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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY
(COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY 28 MARCH 2006
PRESENT: Mr C J Hunt – Chairman
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Mr D G Grutchfield |
Mr J W Roberts |
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Mr B D Hurren |
Mr J R A Sayers |
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Mr R E Kemp |
Mr D L Wood |
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Mr J A B Long |
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Mr K Grimsey was unable to be present at the meeting.
63 DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS
Mr R E Kemp declared a personal interest in Item 8 of the Agenda, the Children Act 2004 – Safeguarding Policy (see Minute 69 below) by virtue of his membership of Suffolk County Council, but indicated that his interest was such that he was able to speak and vote on the matter concerned.
64 MINUTES
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 February 2006 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
65 PETITIONS
None received.
66 QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS
None received.
67 WESTERN SUFFOLK LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP (WSLSP) AND COMMUNITY STRATEGY
Mr David Wood, the WSLSP Manager, presented a report (Paper E300) by Mr C M Spence, Babergh’s representative on the WSLSP Board, updating Members on the impact and progress of the Western Suffolk LSP and the Community Strategy.
Mr Wood outlined the work of the Partnership. In the ensuing discussion the following were among the points noted:
- The Suffolk Development Agency had received a grant of £2.7m from the East of England Development Agency and the WSLSP was currently considering the bids it might submit for use of some of the grant. Projects being considered by the Development Agency included ones relating to education, improving skills, a children’s centre in Suffolk and a learning centre.
- The funds to be received by the WSLSP from Central Government as a result of the Local Area Agreement would be £209,000. In addition, later in 2006 the WSLSP would receive £519,000 from the Performance Reward Grant. The WSLSP was currently encouraging partners such as the Suffolk Association of Local Councils and the West Suffolk Volunteer Organisation to suggest how those funds might be used.
- The WSLSP was considering how it might help to improve community transport, with particular emphasis on evening transport into Bury St Edmunds for young people.
- With regard to the accountability of the WSLSP, it was noted that the Partnership was in the process of setting up a Performance Management system. It had also been making efforts to ensure that the public were aware of the work done by the WSLSP. This had included articles in the St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath residents’ magazines. So far it had not proved feasible to include an item about the WSLSP in “Babergh Matters!”
- The WSLSP was aware of a number of small areas of deprivation in West Suffolk. It was considering ways of tackling the problem, such as a project relating to vocational training, the establishment of a Credit Union and schemes to reduce health inequalities.
Mr Wood was thanked for attending the meeting and presenting the report. It was agreed to request a further report on the WSLSP in 6 months’ time.
RESOLVED:
(1) That the report of the Western Suffolk Local Strategic Partnership as set out in Paper E300 be noted.
(2) That officers be requested to try to work with Mr Wood to publicise the achievements of the Partnership.
68 THE QUAY THEATRE, SUDBURY
The Head of Leisure and Community Services presented a report (Paper E307) detailing the progress in the first year of a three-year funding agreement for the Quay Theatre.
The Theatre’s Manager, Mr R Benton, and the Arts and Community Development Officer, Mrs Susie Tyrrell, were also in attendance to answer Members’ questions.
The following were among the points noted:
- The Theatre operated on sound financial principles. Grant incomes were approximately equal to wage costs and the aim was to end each financial year in credit. It appeared that for 2005/06 this aim would be achieved by a small margin.
- The Theatre provided a number of opportunities for young people. It ran two drama summer schools and new projects involving young people were being considered, such as drama classes, classes in film-making and film technology and a theatre critic project. The forthcoming production at the Quay would be one by the First Call Theatre Group whose cast and director were all under the age of 20.
- Members accepted the recommendation that the next formal report on the Quay Theatre be presented in Summer 2007. Mr Benton submitted more regular reports to the Theatre’s Directors and he offered to circulate the November 2006 report to Committee Members. This proposal was accepted. It was suggested that for the purpose of comparison in the next formal report to the Committee figures should be included for the year 2004/05 as well as for the years 2005/06 and 2006/07.
Mr Benton was thanked for his attendance.
RESOLVED
(1)That the report on the Quay Theatre as set out in Paper E307 be noted.
(2)That a further report be presented to the Committee in Summer 2007.
69 THE CHILDREN ACT 2004 – SAFEGUARDING POLICY
The Head of Leisure and Community Services presented a report (Paper E308), seeking approval for a safeguarding policy for young people across the Council’s services.
It was noted that Members would be given training on the new safeguarding policy, and that the cost of the training could be funded from the existing corporate training budget.
It was noted that the Record of Concern would be treated as a confidential document and therefore would be exempt from the Freedom of Information legislation. A Member submitting a Record of Concern might not necessarily receive any feedback about action taken as a result of it. It was noted that the Record of Concern did not give details of the address to which it should be sent.
RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE
That the Safeguarding Policy attached as Appendix 1 to Paper E308 be approved, subject to the inclusion of details as to where to send the Record of Concern.
70 ANNUAL REPORT OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE
The Acting Head of Legal and Administrative Services submitted a report (Paper E309), advising that in accordance with the Constitution, the Committee must report annually to Council on its work during the previous year and make recommendations for future programmes and, if appropriate, amended working methods. In the ensuing discussion the following were among the points noted:
- In relation to Appendix 2, it was noted that the draft Work Plan for 2006/07 would need to be amended as it had now been agreed that the Annual Report of the Quay Theatre would be considered in July or August (not March) 2007.
- In relation to Appendix 3, it was agreed that a review of the new Bus Pass Scheme should be undertaken and that a joint Working Group should be established to carry out a review of the call-in process.
- It was agreed that a review should be carried out into Babergh’s role in promoting energy efficiency, in its capacity as a planning authority, a consumer of energy and a property owner and landlord. A Planning Assessment Sheet on these issues would be prepared for the meeting of the Committee scheduled to be held on 30 May 2006.
RESOLVED
(1)That the Acting Head of Legal and Administrative Services, in consultation with the Committee Chairman, complete the Committee’s Annual Report for submission to the next meeting of Council based upon Paper E309 and the views expressed at the meeting.
(2)That a Working Group be established to carry out a review of the call-in process and to report to the meeting of the Committee scheduled for 25 July 2006.
(3)That the Working Group referred to in resolution 2 above should consist of two Members of the Overview and Scrutiny (Stewardship) Committee and two Members of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee. Further, that the Committee’s representatives on the group should be Mr D G Grutchfield and Mr C J Hunt (with Mr J R A Sayers as substitute).
71 2004/05 NATIONAL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR COMPARISONS
The Corporate Support Manager submitted a report (Paper E310), setting out the Council’s performance and position in relation to the Audit Commission’s figures on performance indicators for English Authorities in 2004/05.
In the ensuing discussion the following points were noted.
- The Committee was pleased to note that the Council had been awarded Beacon status in relation to its BeActive sports programme and the county-wide waste collection programme.
- Member’s attention was drawn to the table in paragraph 4.3 which showed there had been a continuous improvement in performance since the period 2002/03.
- Paragraph 4.11 of Paper E310 highlighted areas where Babergh was estimated to be in the bottom quartile of 2006/07. Members considered in particular those BVPIs which came within the remit of the Community Services Committee.
- Officers were asked to bring forward further information concerning BVPIs on planning, street cleaning and contaminated sites. In relation to the latter, the Committee requested a list of contaminated sites in Babergh with an indication as to whether or not they were owned by the District Council.
- Members agreed that in some cases it would be more meaningful to receive information in figures as well as in percentages and Officers were asked to bear this in mind when drafting their reports.
- Officers were also asked to investigate how Babergh’s performance compared with similar and/or neighbouring authorities.
- It was agreed to seek further information about what action was being taken in relation to BVPI 179 concerning standard searches carried out within 10 working days.
RESOLVED
(1)That the 2004/05 National Performance Indicator comparisons as set out in Paper E310 be noted.
(2)That further information regarding Babergh’s performance in relation to planning, street cleaning and contaminated sites be brought before the Committee.
72 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT - QUARTERLY REPORT
The Corporate Support Manager submitted a report (Paper E311), setting out figures for the Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) and Local Performance Indicators (LPIs) for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2005.
It was noted that 83 of the BVPIs and LPIs were the responsibility of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee. Thirteen of these were new PIs which did not have targets. Of the remaining 70 PIs, 12 were currently not on target and these were shown in tables 1 and 2 of Paper E311.
RESOLVED
That the figures for the Best Value Performance Indicators and Local Performance Indicators for the period 1 April to 31 December 2005 as set out in Paper E311 be noted.
NOTE:
The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 11.00am and 11.20am.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 1.10pm
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Chairman
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