Councillor Nick Kelly (The Leader) introduced the Commitments report and invited Cabinet Members to speak on commitments relating to their portfolios as follows:

 

Councillor Nick Kelly, Leader of the Council advised:

Commitment 33 – We will establish an investment fund, via the Council's capital spending programme, to promote the creation of a vibrant small business start-up sector in Plymouth.

The Council had helped businesses get back on their feet and had given entrepreneurs the support they need to get going. Four brand-new projects had offered businesses a lifeline and supported Plymouth’s economic recovery during and following the pandemic.

We aimed to create 50 new jobs, 27 new social enterprises and support more than 140 individual businesses. This had involved helping individuals into self-employment or guiding them as they set up new businesses, as well as supporting existing businesses looking to ‘relaunch’ after the interruption caused by coronavirus.

Each of the four business support programmes had its own specific focus:

·         Business Start-up Support: Offering advice and support for new business start-ups or re-starts, including workshops, 1 to 1 support sessions and access to a Business Start-up Specialist

·         Inspirational Entrepreneurship Programme: Designed to increase entrepreneurship, individuals, sole traders and new businesses would be given access to a Community Enterprise Advisor and flexible support that met their needs

·         Digital Pivot Programme: Helped businesses to adopt new digital solutions and adapt to new challenges posed by coronavirus, this would include free workshops and 1 to 1 advice for business owners

·         Social Enterprise Support: Supported those looking to set up social enterprises with advice, provided through 1 to 1 sessions, group workshops and drop in ‘surgeries’

·         The Business Start-up Support and Inspirational Entrepreneurship Programme would be provided by YTKO. The Digital Pivot Programme was being run by Cosmic, a social enterprise offering digital skills training and services, while the Social Enterprise Support would be led by the School for Social Entrepreneurs

Commitment 35 – We will lobby the Government and protect our Dockyard. It is home to the Royal Navy and is the largest dockyard in Western Europe.

We had continued to lobby, protect and support partners to protect the naval base. We had included South Yard in the Freezone bid, we had invited the Secretary of State for Defence, The Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP to Plymouth and had asked for the Government's continued commitment to HMNB Devonport and specifically the base porting and maintenance of the Type 26 and the through life support for the Type 31 Frigates. We had provided cross party MP briefings on future deep maintenance of the Type 26 Frigates.

Commitment 37 – We will build on our enviable reputation for hosting major nautical events such as the Americas Cup, the Fastnet, Sail GP.

Sail GP would host its Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth for the second year running, following a bumper event in 2021, which saw an estimated 27,500 spectators enjoying the spectacle that brought £6.9 million into the local economy.

The thrilling racing would take place on 30 and 31 July 2022. Plymouth was one of the initial eight locations confirmed on the line-up for Sail GP Season 3, which also included stops in Bermuda, Chicago, Saint-Tropez and Dubai.

Councillor Patrick Nicholson, Deputy Leader of the Council advised:

 

Commitment 1 – Working with key partners we will complete the provision of Health & Well-Being Hubs in Plymouth in order to reduce inequalities in our local communities.

 

The  west end health centre in Colin Campbell Court would be a multi-million pound, multi storey, multi-disciplinary health centre which would transform health treatment in the city centre of Plymouth. The Centre aimed to bring health to the high street by combining services from doctors, to dentists, to mental health support and a community kitchen. Plymouth City Council and the NHS had been working together on plans to involve local people on the design and to determine which services should be provided within the building. A Planning application had been submitted and if approved would house three local GP services and hospital services which would potentially be relocated from Derriford and would reduce the need to travel to the main strategic hospital at Derriford. The Centre had been planned to open in 2024.

 

Commitment 6 – We will encourage more community lunch clubs and activities for lonely people by working in conjunction with voluntary and community groups to establish a wider network of community activities. We aim to reduce social isolation and social exclusion, whilst improving the physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of participants.

 

A partnership of the Plymouth Octopus Project had been successful in reaching the second stage of a Lottery funded project called Healthy Communities Together. This would see a network of activities developed across the city over the next three years which would tackle social isolation and loneliness. It would be driven by a movement of local people joining together to find solutions and connect people called Belonging Plymouth.  The vision for Belonging Plymouth had been for people to belong in a city in which no one felt forgotten. Also this year we had increased provision of time banks and peer transport in the city targeting over 65’s which would provide social activities and groups for people to join. We had also funded an Age UK telephone befriending service which would encourage people who had been isolated to meet up in small community groups. Plymouth City Council had been providing a funding pot of small grants in partnership with the Plymouth Octopus project to which community groups can apply to fund a wide range of activity.

 

Councillor Jonathan Drean, Cabinet Member for Transport advised:

 

Commitment 56 – We will make sure utility companies minimise the impact of their works on the highway network and repair the carriageway to the same standard.

 

In Highways we would enforce permitting requirements of undertaking of works of the highway to effectively manage their works and minimise disruptions. Highways would robustly be applying the requirements of the NRSWA to ensure statutory undertakers and private contractors reinstate the highway to the same condition as it had been previously with inspections carried out by dedidctaed Highways inspectors. September 2021 saw the introduction of New Roads and Street Working Act and the team are robustly applying the legislation.

 

Commitment 60 – We will encourage and help facilitate the greater use of public transport, walking and cycling as a more sustainable way of getting around the city. We will work with bus operators to provide the services and routes you want

 

The Plymouth 2021 Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan was complete and had been published online. The 2021 LCWIP considered 10 active travel routes; 4 cycling and 6 walking and identified the physical improvements needed to improve levels of active travel.  693 residents took part in the consultation; Councillor Drean thanked them for their valuable feedback and comments on the proposals set out in the plan.  87% respondents stated that it was extremely or very important to promote walking and cycling within Plymouth. The LCWIP had been a live delivery plan for walking and cycling and work had been underway at an advanced stage in preparing 2022 LCWIP which will would continue in spring.

 

Commitment 63 - We will exempt all motorcycles (2 wheels} from having to have a residential parking permit, currently £30 pa.

 

With effect from the 1^st December 2021 motorcycles had been no longer required pay £30 for a residential parking permit, this would encourage the use of motorcycles which would take up less space and help residents where parking had been an issue. It was hoped that it would help traffic flow across the city by encouraging people to use motorcycles over cars.

 

Commitment 64 – We will review the provision of disabled parking spaces to ensure there is sufficient parking for blue badge holders.

 

Plymouth City Council took the access needs of Blue Badge holders seriously and had undertaken a review of Blue Badge holder parking across the City car parks whereby we provide parking above and beyond that is recommended by Department for Trade. This had been supported by an independent review which identified Plymouth as England’s most accessible area for disabled parking. This followed the recent fast track process for terminally ill residents wishing to apply for blue badges and dedicated support for the terminally ill to access their homes.  Plymouth City Council undertook regular review of the provisions for disabled parking and access which included exploring opportunities and providing additional support. Looking forward Plymouth City Council had been looking to undertake work around EV charging and ensuring chargers installed in future are easily available and accessible to person with disabilities.

 

Councillor Mrs Maddi Bridgeman Cabinet Member for Environment & Street Scene advised:

 

Commitment 31 – We will support community volunteers to keep our streets, greenspaces and beaches clean.

 

The first Plastics volunteer event working with Plymouth Gin Distillery took place on Tuesday 13th April 2021 on the Barbican. 9kg of plastic waste was collected. 13 people involved. The second event working with Plymouth City Council staff took place on Wednesday 28th April 2021 on the Hoe. 5.3kg of plastic waste was collected. 12 people involved. The third event took place on Wednesday 12th May 2021 at Teat's Hill. 10.9kg of plastic waste was collected. 5 people involved working with NMA and Gin Distillery staff.

All Mayflower Maker and the Plymouth Good Neighbour Scheme volunteers have been actively encouraged to sign up to the: Clean Our Patch, Keep Britain Tidy and Plymouth Beach Clean volunteer activities. All these projects and additional opportunities for volunteers to keep our streets, greenspaces and beaches clean are advertised on the Our Plymouth website. Work to support volunteering will be ongoing post the sign off of this commitment.

 

Councillor Mrs Pengelly, Cabinet Member for Home and Communities advised:

 

Commitment 9 – We will prioritise the work required to eliminate homelessness in our city and the Government’s policy to eradicate rough sleeping by 2024 and support the "no second night" initiative.

 

It had been clear from the onset of the pandemic that the impact on the vulnerable would be immediate and longer term with issues manifesting over the coming years. This would require a long term plan which Plymouth City Council had continued to work towards with its partners.  Rough sleeping is the most visible form on homelessness and the Council had worked to deliver a comprehensive multi agency response to meet the needs of those sleeping rough and support people away from the streets. Government funding from the Next Steps accommodation programme and cold weather fund, we had 12 individual supported, COVID safe night shelter spaces available at Hamoaze House. We know the links between health and homelessness are inextricable and had ensured a self-contained shower unit as part of the offer as well as health outreach support.

The Homelessness Prevention Partnership executive and Homelessness Prevention Partnership Stakeholder Forum had been developed to oversee the work which had been pulled together and delivered against 7 priority areas. 

 

Commitment 81 – We believe tenants who live in Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) have the right to live in affordable, good quality and safe accommodation. To ensure these standards are met we will scrutinise HMOs across the city so that such accommodation makes a valued contribution to Plymouth's housing stock.

 

180 dwellings within licensed HMO’s had been inspected and 37 had been improved. In the financial year 2021-2022 Plymouth City Council had served 160 notices and fined landlords £29,000 for failing to comply with housing legislation. The Council had also successfully prosecuted a landlord and had been added to the rogue landlord database, the Council would also be applying for banning order in respect of this landlord. – when applying for HMO license a range of safety certification would be required.

 

Licensed HMO is inspected during the course of the license, the inspection would check for hazards and assesses them under the Housing health and safety rating system. In addition the property would be checked against HMO standards and regulations. Where the Council had not been satisfied it could be required for works to be undertaken to improve standards.

 

Councillor Mark Deacon, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture, Leisure and Sport advised:

 

Commitment 37 – We will build on our enviable reputation for hosting major nautical events such as the Americas Cup, the Fastnet, Sail GP.

 

Sail GP would host its Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Plymouth for second year running. An estimated 27,500 spectators enjoyed the spectacle which had brought £6.9 million into the local economy. The racing would next take place on 30^st July and 31^st July 2022. 

 

Councillor Riley, Cabinet Member for Governance, HR, IT and Community Safety advised:

 

Commitment 16 – We will continue to work with Devon & Cornwall Police to prevent, detect and reduce crime on our streets making Plymouth a safer and more welcoming city.

 

Safer Plymouth continued to keep people in Plymouth Safe. The Council agreed a new set of priorities formed from MORILE (Management of Risk in Law Enforcement) workshops and a strategic assessment. Strategic Assessment was signed off at the Safer Executive in October.

 

Commitment 17 – We will work with our Police & Crime Commissioner to provide additional Police Officers on the beat in Plymouth.

 

Conversations with the Police, OPCC and Cabinet Member had been held and an approach to ensuring more officers are deployed at key times as part of the policing strategy.

 

Cabinet agreed to:

 

1.    Endorse the completion of 16 commitments numbering 1, 6, 9, 11, 16, 17, 19, 31, 33, 35, 37, 56, 60, 63, 64 and 81 identified in this report.