Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

Minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2011.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2011 be confirmed as a correct record.

Presentation from Chris Case, Sefton District Manager, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service and John McNeale.

(Members will have had an opportunity to tour the building, view equipment and meet the fire and rescue teams).

The Committee considered a presentation from Mr John McNeill, Group Manager, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

The presentation highlighted that the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were trained to:-

• Respond;
• Reduce; and
• Restore

It was also highlighted that there were 6 major areas that the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service plan and train for in measuring and eliminating risk:-

• Fire;
• Road Traffic Collision;
• Height;
• Water;
• Hazardous Materials; and
• Rescue.

The presentation drew Members attention to the support the Fire and Rescue Team received from the Mobilising and Communication Centre (MACC).  The National resilience was also referred to along with the Hazard Area Response Team (HART).

The Group Manager stated that the Service had an Integrated Risk Management Plan along with a Local Integrated Risk Management Plan.

He also referred to Legislative and Community Fire Safety and stated that Community Fire safety could include Arson Reduction he referred to an Advocate Officer who had been appointed to address arson reduction and an Anti Social Behaviour Advocate Officer. 

The Group Manager referred to the following underlying issues:-

• Three year pay freeze
• A £2.4 million cut in management and back-office staff
• Reduction of staff in the mobilising unit
• Efficiencies in frontline staffing which would minimise the impact on frontline services including:-

1.         Managing more effectively the dynamic reserve.

2.         Introduction of a new duty system for the marine rescue team.

3.         Introduction of a new duty system at Whiston Fire Station.

RESOLVED: That:-

(1)       the presentation from Mr John McNeill, Group Manager, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Team be received; and

(2)       Mr John McNeill, Group Manager, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Team and his Team be thanked for the tour of the site at Storrington Avenue, the informative presentation and the hospitality received from the Fire and Rescue Service.

Report of the Head of Transformation Services.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Transformation which updated Members upon the current position in relation to the transformation programme.

The Head of Transformation introduced Barrie Stanhope from the Equalities Partnership and invited questions in relation to Equality Impact Assessments and associated processes.

It was reported that of the £44m that had been identified to save, almost £34m had been achieved and that there continued to be recognised risks around the implementation of the savings within the timescales.

It was further reported that the savings for the proceeding years 2012/13 to 2014/15 were in the process of being identified.  Early identification and consideration of options as to how those savings could be achieved would be required in order that consultation and engagement maybe undertaken.

The Head of Transformation reported that the Strategic Leadership Team continued to hold stakeholder, partnership and community meetings to discuss the budget implications for next year.   

It was highlighted that no service area was exempt from change and that the Council would continue to make difficult decisions regarding service cessation and reduction and identify real innovation in service delivery that may mitigate some of the implications.  It was emphasised that strong leadership continued to be essential.  

RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment, which outlined the consultation carried out in connection with the Core Strategy “Options” during May – August, 2011.

The report conveyed an overview of the representations received, and set out proposals over the coming months in order to identify the Core Strategy “Preferred Options”.

Members paid tribute to the amount of hard work that had been carried out in managing that major piece of consultation.

Members were reassured that there would be an infrastructure plan as a supplementary to the Preferred Options Paper in order that Members could identify the impact on services that each of the preferred options may have.

RESOLVED: That details of the extensive consultation carried out be received.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning, which outlined the broad details of the recently published Localism Bill.

The Head of Governance and Civic Services updated Members upon the current progress in relation to the Bill and stated that there were substantial amendments being considered by the House of Lords.  It was reported that regular updates would be given as the Bill proceeded through the House of Lords and back to the House of Commons.

RESOLVED: That:-

(1)       the report be received;

(2)       an update report on the Localism Bill be submitted to the next meeting of this Committee;

(3)       further information be supplied to the Committee on Non-Domestic Rates; and

(4)       a report be submitted to a future meeting of this Committee, on the Council’s subscription to the Local Government Association, the associated costs and the benefits of Membership.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning, which presented the Cabinet Member reports for the period July – August 2011 for the following portfolios, which fall under the remit of this Committee:-

(a) Cabinet Member – Corporate Services;

(b) Cabinet Member – Performance and Governance; and

(c) Cabinet Member – Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods.

The Chair, Councillor McGinnity requested more information regarding the Corporate Legal Services Department and the current activity for the Children and Social Care Team.

RESOLVED:            That:-

(1)       the Cabinet Member reports be received;

(2)       the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services be requested to provide more information in relation to  the Corporate Legal Services Department and the current activity for the Children and Social Care Team; and

(3)       in relation to the Corporate Services Portfolio, Current Activity for the Planning, Environment and Property Team and reference to “Empty Homes”, the Head of Corporate Legal Services be requested to submit a report to a future meeting of this Committee in relation to empty homes and empty shops; active involvement in initiatives to bring empty homes back into productive use.

Report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning.

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning in relation to the Committee’s programme of work.  There were a number of decisions within the latest Key Decision Forward Plan that fell under this Committee’s remit and Members were reminded of their right to pre-scrutinise such items.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer updated Members on the outcome of the debate at the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in relation to potential Working Groups to be set up.  It was reported that the Board agreed to set up an overarching/cross-cutting Committee in relation to the Port Master Plan and nominations should be made as to which Members were to be appointed to that Working Group.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer updated Members on the following further potential Working Groups that had been suggested:-

• Training Budgets
• Consultants
• Decentralisation (Empowering neighbourhoods.  Learn how to work “smarter” at a neighbourhood level and make service more relevant at a neighbourhood level).
• Bad Debts (Audit and Governance).

Members requested that more information be sought in relation to the above topics before a decision be made.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer reminded Members that the Committee should choose no more than one Working Group in addition to the cross-cutting Port Master Plan Working Group.

RESOLVED:            That:-

(1)       the contents of the Key Decision Forward Plan for the period 1 September 2011 to 31 December 2011 be accepted;

(2)            Councillors McGinnity, Gibson and Robinson be appointed to sit on the Port Master Plan Working Group; and

(3)       the Overview and Scrutiny Officer co-ordinate the request for further information in relation to the following potential Working Groups:-

·        Training Budgets

·        Consultants

·        Decentralisation (Empowering neighbourhoods.  Learn how to work “smarter” at a neighbourhood level and make service more relevant at a neighbourhood level).

·        Bad Debts (Audit and Governance).

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 7 and Paragraph 4 (respectively) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Report of the Director of Built Environment.

(Exempt under paragraph 3 of Schedule 12 A to the Act)

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Built Environment which reported on the proposals submitted by the Caravan Club to extend onto adjoining Council land in Victoria Park.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism Services had requested that Overview and Scrutiny pre-scrutinise this item in order that the Committee’s comments and concerns maybe referred to him before making a decision.

RESOLVED:That the report be accepted.

Report of the Head of Corporate Personnel.

(Exempt under paragraph 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act).

Further to Minute No. 12 (2) of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Performance and Corporate Services) of the 12^th July 2011, the Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Personnel in relation to a survey of the redundancy payment arrangements in other Councils.

Members raised concerns in relation to the lack of information circulated at the time Members of the Cabinet were reviewing the Redundancy Policy of the Council.

RESOLVED: That:-

(1)       the report be received; and

(2)       this report be referred to the Cabinet with a request that the Cabinet considers the arrangements in other Councils, with a view to confirming the current position in Sefton or changing it in line with available options.