepting that redundancies were inevitable, expressed concern over the scale of job cuts and the potential impact on frontline services.

 

Cllr Wheeler explained that all services were being asked to look at where efficiencies could be made and what positions were not directly contributing to  the frontline users of the council. Whilst every effort was being made to protect jobs, savings had to be found and work was ongoing to ensure the organisation was fit for purpose.

 

The Leader explained that very difficult decisions were having to be made, not least a decision over staff redundancies. Continued reductions in Government funding meant that the Council was continually re-evaluating how it delivered its services, ensuring it adopted the most cost effective and efficient measures and working in partnership with other agencies.  

 

Resolved:

 

That Cabinet approve the launch of a Council wide voluntary redundancy programme on 17 June 2013, with consultation on the programme starting week commencing 27 May 2013. 

 

Reason for Proposal

The reason for the proposals is to deliver minimum savings of £4m from staffing costs which is required from the 2013/14 budget already approved by members in February 2013.

 

41.

Urgent Items

Any other items of business, which the Leader agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.