Agenda item
Minutes:
The following topics were raised:-
Leader
The Leader provided an update on the Ukrainian refuge crisis and reported that 2500 Buckinghamshire residents had indicated that they were willing to accommodate refugees. He thanked all the residents for their phenomenal response which was the second highest in the Country. The Council was responsible for checking the suitability of accommodation to see if it was fit for purpose and DBS checks would also need to be undertaken with regard to safeguarding issues for women and children. This was a very resource intensive piece of work and officers were working hard on undertaking checks required by law to enable the families to be placed as soon as possible.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/how-we-are-supporting-the-afghan-crisis/
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing
The Department of Health and Social Care have published guidance on ‘Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund’. This was a result of the White Paper Putting People at the Heart of Care and how authorities calculate market sustainability plans. Some funding had been passported but it was inadequate and therefore she was responding to the consultation on this point.
With regard to the Queens Platinum Jubilee the Council had launched a toolkit which would be issued through Adult Social Care settings and care homes which provided creative ideas on how to celebrate the Jubilee e.g wildflowing planting in care homes and this would be circulated to Members, schools and Parish Councils.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-and-safety/the-queens-platinum-jubilee/
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration
The Cabinet Member thanked everyone who had taken part in the questionnaire survey of the Local Plan; of which 3439 responses had been received on the discovery and exploration phase. There was also the Brownfield Call for sites where 275 submissions had been made between 16 February and 6 April 2021 which would be space for 4,900 homes. The Council needed 54,000 new homes so therefore it would be helpful to find further brownfield sites in the area. A second call for sites started in December and the Council have had another 47 sites put forward.
Cabinet Member for Transport
The consultation for Moving Traffic Offences would end on 4 April 2022 and further comments were welcomed.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/news/views-invited-on-new-traffic-offences-enforcement-powers/
Cabinet Member for Communities
The Household Support Grant of £2.4 million had now been fully committed through a number of channels such as holiday food, voluntary sector funding, community support scheme and the Helping Hand Grants Scheme administered through the Heart of Bucks. The Council were waiting for the Spring Statement which they were hoping would refer to the doubling of the Household Support Grant of £500 million being available.
For the Easter holiday each eligible pupil, who receive free school meals, early years pupil premium or two year old free funded education place should receive a £60 digital food voucher via their schools or early years settings and this additional funding represented the increase in energy and fuel costs. The Leader referred to the Spring statement and the two initiatives one funding available for those not on the £150 rebate on council tax e.g those who were perhaps in a larger house but income poor and also people in Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and it was good to see that the Government had given the Council some flexibility about these two areas. The Council were hoping to get an extra £2million for the Household Support Grant and no guidance had been issued yet on how it was to be dispensed but it was hoped that this could be used for the Helping Hands Programme which had made an excellent job of supporting those most in need. There were lots of people in Buckinghamshire who were struggling particularly in areas of depravation.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/housing-and-benefits/support-with-food-bills-and-finances/
Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services
The Cabinet Member referred to two White Papers; ‘Opportunity for All’ and the SEND review ‘Right Support Right Place Right Time’. The first White Paper referred to lengthening of the school day and extra tuition including the academisation of all schools and these proposals were being considered by the Council. The second White Paper was being considered which provided some additional funding. The implications of this on the Council would be submitted in a future report.
Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure
The Cabinet Member referred to the delay of the skate park in Buckingham which was due to the Environment Agency carrying out a study into flooding as it was near a flood plain. He also commented that museums and galleries were opening up and there was an exciting programme of summer events.
https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/culture-and-tourism/museums-and-galleries/