Agenda and minutes

Venue: Ground Floor Meeting Room GO2A, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH

Contact: Paula Thornton  Phone: 020 7525 4395 Email:  paula.thornton@southwark.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

    • Share this item

    To receive any apologies for absence.

    Minutes:

    Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Peter John and Maisie Anderson, who is currently on maternity leave.

2.

Notification of any items of Business which the Chair Deems Urgent

    • Share this item

    In special circumstances, an item of business may be added to an agenda within five clear working days of the meeting.

    Minutes:

    The chair gave notice of the following late items:

     

    ·  Item 7: Deputation requests

     

    ·  Item 9: Housing Revenue Account – Appendix G, Results of Consultation

     

    ·  Item 13: Addendum: Amendments to Appendix A, New Southwark Plan: Site Allocations and Area Visions

     

    ·  Item 14: Policy and Resources Strategy 2017-18.

     

    Reasons for urgency and lateness will be specified in the relevant minutes.

3.

Notice of Intention to conduct business in a closed meeting, and any representations received

    • Share this item

    There are no closed items scheduled for consideration at this meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were no closed items considered at this meeting.

4.

Disclosure of Interests and Dispensations

    • Share this item

    Members to declare any interests and dispensations in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting.

    Minutes:

    None were declared.

5.

Public Question Time (15 Minutes)

    • Share this item

    To receive any questions from members of the public which have been submitted in advance of the meeting in accordance with the cabinet procedure rules. The deadline for the receipt of public questions is midnight Wednesday 18 January 2017.

    Minutes:

    Public Question from Sue Plain

     

    Will the leader explain how the listing on the forward plan relating to provision of reablement services came to be changed without further reference to cabinet, and confirm that the council still intends to deliver reablement services through a direct delivery model that will deliver the ethical care charter?

     

    Response from the Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Financial Inclusion

     

    The forward plan sets out when decisions are due to be taken.  It is modified every month including the target date for decisions when a piece of work is taking longer than originally anticipated.  The forward plan is agreed by the leader under strong leader powers and is not a cabinet decision. 

     

    It is premature to discuss the details of the report that is due to come to cabinet on reablement, but I can assure the questioner that the council remains committed to exploring direct delivery as an option. The Southwark Ethical Care Charter relates to domiciliary care, is in place in our current domiciliary care block contracts and the council remains committed to our ethical care charter in the upcoming re-commissioning of domiciliary care. Reablement services are a different service with a different specification which will be set out in the report in due course.

     

    Supplemental Question

     

    Sue Plain asked whether the cabinet member would ensure that regardless of who provided the reablement service employees delivering a service for and on behalf of the council would have an option to work fixed hours, occupational sick pay, payment for travel time and as a minimum be paid the London Living Wage.

     

    Councillor Richard Livingstone, cabinet member for adult care and financial inclusion confirmed that he would write to Sue Plain with the answer and would arrange for the response to this supplemental question to be published. 

6.

Minutes

    • Share this item

    To approve as a correct record the minutes of the open section of the meeting held on 13 December 2016.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    RESOLVED:

     

    That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2016 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair.

7.

Deputation Requests

    • Share this item

    To consider any deputation requests.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The deputation had not been circulated five clear days in advance of the meeting. The chair agreed to accept the item as urgent because the request was received in line with the constitutional deadline for the receipt of deputation requests.

     

    RESOLVED:

     

    That the deputation request be received.

     

    The spokesperson for the deputation addressed cabinet about the persistent traffic violations on Champion Park/Grove Lane. Motorists were regularly exceeding the 20 mph speed limit and undertaking illegal U-turns in the road. Aside from the road and pedestrian safety issues arising, there was also increased pollution, affecting air quality in the area. 

     

    Photographs and a survey were circulated by the deputation to demonstrate evidence of these traffic violations.

     

    Councillor Ian Wingfield thanked the deputation for their representations and evidence gathered. He was awaiting a report on the issues identified and would be seeking an early meeting with the deputation to discuss and achieve a resolution once he had received this report.

8.

Response to the Overview and Scrutiny Report on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

9.

Housing Revenue Account - Final Rent-Setting and Budget Report 2017-18

10.

Borough-wide District Heating Strategy

    To approve an interim three year investment plan whilst the options for funding the modernisation of Southwark’s heat network are fully explored.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    RESOLVED:

     

    1.  That it be noted that 17,000 council properties rely on district heating systems that are in need of capital investment and modernisation. There is not the funding in the current plans and models to upgrade the systems to a modern standard.

     

    2.  That the interim three year investment plan be approved, whilst the options for funding the modernisation of Southwark’s heat network are fully explored, including bringing the Cossall estate district heating works forward from 2020-21 to 2017-18 to address the overheating issues experienced by residents.

     

    3.  That it be noted that a recent study into costs of modernising the borough’s district heating concluded that in most cases that the current district heating systems should be retained and modernised. There is an estimated £44m shortfall in prioritised investment funding over the next 10 years and £350m capital investment required over the next 40 years.

     

    4.  That the development of decentralised energy schemes and heat networks are embedded in the London Plan and in the preferred option for the Southwark Plan be noted. These networks are seen as essential in reducing CO2 emissions. Nearly half the UK’s energy use is for heating and creating a low carbon source of heating homes is essential to meet climate change ambitions. Developing and modernising Southwark’s networks can contribute to these aims as well as deliver a cost effective and effective solution for residents.

     

    5.  That it be noted that to fully explore the scheme viabilities and develop a funded strategic investment plan is expected to take approximately 3 years. Officers will provide an interim update in a year on the progress made exploring options and any earlier opportunities that are being progressed. The options will aim to deliver the modernisation of Southwark’s heat network in a way that will deliver for customers and the environment, as well as levering in funding and expertise to enable this step change to be realised. 

11.

48 Willowbrook Road, SE15 (formerly known as the Willowbrook Centre) - Disposal of Freehold Interest

12.

Addendum to the Adopted S106 and Community Infrastructure Levy Supplementary Planning Document (2015); Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule and Regulation 123 Lists

13.

New Southwark Plan: Site Allocations and Area Visions - Preferred Option

14.

Policy and Resources Strategy 2017-18

    To consider issues relating to the policy and resources strategy 2017-18.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The report had not been circulated five clear days in advance of the meeting. The chair agreed to accept this item as urgent because the council were committed to publishing budget proposals at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure they are available to the public for comments and questions. Presenting this report to cabinet on 24 January 2017 gives the opportunity for debate prior to presentation of final budget figures to cabinet on 7 February 2017. Under the council’s constitution there is a requirement for the overview and scrutiny committee to review and challenge budget proposals and this is due to take place on 30 January 2017.

     

    RESOLVED:

     

    1.  That it be noted that the provisional settlement was received on 15 December, and is reflected in the revised 2017-18 draft budget presented at Appendix A of the report. 

     

    2.  That it be noted that the key elements for the council arising from the provisional settlement included:

     

    ·  Settlement Funding Assessment (SFA), updated to include the confirmed Revenue Support Grant (£57.79m) and Business Rate Baseline Funding levels (£108.21m)

    ·  Confirmed new homes bonus for 2017-18 of £13.053m representing an overall reduction of £2.0m on 2016-17 budgeted funding levels (paragraph 43 of the report )

    ·  Powers to bring forward the timing of the adult social care precept (paragraph 53 of the report)

    ·  A one year only Adult Social Care grant of £1.577m for 2017-18 (paragraph 47 of the report), funded by the government through a further reduction in new homes bonus

    ·  Confirmed improved better care fund in 2017-18 of £1.658m m payable directly to the council and indications of increased funding in 2018-19 and 2019-20 (paragraph 51 of the report)

    ·  Confirmed Public Health Grant for 2017-18 of £28.194m which is a reduction of £0.69m from 2016-17.

     

    3.  That the risk transfer of retained business rate funding to local authorities (paragraph 39 of the report) be noted.

     

    4.  That the impact on school funding grants, specifically the cessation of the Education Support Grant (paragraph 69 of the report) be noted.

     

    5.  That the continued uncertainties especially regarding adult social care and children’s services cost and demand pressures for 2017-18 and beyond and also ongoing funding risks and uncertainties relating particularly to the new Adult Social Care Grant, New Homes Bonus, Public Health Grant and risks of retained Business Rates, be noted.

     

    6.  That the current budget deficit for 2017-18 of £1.822m, reduced from £2.6m on 13 December 2016, and £8.1m presented on 1 November 2016, after the incorporation of a number of budget proposals and updated information following the provisional settlement, be noted.

     

    7.  That it be noted that the general fund budget proposals for 2017-18 contained within the report include:

     

    ·  grant resources arising from the provisional settlement on 15 December (Appendix A of the report)

    ·  Estimated resources for the Autumn Statement Grant

    ·  An assumed increase in Council Tax of 1.99%, below the cap of 2% laid down by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG);

    ·  An assumed increase in the Adult  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.