Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Tuesday 8 September 2015 2.00 pm

Venue: Council House (Next to the Civic Centre), Plymouth

Contact: Nicola Kirby  Email: nicola.kirby@plymouth.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

21.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST pdf icon PDF 33 KB

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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.

22.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 84 KB

To sign and confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 7 July 2015

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 7 July 2015.

23.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

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, Ballard House, Plymouth, PL1 3BJ, or email to democraticsupport@plymouth.gov.uk. Any questions must be received at least five clear working days before the date of the meeting.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

In the absence of the questioner, a written response would be sent to her as set out below -

Question No

 

Question By

Cabinet Member

 

Subject

2 (15/16)

Ms A Casey

Councillor  Evans, Leader

Public question criteria and process

To stand by your quote for being an open and transparent, brilliant, co-operative council, can I ask - Why don't you be more like the police and crime commissioner panel, by allowing the public to ask two 100 word questions and have a 30 minutes open debate?

Response:

Your suggestion has been noted by the Council.

 

24.

CHAIR'S URGENT BUSINESS

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

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

See minute 27 below.

25.

SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME

In the absence of Councillor James (Chair of the Co-operative Scrutiny Board), Councillor Mrs Aspinall (Vice Chair of the Board) will attend the meeting to address Cabinet Members on the scrutiny work programme.   

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In the absence of Councillor James (Chair of the Co-operative Scrutiny Board), the Chair welcomed Councillor Mrs Aspinall (Vice Chair of the Board) to the meeting and invited her to address Cabinet on the work of scrutiny.  Ross Jago (Performance and Research Officer) also attended the meeting for this item.

 

Councillor Mrs Aspinall highlighted -    

 

(a)

that the Co-operative Scrutiny Board was taking action to strengthen the scrutiny function within the Council and deliver against the Council’s pledge 49, to enhance the scrutiny programme.  She was aiming for scrutiny to report the outcome of the review to the December 2015 Cabinet meeting;

(b)

that the network of scrutiny extended beyond the Council and included the media, pressure groups, bloggers and residents through case work and questions to Cabinet and Council;  

(c)

 

that a series of workshops had been arranged which would use new and innovative approaches beginning with “What’s the point of scrutiny?” tomorrow to which Cabinet Members were invited to attend.  Following this, training, development and support arrangements for members would be confirmed and improvements would be made to scrutiny’s engagement with the public and partners;

(d)

that councillors and council officers across the country were being asked to watch the Council’s webcasts and complete an online survey to provide feedback on performance;

(e)

some of the main areas of scrutiny work which included -  

 

?

a review into the processes surrounding the Living Streets programme by the Working Plymouth Panel, in response to difficulties encountered by both the public and councillors.  A number of recommendations for improvements would be brought forward for Cabinet’s consideration shortly;

 

?

a detailed review by the Ambitious Plymouth Panel into how Plymouth’s key child protection agencies were responding to child sexual exploitation and to ensure that there was a programme in place to keep children and young people safe from exploitation;

 

?

a review into the impact of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Summer Budget focussing on the elements considered to impact most keenly on the residents of Plymouth such as working age benefits, free childcare entitlement and social housing;

 

?

the monitoring of the integration of health and social care and the Devon Challenged Health Economy by the Caring Plymouth Panel.  Cabinet was advised that the panel had visited the excellent facilities at the Plymouth Community Healthcare Mount Gould Site where staff were providing outstanding care but were concerned at the building which was inadequate for the function;

 

?

the continuing monitoring of the Council’s financial position and the delivery of the Corporate Plan by the Co-operative Scrutiny Board.  By using panels where appropriate to maintain ongoing scrutiny it was hoped to lessen the reliance on the annual budget scrutiny process and instead to focus on the issues raised during the year making the most efficient use of both portfolio holders’ and officers’ time;

(f)

 

that scrutiny was member led and officers would be doing more to ensure that members were properly supported when undertaking scrutiny.  The planned scrutiny programme would ensure that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

MTV CRASHES UPDATE

Councillor Peter Smith (Deputy Leader) and Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) will provide an update on the MTV Crashes event held in July 2015.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Smith (Deputy Leader) reported on the successful MTV Crashes event which had been held over three days in July 2015 and indicated that –

 

(a)

the event had brought £3.5m to the economy of the city and had attracted an attendance of 60,000 people; 

(b)

there had been a significant increase in the economic impact of the event; 

(c)

 

tickets had been given to children in care, young carers, the youth service and to secondary schools to reward year 12 and year 13 pupils for achievements. 

 

Councillor Smith thanked the Events Team for their hard work and continuing success in promoting events in the city and invited Cabinet to view a video of the event. 

 

David Draffan (Assistant Director for Economic Development), Ray House (Events Officer), Karen Walker (Events Officer) and Jamie Yabsley (Visitor and Events Manager) attended the meeting for this item and Jamie Yabsley reported that he would circulate copies of the media and public relations report to all Cabinet Members.

 

The Chair asked that the Cabinet’s warmest wishes were extended to everyone involved in the event which had been exceptional for the city and was also a community event.

 

The report was noted.

CHAIR'S URGENT BUSINESS

Additional documents:

27.

Government Consultation on Proposed Changes to the Planning System

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair reported that he had responded to a government consultation on proposed changes to the planning system in relation to local plans, development on brown field sites, obligations on developers to provide affordable homes and other planning powers which would place the Council in a position where it could not control inappropriate development or encourage appropriate development.

 

Cabinet were advised that -

 

(a)

the changes would give automatic planning permission on all brown field sites which could particularly impact on current proposals for development on those sites; 

(b)

the changes could remove the ability of the Council to protect the waterfront;    

(c)

 

the Local Government Association were also concerned at the proposals.

 

As a response was required within a short timescale, the Chair indicated that he had sent a letter to the Chancellor for the Exchequer on 17 August 2015 expressing the Council’s concerns on the proposed changes and seeking support for the Council in the delivery of local housing.  He also urged the media to highlight the implications of the government’s proposals.  

 

(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 advise Cabinet Members of the action taken).

28.

CORPORATE PERFORMANCE REPORT - CORPORATE PLAN SECOND YEAR REVIEW AND PLEDGE UPDATE pdf icon PDF 253 KB

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) will submit a report on the rationale for the reinvigoration of the Corporate Plan.  The report will review the proposed actions to deliver the outcomes and the measures used to track the progress but will not seek to amend the values, objectives or outcomes for the plan as set out on the plan on a page.

 

An update on the pledges will also be provided.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) submitted a report on the rationale for the reinvigoration of the Corporate Plan. 

 

The report –

 

(a)

reviewed the proposed actions to deliver the outcomes and the measures used to track the progress; 

(b)

did not seek to amend the values, objectives or outcomes for the plan as set out on the plan on a page; 

(c)

provided an update on the pledges;

(d)

 

had been considered by the Co-operative Scrutiny Board on 19 August 2015.

 

Councillor Evans (Council Leader) introduced the proposals.  

 

Peter Honeywell (Transformation Programmes Manager) attended the meeting for this item and highlighted the proposed changes.

 

Cabinet Members –

 

(e)

were advised that each Cabinet Member had been consulted about the actions and measures within their areas of responsibility prior to the publication of the report; 

(f)

indicated that some drafting amendments were required to clarify accountability for the actions and measures;  

(g)

reported that pledge 10 had been completed and that some Cabinet Members had visited the CCTV Control Room that morning.  A press release would be made shortly and arrangements were being made to provide all councillors with the opportunity to visit the completed control room.

 

Councillor Evans thanked everyone involved in the review of the plan.

 

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

 

As set out in the report.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the proposed changes to the corporate plan are endorsed with drafting amendments to be agreed by Councillor Evans prior to submission of the plan to the City Council;

 

(2)

the pledge update is noted subject to the completion of pledge 10 relating to the CCTV control room.

 

28a

Recommendation to the City Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The City Council is Recommended to approve the second year update of the Corporate Plan 2013/14 – 2016/17 as amended.

29.

PLYMOUTH PLAN PART ONE pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) will submit a report on the Plymouth Plan Part One which comprises the city’s overarching vision, strategic objectives and the thematic and spatial policies of the plan, following community engagement and consultation with scrutiny and the Plymouth Plan Member Working Group.    

 

Cabinet will be asked to recommend it to the City Council for approval as part of the Council’s Policy Framework.

 

Background papers (comments from the consultation the equality impact assessment) 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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Anthony Payne (Strategic Director for Place) submitted a report seeking approval of the Plymouth Plan Part One which comprised the city’s overarching vision, strategic objectives and the thematic and spatial policies of the plan.  The plan had been the subject of community engagement and consultation with scrutiny and the Plymouth Plan Member Working Group and the comments from the consultation had been included as a background paper together with the equality impact assessment.

 

The report also indicated that the consultation process for part two would commence in September 2015 leading to a consultation draft being published in June 2016 which would also provide an opportunity to refresh and, if needed, to revise the Plymouth Plan Part One.

 

Councillor Coker (Cabinet Member for Strategic Transport and Planning) introduced the proposals and –

 

(a)

paid tribute to Councillor Vincent (who formerly had Cabinet Member responsibility for the Plymouth Plan), the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Team, councillors and residents for taking part in the development of the plan; 

(b)

indicated that the Council had won a national award from the Royal Town Planning Institute for plan making and had also won the south west regional award;    

(c) 

 referred to the consultation undertaken; 

(d) 

 commended the plan to Cabinet;

(e)

thanked the Plymouth Plan Team and everyone involved in the process.

 

Cabinet Members –

 

(f) 

highlighted that the Health and Wellbeing Strategy had been integrated within the plan;

(g) 

paid tribute to everyone involved in the social enterprise initiative including the social enterprise network and partners;

(h)

highlighted that following the withdrawal of the national target for child poverty by the government and on the recommendation of the Child Poverty Working Group, the policy had been included in the plan and that the Council would continue to measure child poverty.

 

Paul Barnard (Assistant Director for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure), Jonathan Bell (Head of Development Planning), Richard Grant (Local Planning Manager) and Caroline Marr (Policy and Business Planning Officer) attended the meeting for this item and indicated that the development of the plan had been a joint effort across all services within the Council.

 

Jonathan Bell reported that –

 

(i) 

interactive modules for part one of the plan would be launched during the next month;

(j) 

the proposed consultation process for the next phase of the plan would be submitted to the Plymouth Plan Member Working Group shortly.

 

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

 

As set out in the report.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the Plymouth Plan Working Group oversee the delivery of a Plymouth Plan monitoring and implementation framework for the plan, in consultation with key city partnerships;

 

(2)

everyone involved in the plan is congratulated with thanks particularly to the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Department who are a credit both to the city and the Council and to Hannah Sloggett for her innovative idea of using a sofa as part of the consultation process.

 

29a

Recommendation to the City Council

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The City Council is Recommended to formally approve the Plymouth Plan Part One as part of the Council’s Policy Framework.

30.

CAPITAL AND REVENUE MONITORING REPORT 2015/16 QUARTER 1 pdf icon PDF 142 KB

The Corporate Management Team will submit a report outlining the finance monitoring position of the Council as at the end of June 2015 and indicating that the latest approved capital programme funding envelope covering 2014/15 to 2017/18 stood at £237.406m (approved by Full Council on 23 February 2015). The report will also detail new schemes approved within the capital programme envelope under delegated powers.

 

The report was published for the 11 August 2015 Cabinet meeting which was subsequently cancelled and was considered by the Co-operative Scrutiny Board on 19 August 2015.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Corporate Management Team submitted a report outlining the finance monitoring position of the Council as at the end of June 2015 and indicating that the latest approved capital programme funding envelope covering 2014/15 to 2017/18 was £237.406m (approved by Full Council on 23 February 2015). The report also detailed new schemes approved within the capital programme envelope under delegated powers.

 

Councillor Lowry (Cabinet Member for Finance) introduced the report and indicated that -  

 

(a)

the estimated revenue overspend was £2.097m which was a significant improvement from the position at this time last year when it was £6m;  

(b)

the report now detailed the position of the Plymouth Integrated Fund relating to health and social care;

(c)

 

the report should have been submitted to the Cabinet meeting on 11 August 2015 which had subsequently been cancelled but had been considered by the Co-operative Scrutiny Board on 19 August 2015;

(d)

 

he was concerned at the potential impact of future government announcements on next year’s budget.

 

Cabinet was advised that the Co-operative Scrutiny Board had asked for funding sources for capital programme projects to be identified in future reports.    

 

Alternative options considered and reasons for the decision –

 

As set out in the report.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the current revenue monitoring position and action plans in place to reduce/mitigate shortfalls are noted;

 

(2)

the non-delegated revenue budget virements are approved as shown in Table 4 of the report;

 

(3)

 

the new schemes added to the Capital Programme totalling £7.042m are noted as shown in Table 5 of the report;

 

(4)

 

where possible, funding sources for capital programme projects to  be included in future monitoring reports.

 

31.

RESPONSE TO THE PLYMOUTH FAIRNESS COMMISSION PROGRESS UPDATE pdf icon PDF 120 KB

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive will submit a report providing an update on progress made on the Council’s response to the Plymouth Fairness Commission’s recommendations, as outlined in its final report (April 2014).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Tracey Lee (Chief Executive) submitted a report providing an update on progress made on the Council’s response to the Plymouth Fairness Commission’s recommendations, as outlined in its final report (April 2014).

 

Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member for Co-operatives and Housing) introduced the proposals and -  

 

(a)

commended everyone who had assisted in implementing the principles;

(b) 

reported on some of the highlights which included -    

 

?

that the ratio of remuneration between the Council’s highest and lowest paid employees had been reduced from 1:14 to 1:10;

 

?

the introduction of a Private Rented Sector Housing Charter to improve the quality of housing in the private rented sector; and  

 

?

the introduction of a food poverty programme as part of the Cities of Service project.

 

Cabinet Members also highlighted progress within areas of their responsibility including dementia, the launch of the summer food store which provided food bags to children and improved access to customer services.

 

With regard to dementia, Councillor Tuffin (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) drew attention to the life sized figure of a dementia friend in the room and indicated that a report on the progress of the Dementia Friendly City initiative would be submitted to Cabinet shortly. 

 

Candice Sainsbury (Senior Policy, Performance and Partnerships Adviser) attended the meeting for this item and indicated that the work had been the result of a multi-agency approach and by officers from all services across the Council.

 

Cabinet thanked Candice Sainsbury and all the officers involved in the report and welcomed the positive response which was being made to the challenging recommendations.

 

Agreed that –

 

(1)

the progress update for the Council’s response to the Plymouth Fairness Commission’s recommendations is noted as outlined in its final report (April 2014);

(2)

a further update is provided to Cabinet in December 2015, following consideration of the report by the Fairness Commission.