Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Michael Braley, Greg Chance and Debbie Taylor.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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 that she had accepted the following matter as Urgent Business:

Constitution – Review 2011.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 15th March 2011.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 15th March 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the final report of the Promoting Redditch Task and Finish Group.

(Executive Summary attached – Task and Finish Group report under separate cover)

The final report of the Promoting Redditch Task and Finish Group was presented to the Committee by members of the Group, the Chair, ex-Councillor Graham Vickery and Councillors Brenda Quinney and Derek Taylor.

The report had been produced out of a consensus amongst Members that the town might more effectively be promoted and a sense of pride inculcated into local residents and businesses. It was noted that the review and report had identified three areas upon which the Council and its partners should focus their energy, these being the development of business within the town, the development of services for business visitors and the development of leisure tourism.

It was acknowledged by the Group that, whereas a number of the recommendations contained within the report might be implemented in the short term, other recommendations were linked to longer term aspirations for the future which the Committee was urged to endorse in principle. In detailing the background to the recommendations, the Group highlighted a number of more general points including the need for the Council to act as the support in these processes rather than as the leader and the lack of any substantial funding implications arising from the proposals.

Officers reported that the Chair of the Redditch Town Centre Partnership had clarified evidence that had been included in the report from her interview with the Group.  In particular, she wished members to note that the town’s industrial heritage could be used to promote Redditch, particularly when targeted at a specific audience and used creatively.

The Committee thanked the Group for a good, detailed report. It was noted that the views of many people and organisations had been sought and a number of proposals developed that were both interesting and worthwhile. Officers commented upon a number of the recommendations, endorsing much of what had come out of the review and identifying those areas where there was already work ongoing to address the issues which had been highlighted. In the area of leisure and arts it was particularly noted that the changes to the management structure for Cultural and Leisure Services would increase capacity and resilience and lead to increased focus on a number of issues which had been the subject of recommendations from the Group. Likewise, the Town Centre Partnership endorsed the contents of the report and was utilising the findings of the review to shape its activities going forward.

There was an acknowledgement that certain issues were more intractable and were outside of the power of the authority to directly influence. However, the efforts that were being made to achieve goals such as a more rounded shopping experience or a wider appeal in the night-time economy were recognised.

In responding to the comments of the Committee and Officers, the Group noted that one of their objectives had been to stimulate debate on these issues and, to that extent, the undertaking had been very worthwhile. The Committee was content to endorse the recommendations before it and consequently

RESOLVED that:

1a)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 210.

To seek approval of the Countywide Housing Strategy for Worcestershire 2011 – 2016.

(Report attached – appendix under separate cover to Committee Members – available also through Council website)

The Committee considered a report which set out a Countywide Housing Strategy for Worcestershire for the next five years.

It was noted that the housing market did not respect local authority boundaries and that, increasingly, strategic housing functions were carried out with numbers of partners, both other local authorities and statutory and voluntary sector agencies.  This was one of the drivers behind a move from District Housing Strategies to a Countywide approach.

Members particularly drew a number of details from the Strategy which brought to attention the good work that had been undertaken over a number of years to maintain the Council’s housing stock. These included the Council’s achievements in meeting the Decent Homes standards and the low levels of disrepair in the Council’s housing stock.

RECOMMENDED that

the Countywide Housing Strategy and action plan attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

To seek approval for the Worcestershire Local Investment Plan and ask Members to note elements of the Affordable Housing Delivery Framework.

(Report attached – appendix under separate cover to Committee Members – available also through Council website)

Members received a report which firstly set out a Local Investment Plan (LIP) for the county that had been developed by Worcestershire local authorities and other key partners and which set out shared priorities for housing, regeneration, economic development and supporting infrastructure and also summarised a range of proposed reforms to the means by which social housing was delivered.

It was noted that one outcome of the new Affordable Housing Programme Framework might be an increase in the numbers of people seeking to secure social rented property from the Council and a consequent increase in the number of people on the Council’s waiting list.

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the Worcestershire Local Investment Plan be endorsed;

and RESOLVED that

2)         the range of proposed reforms to the delivery of affordable housing and the summary of the key elements of the Homes and Communities Agency’s new Affordable Housing Delivery Framework be noted.

To consider the most recent draft of the Council’s Constitutional documents.

(Constitutional documents attached)

Officers updated the Committee on changes that had been proposed to the Council’s Constitutional documents. The biggest single change was in the overall structure of the Constitutional documents, with a move towards a format that would be easier for Members and Officers to use. It was noted that the proposed changes had been the subject of a number of informal meetings with key Members, with the most significant issues being reported back to the Groups as appropriate.

The main issues that were raised were as follows:

Part 2, Paragraph 6.2 – there was discussion as to whether the Chair and Vice Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be EITHER not from the controlling group OR from the opposition group;

Part 2, Paragraph 8.4 – there was discussion as to whether the qualifications for sitting on Regulatory and other Committees were appropriate;

Part 3, Table 2, page 2 – it was suggested that the special provisions as to the Chair be amended to make it mandatory rather than desirable that this be an “Opposition” Member. Members agreed that this change be recommended for incorporation into the final document;

Part 4, Paragraph 9.5 – it was highlighted by Officers that these provisions (Questions which may not be asked) were designed to avoid the debate of issues that were not relevant to the Council; and

 Part 6, Paragraph 5 – it was noted that the Leader of the Opposition was not referred to in the Urgent Decisions provisions. Members agreed that this change, with the Leader of the Opposition being consulted, be recommended for incorporation into the final document.

From a more general perspective, there was concern that local residents had little knowledge or understanding of the Council’s Constitutional arrangements, despite the inclusion of a section in Part 2 on Citizens and the Council.

RESOLVED that

subject to Members’ comments, above, and subsequent adjustments, the draft document be noted.

To consider the recommendations of the most recent meetings of the Member Development Steering Group.

(Report attached – Colour version of Appendix 2 under separate cover to Committee Members)

The Committee considered a number of recommendations that had arisen out of recent meetings of the Member Development Steering Group. Members required a degree of clarification as to the  practical implications of the different options that were being made available in respect of Councillors’ ICT provision. The main issue was around the extent to which the individual Councillor might rely on the use of their own ICT equipment and the corresponding level of technical support to which they might then be entitled.

The budget which had been set aside for Members ICT was discussed in the context of the present financial situation. The point was made that the budget set aside for this purpose represented a worst case scenario and the actual draw on the funds was expected to be considerably lower as many Members would choose to use either some or all of their own equipment. The provision of Blackberries to key Members was defended in that they would significantly improve the ability of Councillors to conduct their business at relatively little cost, thus contributing to the effective management of the Council.

In respect of the Member Development Programme, the need to make certain aspects of the training mandatory was considered. Whilst it was acknowledged that all Members could not make all training events, it was made clear that alternative arrangements could be made in such instances. Furthermore, it was argued that the taking on of the role of Councillor implied a certain amount of responsibility, including the need to ensure that one was in a position to carry out the role to the best of one’s ability, including through the acceptance of training opportunities.

Members noted the proposed changes to the social networking arrangements.

Member Development Programme 2011/12

RESOLVED that

1)         subject to clarification from Officers on the inclusion of the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel amongst those bodies for which compulsory training was required, the programme be endorsed;

Members’ ICT Facilities – Policy

RECOMMENDED that,

2)         the policy, as attached to the report, be adopted and the proposals it contains be implemented for the municipal year 2011/12; and

Social Networking

RESOLVED that

3)         this change of position be noted.

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

There were no minutes or referrals under this item.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 2nd and 23rd March 2011.

There are no outstanding recommendations to consider.

(Minutes of the meeting on 2nd and 23rd March attached)

The Committee received the minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 2nd and 23rd March 2011. There were no outstanding recommendations for consideration at the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 2nd and 23rd March 2011 be received and noted.

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.