Agenda and minutes
PDF 111 KBVenue: Ground Floor Meeting Room G02A - 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH
Contact: Paula Thornton Phone: 020 7525 4395 Email: paula.thornton@southwark.gov.uk
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Apologies
To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: All members were present. |
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Notification of any items of Business which the Chair Deems Urgent
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 item:
· Item 7: Deputation requests
· Item 14: Policy and Resources Strategy 2018-19 to 2020-21
Reasons for urgency and lateness will be specified in the relevant minutes. |
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Notice of Intention to conduct business in a closed meeting, and any representations received
There are no closed items scheduled for consideration at this meeting. Minutes: There were no closed items considered at this meeting. |
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Disclosure of Interests and Dispensations
Members to declare any interests and dispensations in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: None were declared. |
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Public Question Time (15 Minutes)
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 31 January 2018. Minutes: Public Question from Amir Eden
Marion Marples asked the public question on behalf of Amir Eden.
Would Southwark Council reform its planning process and procedures to make it genuinely accessible to all, enabling all to influence major changes and taking into account Bankside Residents’ Forum’s recommendations.
Response by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and New Homes
Thank you for your question, this provides a comprehensive set of questions concerning issues that we are addressing through the planning division digital strategy. We are taking forward projects to address access to planning information by all of the different customers of the service. This includes how we reach those who may find access to digital challenging. Southwark planning began a review of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) that began in 2016. The SCI sets out how we will involve the public in the planning service. It became clear that rather than updating the SCI a complete review of customer experience was required. The aim is to create a user friendly, accessible, informative and where possible self service that includes as many people as possible in planning and ensures that there is access by all members of the community including hard to reach groups.
The focus of the project is to implement Southwark’s digital strategy to introduce digital by default and to ensure that there is always an excellent customer service. Projects under way include moving all communications to MySouthwark. The email and mail has been moved to MySouthwark. This has also enabled anyone who is interested in planning applications or policy to access all consultations for the borough or in chosen areas. This has made planning more efficient by reducing the need to update databases and it has improved the customer experience as the customer can track their conversations with the council. The number of people signed up for planning information has increased from 2000 to 7000 since we moved to MySouthwark over the past year. The new website has been rewritten with clear, simple Information and we removed 500 outdated files. Comments pages have been added to the website and we consider suggestions for improvements weekly. These are either immediately actioned or are being compiled to inform our improvements. We have introduced SMART2 on the website with new maps and search tools to improve access to the council’s data store to provide background information. The council’s get online service has been introduced at libraries to help anyone who needs assistance with how to use the website. There is a copy of each planning document for consultation at each library with a poster advert. We have continued to make our policy documents clear and concise so that they can be easily understood by everybody. We produce leaflets that we distribute online. We prepare consultation reports on all planning documents and for planning decisions that are presented to decision makers with clear information about who has been consulted and how comments have been taken into account.
We are working on many ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
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Minutes
To approve as a correct record the minutes of the open section of the meeting held on 23 January 2018. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair. |
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Deputation Requests
To consider any deputation requests. Supporting documents: Minutes: The deputation request had not been circulated five clear days in advance of the meeting. The chair agreed to accept this as urgent as the request had been received in line with the constitutional deadline for the receipt of deputation requests.
RESOLVED:
1. That the deputation be received.
2. That the council’s chief executive and director of law and democracy be requested to look at the issues raised by the deputation in order to seek a resolution and to report back to the 13 March 2018 cabinet.
Cabinet heard a deputation request from local residents in respect of CPZ Zone L (Northern end of Grove Lane) relating to a planning issue connected with street parking rights for the Mary Datchelor development. The deputation claimed that the council had failed to implement its own decision regarding the removal of on street parking rights for residents in this development in 2008. The parking situation at the northern end of Grove Lane in CPZ Zone L has consequently become increasingly difficult, with many residents being unable to park within several hundred meters of their home.
The deputation asked that that council rectify their failure to implement this planning decision and stop granting/renewing resident parking permits for residents in the Mary Datchelor development (who it was claimed, currently have access to approximately 45 underground parking spaces). The deputation in response to a suggestion that there was parking available in nearby streets, felt this to be unreasonable as they were still some distance from their homes and some of the residents were elderly. |
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Ledbury Estate - Next Steps Update
To note the draft dates of the key stages that the Ledbury Project Team have agreed and to receive a further report setting out the outcome of the resident consultation on the options appraisal process that is planned for July 2018. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
1. That the content of the report be noted.
2. That the draft dates of the key stages that the Ledbury Project Team have agreed be noted.
3. That a further report be received setting out the outcome of the resident consultation on the options appraisal process that is planned to be undertaken in July 2018. |
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Review of Resident Engagement - Report from the Housing and Community Safety Scrutiny Sub-Committee
To consider recommendations from the housing and community safety scrutiny sub-committee. Supporting documents: Minutes: Councillor Tom Flynn, chair of the housing and community safety scrutiny sub-committee attended the meeting to present the report to cabinet and answer questions.
RESOLVED:
1. That the findings of the research exercise into resident engagement be noted.
2. That the strategic director of housing and modernisation report back within 8 weeks with proposals on how to involve residents in developing this work. |
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The Outcome of the Consultation Exercise on Changes to Day Centre Provision at Queens Road and Riverside and the Development of a Disability Hub: Response to Decisions from Call-in
To approve the response to the recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committee on the outcome of the consultation exercise on changes to day centre provision at Queens Road and Riverside and the development of the disability hub item. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
That the responses to the recommendations in the report entitled ‘Decisions from call-in: The Outcomes of the Consultation Exercises on Changes to day Centre Provision at Queens Road and Riverside and the Development of a Disability Hub’ 12 December 2017 be noted. |
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Annual Performance Report for Generic Home Care Contracts 2016-17
To note the performance of the sixth and final full year of the generic home care contracts 2016-17. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
1. That the performance of the contracts over its sixth and final full year be noted.
2. That it be noted that the performance of the contracts has largely met the intended outcomes of Southwark’s Ethical Care Charter (SECC) which commenced in October 2014 and that service users have expressed their satisfaction with the services through provider feedback mechanisms.
3. That it be noted that the delivery of the contracts over the sixth year has largely met the council’s contractual requirements.
4. That the gap in meeting one indicator on turnover of staff be noted. This is due to qualified staff leaving the agency in the last year to progress their career. See paragraphs 54 to 56 of the report.
5. That the improvement of the services on the quality issues raised by Care Quality Commission (CQC) in their inspections during 2016 be noted. London Care achieved a good CQC rating in all five standards while MiHomecare improved to good in two out of the five standards – effective and responsive.
6. That it be noted that the award of the new care at home contracts was approved in October 2017 and mobilisation to the new providers will be completed by the end of March 2018. |
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Policy and Resources Strategy: Revenue Monitoring Report, including Treasury Management 2017-18 (Month 8)
To note the general fund outturn forecast for 2017-18 and associated issues.
To approve general fund budget movements that exceed £250,000 and note those that are less than £250,000. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
1. That it be noted that:
· the general fund outturn forecast for 2017-18 is an overspend of £0.035m (Table 1, paragraph 12 of the report) after the application of the supplementary improved better care fund grant (IBCF) as agreed by the health and well being board on 11 September 2017 · the continuing pressures on children’s and adults’ social care of £5.059m, including the net use of reserves totalling £1.383m; prior to the application of the IBCF, these cost pressures were forecast to be £12.530m (paragraphs 13 to 17 of the report) · the adverse variance in public health of £0.5m due to continued demand pressures in sexual health services (paragraphs 20 to 24 of the report) · the favourable variance in environment and social regeneration of £2.0m is largely due to the reduced demand and costs from the waste private finance initiative (PFI) contract (paragraphs 20 to 24 of the report) · the continuing cost pressures in housing and modernisation in temporary accommodation, No Recourse to Public Funds and severance payments (paragraph 26 to 38 of the report) · The favourable variance in strategic finance of £1.500m (paragraph 43 of the report) · the £4m contingency is utilised in full to mitigate the total impact of cost pressures (paragraph 45 of the report) · the general fund outturn forecast including the final projected outturn position assumes a total net reduction in reserves of £10.6m (table 3 of the report) · the forecast reduction in reserves includes the full allocation of remaining Dedicated Schools Grant Reserve of £1.249m as well as a further draw down from reserves of £3.500m creating a future call to the DSG reserve of £3.500m (paragraphs 18 and 19 of the report) · the housing revenue account forecast set out in table 2, paragraphs 47 to 54 of the report · the treasury management activity to date in 2017-18 (paragraph 60 to 64 of the report).
2. That the general fund budget movements that exceed £250,000, as shown in Appendix A of the report be approved.
3. That cabinet general fund budget movements that are less than £250,000, as shown in Appendix A of the report be noted. |
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Policy and Resources Strategy: Capital Monitoring report, including Capital Programme Update 2017-18 (Month 8)
To approve the virements and variations to the general fund and housing investment programme and the inclusion in the programme of new capital bids.
To also agree and note issues relating to the month 8 capital monitoring programme. Supporting documents: Minutes: RESOLVED:
1. That the general fund capital programme for the period 2017-18 to 2026-27 as at Month 8, as detailed in Appendices A and D of the report and the forecasted £177.5m financing required for 2017-18 be noted.
2. That the housing investment programme for the period 2017-18 to 2026-27 as at Month 8 2017-18, as detailed in Appendix B of the report and the £31.9m financing required for 2017-18 be noted.
3. That the virements and variations to the general fund and housing investment capital programme as detailed in Appendix C of the report be approved.
4. That the projected expenditure and resources for 2017-18 and future years for both the general fund and housing investment programmes as detailed in Appendices A, B and D of the report as at Month 8 2017-18 be noted and that this position continues to be forecasted to outturn until more up to date information is available.
5. That the inclusion in the programme of the capital bids set out in Appendix E of the report be approved.
6. That it be noted that this report indicates that external borrowing will be required in 2017-18 and beyond to finance the programme. Options to identify the most appropriate source of financing will be appraised by the strategic director, finance and governance in conjunction with the cabinet member for finance, modernisation and performance. Debt financing costs are reflected in the policy and resources strategy 2018-19 with a proposed growth commitment.
7. That it be noted that the first sentence of paragraph 98 of the report should read:
“Following a review of fire safety measures in tower blocks and in response to tenants’ concerns a structural issue affecting the four towers on the Ledbury Estate was identified.” (This is to clarify that the structural issues affect all floors of the four towers of the Ledbury Estate and not just the upper floors). |
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Policy and Resources Strategy 2018-19 to 2020-21
To consider recommendations relating to the policy and resources strategy 2018-19 – 2020-21. Supporting documents: Minutes: The chair agreed to accept the report as urgent as cabinet were required to prepare a budget proposal for submission to council assembly. This was the last cabinet meeting before council assembly on 21 February 2018. The council were required to set a lawful budget by 11 March 2018.
In respect of the report (paragraphs 110-112: recommendations from overview and scrutiny committee) an updated table was circulated. This included recommendation 1 which was omitted from the report circulated on 2 February 2018.
1. That it be noted that the recommendations were considered at cabinet on 23 January 2018, and that this report has been amended accordingly.
2. That it be noted that the 23 January report was considered by overview and scrutiny committee on 29 January 2018 (recommendations as set out in paragraphs 110 to 112 of the report).
3. That it be noted that as at 31 January 2018, the final local government settlement has not been received, and that the revised 2018-19 budget presented at Appendix A of the report reflects the provisional settlement, and that any changes will be reported to council assembly.
4. That it be noted that this report presents the final balanced general fund budget proposals for 2018-19 including:
· Efficiencies and improved use of resources of £10.928m (Appendix C of the report) · Income generation proposals of £7.281m (Appendix D of the report) · Commitments of £32.625m (Appendix F of the report) · Pay Awards, assumed at 2% of £4.2m · Contractual inflation of £3.9m.
5. That this balanced one year 2018-19 budget be submitted to council assembly for approval.
6. That it be noted that under Part 3C of the constitution full cabinet is responsible for the approval of new fees and charges and agreement of charging levels in line with the medium term resources strategy, and therefore that the fees and charges be agreed and the level of those fees which cabinet is not permitted to set be noted (Appendix G, paragraphs 99-101 of the report).
7. That it be noted that in the summer of 2018, cabinet will receive a refreshed outlook of the financial position for the council and especially with regard to local government financing for 2019-20 and beyond.
8. That it be noted that due to timing of council assembly and the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept setting meeting, council assembly will be asked to establish a council tax setting committee to make the formal resolution for council tax (paragraphs 113 to 116 of the report).
NOTE: In accordance with overview and scrutiny procedure rule 17.2 (a) (budget and policy framework) decisions 1-5 and 8 are not subject to call-in. |