Meeting documents

Venue: Large & Small Committee Room, King George V House, King George V Road, Amersham

Contact: Mat Bloxham  01494 732143; Email: mbloxham@chiltern.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

21.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 69 KB

To sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2017.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 5 September 2017 were agreed as a correct record and were signed by the Chairman.

 

22.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Councillor Mrs M Harker declared a personal interest in the Chiltern Pools item.  Nature of interest - Councillor Mrs Harker was a member of the Amersham Action Group. 

 

 

23.

28 Day Notice pdf icon PDF 33 KB

Minutes:

Clarification was requested regarding the Exemption to Contracts Procedure Rules to the Leisure Consultants and Housing Allocations items.  It was noted that the Affordable Housing Contributions item would be discussed at the Services meeting on 31 January 2018.

 

The Committee considered the 28 day forward plan and decided that there

were no additional items to be added at this time.

 

RESOLVED

 

To note the 28 day Notice for Cabinet and the Joint Committee.

24.

Energy Awareness Update Presentation by Chiltern CAB

To receive a presentation on energy awareness from Jennifer Allott, Manager, and Kate Hallatt, Energy Project Worker from the Chiltern Citizens Advice Bureau.

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed Jennifer Allott (Chief Officer of Chiltern CAB) and Kate Hallatt (Energy Project Worker) from the Citizens Advice Bureau to the meeting.

 

The Committee were reminded that in 2007 the CAB were advised to look for additional sources of funding and not to rely on the grant from CDC only.  Now only 50% of funding comes from CDC and their finances are more robust and they have been able to expand the services offered.  Energy advice has been identified as being particularly important for young families, the elderly and residents in rural areas.  Fuel poverty in Chiltern is significant in some areas, for example, Ridgeway for homes with children is 20% but the overall statistics mask these pockets.

 

Kate Hallatt described her outreach work, talking to groups with young children and the elderly.  They also offer 45 minute appointments for a full audit of energy efficiency, finding the best deals from energy companies and grants or benefits available to households.

 

Fuel poverty is defined as households that have to spend 10% or more of their income on heating.  For Newtown in Chesham that is 13% of households.  Improving insulation is the first action to consider but this is often difficult in rented accommodation if the landlords are not agreeable.

 

Big savings can be made if people are prepared to shop around.  Although there are about 6 large energy suppliers, the market has grown and there are about 60 companies in total.  The average savings made following a switch is £308 but the price tariff needs to be reviewed again in the following 6 to 12 months. The CAB has a comparison website www.energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk which includes a customer service rating.  Martin Lewis (not Ofgem accredited) also has a useful email club that reminds consumers when it is time to review their tariff.

 

The CAB can help vulnerable groups get onto the Priority Services Register with their supplier, this gives additional support to disabled, chronically sick and pensioners.  They can also help them apply for the £140 Warm Home Discount which is means tested.  Advice is given on any arrears and meter issues.

 

It was asked whether statistics were kept of the number of people they were able to directly help.  It was advised that there were for the 45 minute audits but through groups, they relied on people being prepared to complete their questionnaires to evidence their impact.  It was asked if there were house visits for housebound elderly but unfortunately there was no longer funding for this.  Councillors offered to use their contacts with community groups to spread their outreach which was welcomed.  Also contact with the Parishes and Town Councils.  It was noted that there was currently a 2 week waiting list for fuel audits.

 

The Chairman thanked the CAB for their presentation and for the work they were doing. 

 

Councillor L Walsh reminded the meeting that there would be a further presentation by the CAB to Full Council on 9 January 2018.

 

 

25.

Chiltern Pools Update pdf icon PDF 264 KB

Minutes:

Following the public consultation in January 2017, it was reported that 80% of residents were supportive of developing a new replacement leisure/community for Chiltern Pools. .  Following this further consultation was undertaken focusing on Amersham and a land swap between Amersham Town Council (a small section of King George V Field) and Chiltern District Council (Green on Woodside Close).

 

As well as council staff visiting residents directly living in close proximity to King George V Field, the land swap proposal was promoted in the Amersham Town Council newsletter and through consultation with key stake holders including Lindfield Nursery, Amersham Swimming Club, Amersham U3A and Amersham Community Association. The Council also held two exhibition evenings at King George V House where members of the public could meet Members and Officers to talk through the project.    The consultation process attracted 509 completed questionnaires with 70% of respondents supportive of the land swap.

 

The new centre’s design team were in the process of being appointed through the Bloom procurement framework to take the project to the pre-planning application stage. To date the project manager has been appointed (Appleyard and Trew) with the architect, civil & structural engineer and mechanical & electrical engineer scheduled to be appointed in early December 2017. 

 

The current operator contract with GLL comes to end in April 2020.  Given that there is no legal scope to extend the current contract the procurement process to appoint the next operator needs to commence as soon as possible. The first step in this process is to appoint a specialist consultant to advise on the appointment process and the development of a new contract. This approach will enable the new operator to have an input into the interior design and fixtures & fittings of the new facility as well as a long term requirement to invest in the centres successful operation. 

 

It was asked if advice had been taken on developing an effective business analysis of the new centre. It was confirmed that a business feasibility study had been completed and this had been further tested by a latent demand analysis and an existing leisure operator forecasting potential profit levels. 

 

RESOLVED

 

To note the progress made on the Chiltern Pools project.