Agenda item - PART I DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

Agenda item

PART I DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE

To consider the following Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on 9 December 2020:

 

3.         Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny and Select                    17-24

            Committees

 

4.         Covid-19 Update

 

5.         Housing First Approach – Stevenage Borough Council          25-66

 

6.         Stevenage Parking Strategy 2021-2031 – Public                      67-110            Consultation

 

7.         Housing for Older People Strategy 2020-2030                          111-218

 

8.         Corporate Performance 2020/21 – Quarter Two                        219-270

 

9.         Draft Housing Revenue Account Rent Setting and                  271-288         Budget Report 2021/22                                                                                                           

 

Notice of Decisions to follow

 

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

MEETING HELD ON 9 DECEMBER 2020

Decision:

The Committee considered the decisions on the following matters arising from the Executive meeting held on 18 November 2020.

 

Minutes of the Executive – 18 November 2020

 

Noted.

 

Minutes of Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees

 

Noted.

 

Covid-19 – Update

 

The Strategic Director (RP) updated the Committee on the latest Tier position in the County with parts of Hertfordshire having been put into Tier 3. He advised that there would be a Coronavirus Executive Committee on Friday 18 December at 2.00pm which members could view on YouTube which would include the latest epidemiology figures.

 

In response to a series of Members’ questions, the Strategic Director replied as follows:

 

·         In relation to supermarkets, there was a Covid protocol in place which had been agreed through the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) which all supermarkets should follow.

·         The SD agreed to find out whether shops had a duty to count customers in their stores, although it was thought that it was guidance/good practice rather than in any regulation.

·         Covid Marshals – a business case would be submitted to the County Council for additional resources for more marshals to increase compliance activity.

·         A deep dive into statistics included a daily analysis of epidemiology data received into the County from the NHS/hospital/test and trace information.   This allowed more targeted work to be undertaken.

·         The Council was still waiting for the formal notice for information regarding the location of vaccination centres.  Initially, vaccines would be administered through the hospital or doctors surgeries.  Individuals should be contacted by their surgeries in the priority order set out by the Government.  Members were of the view that some people could be missed and advised anyone concerned to contact their GP directly.

 

Housing First Approach - Stevenage Borough Council

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Housing Operations Manager replied as follows:

 

·         Officers would ask the Leader of the Council if she was happy for the Stevenage MP to be contacted in relation to the request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to recognise and assist with the significant funding gap now experienced by local authorities operating a Housing Revenue Account.

·         In relation to the rules around local connection, officers advised that the Homelessness Reduction Act required local authorities to look at the local connexion of someone presenting themselves as homeless as a last step following their accommodation.

 

Stevenage Parking Strategy 2021 – 2031: Public consultation

 

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Engineering Services Manager replied as follows:

 

·         In relation to electronic vehicle charging points, the strategy was not too specific as officers were aware that it was still early stages for electronic charging/vehicles and full consideration would be given in the future towards a programme for delivery.  Officers confirmed that they would be working with the County Council to ensure there was a consistent electronic charging infrastructure;

·         The Verge and Footway parking prohibition order had not been rolled out to the Old Town, Woodfield and Symonds Green Wards for a number of reasons including:

o   The Old Town being a special case with narrow roads and pavements etc;

o   Woodfield already having had a lot of investment in this area particularly around the hospital;

o   Symonds Green being one of the later built wards in the Town having larger parking areas built in.

·         In terms of enforcement, depending on how many restrictions were in place, the Council would deploy the right level of enforcement.

·         The Executive had asked for the consultation period to be extended from one month to two months. The consultation would include the Council’s website, social media, the Chronicle along with a questionnaire. In response to suggestions by Members, officers agreed to engage councillors in the consultation process to get their ideas and share the proposed consultation plan with them to ensure as comprehensive a consultation as possible.

 

Housing For Older People Strategy 2020 – 2030

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Assistant Director (Housing and Investment) replied as follows:

 

·         Information relating to the reasons for the change in tenure would be circulated to members;

·         Conversations and consultation would be ongoing with customers and stakeholders to ensure the strategy would continuously evolve.

 

Corporate Performance 2020/21 – Quarter 2

 

In response to Members’ questions, the Strategic Director (TP) replied as follows:

 

·         Officers would be asked to produce future reports with an additional column detailing the units used in each indicator;

·         In relation to rent arrears, an Arrears Action Recovery Plan was in place to ensure people were supported and claiming the benefits they were entitled to.

·         The SD would look into the seasonally adjusted recycling targets and provide details to Cllr S Mead.

 

Draft Housing Revenue Account Rent Setting and Budget Report 2021/22

 

Noted.

 

Urgent Part I Business

 

The Strategic Director (RP) gave an update on European Union Transition (Brexit). He advised that any updates on this matter would be brought to Members as soon as they were available.  The Council would be working with partners such as the Citizens Advice Bureau to keep residents in particular EU residents informed of the latest position.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: