Full Cabinet – 1 April 2014

PRESENT:  Councillor Mrs Redfern in the chair.

Councillors Poole, C Sherwood, N Sherwood and Waltham.

Councillors Ali, Allcock, Barker, Mrs Bromby, Bunyan, Carlile, Eckhardt, Evison, L Foster, Glover, Godfrey, Gosling, Marper, Ogg, Oldfield, Robinson, Rowson, Swift, K Vickers, Whiteley and Wilson also attended the meeting.

Simon Driver, Frances Cunning, Denise Hyde, Mike Wedgewood, Peter Williams, Nolan Bennett, Helen Manderson, Chris Matthews, Lesley Potts, Helen Reek, Peter Thorpe, Marcus Walker and Mel Holmes also attended the meeting.

Catherine Wylie also attended the meeting.

The meeting was held at the Civic Centre, Scunthorpe.

1085   DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – Declarations of personal interests were indicated as follows:

            Member Subject/Minute
Councillor Mrs E Redfern Agenda Item 6 – Humber UTC – Board Member
Councillor D Robinson Agenda Item 8 – Public Health Annual Report

Councillor N Sherwood declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 9 and took no part in the discussion or voting thereon.
1086  MINUTES – Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet held on 28 January 2014, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chairman.

1087  (46)  OUTSTANDING ACTION FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS – The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report which contained a schedule of outstanding issues on which cabinet had requested reports to future meetings.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

1088  (47)  FLOODING UPDATE – The Chief Executive submitted a report updating cabinet on the latest position arising from the impact of the tidal surge on 5 December 2013 and the actions taken to date.

The tidal surge of 5 December 2013 and the associated flooding impacted on 348 residential properties in 17 separate communities across North Lincolnshire.  In addition, around 70 businesses were also affected.  The council had actively responded since then during the recovery phase of the incident and the report detailed some of the actions taken to date.

The report described the response phase, the financial assistance provided immediately by the council and details of the local community response support.  The report also indicated that the Government had recently announced a number of Flood Support Schemes and made funding available to put them into effect. The Government had introduced or amended ten schemes to assist communities and businesses to recover and to help local authorities to meet the costs associated with protecting lives or properties in the future.  These were detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.  The key schemes for cabinet to consider included the Bellwin Scheme which provided emergency financial assistance to councils incurring expenditure above a threshold in response to an emergency, the Severe Weather Recovery Scheme in which the government had made £76.5m available to contribute to costs incurred by councils to support their communities and repair highways infrastructure, a Repair and Renew Grant Fund which would provide up to £5,000 per flood affected property to fund additional flood resilience and resistance measures details of which were contained in Appendix B to the report and Business Rate Relief of 100% which could be granted for three months for flooded properties which suffered an impact on business activity.  In addition, a Council Tax Relief Scheme had also been announced. Locally the council had already approved an initial relief scheme of 100% for three months followed by 50% for a further nine months, for taxpayers who had vacated their dwellings. A 50% allowance was also granted to taxpayers in partial occupancy.

The council had also been awarded a grant of £400,000 under the Business Support Scheme to provide hardship funding for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). The details of the scheme were attached as Appendix C to the report but this could only be used to support business both directly and indirectly affected by the floods.

The report contained further detailed information about this matter and Appendix D provided an overview of the current known positions of spending and funding commitments.

Resolved – (a) That cabinet notes the recovery actions taken to date; (b) that cabinet notes the Grant Awards of £646k for highways costs, £400k for business support and £243k for communities from Central Government; (c) that the proposed support schemes be welcomed; (d) that cabinet approves the new business rate relief and council tax discount schemes but that the council tax relief scheme be amended to provide eligible residents 100% discount for 9 months followed by 50% for a further 3 months, and (e) that cabinet approved the Business Support Scheme and the repair and renew schemes.

1089  (48)  RESIDUAL MUNICIPAL WASTE TREATMENT – PROCUREMENT AND DELIVERY POSITION STATEMENT – With reference to minute 1076 the Director of Places submitted a report which referred to the previous decision taken by cabinet to implement a solution intended to deliver lowest short and long term costs in relation to Residual Municipal Waste Treatment.  The report indicated that a Procurement and Delivery Position statement had now been drafted for consultation with the open market.

On 28 January 2014 cabinet had resolved to proceed with the development of an appropriate procurement and delivery strategy. The Procurement and Delivery Position Statement for the treatment and disposal of the council’s residual municipal waste had now been drafted.  It was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.  It included information relating to the review and updating of the Municipal Waste Strategy as required and specific detail of the type of procurement project that might be required in future.  This statement set out the council’s developing approach to implementing a solution to the council’s treatment and disposal of Residual Municipal Waste needs. It would be used to inform the Procurement and Delivery Strategy.

The report contained further information about the Procurement and Delivery Position Statement.

Resolved – That cabinet approve implementation of Option 1 intended to deliver lowest short and long-term costs, including approval of the Procurement and Delivery Position Statement and the actions contained within it.

1090  (49)  HUMBER UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE (UTC) IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT – The Director of Places submitted a report updating cabinet on the development of the Humber UTC. The report indicated that a proposal had been developed to create a University Technical College in North Lincolnshire and a bid had been submitted to the Department of  Education in November 2013.  In February of this year it was confirmed that the bid had been successful and that the Humber UTC would receive funding.

The UTC was a state funded school for 14-19 year olds.  The difference to a traditional 11-16 school was that it had significant business input in its running and representation of its governing body.  Students would study traditional curriculum subjects including English, Mathematics and Science but would specialise in specific areas that would prepare pupils for the world of work.  The Humber UTC would specialise in Renewables and Engineering.

The education sponsor for the Humber UTC was the University of Hull and Able UK Limited was the lead employer working with other businesses: Tata Steel, Centrica and Total Lindsey Oil Refinery.  Also involved were local education providers North Lindsey College and Outwood Grange Academy Trust and Team Humber Marine Alliance (who represented numerous SME companies across the Humber area). North Lincolnshire Council was also a key partner on the board.

The Project Steering Group for the development of the UTC had been meeting every two weeks to ensure that the project was ready for the anticipated opening date.  The board was finalising its governance arrangements and currently identifying skills gaps to recruit potential governors for the UTC.  It would be open for its first students in September 2015.  Negotiations were currently taking place with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) to finalise the amount of capital funding to build the UTC.  The timing to secure this was critical to meet the opening date.  A pre-opening grant was available to support the development work and partners were supporting development work through contributions both financial and in-kind through staff and resources.

A site for the Humber UTC has been identified in Church Square in Scunthorpe Town Centre and the Building Sub-Group had undertaken significant work on finalising the requirements of the building and developing the design.  The statutory consultation period of the UTC would commence in April 2014 for a six-week period as would the recruitment for the post of Principal Designate.

The report contained further information in relation to this matter.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

1091  (50)  ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR IMPROVING SCHOOLS – 2014/2015 – The Director of People submitted a report outlining the requirement of local authorities to make arrangements to improve education outcomes within their area.

Local authorities retained a legal responsibility for educational performance in the area as a whole under the Education Act 1996.  In addition, the Secretary of State had made clear the expectation for local authorities to act as strategic commissioners for all schools – regardless of the designation of the school as maintained, converter academy, sponsored academy or free school.

Ofsted reintroduced inspections of local authority functions in relation to supporting educational improvement in England under Sections 135 and 136(1)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 from May 2013. Ofsted would report on four areas -corporate leadership and strategic planning, monitoring, challenge, intervention and support, support and challenge for leadership and management (including governance) and the use of resources. The council recognised that while this inspection framework had a particular focus on the role of the local authority education improvement functions, what mattered was the entirety of the council’s ambition to drive up the quality of education provision and thereby improve outcomes for children and young people.

The council’s ambition for further improving school education was set out in the North Lincolnshire Education Strategy for Schools entitled ‘All our Children’.  This document built on the vision of the council and People Directorate, setting out three aims for the education sector of –

  • Raising Achievement
  • Championing Inclusion
  • Supporting Regeneration

The realisation of these aims was in the context of the drive towards a self-improving school system.  North Lincolnshire Council had confidently taken its place in providing leadership, resources and expertise for increasing the pace of improvement in outcomes for school age children and young people. In the February 2014 budget setting process the council allocated an additional £150,000 a year investment in schools to promote improvement during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.  In keeping with the ethos of ‘All our Children’ this new resource would be targeted at all schools with specific areas for improvement and regardless of designation.

To maximise the impact of the new funding for improving schools, it was proposed to target a number of aspects in 2014/15 based on the area wide priorities.  These included strengthening school governance, developing peer challenge between school leaders, a pilot to improve the outcomes for primary age children with special educational needs and disabilities, embedding targeted interventions for literacy and numeracy, excellence in the early years – school project, and outstanding school projects.

The activity set out above was additional to school improvement activity already planned for within the Education Strategy for Schools.

The report contained further relevant information in relation to this key priority.

Resolved – That cabinet endorses the outline plan for additional investment for schools as outlined in the report during the financial year 2014/2015.

1092  (51)  PUBLIC HEALTH ANNUAL REPORT – The Director of Public Health gave a detailed presentation in relation to the Public Health Annual Report for 2013.  This was the first Annual report since the transition to the council.  2013 had been a challenging year of embedding public health into the council, whilst continuing progress on key priorities.  The report spotlighted some of these priorities including ‘what had gone well and what needed to be done better to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of North Lincolnshire’.

Resolved – (a) That the Director of Public Health be thanked for the presentation and (b) that the presentation and recommendation be noted and used to inform the continued embedding of relevant work across the council including input from the Health Scrutiny Panel.

(Councillor Nigel Sherwood, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest, left the meeting for the following item – Minute 1093 refers).

1093  (52)  WHEELS 2 WORK – PROGRESS REPORT – The Director of Places submitted a report updating cabinet on progress with the Wheels 2 Work Scheme since the previous progress report had been considered by cabinet in June 2013 (Minute 1040 refers).

The Wheels 2 Work Scheme was a project that helped local people who had difficulty accessing work, training and education.  The scheme provides either  a scooter or bicycle for people who could not access public transport because of where they lived or they were working unsociable hours or shift working.  The scheme had been launched in December 2012 and the report updated cabinet on progress since its launch.  Appropriate members had received a monthly update on the expenditure regarding the Rural Youth Initiative and the Community Transport budget. The report includes an update on the number of scooters and bicycles that have been handed over.

The report also indicated that the council had joined the National Wheels 2 Work Association which had been established with funding from the Department of Transport.  The Association provided an opportunity to learn from others and to benchmark.  Paragraph 2.2 of the report set out the developments since 2013. In relation to the current position the council had 20 scooters and 20 bicycles for hire.  Sixteen scooters were now on hire and fourteen bicycles had been distributed.

The report contained further detailed information about the progress of the scheme broken down by ward and other factors.  Appendix 1 to the report showed the start and end locations of each journey for those applicants that had received a scooter.

The report also set out two options in relation to the future.  Option 1 was to continue with the scheme, expand the number of scooters and consider the issues raised following the assessment by the Wheels 2 Work Association.  Option 2 was to end the scheme in total.

The report contained further information including the resource implications involved.

Resolved – (a) That cabinet notes the positive progress achieved to date in putting in place the Wheels 2 Work Initiative, and (b) that cabinet approves the continuation of the Wheels 2 Work Scheme with a view to expanding the number of scooters that can be made available.

1094  (53)  PEOPLE SCRUTINY REPORT ON EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS – PROGRESS REPORT – The Director of Places and People submitted a joint report updating cabinet on actions taken in response to the Scrutiny Panel Report on Employability Skills.

The People Scrutiny Panel had completed its review of employability skills in February 2013 and cabinet had considered the report in March of that year.  The report contained ten recommendations.  The Education and Economic Engagement Partnership (EEEP) group came into being in September 2012 and replaced the former 11-19 Partnership and all associated subgroups. This partnership satisfied the purposes of the Education and Skills Act 2008 and the Children’s Act 2004. Each required local authorities to promote cooperation with and between its partners and persons who were responsible for providing 14-19 education or training. The EEEP reported annually to the Children and Young People’s Partnership.  That group had taken ownership of the ten recommendations published by the scrutiny panel and had initiated work to respond to them.  The work to date was detailed in the progress report attached as an appendix to the report.

Resolved – That cabinet notes the progress made against the recommendations in the appendix to the report.

1095  (54)  ENSURING EFFECTIVE CONTINENCE CARE – ACTION PLAN IN RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REPORT OF THE HEALTH SCRUTINY PANEL – The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report updating cabinet on an action plan in response to the recommendations of the Health Scrutiny Panel in relation to ensuring effective continence care.

At its meeting held on 12 November 2013, cabinet had considered a report of the Health Scrutiny Panel on ensuring effective continence care and had agreed that an action plan in response to the recommendations should be submitted to cabinet at a future meeting (Minute 1070 refers).  Attached as an appendix to the report was the action plan prepared by North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group, in co-operation with the North Lincolnshire and Goole Health Community, responding to the recommendations of the scrutiny panel.

Resolved – That the action plan be approved and adopted.

1096  (55)  CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – REPORT OF THE PLACES SCRUTINY PANEL – The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report with an attached report of the Places Scrutiny Panel in relation to Child Sexual Exploitation in North Lincolnshire.

At its meeting on 10 March 2014, the Places Scrutiny Panel had approved its final draft report on Child Sexual Exploitation in North Lincolnshire.  The report had been referred to cabinet for consideration of the recommendations with a view to the preparation of an action plan.

In recent months the issue of protecting children from sexual exploitation had received a great deal of media attention.  Also, the findings of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) had been published in 2012 and indicated that CSE was widespread, in both rural and urban areas and that both victims and perpetrators came from a range of ethnic and social backgrounds.  With this in mind the Places Scrutiny Panel had undertaken a review to ensure that North Lincolnshire had embedded in its child protection procedures robust and comprehensive systems to identify, support and protect young children and young people from CSE.  The scrutiny panel had agreed to focus on a number of key issues which were detailed in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

The report contained further information in relation to this matter and attached as an appendix was the full report of the Places Scrutiny Panel.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the relevant members and officers prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.

1097  (56)  SCRUTINY OF THE 2013 STAFF SURVEY – REPORT OF THE CORPORATE SCRUTINY PANEL – The Director of Policy and Resources submitted a report with an attached report of the Corporate Scrutiny Panel in relation to Scrutiny of the 2013 Staff Survey.

At its meeting held on 13 March 2014, the Corporate Scrutiny Panel had approved its final draft report on scrutiny of the 2013 staff Survey.  The report had been referred to cabinet for consideration of the recommendations with a view to the preparation of an action plan.

Further to the headline results of the survey, which were positive in many areas but also referred to some areas of improvement needed, the Corporate Scrutiny Panel had decided that it was not sufficient to simply monitor the proposed officer response, but concluded that a more in-depth exercise was needed to get behind the results, understand how and why the survey was carried out and what action was to be taken on the survey findings.  The panel agreed to focus on a number of key issues which were set out in paragraph 2.3 of the report.

Attached as an appendix to the report was the full report of the Corporate Scrutiny Panel.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the relevant members and officers prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.