Agenda and minutes

Key Decisions   Matters defined as 'Key' Decisions and included in the Council’s Forward Work Plan are shown as

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Allison Bucknell, Portfolio Holder for Customer Care.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 20 April 2010.

The minutes of the last meeting held on 20 April 2010 were presented.

Resolved:

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2010.

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

Cllr Toby Sturgis declared a personal interest in the item ‘Wiltshire Council Inspection Strategy for Contaminated Land’ (minute no.85 refers) due to the possibility that land in his ownership may be considered to be contaminated.

Urgent Business – Monkton Park PFI Agreement

The Leader explained that she had agreed consideration of the above item as urgent business which would be considered at the end of the meeting. As the report relating to this item contained exempt information, Cabinet was recommended to consider it during Part II of the meeting.

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 Thursday 20 May 2010. Anyone wishing to ask a question or make a statement should contact the officer named above.

The Leader explained that as usual, she would be happy to allow members of the public to speak at the start of each item if they wished to do so.

There was no public participation.

Report of the Corporate Director, Neighbourhood and Planning is circulated

Cllr Toby Sturgis, Cabinet member for Waste, Property and Environment, presented a report which drew Cabinet’s attention to the Gypsy and Traveller Strategy and sought to gain approval of and commitment to a change of approach for service delivery and engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities.  It was noted that there had been scrutiny involvement in developing the Strategy which was also being recommended by the Environment Select Committee.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)                 note the Gypsy and Traveller Strategy and action plan.

b)                 approve and commit to the aims and objectives of the strategy.

c)                 delegate authority to the Service Director for Housing to oversee the next steps and potential staffing implications of the project, in consultation with the Cabinet Member responsible for Gypsies and Travellers (Cabinet member for Waste, Property and Environment) and the Cabinet member for Economic Development and Housing and in consultation with Human Resources.  

Reason for Decision

Service delivery and engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities is spread across the organisation, and changes are needed to interlock these services, develop a strategy and put in place an action plan to provide an improving, integrated and supportive approach to engaging with Gypsy and Traveller communities. 

This strategy provides a framework to change the approach to service delivery and engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities in order to achieve the aims of the strategy. 

Councillors play a key part in the service delivery and engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities, so Cabinet commitment to a change of approach is needed to ensure the success of the strategy. 

Report of the Corporate Joint Director for Public Health & Wellbeing is circulated.

Declaration of Interest

Cllr Toby Sturgis declared a personal interest in this item due to the possibility that land in his ownership may be considered to be contaminated.

Cllr Keith Humphries, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing presented a report which gave details of the proposed Contaminated Land Strategy for Wiltshire. The Strategy as presented would replace the 4 separate strategies previously operated by the former Wiltshire district councils with one unified document.

Resolved:

That Cabinet adopt the Contaminated Land Strategy for Wiltshire Council as presented.

Reason for Decision:

To comply with the Environment Act 1995 which places a duty on Wiltshire Council to develop and adopt a contaminated land strategy for its administrative area.

Report of the Service Director Communities, Libraries, Heritage & Arts is circulated

Cllr John Thomson, Cabinet member for Adult Care, Communities and Libraries presented a report which set out how the Council intended to support the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), by clarifying its funding processes. This was to ensure they were clear, equitable, accessible and consistently applied across the Council. If agreed by Cabinet, the recommendations in the report would also be put before the Board of NHS Wiltshire.

In 2008 Cabinet approved 13 recommendations made in the Council and NHS Wiltshire Review of Working with the VCS. The report now presented included progress made to date against these recommendations. The report dealt in particular with the development of recommendation 5 in respect of the Council and the PCT jointly adopting the ‘shopping, giving and investing framework set out in the review report.’  The VCS had requested a change of wording to grants, procurement, investing (grants replacing ‘giving’ and ‘procurement’ replacing ‘shopping’). The report also dealt with recommendation 8 in respect of the implementation of the Full Cost Recovery framework. It was noted that the process for monitoring and evaluating resources provided to the VCS would be proportionate to the size of the organisation.

In response to a query, Cllr Thomson confirmed that the maximum grant which could be offered by an Area Board was £5,000 and for the avoidance of doubt, agreed to issue guidance to all Community Area Managers on this.  The Council through its Area Boards gave out a considerable amount of money supporting local communities and projects through its grants system.  It was considered reasonable for the Council to expect for there to be some form of recognition and acknowledgement of the Council funding by those communities.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)                 agree to the arrangements set out in the report for adopting a ‘grants, procurement and investing’ model for funding the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and to endorse that wording as the preferred option of the VCS in Wiltshire (it replaces the suggested wording of ‘shopping, giving, investing’).  The full funding framework template be approved as shown in  Appendix 3 of the report presented;

b)                 agree the application of the full cost recovery model set out in the report as it applies to commissioned services (excludes grant provision);

c)                 agree to the principle of removing current more cumbersome arrangements for the award of grants so that arrangements for grants to VCS organisations up to a maximum of £25k can be awarded without the need for quotations that are more appropriate for procured services.  A working group of relevant Council staff including procurement and legal representation to complete the necessary work on eligibility criteria and processes for implementation by 1 April 2011 and

d)                 agree to delegate the responsibility for finalising the detail of the VCS Funding Framework to the Head of VCS Strategy in consultation with the Cabinet member for Children’s Services.  This would allow the Performance Framework and quality standard elements of the work to be incorporated into the Funding Framework prior to implementation from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.

Report of the Service Director, Housing is circulated

Cllr John Brady, Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing presented a report which sought approval for minor amendments to the Private Sector Housing Renewal Interim Strategy and Policy 2009/10, details of which were presented. Cllr Brady tabled some further amendments to the scheme for Cabinet’s consideration. A revised eligibility criteria was also presented which incorporated the tabled amendments.

The Council had secured £543,608 of funding from the Government Office for the South West (Regional Housing Pot Capital Grant 2010/11). This funding was awarded to improve private sector housing stock with particular emphasis on helping vulnerable households which included initiatives to help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

It was proposed to use this funding to introduce three new insulation, energy efficiency and heating grant scheme as detailed in the report presented and supplementary paper as tabled. It was noted that the proposals would complement existing national schemes. Cabinet agreed with the proposals and considered various ways to promote the schemes to encourage take up particularly by vulnerable groups. This included a press release, a timely article in the Wiltshire Magazine, raising awareness through Area Boards, Community Area Partnerships and Parish Councils and the Departments of Community Services and Children and Education liaising to identify vulnerable groups and using the Communications Strategy.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)         approve an amendment to the Private Sector Housing Renewal Interim Strategy and Policy April 2009-2010, adding three new schemes to those already detailed in the Strategy and Policy under Section 10: Financial Assistance:

·              Cavity Wall and Loft insulation Grants for cavity wall and loft insulation for lower income households and those that have been hit by the recession, and do not qualify for other grants.

·              Mobile home sites insulation and heating improvements grants.

·              Cavity wall insulation for flats grants.

The eligibility criteria be amended as follows:

To insert ‘with a household income below £30,000 pa’ at the end of the sentence ‘households where a member has been made redundant/lost overtime/taken lower paid work/with an unemployed relative in the household’.

b)     In respect of the Mobile Home Site Energy Efficiency Improvements, delegated authority be given to the Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Housing to agree to such a scheme at a later date.

Reason for Decision

To improve the private housing stock in Wiltshire with a focus on helping vulnerable households and to help tackle fuel poverty and climate change.

Report of the Service Director, Neighbourhood Services is circulated

Cllr Dick Tonge, Cabinet member for Highways and Transport presented a report which updated Members on the progress to date of the work programme as previously approved by Cabinet on 23 February 2010.

Details of responses to a questionnaire sent to all town and parish councils to establish current interest in taking on delegated services were presented. It was noted that of the 240 parishes contacted, 90 had responded, of whom 44 had expressed such an interest. All 16 town councils and Salisbury City Council had also responded positively.

Town, parish and community councils had powers which enabled them to provide, manage or maintain services, facilities or functions. Of the 13 possible options, 6 services had been identified as being suitable and capable of being delivered by town or parish councils. These services were allotments, public conveniences, public open space, play areas, maintenance of roadside verges and repair to rural footpaths and bridleways. Details of how these and other services identified by town and parish councils could be progressed  were presented.  The constraints in delegating some services to town and parish councils were also reported.  

Cabinet had previously requested that the potential for delegating the street naming and numbering function be investigated as a priority. Cllr Tonge explained that the current procedure for dealing with this function did not lend itself to delegation to town and parish councils. However, a report on simplifying the procedure which could enable aspects of the function to be delegated, would be presented to Cabinet in due course.

Resolved:

That Cabinet notes the report and approves the proposals for the continuation of the project as follows:

a)     to concentrate on the delegation of allotments, public open space and public conveniences with the relevant councils, which at present includes: Bradford on Avon, Calne, Chippenham, Collingbourne Ducis, Corsham and Trowbridge;

b)     to complete visits and discussions with town and parish councils who have expressed specific interest in either Public Conveniences, Public Open Space or Play Areas where there is the capability to take them on; and 

c)     to undertake discussions with existing contractors to consider the possibility of transferring management of contracts in town council areas.

Reason for Decision

To record that updated information has been provided for the Cabinet, and to agree the forward work programme.

Report of the Corporate Joint Director of Public Health and Well-Being and the Corporate Director of Community Services is circulated

Cllr Keith Humphries, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing presented a report which provided an interim evaluation of the health fairs and workshops which were taking place within each of the Community Areas, following the publication of Community Health Profiles. 

The health fairs were public events which invited members of the public into a health forum to receive advice on all aspects of health and wellbeing, including blood pressure and weight management checks as well as stop smoking service. 

Cllr Humphries thanked Sue Redmond and Maggie Rae and their respective teams for their hard which ensured the health fairs being well received with positive feedback. 

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

a)         note the schedule of engagement with each of the Community Areas; and

b)        consider the role of future joint engagement activities with each of the Community Area as a result of the Community Profiles.

Reason for Decision

To assist with the decision on future events, as part of the decision to produce in future one community profile for each area, incorporating all aspects of local authority services.

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

In accordance with S.100B 4 (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Leader approved consideration of the item at minute number 92  below as a matter of urgency as the matter could not be reasonably delayed until the next scheduled meeting. In accordance with paragraph 24 of Part 5 of the Constitution – Access to Information Procedure Rules, Cllr Jeff Osborn’s agreement had been secured as Chairman of the Organisation and Resources Select Committee, that the matter could not be reasonably deferred.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Number 14 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Resolved:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in minute number 92 below as it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Confidential report of the Transformation Programme Director is attached

Cabinet considered a confidential report outlining the options available to the Council in relation to the PFI Agreement for the provision of office accommodation at Monkton Park, Chippenham following the appointment of administrators to Jarvis PLC.

Resolved:

To agree the proposals set out in the report as amended.