The Chair referred to the further notice of intention to conduct business in private and indicated that as much information as possible would be discussed in public at the meeting.

Cabinet Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.  A flowchart providing guidance on interests is attached to assist councillors.

There were no declarations of interest made by councillors in accordance with the code of conduct in relation to items under consideration at this meeting.

The Chair thanked Adam Broome (Director for Corporate Services) both personally and on behalf of the executive, for his work during the last nine years and in particular paid tribute to his major contribution to the transformation of the organisation to date.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2013.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 18 June 2013.

To receive questions from the public in accordance with the Constitution.

Questions, of no longer than 50 words, can be submitted to the Democratic Support Unit, Plymouth City Council, Civic Centre, Plymouth, PL1 2AA, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

One question was submitted by a member of the public for this meeting, in accordance with Part B, paragraph 11 of the Constitution, as set out below.

In the absence of Mr Sharpe, the Chair read the question submitted and advised Cabinet Members that the written response would be sent to him.

The Director for People will submit a written report on a Strategic Alcohol Plan for Plymouth 2013-18 which sets out a strategic approach to tackling alcohol related harm whilst contributing toward Plymouth’s ambition of being one of Europe’s most vibrant waterfront cities where an outstanding quality of life is enjoyed by everyone.

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/ Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –

http://tinyurl.com/bdqgk2r

Councillor Mrs Aspinall, former Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish Group has been invited to attend the meeting to present the scrutiny report on their review of the draft Strategic Alcohol Plan.

Councillor Mrs Aspinall (Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish Group) attended the meeting and presented the recommendations in the scrutiny report on the Strategic Alcohol Plan for Plymouth following the pre-decision scrutiny.    

The Chair advised Cabinet Members that Councillor James (Chair of the Cooperative Scrutiny Board) had also been invited to attend the meeting but had declined the invitation.

Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a report on the draft Strategic Alcohol Plan for Plymouth 2013 -18 ‘Promote Responsibility, Minimise Harm.’ indicating that -

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) introduced the proposals and thanked the Cabinet Members for their support during the development proposals.

David Schwartz (Young People’s Lead) also commented on the proposals.  Following consideration of performance measures, the Cabinet Member would monitor the progress.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

The Chair thanked Councillor Mrs Aspinall, members of the task and finish group and all the witnesses who had participated in the scrutiny review for their work. 

Agreed that approval is given to the Strategic Alcohol Plan 2013 -2018 as submitted. 

The Director for Corporate Services will submit a report on the council’s current approach to granting discretionary business rate relief in order to identify resources to promote growth in the local economy. The report will recommend an interim review for 2013/14 to ensure that the relief given provides the greatest benefit to the businesses and residents of Plymouth.

Adam Broome (Director for Corporate Services) submitted a report reviewing the council’s approach to granting discretionary business rate relief to identify resources to promote growth in the local economy and in the light of new government legislation. The report also contained the outcome of benchmarking with other local authorities. 

The content of the report had been considered by the Cooperative Scrutiny Board on 24 July 2013 and a minor alteration to add ‘time limited’ was recommended which had been taken included in recommendation (1).

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the proposals.  

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Cooperatives and Community Development) also reported that he was intending to submit a report on the outcome of the review referred to in (6) below, to Cabinet in December 2013 entitled the Civil Society Policy.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

The Director for Corporate Services will submit the first quarterly monitoring report for 2013/14 which outlined the finance monitoring position of the council as at the end of June 2013.

Information will also be presented on staffing resources and sickness absence.

The Corporate Management Team submitted a report on the finance monitoring position of the council as at 30 June 2013 to show how the council was delivering against its financial measures using its capital and revenue resources, to approve budget variations and virements and to seek approval of new schemes in the capital programme.

The report also detailed the number of fulltime equivalent employees and the average number of days sick per full time employee. 

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the proposals and indicated that there was an error on recommendation (3) in the report (minute 24 below refers) which should read ‘…schemes added to the capital programme totalling £3.3m ….’.

Councillor Peter Smith (Deputy Leader) advised Cabinet Members that the policies to reduce sickness were having an impact with a reduction to an average of 8.5 sick days per employee but that more work was required to further reduce sickness absence.  

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Cabinet noted -

Agreed the revenue budget virements as detailed in the written report. 

(See also minute 24 below)

Further to minute 23 above, 

the City Council is Recommended to agree the new schemes to be added to the capital programme totalling £3.3m as follows –

The Director for Place will submit a written report on the Ocean Studios development which is a £4.06 million building project which could unlock £3.27 million public funding to create 1,900 square metres of affordable artists’ studios. The report will explain how the delivery of the project is facilitated by a capital contribution of £794,000 from the City Council’s Investment Fund. In addition, it is proposed that the council acts as guarantor to a loan of similar value and the report will explain how the potential financial impact of this enabling role will be mitigated.

Anthony Payne (Director for Place) submitted a written report on the Ocean Studios development at the Royal William Yard, which was a £4.06 million building project which could unlock £3.27 million public funding to create 1,900 square metres of affordable artists’ studios.

The report indicated how the delivery of the project would be facilitated by a capital contribution of £794,000 from the City Council’s Investment Fund and how the potential financial impact of the council acting as guarantor to a loan of similar value would be mitigated.

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) introduced the proposals and advised Cabinet Members that the council would be liable for any outstanding payments at the end of the 10 year loan period.

Patrick Bowes (Urban Enterprise Project Manager) also reported on the proposals.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that subject to a favourable outcome to both the European Regional Development Fund and the Growing Places Fund applications and the approval of the City Council, the council agrees -

With reference to the Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2013 which asked officers to undertake inclusive and meaningful consultation with service users, families and carers on proposals relating to day care opportunities, the Director for People will submit a written report on the outcome of the consultation process and making a series of recommendations designed to “Increase Choice and Control in Day Opportunities”.

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/ Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –

http://tinyurl.com/bdqgk2r

Further to the Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2013 (minute 127 (2012/13) referred) which asked officers to undertake inclusive and meaningful consultation with service users, families and carers on proposals relating to day care opportunities, Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a written report on the outcome of the consultation process and making a series of recommendations designed to “Increase Choice and Control in Day Opportunities”.

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) presented the proposals detailed in the written report and drew Cabinet Member’s attention to the background paper on the equality impact assessment indicating that no person would suffer a shortfall of income if the impact of the proposals caused additional travelling.

Debbie Butcher (Head of Safeguarding, Quality and Individual Placements) also reported on the proposals indicating that there was a need to update current facilities and that the council would continue to meet eligible need.

The Chair emphasised that no services were being withdrawn and that transport arrangements would continue.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

With reference to the Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2013 which asked officers to undertake inclusive and meaningful consultation with service users, families and carers on proposals relating to dementia care, the Director for People will submit a written report on the outcome of the consultation process and making a series of recommendations on “Improving Quality in Dementia Care”.

A background paper to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/ Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –

http://tinyurl.com/bdqgk2r

Further to the Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2013 (minute 127 (2012/13) referred) which asked officers to undertake inclusive and meaningful consultation with service users, families and carers on proposals relating to dementia care, Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a written report on the outcome of the consultation process and making a series of recommendations on “Improving Quality in Dementia Care”.

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) presented the proposals in the written reportand in addition reported that -

Debbie Butcher (Head of Safeguarding, Quality and Individual Placements) also reported on the proposals and emphasised that people would be supported through the transition period.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

The Director for People will submit a report on asking to undertake formal consultations with all interested parties on proposals to add a special education needs support centre for complex children with autistic spectrum condition to Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School with effect from September 2014, using the facilities to be renovated by the Diocese.

The report will also ask seek authority for the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, in light of the outcomes of and responses to the formal consultations, to determine whether to publish formal proposals (Public Notice) to undertake the above change and to determine whether to implement the proposal outlined in any such Public Notice.

Background papers to this report can be accessed at the Council’s website Council and Democracy/ Councillors and Committees/Library/Cabinet background papers or using the following hyperlink –

http://tinyurl.com/bdqgk2r

Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a report indicating that the proportion of statemented pupils with an autistic spectrum condition (ASC) requiring specialist provision had risen in both the secondary and primary sector.  Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School currently had the opportunity, working with the Diocese, to make considerable alterations to the school and adjacent presbytery building which would provide a centrally located support base for ASC students and associated break out spaces. This would contribute to the council’s strategic requirement of providing additional capacity to meet the special educational needs of complex children with ASC including specialist teaching input, within a mainstream setting. The school currently provided five places for ASC pupils from across the city.

Councillor Evans (Council Leader), in the absence of Councillor Williams (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People), introduced the proposals.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that –

The Director for People will submit a report summarising the recent tender process for two separate services for victims of domestic abuse. 

Service A will support people assessed as being at a ‘higher risk of serious harm’ and will replace the current domestic abuse victim support contract.

Service B is new provision that will focus on supporting people who have been assessed as being at a ‘lower risk of serious harm’ to prevent escalation of their needs.    

The report will recommend the awarding of the contracts to the winning provider(s) and contract award information is contained in a separate confidential report also on this agenda.

Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a report on the recent tender process for two separate services of victims of domestic abuse -

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) introduced the proposals.

Subject to consideration of a separate private report also included on the Cabinet agenda detailing the evaluation process and the outcome of the tendering process, three year contracts, containing an option to extend the contracts for a further three years, would be awarded to the most economically advantageous tenderers.  

(See also minute 33 below)

The Director for Place will submit a report summarising  the recent tender process for the commissioning of the following local bus services across the city:

 7D, 13, 14, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28B, 31, 39, 43B and 52.

Please note that there is a separate private report also on this agenda detailing the outcome of the tenders and recommendations for awarding contracts for specific bus services.

Anthony Payne (Director for Place) submitted a report summarising the recent tender process for the commissioning of the following local bus services across the city:

7D, 13, 14, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28B, 31, 39, 43B and 52.

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) introduced the report in the absence of Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Transport) and indicated that the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Task and Finish Group on a review into subsidised bus routes and through ticketing had been accepted and wherever possible those relevant to subsidised bus services had been  incorporated as part of the tender process. 

A separate private report was also included on the Cabinet agenda detailing the outcomes of the tenders and recommendations for awarding the contracts for specific bus services.

The report was noted.

(See also minute 32 below)

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

(Members of the public to note that, if agreed, you will be asked to leave the meeting).

Agreed that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Further to agenda item 13 above, the Director for Place will submit a written report on the confidential contract award information and recommending the award of contracts, as appropriate, for various local bus services.

Further to minute 30 on the tender process for the commissioning of the following local bus services across the city: 7D, 13, 14, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28B, 31, 39, 43B and 52, Anthony Payne (Director for Place) submitted a private report detailing the outcome of the tenders and recommendations for awarding contracts for specific bus services.

Cabinet Members asked that ward councillors were given advanced notice of the changes to services.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreedthe recommendations in the written report and award the contracts accordingly. 

Further to item 12 above, the Director for People will submit a report on the confidential contract award information relating to the recent tender process for two separate services for victims of domestic abuse. 

Further to minute 29 on the tender process for two separate services for victims of domestic abuse, Carole Burgoyne (Director for People) submitted a private report on the evaluation process for the tenders received.

Cabinet Members asked the Chief Executive to raise with officers the wording used in relation to ‘a priority service area’ in the financial section of the report.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that contracts are awarded as indicated in the written report for a period of three years with the option to extend for a further three years in annual increments (authority for any contract extension to be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Social Care) for -

The Director for Place will submit a confidential report on a restructure of two City Centre head leases.

Anthony Payne (Director for Place) submitted a report on a restructure of two City Centre head leases to enable new investment in commercial units at Old Town Street in the City Centre.

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the proposals.

David Draffan (Assistant Director for Economic Development) and David James (Head of Strategic Development Projects) also reported on the proposals.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed to –