Agenda item

Members received reports from Cabinet Members. There was an opportunity for members to ask questions of individual Cabinet Members about matters and issues affecting their portfolios.

 

Leader of the Council, Councillor Martin Tett

Members paid tribute to the work of the Leader, Chief Executive and Officers for their work in making the Helping Hand for Ukraine project such a success. The response was said to have been outstanding and the Council was an exemplar in its efforts to welcome refugees and support Ukraine.

 

The Leader thanked the officer team for their fantastic work, this included the Chief Executive who chaired weekly meetings with the Council’s important partners. Homes of those welcoming refugees were being fully inspected, relevant checks were undertaken, detailed welcome packs in English, Ukrainian and Russian had been made available, and refugees were being supported in accessing bank accounts, schooling and English language classes. Many of the Ukrainians already in Buckinghamshire were very keen on entering employment and links were made with Buckinghamshire Business First to liaise with local employers and support as best they can.

 

 

Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Peter Strachan

Councillor Strachan received questions on Wycombe bin collections and green waste charge and carbon reduction.

 

Members were advised that the collection routes had been revised to provide a more agile, efficient system. The new rounds would commence in May and those residents who would be affected had been informed. The Cabinet Member confirmed that residents would be made fully aware of green waste charges being introduced and agreed to report back to an individual Member around the legality of introducing charges within the Wycombe waste contract that was entered prior to the unitary authority coming in to being.

 

Councillor Strachan also invited a Member to contact him with any query relating to the last report of the IPCC and how this impacted Buckinghamshire.

 

 

Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Steve Bowles

Councillor A Hussain, Deputy Cabinet Member for Community Safety presented the report in Councillor Bowles absence and received questions on the voluntary sector grants member working group and the household support fund.

 

Councillor Hussain agreed that either he or Councillor Bowles would contact an individual Member to advise of the progress on the formation of the cross party voluntary sector grants member working group.

 

The Leader responded in relation to the household support fund explaining that a report would be presented to Cabinet, it was anticipated that the expected £2.4m would be received by the Council relatively quickly and would be of great support to residents in significant financial difficulty. The Leader was confident that all of these funds would be used by the set deadline of 30 September 2022.

 

 

 

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Clive Harriss

Councillor Harriss received questions and comments on the potential for a Bernwood to Oxfordshire cycleway, the Playing Pitch Strategy, Court Garden Leisure Centre, and trees planted in Buckingham.

 

The Cabinet Member advised that it remained an aspiration to have a cycleway running to Haddenham and Thame Parkway train station and engineers had been instructed to look at the best possible route so that the Council can speak to landowners and move it forward. There also needed to be agreement from Oxfordshire County Council due to the route going through the county.

 

It was confirmed that the Playing Pitch Strategy looked at the entirety of Buckinghamshire so where there were some areas short of football pitch provision, other areas were oversupplied. The Deputy Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure advised that there would be liaison with Aylesbury Town Council and cross party Members to agree the best way forward and the strategy would be shared as soon as available.

 

The Cabinet Member advised that he would look into the issue raised of ridges along the floor of the newly refurbished swimming pool at Court Garden and report back to the local Ward Member.

 

Councillor Harriss shared the disappointment of Members at tree vandalism in Buckingham and stated that where trees were lost, the Council would look to replace them and to take steps to address the vandalism.

 

 

 

Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, Councillor Anita Cranmer

Councillor Cranmer reported that the Council remained very involved with Ofsted and expected a further report on 29 April 2022 for which a series of Members briefings had been arranged. This report was in relation to a local area Ofsted care and quality inspection, which involved the Council and its partners. Councillor Cranmer received questions on secondary school provision in Burnham, CAMHS waiting lists, school inspection numbers, and home to school transport for Ukrainian children.

 

In relation to the possibility of a new non selective school in Burnham which did not discriminate against local children, Councillor Cranmer explained that the situation was out of the Councils hands as it was the Department for Education that had previously closed the school in Burnham, and they would not authorise the Council to open a school in the area due to insufficient numbers. The Council had plans but required funding to progress these in the future.

 

Councillor Cranmer invited an individual Member to follow up his question on CAMHS waiting lists following the meeting.

 

It was noted that school inspections were reported as having 17 published, although the breakdown of results did not total 17 within the written report, the Cabinet Member reported that more school inspections had taken place since the report and she would provide an up to date picture to interested Members.

 

The Cabinet Member emphasised that every Ukrainian child would get a place in school, with the best efforts being made to ensure the school was either the same as the host families children or geographically very close to where they were residing. If schools had to be opened in village halls or other locations this would be done. The transport issues were recognised as often hosts could not provide transport. At present the Council could not offer support where schools were far from host homes. Some areas were attempting to raise funds for community buses but they must be in possession of the appropriate licence.

 

 

 

Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources, Property and Assets, Councillor John Chilver

Councillor Chilver received questions and comments on the highways around Green Park Activity, Broom Hill engine shed, Grange Farm and apprenticeships.

 

The Cabinet Member advised that new accommodation blocks were long overdue at Green Park and the new blocks would provide excellent facilities for young people. Councillor Chilver agreed to speak with the tenants about students using safer routes when walking on the nearby roads in the interim and he would liaise with the appropriate teams in the Council around longer term plans.

 

The Cabinet Member spoke positively of the completion of the Broom Hill engine shed site and advised that there had been a good deal of interest and that he was confident good paying tenants would be found.

 

It was confirmed that Grange Farm was on the market through Carter Jonas to seek a new tenant who would bring the site into good order, if Members knew of any interested party they were invited to send details through to Councillor Chilver who would forward them on appropriately.

 

Councillor Chilver reassured Members that the Council would continue to support those wanting to get into work and education and spoke highly of the Kick Start scheme which had a good conversion rate to full time staff.

 

 

 

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Councillor Angela Macpherson

Local Members paid thanks to the Cabinet Member for co-ordination of agencies and managing the difficult situation in relation to the recent tragedy in Bourne End. Councillor A Macpherson thanked the officers for their work and advised that whilst the police investigation was ongoing the Council continued to work closely with all parties.

 

In response to a query about care homes receiving negative Care & Quality Commission reports, the Cabinet Member reassured Members that Adult Social Care took all reports of poor quality and safeguarding concerns in settings very seriously. Monthly surveillance meetings were held with all partners to address concerns including the Care & Quality Commission, and where required action plans were developed and if necessary the Council would discontinue placements of Council funded residents.

 

 

 

Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Regulatory Services, Councillor Nick Naylor

Councillor Naylor received questions on the previous injunction in Wycombe to protect green open spaces from Gypsy and Traveller incursions and social housing.

 

The Cabinet Member advised that there were no plans to re-enter the injunction in Wycombe at this time, however he would look into this and report back to the relevant Member.

 

Councillor Naylor confirmed that the Affordable Housing Position Statement would be presented to Cabinet on 10 May, and invited Members to send him queries they had on this matter.

 

 

 

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration, Councillor Gareth Williams

Councillor Williams placed on record his congratulations to the Planning Enforcement team who had the second best enforcement stats nationally outside of London. Significant improvements on staffing recruitment had been made, with people keen to join the Council. As a result, planning applications were being determined quicker. Consultants and agency staff would continue in contracts to keep supporting the Council getting through the backlog of applications. Good feedback on Member Surgeries had been received on strategic sites bringing members, developers and planning officers together and it was hoped these would be rolled out more widely across the county.

 

In response to questions raised, Councillor Williams advised that the planning service was looking at various methods of calculating housing need for the Local Plan and close working with MPs and others was ongoing to ensure the correct number for the area. The Cabinet Member also advised Members that they would have the opportunity to be involved with the oversight of the local plan. Member Briefings would be held more frequently as the plan progressed and it would be subject to scrutiny and oversight from the cross party Growth, Infrastructure and Housing Select Committee. There was a high level of engagement with the community and partners and the Council was committed to proper consultation on all potential site opportunities.

 

 

 

Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Steve Broadbent

Councillor Broadbent received questions on the A418 road, street lighting, and Network Rail underpasses.

 

The Cabinet Member sympathised with residents of Wing residing by the A418, which was a key part of the strategic road network designed to take significant HGV movements. Improvements to East West connectivity were being looked at which may alleviate the problem. England’s Economic Heartland had recently published their transport strategy and the Oxford to Milton Keynes route, included this corridor which could lead to improvements. At present however, there were no active plans or funding to deliver alternative routes around Wing.

 

Councillor Broadbent advised that work continued on the roll out of street lighting replacement columns and LED lighting and emphasised the importance of illuminating highways and where in place, bollards. 

 

Members were invited to contact the Cabinet Member if they were aware of underpasses that were the responsibility of Network Rail that were being left unmaintained, so that he could make appropriate representations to Network Rail.