Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors John Gardner and Robin Parker, CC (observer).

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 March 2021 for signature by the Chair.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 March 2021 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

To note the following Minutes of meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees –

Overview & Scrutiny Committees - 17 March 2021

The Executive considered the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 17 March 2021.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 17 March 2021 be noted.

To consider a verbal report / update presentation on the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Executive considered a presentation providing an update on the Covid-19 pandemic from the Strategic Director (RP), assisted by other officers.  The presentation covered Local and National epidemiology statistics; Step 4 – Easing of Lockdown – 21 June 2021; Delta (“Indian”) variant; outbreak management; compliance and enforcement; Covid Action Plan; Community and Housing; Business Support and Grants; Business Continuity and workforce; and Communications update.

The following issues were raised during the presentation:

·        It was confirmed that the epidemiology statistics were Ward-related and did not indicate the socio-economic or employment status of individuals;

·        The Strategic Director (RP) undertook to arrange for some clear and easy to read messaging/communications to be provided for those with vaccine hesitancy, targeting in particular those on lower incomes/day rates who were concerned about feeling unwell following the vaccine and needing time off work and pregnant women;

·        The Assistant Director (Communities & Neighbourhoods) agreed to provide Members with a Briefing Note with details of relevant phone numbers of organisations offering help to those with suicidal tendencies;

·        Consideration would be given to the provision of Mental Health First Aid Training, as part of the Member Development Programme, for those Members interested in receiving such training;

·        The Strategic Director (RP) would ask the Business Relationship Manager to, if possible, provide Members with details of the 800 individuals who were no longer on furlough, in terms of the numbers of those who had returned to their original jobs and the numbers of those who were no longer employed;

·        It was agreed that the next Covid-19 update should include details of the support mechanisms provided for staff during the pandemic and to be provided during the post-Covid new ways of working initiative (with particular reference to home working).

It was RESOLVED that the Covid-19 update be noted.

To consider proposed new arrangements for ensuring that SBC tenants and residents have a range of opportunities to participate in the management of their homes and neighbourhoods, building on the development of the Co-operative Neighbourhood operating model.

The Executive considered a report in respect of proposed new arrangements for ensuring that SBC tenants and residents has a range of opportunities to participate in the management of their homes and neighbourhoods, building on the development of the Co-operative Neighbourhood operating model.

The following points were made during the debate:

·        The Assistant Director (Communities & Neighbourhoods) confirmed that the Housing Management Advisory Board would be consulted on the new proposals by way of a workshop session;

·        The consultation exercise should focus on gleaning the views of residents first, rather than presenting them with a series of narrow options;

·        In terms of consultation generally, the Leader considered that improved co-ordination of SBC consultation may be necessary, to ensure that the Council was not constantly consulting the same people at the same time on various issues;

·        Community plans – it was important that these should be devised by the community for the community, using a bottom-up approach.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That a revised participation and engagement approach, as outlined in the  report, for Stevenage tenants and residents living in homes rented and leased from the Council, be approved.

2.          That the development of Co-operative Neighbourhoods as the mechanism for delivering meaningful, local engagement opportunities and better relationships with residents that will also meet the specific service and legal requirements relating to the Council’s housing portfolio, be noted.

3.          That an ongoing approach to tenant and resident participation based on ‘engaging, listening and acting’, reaching as many tenants and residents as possible to understand what is important to them in their neighbourhood, be approved.

4.          That the new co-operative customer scrutiny model for housing functions, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

5.          That the development of a new housing forum to create the opportunity for tenants, residents and councillors to engage in the strategic development of housing services, be approved.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

To consider a proposal work programme to enable the Council to determine the strategic delivery of its leisure and cultural offer post-March 2023.

The Executive considered a report with regard to a proposed work programme to enable the Council to determine the strategic delivery of its leisure and cultural offer post-March 2023.

In response to a series of Member questions, the Assistant Director (Communities & Neighbourhoods) commented:

·        A number of locations were being considered in respect of the potential rationalisation of leisure facilities in the town, with the aim of developing a project to provide wet and dry leisure provision on one site.  This was one of the key aims of one of the projects contained in the Town Fund Deal; and

·        the opportunity would be taken to look at leisure and cultural provision across the Borough, and to involve as many sports and arts groups as possible in the preliminary and design work on relevant projects, including any new Leisure Centre scheme.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the progression of the Leisure Work Programme, as outlined in the report, be approved.

2.          That the undertaking of an options appraisal to determine future leisure management options when the current leisure contract expires, be approved.

3.          That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Executive outlining leisure management options, in order to determine a preferred management model.

4.          That a Project Team and Programme Board be established to manage the options appraisal and subsequent procurement process.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

To consider the Council’s performance across key priorities and themes for Quarter Four 2020/21.

The Executive considered a report and received a presentation from the Chief Executive highlighting the Council’s performance across key priorities and themes for Quarter Four 2020/21.

In respect of the Website Satisfaction performance indicator, the Leader asked that consideration be given to the establishment of a “Customer Testing Panel” to gauge the public’s views on the website.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the delivery of priorities which form the Future Town, Future Council Programme and performance of the Council across the key themes for quarter four 2020/21, together with the latest achievements, be noted.

2.          That the impacts of COVID-19 on the Council’s ability to deliver against the following key performance areas and, where appropriate the improvement actions outlined against them, as identified in the paragraphs outlined below, be noted:

·     Number of households in emergency/temporary accommodation (Paragraphs 3.69 to 3.76);

·     Homelessness preventions (Paragraphs 3.77 to 3.81 of the report)

·     Job Creation through the Business Technology Centre (Paragraphs 3.102 to 3.104);

·     Food establishment compliance checks (Paragraphs 3.105 to 3.107);

·     Letting of Council garages (Paragraphs 3.109 to 3.115);

·     Collection of Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates (Paragraphs 3.122 to 3.123);

·     Ability to identify and remove HRA/GF savings (Paragraphs 3.124 to 3.128);

·     Ability to mobilise the Decent Homes programme (Paragraphs 3.95 to 3.93);

·     Amount of residual waste collected per household (Paragraph 3.108).

3.          That the impacts of Universal Credit and COVID-19 on the rent collection rate be noted and continuing delivery of the income action plan be endorsed (Paragraphs 3.82 to 3.91 of the report).

4.          That the level of void loss, and the way in which this is impacted by sheltered and major works void property re-let times, be noted, and the improvement activities be endorsed (Paragraphs 3.94 to 3.101 of the report).

5.          That the proposals to further improve website satisfaction be endorsed (Paragraphs 3.116 to 3.121 of the report).

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

The Leader had accepted the following item of urgent Part I business.

Government Levelling Up Fund

The Leader advised that the Government had allocated £4.8Billion nationally in respect of the Levelling Up Fund, in order to provide investment in areas suffering from significant levels of deprivation.  Local Authorities could bid for funding from this fund, and she stated SBC would be submitting a bid by the deadline date of 18 June 2021, and that officers were working to provide a compelling case, building on the work of the successful Town Investment Plan (Town Fund).  Support for the submission of a bid had been confirmed by the Stevenage Development Board.

The Chief Executive added that the Levelling Up Fund bid would need to focus on projects that would provide a visible impact on people and their communities, in terms of improved transport, urban regeneration and/or leisure and cultural facilities.  The deliverability of schemes was an important factor, with an emphasis on projects that could commence in 2021/22.  He stated that this was the first phase of bidding and that, if unsuccessful, this did not prevent the Council submitting a bid in subsequent phases.  He advised Members that he would be meeting with the local MP to discuss SBC’s bid.

As an aside, the Leader explained that, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, the Queen would be creating a number of new cities.  The Leader commented that she was intending that Stevenage would put in an application for city status, which she felt would be appropriate in terms of the life of Stevenage New Town broadly matching the duration of the Queen’s reign.

To consider the following motions –

1.          That under Section 100A 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 described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That under Section 100A 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 described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          That the reasons for the following report being in Part II were accepted, and that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

To approve as a correct record the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 March 2021 for signature by the Chair.

It was RESOLVED that the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 10 March 2021 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

Danestrete Roundabout Site Disposal

The Chair advised that she had accepted this report as Urgent Part II business because a decision was required promptly to enable the commencement of the Matalan Site redevelopment scheme.  In accordance with the provisions of the Council’s Constitution, this course of action had received the agreement, in writing, of the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Executive supported a revision to Recommendation 2.2 in the report, regarding the use of the funds generated by this capital receipt.

It was RESOLVED that the Recommendations 2.1 and 2.3 contained in the report, together with a revised Recommendation 2.2, be approved.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report; and 2. To enable further information to be provided regarding the use of the funds generated by this capital receipt.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.