Agenda item

Cabinet Members introduced their reports. There was then an opportunity for Members to ask questions of individual Cabinet Members about matters and issues affecting their portfolios:

Leader of the Council, Councillor Tett

The Leader updated Members on the position with refugees from Afghanistan.  Buckinghamshire had made an initial offer to the Government to support 10 families, with an aspiration to support 30 families.

 

(i)                  Afghan Refugees – the Member was supportive of the Leader and the Council’s efforts to support refugees. A request was made to reach out to local Members and communities (e.g. mosques) who might be able to assist with further support.  Members were informed to contact the ‘Helping Hand’ service on the website if they could provide support and that clothes collections were not required at the moment.  Donations of money were encouraged from those able so that cultural sensitive clothing and household goods could be purchased for refugees.

 

Members were also informed of the processes that were being put in place to welcome refugees and to make them feel a part of the Buckinghamshire community.

 

(ii)                Support for Refugees – the Member thanked the Council for the efforts and support being put in place for refugees.

 

(iii)              20 mph Speed Limits – Members were informed that the Leader was supportive of effective action being taken that would reduce speed limits where this was deemed appropriate. People also had a responsibility to ensure that they observed these limits when driving. It was also highlighted that a key issue was enforcement, that was a police responsibility.

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health and WellBeing, Councillor A Macpherson

Councillor A Macpherson highlighted the recent Government announcement on new plans for adult and social care.  A new levy and additional funding for local Government would assist with delivering much needed reform to social care. The Council was working to unpick and understand all of the details of the proposals. The Cabinet Member also highlighted the information in her report relating to adult safeguarding.

 

(i)                  Short Break Service and Respite Care – The Cabinet Member confirmed the importance of re-looking at day care and respite care options, particularly due to changes (as well as demand issues) that needed to be addressed due to the pandemic and other factors. The Cabinet Member gave an assurance to write to the Member with details of a review timetable and when Members would be involved.

 

(ii)                Buckinghamshire Autism Strategy Plan – Members were informed that work was being done on the strategy, which was an all age strategy, and that diagnosis and referrals were the responsibility of NHS partners. The Cabinet Member would welcome questions such as that raised by the Member being submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board. The Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services also commented on assistance provided for young people with autism.  In total, 24 young people with autism were being home schooled. There were 6 specialist schools across the County that catered specifically for autistic children.  It was also confirmed that pathways into assistance were the responsibility of the NHS.

 

Members were informed that a full range of stakeholders were being consulted in putting together the Strategy Plan.

 

(iii)              Safeguarding Campaign – Members were provided with information on measure that were being taken to widely communicate the campaign, including through Members, Town and Parish Councils and Community Boards.  A wealth of material was also available on the Council’s website, including how to report safeguarding issues (which could be done anonymously).

 

(iv)              Services for Adults with a disability – Members were informed that sufficient budget existed to deal with referrals and assessments when children with a disability moved to be managed by adult services.  Efforts were made to ensure that this transition process happened as seamlessly as possible.  Budget also existed to fund care packages.

 

(v)                Care Homes –  Members were informed that the Government had mandated that all people / carers who worked in care homes (including young persons) from 11 November 2021 had to be Covid vaccinated.  The Cabinet Member confirmed that the Council did monitor the percentage of Care Home staff that had been vaccinated, which currently stood at around 85% for Buckinghamshire.  The Council had identified the risk of some staff leaving the care sector due to the above reasons as part of planning for the winter period.

 

(vi)              Elderly Residents – the Member thanked the Cabinet Member and her team for the assistance recently provided to 2 elderly residents.

 

(vii)            Social Care staffing / Food Poverty – Members were provided with an update.  Recruitment of staff to both children’s and adult social care continued to be challenging and difficult. Details of the recruitment strategy were provided.  If necessary, the Council would employ agency staff to fill vacancies to ensure vital services were provided. Adult Services currently had a permanent staffing number of 60% and this was boosted by agency staff to 72%.

 

Members were informed by the Cabinet Member for Communities that the Council was currently running a food bank pilot in High Wycombe. The Council had also been provided with £2.5m funding to assist vulnerable families, which included for initiatives such as a hot foods programme to vulnerable families.

 

(viii)          Adult Social Care Precept for 2021-22 – the Cabinet Member responded to a question on why the Council had resolved to increase this precept by 2% for 2021-22 rather than the maximum 3% that was permitted. Members were informed the Council was always looking at ways to fund the pressures on the budget due to demand and complexity.

 

(ix)              Safeguarding Campaign – The Cabinet Member informed Members that materials were available to assist them in communicating more widely to the community about the Safeguarding Campaign.

 

(x)                Young Persons Mental Health – Members were informed on the range of services and initiatives that were available to support young persons who might have mental health issues. Work was ongoing to ensure that young people were aware how to access these services.

Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Strachan

Councillor Strachan informed Members that the Council had been successful with the bid for over £200k from the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LAFT) to support tree planting in non-forest locations.

 

(i)                  Grant Funding (Stoke Brook) – the Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to write to the Member on Government grant funding received that could support flood alleviation work for the Stoke brook in his Ward.  

 

(ii)                Green Recovery Challenge Fund – the Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to write to the Member on what allocation the Council had received from this fund and, if so, what projects the money would fund.

 

(iii)              Environmental Sustainability – the Cabinet Member stated that he would be happy to speak to the Member regarding what might be achieved, perhaps through a competition, to identify low cost environmental and sustainable initiatives.

 

(iv)              Climate Change Strategy – Members were informed that it was always the intention for the Council to adopt the Strategy, which would be done later this year, and having an eye on what might come out of 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26).  An undertaking was also given to write to the Member on what was been done for the management of mature trees on Council land.

 

(v)                Laser Co-operative – The Cabinet Member asked the Member to write to him with details of the Laser Co-operative and the wish of Town/Parish Councils wish for providers to it to be more green and ethical suppliers, so that he could refer the question to Officers.

 

(vi)              Food Waste Collections, Wycombe area – Members were informed that any food waste collected did not go to landfill and was burnt at the Energy from Waste plant, along with non-recyclable waste.  An update was also provided on household waste collections, which continued to be impacted by the lack of HGV drivers.  Unlike some neighbouring authorities, the Council had not temporarily suspended collecting green waste. 

 

(vii)            Flood mobile team event – the Cabinet Member was thanked for a recent event held in Wycombe.  It was requested that Buckingham be prioritised for the next event.

 

(viii)          Garden Waste, Wycombe – the Cabinet Member stated that he was aware that residents were not charged for the garden waste collection service in Wycombe, which differed to some other parts of the Council area.  Future arrangements were being reviewed and discussed.

 

(ix)              Climate Change – Members were informed of the work that was being undertaken by the Council in response to climate change, including to adopt a Strategy which would contain properly costed actions that could be taken.

 

(x)                Electric Vehicle Car Sharing Scheme (Zero Carbon, Haddenham) – the Cabinet Member stated that he was supportive of this and similarly aimed schemes.

 

(xi)              Section 19 Flood Reviews – the Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to write to the Member in regards to Section 19 Flood Reviews undertaken for the Buckingham area.

 

(xii)            HS2 losing bentonite – the Cabinet Member for Transport informed Members that he had written to HS2 to express concerns over the loss of vast amounts of bentonite in an aquifer where construction works were being carried out north of Chalfont St Peter.  He had also asked for re-assurances and safeguards for future work so this did not happen again.

 

(xiii)          Greatmoor Energy from Waste facility – the Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to write to the Member with further information on the operation and running of the incinerator, including expected life of the incinerator.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Harriss

The Cabinet Member welcomed the easing of restrictions for the leisure industry, which was allowing people to return to theatres and cinemas and helped to boost the local economy.

 

(i)                  Youth Club, 1^st floor, Wycombe Library – The Cabinet Member welcomed the news of youth activities taking place at Wycombe Library, and stated he would be happy to visit in the future.

 

(ii)                Queens Park Arts Centre (QPAC), Aylesbury – The Cabinet Member gave an undertaking for the Council include publicity on the QPAC in the future when promoting local theatres , and accepted an invitation to attend the Centre in the near future.

 

(iii)              Chiltern Lifestyles Centre  – Members were informed that following the works the Centre was due to be completed by the end of October, and opened to the public in early November.  Details of the official opening ceremony were yet to be finalised and were dependent on the availability of key guests.  The Cabinet Member was also confident that robust arrangements were in place to manage the outsourced leisure contract for the Centre.

 

(iv)              Mentmore Towers – the Cabinet Member would come back to the Member on what powers the Council might have to force the owner of this building to maintain it.

 

(v)                Events in Buckingham – The Cabinet Members stated he would be happy to accept the invitation to attend events in Buckingham in the future.

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

Members were informed of two matters:

·                               Local Heritage List Campaign– the Council was one of 22 areas in the country participating in a MHCLG pilot scheme, which was now live, to identify non-designated local heritage assets (buildings, monuments, sites, places, areas or landscapes which had been identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of their heritage interest), but must include buildings. Members of the public were encouraged to identify assets they believed should be added to the list.

·                               Design Code pilot – the Council was one of 14 local planning authorities in England selected by the MHCLG to apply the new National Model Design Code (NMDC) to their areas in a six-month testing programme. The code would give local planning authorities a toolkit of design principles to consider for new developments, such as street character, building type and façade. It also features environmental, heritage and wellbeing factors. It would also help place shape for the new Buckinghamshire Local Plan.

 

(i)                  Planning and Enforcement Teams Recruitment – Members were provided with an update on the recruitment of staff to these teams.

 

(ii)                Planning Committee Site Visits – The Cabinet Member confirmed that the latest guidance for Planning Committee Site Visits was that visits should be for Members of the relevant Planning Committee only, and not include the attendance of local Members. Inviting local members could be viewed as permitting advocacy during a site visit, and so by not inviting local members, committee members would be protected against accusations of impropriety.

 

(iii)              Retrospective Planning – the Cabinet Member was requested to lobby the Government about the large number of cynical retrospective planning applications that the Council was receiving and had to deal with.

 

(iv)              Footpaths – The Cabinet Member encouraged the Member to contact him and/or the Cabinet Member for Transport, in addition to the relevant Council Officers, if he had particular local issues such as developers close footpaths for prolonged period of time on safe routes to schools.

 

(v)                Local Heritage List Campaign – Members were informed that they were able to nominate non-designated local heritage assets onto the portal, which might include cemeteries, but these would then need to be checked by the team of Heritage Officers before being confirmed and put onto the local heritage list.

 

(vi)              Time taken to determine planning applications – Members were informed that 42% additional planning applications had been submitted for the last quarter, compared to the previous period.  However, he was confident that the planning team was working to process applications, including any backlogs, as soon as was possible.  82% of all applications had been determined during the last quarter.  An update was also provided on enforcement and enforcement notices issued.

 

(vii)            Neighbourhood Plans – Members were informed that the Cabinet Member would ask Officers to look at ways that further assistance / training might be provided to Town and Parish Councils on Neighbourhood Plans and the planning process.

 

(viii)          Permitted Development Rights – Members were informed that the Buckinghamshire Local Plan would be put together between now and 2025.  Members were also informed that the Council was looking at making use of Article 4 notices to protect local high streets from permitted development rights applications looking to change the use of premises from office to residential.

 

(ix)              Speculative Development – Members were informed that it was hoped that having an adopted VALP, as well as implementing a back office process called RIPA (Reducing Invalid Planning Applications), would deter the number of speculative development applications being received and enable Officers to concentrate on valid planning applications.

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

The Cabinet Member drew Members attention to the Housing Section of his report.

 

(i)                  Homelessness – Members were informed that Government funding for the ‘Everyone In’ programme had ceased and there was not a replacement.  The Cabinet Member gave an undertaking to provide the Members with information on further work that was being done with third party organisations to mitigate homeless risks and, if possible, with data on what had happened to the 250 people who had been resettled into temporary accommodation during the pandemic.

 

The Cabinet Member also responded to a question about the use of Mentmore Towers being brought back into use as accommodation for the homeless.

 

(ii)                Accommodation for Prison Leavers – Members were informed that the Council had been successful earlier this year in obtaining funding from MHCLG to support an ex-offenders accommodation scheme.  Funding had also been received for 2 support Officers.  Further details were provided of the work being undertaken by this team.

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

The Cabinet Member informed Members the friends of Wycombe Wanderers had joined with the Council to provide support to a number of initiatives and provide assistance to children in care.  An update was also provided on Bucks Adult Learning, which included the provision of apprenticeship schemes.

 

(i)                  11 Plus Examinations – the Member thanked the Director of Children’s Services and his staff for assistance with some difficult case work over the summer period.  The Cabinet Member informed Members that she was confident the 11+ examination process was being administered to a very high standard.  The Department for Education had yet to release this year’s results to the Council and this information would be shared with Members in due course.

 

(ii)                Rollout of Covid vaccinations for 12-15 year olds – Members were informed that the rollout date would be announced by the Government in due course but plans had been put in place to proceed as soon as was possible if the programme was to go ahead.  All vaccination programmes would be done at schools and in school time and be administered by the CCG with trained staff.  Parental permission would be required for vaccinations of under 16s although children could go against their parents’ wishes.  

 

(iii)              Narrowing education gaps – Members were informed that schools were encouraged to get the best from each individual child to help them reach their potential.  As such, the focus was on cohesion rather than separation so a detailed analysis of pupil data e.g. on ethnicity, gender and other key variables was not undertaken.

 

(iv)              Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children – Members were informed that this was a matter for central Government and, as such, the Council was usually reactive rather than proactive to issues.  A brief summary was provided on how the Council managed unaccompanied asylum seeking children who came to Buckinghamshire.

 

(v)                Role of the Virtual School Head – The Cabinet Member agreed that children’s wellbeing and mental health had suffered due to the pandemic.  Members were provided with a detailed response on the many support initiatives that were now being delivered, mainly in school settings, and also now included mental health training / wellbeing information for School Heads.

 

(vi)              Educational Psychology Team – The Cabinet Member informed Members that she was supportive of clinical support provision being provided on a wider basis to senior and middle leaders in education settings.  She hoped that schools would be honest in requesting the level of support they might need.

 

(vii)            Benjamin UK Homes – The Cabinet Member stated that she was happy to work with the Member, outside of the meeting, to address the issues raised about Benjamin UK Homes in his Ward.   

 

Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Bowles

 

(i)                  Governance - Aylesbury Garden Town – it was asked how many informal/ other groups had been set up to advise the Cabinet Member on matters relating to Aylesbury Garden Town, who sat on these groups, and were they politically balanced. Members were advised that Aylesbury Garden Town was part of Councillor William’s portfolio and to follow up with him in relation to Aylesbury Garden Town and engagement.

 

(ii)                Community Safety / Town and Parish Charter – The Cabinet Member informed the Member that he was happy to meet with him to discuss both of these issued.  Members were informed that the Charter was being further reviewed and updated following recent consultation with Town and Parish Councils and other stakeholders.

 

(iii)              Food Insecurity – The Cabinet agreed that food insecurity was an important issue and highlighted the pilot that was operating in High Wycombe through the Helping Hands Scheme.

 

(iv)              Financial Insecurity Partnership, Wycombe – The Cabinet Member asked the Member to write to him about this matter and he would respond more fully.

 

(v)                Vaccine Uptake – The Cabinet Member asked the Member to write to him and he would respond more fully on efforts being taken to encourage the uptake of the Covid vaccine in ethnic minority communities.  

 

Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Broadbent

 

(i)                  Traffic Congestion and Parking – Members were provided with an update on the Parking Enforcement Service, although the issue about £8k funding paid towards an Enforcement Officer at Hazlemere would need to be looked at outside of the meeting.  An undertaking was also given to visit the Hazlemere area with the local Member.

 

(ii)                Gully Clearing – The Cabinet Member was congratulated for the ongoing going work that was being done.  Members were also informed that this programme had fallen behind slightly due to the lack of HGV drivers but that by 4 October there would be 10 teams working to clear gullies, and catch up on that work, across the Council area.  To date, 25,000 (29%) of 85,000 gullies had been cleared.  

 

(iii)              Transport for Bucks – Members were informed on the complexities and associated costs of work carried out by Transport for Bucks.  Information was also provided on the traffic assessments, which included on speed limits, that were reported to Community Boards or undertaken as part of new developments.

 

(iv)              Thanks + MFAC – The Cabinet Member agreed with the Member that the 2 marshalls employed to deal with East West rail issues were doing a fantastic job.  Thanks were also passed to the home to school client transport team for working to resolve minor issues.  The Member was asked to write about MFAC (traffic light smiley faces) and a response would be provided.

 

(v)                Road closures in / about Aylesbury – The Cabinet Member explained the reasoning behind some of the planned road closures and works happening around Aylesbury, one of which was required to move a large sewer pipe.  He also empathised with local people for the inconvenience this was causing.

 

(vi)              Improving Public Transport – Members were informed that looking at bus networks (quality, frequency and reliability) was at the centre of strategic transport work being carried out by the Council.  Information was provided on initiatives and on the Bus Service Improvement Plan that was being worked up with operators.

 

(vii)            Mill Lane / A422 – The Cabinet Member informed Members that he was surprised and disappointed by the Planning Inspector’s decision relating to allowing HGV vehicle movements to/from development sites MMO006 and BUC043 (relating to the building of HS2), that would cause severe impacts to the local highways’ network.  The Council was carefully considering whether it would be feasible to challenge this decision.

 

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

 

(i)                  Council Loans and Finances – The Cabinet Member informed the Member that following the last Council meeting he had been provided with the information he had requested. The new Council had inherited a number of loans from legacy Councils but had not taken out any new loans since becoming a unitary.  Members were informed that the Council currently had £314m in loans but also £178m in investments (net £136m), as well as £48m in unallocated reserves. It was reported that the Council had planned for a balanced budget for 2021-22, and was in a very strong financial position.

 

(ii)                Aylesbury Court House, Market Square – The Cabinet Member agreed that the Aylesbury Court House was an extremely important and valued heritage asset.  The Council was currently looking at the best possible uses for the Court House and surrounding buildings, and this would include consulting with the Town Council and other stakeholders.  A report would come forward for consideration in due course.

 

(iii)              Staff Wellbeing Survey – The Cabinet Member agreed caring for staff and their well-being was extremely important.  Continued efforts would be made to publicise the next staff survey to ensure that it reached as many staff as possible, as there had been a dip in response rates for the last survey from 60% to 49%.  Staff responses for the last survey had shown that staff morale continued to be high.