Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

To scrutinise the Community Portfolio, which covers the following areas:

·        Emergency Planning and Business Continuity

·        Environmental Health

·        Health and Wellbeing

·        Recycling and Refuse

·        Street Cleansing

·        Community Services

·        Community Safety

The Committee viewed a video presentation of the service areas covered by the Community Portfolio.  Cllr Mrs Vivienne Chapman reminded the Committee that her Portfolio covered the areas set out below and she highlighted some of the important issues and notable achievements:

·       Emergency Planning and Business Continuity

·       Environmental Health

·       Health and Wellbeing

·       Recycling and Refuse

·       Street Cleansing

·       Community Services

·       Community Safety

Cllr Mrs Chapman responded to questions relating to:

a)                  The rebranding of the community services;

b)                  Dementia Day Care for self-funding individuals;

c)                  Minimising the impact of litter arising from fast-food outlets;

d)                  How the Council interacted with the County Council in the event of an emergency;

e)                  Nitrogen dioxide levels on the A331 and the M3;

f)                    Ways to increase the number of households participating in the garden waste scheme;

g)                  Utilising green waste from allotments;

h)                  Delivering the Health and Wellbeing agenda with partners, including assisting to facilitate hospital discharges;

i)                    Publicity for the services provided, in particular where changes to service arrangements had occurred;

j)                    Contingency planning for cyber-attacks;

k)                  The involvement of Members in Emergency Planning Reviews;

l)                    Group travel and the vehicle hire service.

Cllr Mrs Chapman undertook to circulate the answer detailing how the Council and the County Council would respond to a major incident.  She also agreed to supply a written answer to the question of collecting green waste from allotments.

To scrutinise the Regulatory Portfolio, which covers the following areas:

·        Drainage

·        Land Charges

·        Planning Policy & Conservation

·        Private Sector Housing Enforcement

·        Housing and Homelessness

·        Planning Enforcement Policy

The Committee viewed a video presentation of the service areas covered by the Regulatory Portfolio.  Cllr Alan McClafferty reminded the Committee that his Portfolio covered the areas set out below and he highlighted some of the important issues facing the service:

·       Drainage

·       Land Charges

·       Planning Policy & Conservation

·       Private Sector Housing Enforcement

·       Housing and Homelessness

·       Planning Enforcement Policy

Cllr Alan McClafferty responded to questions relating to:

a)                  The relocation of families who had suffered abuse;

b)                  In relation to homelessness

i)                    the number of homeless persons in the Borough;

ii)                   the primary causes of homelessness; and

iii)                  ways to eliminate homelessness

c)                  Prioritisation of the Planning Enforcement Service;

d)                  The cost of housing families in temporary accommodation;

e)                  The accuracy of assumptions on the viability of affordable housing;

f)                    The location of accommodation used as bed and breakfast accommodation

g)                  Water recycling in new developments

Cllr McClafferty undertook to circulate a response detailing the cost of housing families in temporary accommodation before and after the grant reclaim.

The Committee reviewed the Annual Plan 2018/19 which included an overview of the vision and priorities from the Five-Year Strategy and stated the outputs and success measures that would be delivered in 2018/19 for each of the key priorities. These priorities were presented under the headings of Place, Prosperity, People and Performance.  The Annual Plan demonstrated the Council’s commitment to achieving the Five-Year Strategy.

A number of questions had been received in relation to the Plan which were responded to orally.  The Chairman agreed that the answers would also be emailed to Members. 

In addition the Committee discussed the issue of loneliness in the Borough, the emailing of Council tax bills, the need for stretched targets in relation to town centre car parks and food premises scores and reaching residents who were not digitally aware.  The process for the preparation and approval of the Annual Plan was also referred to and some Members were of the opinion that it should be reviewed.

Resolved that the Annual Plan 2018/19 be noted.

The Committee received the third quarter monitoring report against the 2017/18 approved budget, which provided an update on the Revenue, Treasury and Capital budget position as at 31 December 2017.   It was forecasted that the year-end outturn position would be on budget at net expenditure level and after taking account of savings in borrowing costs, an underspend of £1m was predicted.  The underspend would be placed in an interest equalisation reserve at year end.

Members were reminded that the Executive and the Committee received the budget monitoring report on a quarterly basis, although the Portfolio Holder did received monthly updates on their Portfolios. 

Resolved to note the Revenue, Treasury and Capital budget position as at 31 December 2017.

The Committee reviewed the Corporate Risk Register, which included high level risks rated between 1 and 4 as to how likely it was to occur and also between 1 and 4 as to the potential financial impact. The product of these two numbers gave the initial risk rating. Mitigation was then put in place to reduce the risk rating.  Members were reminded that the Council had a Risk Management Strategy and a risk management process in place.

Resolved to note the Corporate Risk Register.

The Committee considered the work programme for the 2018/19 municipal year.  Members noted that meetings were scheduled for 4 July 2018, 4 September 2018, 5 December 2018 and 20 March 2019.

Members were reminded that the Committee, at its meeting on 6 December 2017, had agreed to monitor the success of the initiative by Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council to discontinue the use of bailiffs to collect on debts.  As a result, Members asked that an issue be added to the work programme for consideration at the appropriate time.

Resolved that, subject to the addition of a report relating to the Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council’s initiative on the use of bailiffs, the Work Programme attached as Annex A to the agenda report be agreed.