Agenda and minutes

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend this meeting.

There were no apologies for absence.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

Declarations of interest were received from Councillors Hall and Pearce.

1.         To give notice of any items for future meetings or for the Forward Plan, including any scheduled for this meeting, but now carried forward or deleted; and

2          any other relevant announcements.

(Oral report)

The Chair advised the Committee that the following items of business, scheduled on the Forward Plan to be dealt with at this evening’s meeting, had been rescheduled to a later meeting of the Committee:

·        Quarterly Monitoring of Sickness Absence – Quarter 3 – September to December 2010; and

·        Quarterly Monitoring of Vacancies – Quarter 3 – September to December 2010.

The Chair advised that she had accepted the following matter as Urgent Business:

Record of Decision - Redditch United Football Club

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 1st February and 21st February 2011.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee held on 1st and 21st February 2011 be confirmed as correct records and signed by the Chair.

To consider and approve the Redditch Sustainable Strategy 2011 – 2014.

(Report attached – Comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to follow.

Appendices to Committee Members / Key Officers only and available on the Council’s website)

Members considered the Redditch Partnership Sustainable Community Strategy 2011 – 2014 and its four associated Action Plans.

Officers reported that the Strategy had been structured around four key priorities that had been identified through the 2009 Comprehensive Area Assessment in which Worcestershire was given a ‘red flag’ for differences in the quality of life for people in Redditch compared to the rest of Worcestershire.

The four priorities had been identified as:

a)     health inequalities;

b)     education attainment

c)      the economy; and

d)     areas of deprivation

These priorities had been further developed through consultation with residents in 2010.

Concern was expressed that the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had not been made available to the Committee.  Officers apologised for the omission and confirmed that they would be made available at the next full Council meeting at which the recommendations of the Executive Committee were to be considered.

RECOMMENDED that

theRedditch Partnership Sustainable Community Strategy 2011 – 2014 be adopted.

To consider recommendations of the Grants panel for funding allocations to be granted via the 2011/12 Grant programme.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a report which sought approval for the recommendations of the Grants Assessment Panel in awarding grants to voluntary sector organisations for 2011/12.

Officers reported that the total budget available for grants in 2011/12 was £239, 000 and that 67 applications totalling £519,074.26 had been received.

Members were informed that total funding of £230,154 had been recommended by the Grants Assessment Panel, which would support 28 Voluntary & Community Sector Projects / Organisations.  The remaining £8,846 would be split between the two remaining rounds of the Stronger Communities themes.

During consideration of this item the Committee noted that the Student Council had, over a number of years developed a grant giving role and that currently it had substantial financial balances.  In the circumstances the Committee felt it appropriate to reallocate the Council’s annual donation of £520 to its own minor grants budget until such time that the Student Council require the donation. Officers were to advise the Student Council prior to consideration by Council.

RESOLVED that

1)                 that grants be awarded to voluntary sector organisation as follows:

2)                 subject to advice to the Student Council, the grant of £520 per annum (currently allocated to the Student Council) be passed to the Grants Assessment Panel to allocate to youth projects.

To consider a revised scope and funding for the River Revetment Works, Old Forge Drive and Park Way, Capital Scheme.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report which sought approval for the revised scope and funding for River Revetment Works at Old Forge Drive and Park Way.

Officers reported that work had been previously proposed at 3 locations where significant erosion of river banks had occurred:

·        Site 1 and 2:        Old Forge Drive

·        Site 3:                   Park Way (near the rear of Dolphin Road allotments.)

Members were informed of the reasons to exclude Site 3 from the scheme, which were outlined in Appendix A to the report. Officers were asked to work with the Dolphin Road allotment holders and the Environment Agency to identify alternative solutions at Site 3.

RESOLVED that

1)                 the scope of the Capital Scheme be revised to exclude Site 3 (at Park Way) from the scheme;

2)                 expenditure up to the sum approved by the Council be approved in accordance with Standing Order 41, for the purpose indicated in the report; and

RECOMMENDED that

3)                 additional funding of £30,000 be vired from existing, approved the Landscape Capital Project budget (Code 8131 C2202) in respect of Sites 1 and 2 at Old Forge Drive only.

To provide Members with an overview of the budget, including the achievement of approved savings as at the end of Quarter 2, 2010/11.

(Report attached)

Members considered a report which gave an overview of the General Fund budget, including the achievement of approved savings for the period April - December 2010.

Officers reported that the financial position of the Revenue budget for the period April – December 2010 showed an underspend of £815k against an estimated target of £315k.  The main reasons for the underspend were:

·        vacant posts;

·        lower than anticipated borrowing costs; and

·        success in reclaiming previously paid VAT.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider the quarterly performance report, showing indicators which have improved, declined or remained static when compared to the same period in the previous financial year.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered a quarterly performance report, which showed indicators that had improved, declined or remained static when compared with the same period in the previous financial year.

Officers reported that of the 41 indicators reported this quarter, 46.3% had improved compared to the same period last year.

Three indicators were highlighted as showing particular concern:

a)     BV 012 – the number of working days / shifts lost to the Local Authority due to sickness absence per full time equivalent staff member has increased from 6.71 days to 7.84 days when compared to the same period last year;

b)     BV 079b(i) – the amount of housing benefit overpayments recovered as a percentage of all housing benefit overpayments, when compared to the same period last year, has dropped from 77.35% to 73.82%; and

c)      NI 192 – the percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting has dropped from 28.68% to 27.6% when compared to the same period last year and from 31.26%, compared to the same period in 2008/09.  This shows that over a two year period there has been a 3.66 percentage point drop in the amount of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To advise Members of actual performance during Quarter 3 of the Improvement Plan.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report on the performance of the Benefits Service during the period October to December 2010 including progress against the Benefits Service Improvement Plan.

During consideration of this item approval was sought to extend the Income Maximisation Officer’s secondment until December 2011.

RESOLVED that

1)                 the report be noted; and

2)                 the Income Maximisation Officer’s secondment be extended until December 2011 funded from the additional benefit subsidy.

To consider a report which provides a view on aspects of the Council’s Formal Complaints Procedure, the compliments recorded during the same period and the Ombudsman Annual Review.

(Report attached)

Members considered a report which detailed the Council’s performance in relation to complaints and compliments recorded during October to December 2010.

In response to a question from a Member regarding logging of complaints electronically, officers reported that staff were receiving training on the systems.

RESOLVED that

the update on complaints and compliments for the period October – December 2010 be noted.

To receive the minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 19th January, 9th February and 2nd March 2011.

There are no outstanding recommendations to consider at this meeting.

(Minutes of meetings on 19th January and 9th February attached – minutes of meeting on 2nd March to follow)

The Committee received the minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 19th January and 9th February 2011.  There were no outstanding recommendations for consideration at the meeting.

With reference to Minute 170 (19th January) a member highlighted an issue regarding the increased costs of permits in areas covered by Residents’ Parking Schemes together with difficulties in being able to access parking when required.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 19th January and 9th February 2011 be received and noted.

To consider the minutes of the meeting of the Shared Services Board on 27th January 2011.

(Part of the minutes of this meeting are NOT FOR PUBLICATION as they relate to contemplated consultations or negotiations in connection with labour relation matters arising between the authority and employees of the authority.  In view of this it is anticipated that discussion of these matters will take place after the exclusion of the public.)

(Minutes attached)

Members received the notes and recommendations of the Shared Services Board from its meeting held on 27th January 2011.

RESOLVED that

the notes and recommendations be received and noted.

To receive and consider any outstanding minutes or referrals from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive Panels, Neighbourhood Groups, etc. since the last meeting of the Executive Committee, other than as detailed in the items above.

There were no referrals or minutes under this item.

To consider, for monitoring / management purposes, an update on the work of the Executive Committee’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies, which report via the Executive Committee.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider an update on the actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

Should it be necessary, in the opinion of the Chief Executive, to consider excluding the public from the meeting in relation to any items of business on the grounds that exempt information is likely to be divulged it may be necessary to move the following resolution:

“that, under S.100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following matter(s) on the grounds that it/they involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs (to be specified) of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended.”

RESOLVED that

under S.100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following matter on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12 (A) of the said Act, as amended:

Redditch United Football Club (as detailed at Minute 205 below).

To consider confidential matters not dealt with earlier in the evening and not separately listed below (if any).

There were no Confidential Minutes or Referrals under this item.

(During consideration of this item Members discussed matters that necessitated the disclosure of exempt information. It was therefore agreed to exclude the press and public prior to any debate on the grounds that information would be revealed relating to the financial affairs of any particular body (including the authority holding that information.))