Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 February 2016 and the Extraordinary Cabinet meeting held on 7 April 2016.

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 February 2016 and the Extraordinary Cabinet meeting held on 7 April 2016 were agreed as correct.

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

Councillor Williams

Cabinet considered a report on a recommendation from the Audit Committee following a review of the Corporate Risk Register.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the Corporate Risk Register as submitted.

Reason for the decision:

Cabinet noted that the Corporate Risk Register accurately reflects the high level risks affecting the Council as well as the progress made on actions previously proposed by the Audit committee.

Councillor Mitchell

Cabinet considered a report on a review of waste services and vehicle procurement.

RESOLVED to:

Approve changes to the weekly collection of food waste, textiles & small waste electrical items (WEEE) from April 2017.

Authorise the Head of Streetscene to extend the leases on existing waste and street cleansing vehicles and the depot workshop, to coincide with implementation of the changes to the waste service in 2017.

Authorise the Head of Streetscene to go out to tender to lease waste and cleansing vehicles for a period of 3 and 6 years.

Authorise the Head of Streetscene to go out to tender for the capital purchase of food waste vehicles (subject to full Council approval).

Delegate the selection of the shortlist of tenderers and the selection of the contractor to the Head of Streetscene in consultation with the portfolio holder for both the lease and capital purchases.

*RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND that Council agrees the capital spend of £255k as detailed in 2.1(d) of the report.

Reason for the decision:

Cabinet noted that the lease on the depot workshop and current fleet of street cleansing and waste vehicles is due to expire in September 2016.  In preparation for this, the Waste Services Group has researched opportunities to deliver a more effective, adaptable and efficient waste collection service.

Councillor Attewell

Cabinet considered a report on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2016-2019.

RESOLVED to:

·         Adopt the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2016-2019.

·         Report to Cabinet annually with an update on the action plan.

Reason for the decision:

Cabinet noted that:

·         The Council has a key role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of its residents.

·         Promoting sport and physical activity is one of the Council’s core functions and that the action plan doesn’t mention absolutely everything we do. The plan focuses on areas for more development in 2016-17, which will be reviewed annually. 

Councillor Harvey

Cabinet considered a report on a review of the Constitution.

RESOLVED that Cabinet agrees changes to the delegations of all executive functions.

*RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND that Council:

·         Approves the proposed changes to non-executive functions.

·         Approves the revised Constitution subject to:

Ø  Amendments to the Planning Code (Part 5d).

Ø  To include word ‘material’ before every reference to ‘planning reasons’, and

Ø  To include a new paragraph 20 (i) which reads:

Ø  “Where the councillor who ‘called in’ an application is a member of the Planning Committee, that councillor will be given three minutes to speak following the public speakers and may then speak again as a member of the Committee during its debate on the item.”

Ø  Corrections to typographical and consistency errors throughout the document.

·         Agrees to delegate to the Monitoring Officer consequential changes to the Scheme of Delegations to Officers (part 3d) following the appointments of Group Heads.

Councillor Barnard

Cabinet considered a report on an amendment to the Pay Policy Statement for 2016-2017.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND that Council agrees the amendment to the Pay Policy Statement for 2016-17.

Reason for the decision:

Cabinet noted that there had been changes to the salaries and remuneration arrangements following the recent restructure changes to senior management.

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

In addition to the latest service updates from various Council departments (see below), the Leader made the following announcements:

·         We had a visit from Her Majesty the Queen’s Lord Lieutenant, Mr. Michael More-Molyneux, on 26 April 2016 which went extremely well. We took him on a tour of the Borough which included the Walled Garden, the London Irish development, and Shepperton Studios.

·         We also hosted two Landlords Forum on the 27 April 2016 which went very well.

The Council has claimed back £108,321 in housing benefit fraudulently claimed over a period of 23 years.

The number of households in emergency (B&B) homeless accommodation peaked in August 2015 with 108 households. This has since been reduced to a total of 73 at the end of February 2016 thanks largely to the increased availability of new developments such as Dyas Road in Sunbury-on-Thames and Stonegate Court in Staines-upon-Thames which collectively delivered an extra 57 units. The reduction in B&B placements has enabled the Council to save approximately £120K. 

Local families were entertained with a Punch and Judy show, juggling and balloon modelling at the formal launch of the natural play area in Orchard Meadow in Sunbury-on-Thames on Wednesday 12 April. Designed for the under 11s, the play area is made using natural wood materials and includes a range of equipment including climbing logs, balance structures and play boulders.

Young people took part in free skate and scooter sessions in Stanwell on Thursday 7 April to celebrate the official opening of the new skate park in Long Lane Recreation Ground. The new park includes a variety of ramps and slopes which are designed for BMX bikes, skateboards and scooters.

The Environment team took part in the Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ initiative and received £8000 to help make improvements to the Commercial Road allotments in Staines-upon-Thames.

Electoral Services and Communications are continuing to raise awareness of the PCC and by-elections which are taking place on 5 May.

The Greeno Centre in Shepperton and Fordbridge Centre in Ashford held open days on the weekend of 2 and 3 April to give local residents the opportunity to have a look round the centres and see the facilities and activities on offer.

Environmental Health and Communications have been working together to inform residents about changes in the law which require dogs to be microchipped.

Leisure Services held an award ceremony on 17 March for schools which took part in the WW1 poetry competition. The winning poems were written by Maddalena Pizzingrilli from Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School and Dalvina Kooner from Thomas Knyvett College. All the poems were displayed at Spelthorne Museum over the Easter school holidays and have also been published in a book.

Businesses in Staines-upon-Thames are being asked to support the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID) to raise money for new initiatives which could help boost trade and raise the profile of the town. The BID would be funded by the businesses and cost between  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2262.

Councillors are requested to identify any issues to be considered at future meetings.

There were none.

To consider any items which the Chairman considers as urgent.

There were none.