Agenda and minutes

County Councillors S. Howarth, S. Jones, S. White and P. Watts.

None.

There were members of the public present who wished to take part in the discussion on item 6.

16^th Jan 2017 – Special Meeting

26^th Jan 2017

The minutes of the Strong Communities Select Committee meeting held on 26^th January 2017 and the Special meeting held on the 26^th January 2017 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

Context:

To undertake scrutiny of service delivery and performance across Public Protection for the first nine months of 2016/17, with comparison to previous years. The Public Protection division comprises of Environmental Health, Trading Standards & Animal Health and Licensing.

Recommendations:

To consider and comment on the contents of the report entitled ‘Public Protection Performance report 2016/17, (first 9 months)’.

Key Issues:

1. Cabinet approved a report in March 2014 recommending budget reductions to Public Protection services for 2014/15 and the coming years. The reduction amounted to £140,000, representing about 10% of the total budget. The impact of this reduction was scrutinised by this Committee in November 2014, prior to a report going to Cabinet on 7^th January 2015. At this time, Cabinet requested regular six month reports to Strong Communities committee to monitor performance and assess any negative impacts. The intention was to review progress and take any action deemed necessary.

2. The last performance report was submitted to this Committee on 21st July 2016.

3. The attached report summarises performance over the last nine months of 2016/17, and highlights the following –

·         The four service teams, for the vast majority of the services they deliver, meet the Authority’s legal obligations in relation to Public Protection services.

·         There have been some notable successes in 2016/17, for example improving food safety and animal feed compliance, supporting major developments (A465) and events (Eisteddfod, Abergavenny Food Festival, etc.).

·         As detailed in Appendix A, most proactive and reactive work is being carried out professionally, within prescribed response times. There are only a few exceptions, due to increased demand, e.g. some slippage in housing and private water inspections, which will be improved for 2017/18.

·         Six monthly reports will continue to be made to this Committee to assess performance over time, and help inform future priorities noting the competing demands.

·         Services may struggle to take on any new statutory duties that protect the public and the environment, and therefore funding must be sought to support any new work. In addition, where work is onerous on officer time, funding will be pursued from major developers, etc.

·         Future strategies for sustaining Public Protection services will be developed, (to include further income generation and collaboration), locally, regionally and nationally.

Member Scrutiny:

A Member asked when the Welsh Government introduce new inspections, do they contribute to the costs of carrying out these inspections. In response we were told that we do get some monies but it rarely equates to the cost of carrying out the work.

In respect of the duelling of A465 a member asked what input Environmental Health has with the project. We were told that Environmental Health deal with construction noise and dust, especially noise at night were we have liaised with Costains to limit the hours of operation. There has also been the matter of exhumations which needs to be dealt with humanely and respectfully. 

Questions were raised regarding air quality monitoring, with Usk and Hardwick Hill being mentioned, what actions were being taken and who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Context:

To advise Members and seek their views on the request to allow canoeing on the River Usk at Castle Meadows which is currently managed as a fishery.

Key Issues:

Background

1. There was one outstanding issue from the Bryn y Cwm Area Committee’s previous consideration of the Castle Meadows Management Plan: Requests as part of the consultation process for wider access to the River Usk and for a change of policy to allow canoeing and wild swimming in that section of the river adjoining the meadows where the Council has riparian rights (the Town waters).

2. The task and finish group established to guide preparation of the Castle Meadows Management Plan took the view that further discussions between the canoeing and fishing interest would be necessary to explore if there could be agreement on wider use of the river. It was resolved that officers facilitate further discussion and bring a further report back to the Area Committee, as required.

3. This process was unfortunately rather extended but a meeting took place between Abergavenny Canoe Club and the Abergavenny Game Fishing Association, and an agreed note of the meeting was prepared.

4. As will be seen for the note the discussions have not reached agreement on a way forward. Consequently Area Committee resolved that a report regarding this matter should be prepared and presented to a Strong Communities Select Committee with a view to the Committee undertaking pre-decision scrutiny on this matter.

Context

5. Access to inland water has long been a contentious issue and there is no settled national view on rights to navigation on rivers in Wales. The matter has been considered by the National Assembly’s Sustainability Committee (2009) which highlighted the deficit in opportunities, as well as the contested nature of rights to and on water for recreation: Welsh Government’s policy is to support the establishment of voluntary access agreements.

6. Welsh Government’s view, as set out in the Access & Outdoor Recreation Green Paper (2015), is that access arrangements should be drawn up by landowners and riparian owners, consulted upon, and then put in place. Access under such arrangements could be all year round, at certain times of year or depend on water levels. They could also determine what types of activities can sensibly take place on any given stretch of water at any given time of year. These arrangements should primarily be focussed on three elements:-

i. protecting the natural environment;

ii. having no detrimental impact on land management; and

iii. having respect for the needs of other users.

Welsh Government’s view is that access arrangements along these lines need not be perceived as an acknowledgment that rights do not already exist nor should they be perceived as acknowledgment that they do. They view such arrangements as not setting out the limits of use, but rather the opportunities available for responsible shared use of the water.

7. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs has very recently announced her intention to develop proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Context:

To advise Members of the preparation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience forward plan in order to meet the Section 6 duty of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and to provide support for delivery of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

Recommendations:

To seek Select Committee’s endorsement of the Biodiversity & Ecosystem Resilience forward plan prior to its consideration by Council.

Key Issues:

1. Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 places a duty on public authorities to seek to maintain and enhance biodiversity where it is within the proper exercise of their functions. In doing so, public authorities must seek to promote the resilience of ecosystems. This means that the Council must take a pro-active approach to improve and not reduce biodiversity when carrying out functions.

2. The duty came into force on 21st May 2016 and replaces the biodiversity duty in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. The preparation of a forward plan assists in complying with the new duties and is currently a requirement on all Public Authorities.

3. There is a requirement to report on the plan in 2019 and every 3 years following this. The plan can be subsequently reviewed following the results of monitoring.

4. The work undertaken to meet the Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystems duty will assist the Council to maximise contributions to Well-being Goals under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. It will particularly help towards delivery of the Wellbeing goal for Resilience. This goal is to ensure Wales is a nation which maintains and enhances a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic and ecological resilience and the capacity to adapt to change (for example climate change).

5. In production of the forward plan we have considered the work that individual service areas undertake which could have a positive or negative impact on Biodiversity & Ecosystem Resilience.

6. The work of other key organisations with whom Monmouthshire County Council can collaborate with to maximise delivery under the Act has also been considered e.g. Wye Valley AONB, Gwent Wildlife Trust and Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.

7. Objectives have subsequently been developed which cover key areas of the Council’s work. Objectives include proposals to adequately consider biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in decision making at all levels, environmental education and awareness raising, management of land for biodiversity and partnership working at a landscape scale to maximise benefits.

8. To ensure future delivery is integrated into the Council’s functions, Welsh Government guidance suggests that commitment to action is integrated into business and corporate plans. This will be the next step in the Council’s compliance with the duty.

Member Scrutiny:

A member applauded the officers for their work and praised them for their forward thinking report.

It was asked if officers were involved with the incredible edible garden and were told that it is a delivery mechanism for this project and hopefully will be used as an example across the county. It was hoped that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Context:

1. The purpose of this report is to provide Members with information on the forecast revenue outturn position of the Authority at the end of period 3 which represents month 9 financial information for the 2016/17 financial year.

2. This report will also be considered by Select Committees as part of their responsibility to;

• assess whether effective budget monitoring is taking place,

• monitor the extent to which budgets are spent in accordance with agreed budget and policy framework,

• Challenge the reasonableness of projected over or underspends, and

• monitor the achievement of predicted efficiency gains or progress in relation to savings proposals.

Key Issues and recommendations to Cabinet;

1. That Cabinet notes the extent of forecast revenue underspend using period 3 data of £79,000, an improvement of £919,000 on previous reported position at period 2.

2. That Cabinet expects Chief Officers to continue to review the levels of over and underspends and reallocate budgets to reduce the extent of compensatory positions needing to be reported from at quarterly cycles.

3. That Cabinet appreciates the extent of predicted schools reserve usage, its effect of forecast outturn reserve levels and the related anticipation that a further 6 schools will be in a deficit position by end of 2016-17.

4. That Cabinet considers the capital monitoring, specific over and underspends, and importantly that Cabinet recognises the risk associated with having to rely on a use of capital receipts in the year of sale and the potential for this to have significant revenue pressures should receipts be delayed and temporary borrowing be required.

5. That Cabinet approves an additional investment of £30,000 into the Disabled Facilities Grant capital budget in order to respond to demands being placed on the current programme, funded by a virement from existing Highways Maintenance and Access for All budgets.

6. That Cabinet approves a £30k increase to Woodstock Way linkage scheme afforded by an equivalent underspend to another area improvement scheme (Abergavenny).

Member Scrutiny:

In respect to slippage a member voiced their frustration and asked that managers were more careful in valuing their works in the first instance.

Referring to the action list from the previous meeting the officer was asked for an update regarding Raglan market and we were told this will be to follow.

Borough Theatre was noted as a shortfall in income against income targets, a member thought we had divested ourselves by now and asked the current position. We were told that prior to 2013 the council had entered inti a trust arrangement with the theatre which meant it paid a management fee to the theatre annually which is on a declining basis.

Referring to Mandate B11, the senior leadership review, it was asked why we had not achieved the saving. The Officer answered that the saving was a presumption and would not be achieved.

A Member stressed the importance of staff joining the pension scheme and asked what steps the HR team are taking to encourage staff to join.

A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

We received a verbal update from the Head of Waste and Street Services in regard to the household waste recycling contract.

In June 2016 proposed procurement strategy paper for scrutiny discussion and on the 9^th March 2017 the report is going to full Council to sign off the procurement strategy to allow officers to go out to procurement and instigate a new contract from the 1^st October 2018.  

All actions were noted and the outstanding actions will be followed up by the officers responsible.

Members discussed the Work Programme for the Strong Communities Select Committee. In doing so it was decided by members that street lighting and public toilets were added to the agenda for the last meeting of the year.

There were no items which required scrutiny.

6^th April 2017 10am (pre-meeting at 9.30am)

6^th April 2017 at 10am (pre-meeting at 9.30am)