Agenda item

Allocation of Local Community Infrastructure Levy funding

Requested by Overview and Scrutiny Committee – follow up scrutiny session before cabinet

Minutes:

Councillor Johnson Situ introduced this item, setting out the history and updating the committee on progress since the call-in.  He said that the proposed process for community investment plans was more transparent and consistent across the borough and would facilitate effective delivery of schemes.  He explained that there would be consultation over the summer about the themes and geographic areas.  Some members were concerned that the full cabinet report had not been provided to the committee and that this reduced the opportunity for scrutiny.  The chair asked that all cabinet members are informed that draft full reports should be sent in future when pre-decision scrutiny is undertaken. 

 

A councillor asked why the consultation was being undertaken over the summer and whether this might undermine its effectiveness.  The cabinet member responded that the council had recently published new consultation principles and this would be conducted in line with those and would tie in with the meeting cycles of the new ward forum arrangements.  A number of members had detailed questions about the process for drawing up and agreeing the community investment plans, and agreed to write to the cabinet member.  The cabinet member emphasised that a set of support materials would be provided when this was discussed at ward forum meetings.  A member asked how a decision would be adjudicated if there was a difference of view between ward members and cabinet on priorities.  The cabinet member said that the themes and eligibility criteria should prevent this happening.  He could not envisage a scenario where a community investment plan that had been developed through the set out process and agreed by the relevant ward forum would not be signed off by cabinet.  He saw the cabinet stage as an important checkpoint for a new process.  The chair pointed out that there was responsibility on ward councillors to ensure that any local priorities are aligned with the council plan.  The point about disagreement between local councillors and cabinet was hypothetical but a mechanism for agreement could be developed should the need arise.  A member asked how the community investment plans would work with social regeneration charters, whether the recently agreed delegation to ward councillors of matters including community project banks was undermined by the cabinet role in sign off of community investment plans, and how themes would be set.  The cabinet member responded that the council had already published the Canada Water social regeneration charter with most to be ready by the end of the year, aligned with the timing for community investment plans. Three of the themes would be developed by the social regeneration charters and one would be local. A member noted concern about the additional pressure this process may place on ward forums.  The cabinet member said a lot of effort was being made to produce clear and accessible guidance materials to promote this funding.  A member was concerned about the council’s capacity to undertake the level of outreach required to support this process adequately. The cabinet member said that this was being discussed at officer level.  The chair encouraged committee members to write to the cabinet member with any further questions, and copy to the committee if they wished. 

 

The committee asked the cabinet member to circulate the full report to them and to ensure that the discussion points were reflected. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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