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.

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2014.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 15 July 2014.

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.  Mr Sharpe attended the meeting and asked the following question and Councillor Vincent responded as set out below -

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) reported that on 8 August 2014, Eric Pickles (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government) had written to all council leaders about new regulations under the Local Audit and Accountability Act, which came into force last week and gave the press and public the right to film, to report all council meetings and the right to access information about the more important decisions taken by council officers. 

He advised that this council already webcast most of the main meetings and published major decisions taken by officers.  Members of the public were not stopped from using social media at meetings and in fact, were encouraged to do so.

The regulations were not necessary (and were not written very clearly) as most councils had already introduced such initiatives without any intervention from central government.

(In accordance with Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the Chair brought forward the above item for urgent consideration because of the need to report the new regulations).

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) will submit a report on the waste collection reorganisation business case which will include three workstreams:

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/q3d6bmh

The outcome of the consideration by a joint review on 8 August 2014 by members of the Working Plymouth and Your Plymouth Scrutiny Panels will also be submitted. 

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) submitted a report on the waste collection reorganisation business case which included three workstreams -

The implementation of more efficient collection routes would save the Council around £368k per annum on crew costs, and a further £220k on vehicle costs.

The project aimed to provide a gross financial benefit over the next three years of £917k at an investment of £117k, resulting in a net benefit to the Council of £800k.This was considered to be a conservative figure, based on a provisional project implementation date of 19 January 2015.

Councillor Vincent (Cabinet Member for Environment) introduced the proposals which would - 

Tom Cox (Project Manager, Transformation), Simon Dale (Interim Assistant Director for Street Services), and John Simpson Waste Services Manager) attended the meeting for this item.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

A joint co-operative review had been undertaken by members of the Working Plymouth and Your Plymouth Scrutiny Panels on 8 August 2014 on the Waste Collection Re-organisation and the draft recommendations were submitted for consideration.

The joint meeting commended the report and the business case to Cabinet for approval subject to the following recommendations.  Cabinet responded as follows -   

Kelechi Nnoaham (Director of Public Health) will submit a report on a proposal to declare a single Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) covering five identified sites not meeting current air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide, and the interlinking roads, in accordance with the Environment Act 1995

The five sites will be the two existingAQMA’s in Exeter Street and Mutley Plain, and three additional areas at Royal Parade, the junction of Molesworth Road and Devonport Road in Stoke and the Tavistock Road and Crownhill Road junction.  

The declaration of AQMA’s means that the Council has to consider what steps it will implement to improve air quality in these areas.

Kelechi Nnoaham (Director of Public Health) submitted a report on a proposal to declare a single Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in accordance with the Environment Act 1995, covering five identified sites not meeting current air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide, and the interlinking roads.

The five sites would be two existingAQMA’s in Exeter Street and Mutley Plain, and three additional areas at Royal Parade, the junction of Molesworth Road and Devonport Road in Stoke and the Tavistock Road and Crownhill Road junction.  

The declaration of AQMA’s meant that the Council had to consider what steps it would implement to improve air quality in these areas.  A single AQMA would benefit the Council by enabling it to manage the areas with one encompassing Action Plan and to report to Defra on one AQMA instead of five. A citywide approach would also prevent individual traffic improvements schemes impacting upon other areas. 

Councillor Vincent (Cabinet Member for Environment) introduced the proposals and Kelechi Nnoaham indicated that the city was above the England average in protecting the health of the city’s citizens from exposure to air pollution from particulate matter and the proposal would enable the council to continue the good work. Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Transport) reported that he was fully supportive of the proposal.

Robin Carton (Public Protection Service Manager) attended the meeting for this item.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that a single Air Quality Management Area is declared covering the following sites not meeting current air quality standards for NO₂, and the interlinking roads –

Carole Burgoyne (Strategic Director for People) will submit a report on the Children and Families Act 2014 which sets out a reform programme for the delivery of support and assessment to children and young people with special educational need and disability and their families. 

This report will update Cabinet on the new duties in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disability and the progress of the local implementation plan for Special Educational Needs in readiness for the new duties commencing on 1 September 2014.  The report also proposes spending priorities and the use of the SEND grant to support the changes and transitional period.

Carole Burgoyne (Strategic Director for People) submitted a report on the Children and Families Act 2014 which set out a reform programme for the delivery of support and assessment to children and young people with special educational need and disability and their families. 

The report identified the new duties in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and the progress of the local implementation plan for Special Educational Needs in readiness for the new duties commencing on 1 September 2014.  The report also proposed spending priorities and the use of the SEND grant to support the changes and transitional period.

Councillor McDonald (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Public Health) introduced the proposals and referred to the three areas which would require additional resources to meet the timescales for the new duties which would be met from the SEND –

Judith Harwood (Assistant Director for Education, Learning and Families), and Jo Siney attended the meeting for this item. Cabinet Members were advised that parents had welcomed the move from a single agency response to a multi-agency response.

Cabinet thanked Jo Siney and her team for their work on and approach to the reforms.

In response to a question about looked after children and the role of corporate parents, Councillor McDonald referred to the stay put programme which encouraged looked after children to stay in their existing residence before moving to total independence.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed -

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) will submit a report welcoming the final report of the Plymouth Fairness Commission and presenting the Council’s draft response to Commission’s recommendations outlined in their report.

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/q3d6bmh

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) submitted a report welcoming the final report of the Plymouth Fairness Commission ‘Creating the Conditions for Fairness’ which was published in March 2014 and presented the Council’s draft response to the Commission’s recommendations outlined in the report.

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Co-operatives, Housing and Community Safety) introduced the proposals and indicated that -  

Candice Sainsbury (Senior Policy, Performance and Partnerships Adviser), attended the meeting for this item and reported that this was the start of the conversation with partners and new ways to address issues. It was intended that the council and partners would provide feedback to the commission in October 2014.    

Cabinet thanked all officers who had engaged with the Fairness Commission and the draft response, the commissioners for their final report and future monitoring, the secretariat of the commission for their assistance and also Candice Sainsbury for her work and enthusiasm.

Cabinet Members asked officers to ensure that a list was maintained showing who / which partner was responsible for the delivery of each recommendation.

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

As set out in the report.

Agreed that the draft response to the recommendations of the Plymouth Fairness Commission is referred to the City Council for approval.