Full Cabinet – 29 July 2009

PRESENT:  Councillor Kirk in the chair.Councillors Foster (vice chair), Carlile, Gosling, Grant, O’Sullivan and Swift.

Councillors Barker, B Briggs, J Briggs, Mrs Bromby, Bunyan, Collinson, Eckhardt, Poole, Mrs Redfern, C Sherwood, Waltham, Whiteley and Wilson also attended the meeting.

Simon Driver, Stacey Dickens, Lewis Etoria, Keith Ford, Mick Gibbs, Neil Laminman, David Lea, Geoff Popple, Chris Skinner, Mike Wedgewood, Peter Williams, Sarah Williamson, Graham Wilkinson, Mike Wood, Peter Young and Matt Nundy also attended the meeting.

822  DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL OR PERSONAL AND PREJUDICIAL INTERESTS – There were no declarations of personal or personal and prejudicial interests.

823  MINUTESResolved – That the minutes of the meeting of cabinet held on 10 June 2009, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the chair.

824  (8)  OUTSTANDING ACTION FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS OF CABINET – The Service Director Legal and Democratic 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.

825  (9)  NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – ECONOMIC SITUATION – With reference to minute 795, the Chief Executive submitted a report updating cabinet on the current economic situation in North Lincolnshire.  The report contained information about the situation both nationally and in North Lincolnshire and indicated that the council would continue to support local businesses and ensure that support for individuals was in place and that recession led increases in demand on services could be met.

The report indicated that since the last update at cabinet in June there had been a number of large scale redundancy announcements and closures including an announcement from Corus of over 800 potential redundancies.  The Leader and the Chief Executive had met with Corus management and Corus had confirmed their commitment to steelmaking in Scunthorpe but had explained the difficulties they faced due to the drop in demand for steel.  They had however agreed to work with the council and other partners to support people facing redundancy and also to lobby the government to help stimulate demand.

The Economic Development Team was working closely with all partners to ensure that a seamless approach was taken to assist both the business and individuals whose jobs were at risk.  The council was also supporting existing businesses through the employability programme which had been sent for approval to Yorkshire Forward and included a number of issues as detailed in paragraph 2.6.

The Service Director Finance also reported on a scheme announced by the Government to assist with the payment of business rates.  This scheme would enable businesses to put off paying 3 per cent of their whole year’s 2009/2010 business rates bill which would, however, have to be repaid in future years.  He circulated details of the scheme and indicated that Corus had applied to take advantage of the scheme.

Resolved – (a) That the report be noted, and (b) that cabinet agrees that the council continue to provide support for local businesses and individuals during the recession.

826  (10)  CORPORATE FLOODING PLAN – The Service Director Highways and Planning submitted a report informing members of, and seeking approval for, the council’s Corporate Flooding Plan.  In addition, the report sought approval for a test of the recovery section of the plan to further improve the council’s emergency preparedness and sought approval for the protocols in the recovery section of the flooding plan to be used for other non flooding major emergencies.

Following the floods of 2007, a multi agency flood group, led by North Lincolnshire Council had been established.  One of the outcomes from the group was to compile a multi agency document to assist the management of future flooding events in North Lincolnshire.  The North Lincolnshire Multi Agency Flood Compendium was written to fulfil that need.  Historically, the council’s Flooding Plan had been owned by Highways and Planning. However, following a test of that plan and the subsequent 2007 floods, a decision had been taken to replace the existing plan with a corporate flooding plan that linked into the new Multi Agency Flood Compendium.

The council normally leads and co-ordinates the restoration and recovery of the community after a flood and the new Corporate Flooding Plan included a section that documents community recovery.  It was based upon lessons learned from the 2007 floods and a “recovery toolkit” developed by a multi agency group chaired by North Lincolnshire Council.  The council was also a signatory to the Humber Local Resilience Forum, Emergency Procedures Manual.  That document might require the council to take the lead role in recovery from other types of emergencies.

The report contained further detailed information and was complemented by a brief presentation which described the Corporate Flooding Plan, community recovery in relation to it, a strategy for the better management of floods, what the plan would deliver and details of the recovery section of the corporate flood plan.

Resolved – (a) That cabinet approve the North Lincolnshire Council Corporate Flooding Plan; (b) that the protocols in the recovery section of the plan be used as the basis for recovery from all emergencies that call upon the council to take the lead in community recovery and restoration, and (c) that a future test of the recovery section be carried out.

827  (11)  REVIEW OF PLAY, PLAYGROUNDS AND OPEN SPACES IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – The Service Director Legal and Democratic submitted a report which considered the conclusions and recommendations of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel in relation to a review of play, playgrounds and open spaces in North Lincolnshire.

The report of the Scrutiny Panel had been considered by council on 8 July 2009 and referred to cabinet for consideration in relation to the conclusions and the recommendations. A copy of the conclusions and recommendations was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members commented on the contents of the report.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the Service Director Neighbourhood and Environment, the Service Director Asset Management and Culture and the Service Director Highways and Planning, together with appropriate cabinet members prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.

828  (12)  REVISIT OF THE “EVERY CHILD MATTERS – THE COMMON ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK (CAF)” – A report was submitted by the Service Director Legal and Democratic which considered the recommendations of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel in relation to a revisit of a previous review of the “Every Child Matters – The Common Assessment Framework (CAF).”

The report of the panel had been considered and approved by council on 8 July 2009 and referred to cabinet for consideration of the conclusions and recommendations. A copy of the conclusions and recommendations was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members commented on the contents of the report.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the Service Director Children’s Services, together with the Chief Executive of NHS North Lincolnshire and the cabinet member for Children’s Services prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.

829  (13)  ALCOHOL MISUSE AND HEALTH – The Service Director Legal and Democratic submitted a report which considered the recommendations of the Healthier Communities and Older People’s Scrutiny Panel in relation to alcohol misuse and health in North Lincolnshire.

The report of the panel had been considered by council on 8 July 2009 and referred to cabinet for consideration of the conclusions and recommendations.  A copy of the conclusions and recommendations was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members commented on the contents of the report.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the chair of the Local Strategic Partnership, the Chief Executive of NHS North Lincolnshire and other appropriate officers and cabinet members prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.

830  (14)  NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION TEAMS IN NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE – A report was submitted by the Service Director Legal and Democratic which considered the recommendations of the Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Panel in relation to Neighbourhood Action Teams in North Lincolnshire.

The report of the panel had been considered by council on 8 July 2009 and referred to cabinet for detailed consideration of the conclusions and recommendations.  A copy of the conclusions and recommendations was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members commented on the contents of the report.

Resolved – (a) That the report and recommendations be approved and adopted, and (b) that the Service Director Community Planning and Resources, the Service Director Legal and Democratic and the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood, Environmental and Communities prepare an action plan in response to the recommendations of the report for submission to a future meeting of cabinet.