Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Leader welcomed Members and Officers to the meeting and reminded everyone that the meeting was being webcast.  She also welcomed Helen Standen, Director and Kevin Williams, Acting Head of Legal and Democratic Services to their first Executive meetings.

The Leader advised that the item relating to Funding for Apprentices would be considered immediately after Declarations of Interest.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 June 2016.

RESOLVED – that the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 7 June 2016, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

That (A) the comments of the Environment Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)     the design considerations as detailed in the report (and summarised in paragraph 2.51) be approved for incorporation into the next Waste and Street Cleansing Contract.

The Executive Member for the Environment and the Public Space submitted a report outlining the results of the Environment Scrutiny Committee’s Task and Finish Group’s review of waste and street cleansing services.  He detailed their findings and recommendations for the future design of services for incorporation into the next service contract.

The Executive noted the options considered by the Task and Finish Group and the support indicated by Environment Scrutiny Committee at its meeting held on 21 June 2016.

The Executive Member thanked the Task and Finish Group for their work and all the Officers, in particular Cliff Cardoza, for their support.  Councillor M Freeman, the Chairman of the Task and Finish Group, also thanked Officers for their support.

The Executive noted that this was Cliff Cardoza’s last meeting before his departure from the Council and placed on record, its appreciation for his work and support over the previous 16 years.

The Executive approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the comments of the Environment Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)      the design considerations as detailed in the report submitted (and summarised in paragraph 2.51) be approved for incorporation into the next Waste and Street Cleansing Contract.

That (A) a Shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with North Herts District Council (NHDC) be implemented and a joint contract for these services be procured;

(B)     a report be brought forward in the Autumn 2016 advising of progress and recommending award criteria for the joint contract; and

(C)    the Ambassador and Executive Member for Shared Services be given delegated authority to make minor changes to the scope of the shared service in consultation with North Herts District Council.

The Leader of the Council advised that since the agenda had been published, the documents forming the Outline Business Case at Essential Reference Papers ‘B’ and ‘B1’, had been classified as containing exempt information as defined by paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.  She asked Members to treat these papers with care and advised that, if any Member wished to ask any detailed questions on the contents of these, the meeting could exclude the press and public.

The Ambassador and Executive Member for Shared Services submitted a report seeking approval for a Shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with North Herts District Council.  He detailed the specific proposals in the Outline Business Case, at Essential Reference Paper ‘B’ of the report submitted.  In particular, he highlighted how the projected savings would be achieved from the proposed shared service.

The Executive approved the proposals as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) a Shared Waste and Street Cleansing Service with North Herts District Council (NHDC) be implemented and a joint contract for these services be procured;

(B)      a report be brought forward in the Autumn 2016 advising of progress and recommending award criteria for the joint contract; and

(C)      the Ambassador and Executive Member for Shared Services be given delegated authority to make minor changes to the scope of the shared service in consultation with North Herts District Council.

That (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)     the proposed direction of travel outlined in paragraphs 2.70 to 2.72and the programme of work outlined in paragraphs 2.73 – 2.76 of the report submitted, be approved;

(C)    subject to recommendation (B) above, a progress report is provided to the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 22 November 2016; and

(D)    the work of the Task and Finish Group be extended to consider progress in developing the work streams over the next 6 months as outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the report submitted.

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report outlining the issues and options in respect of the management and sustainability of the three joint use leisure facilities and two wholly owned sites operated by East Herts Council.

He thanked the Task and Finish Group for their work, which had been supported by the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting, held on 28 June 2016.  Councillor M Freeman, the Task and Finish Group Chairman, thanked Officers for their support.

The Executive approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)      the proposed direction of travel outlined in paragraphs 2.70 to 2.72and the programme of work outlined in paragraphs 2.73 – 2.76 of the report submitted, be approved;

(C)      subject to recommendation (B) above, a progress report is provided to the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 22 November 2016; and

(D)      the work of the Task and Finish Group be extended to consider progress in developing the work streams over the next 6 months as outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the report submitted.

That (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)     the action plan and Service Level Agreement as detailed at Essential Reference Papers ‘C’ and ‘D’ of the report submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report presenting the services delivered by Active East Herts (AEH) and proposing an annual Service Level Agreement (SLA) for approval.

The Community Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 28 June 2016, had supported the SLA and action plan as now submitted.

The Executive approved the proposals as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the comments of Community Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)      the action plan and Service Level Agreement as detailed at Essential Reference Papers ‘C’ and ‘D’ of the report submitted, be approved.

That (A) the comments of Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)     the direction of travel as now detailed in the report submitted, be approved.

The Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report seeking approval for a direction of travel to further explore and address issues of rural isolation in East Herts.

The Community Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 28 June 2016, had supported the proposed direction.

Councillor M Freeman supported the dial-a-ride schemes and commented on the need for more joined-up thinking in respect of bus services and social care provision.

The Executive approved the recommendations now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the comments of Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee be received; and

(B)      the direction of travel as now detailed in the report submitted, be approved.

That (A) the comments of Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)     community lettings leases are recognised, as set out in paragraph 2.6 of the report submitted, in order to comply with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015;

(C)    the community lettings policy, as set out in paragraph 2.11 of the report submitted, be approved;

(D)    a market rent policy be introduced whereby as each lease comes up for renewal alongside an established grant application process, there would be a maximum rent discount of 80% on the understanding that Officers have discretion to make adjustments to this; and

(E)     the level of community use be included and monitored via the wording of future lease documents.

The Executive Member for Finance and Support Services submitted a report setting out options for consideration in formulating a community lettings policy, in order to demonstrate transparency in documenting the subsidies provided to community groups who leased land and buildings from the Council.

The Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 12 July 2016, had supported the approach and requested the Executive to consider two additional recommendations.  Firstly, relating to a market rent policy being introduced, whereby as each lease came up for renewal alongside an established grant application process, there would be a maximum rent discount of 80% on the understanding that Officers had discretion to make adjustments to this.  Secondly, that the level of community use be included and monitored via the wording of future lease documents.

The Executive approved these suggestions.

The Executive approved the revised recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the comments of Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee be received;

(B)      community lettings leases are recognised, as set out in paragraph 2.6 of the report submitted, in order to comply with the Local Government Transparency Code 2015;

(C)      the community lettings policy, as set out in paragraph 2.11 of the report submitted, be approved;

(D)      a market rent policy be introduced whereby as each lease comes up for renewal alongside an established grant application process, there would be a maximum rent discount of 80% on the understanding that Officers have discretion to make adjustments to this; and

(E)      the level of community use be included and monitored via the wording of future lease documents.

That (A) the funding for apprentices as detailed in the report submitted, be approved; and

(B)     the Council’s apprenticeship rate be £4.00 per hour, increasing to £4.50 per hour in the second year.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report requesting funding for the recruitment of up to 7apprentices in 2016/17.

The Executive noted that encouraging apprenticeships would help the Council’s workforce strategy in lowering the age profile of its employees.

In response to questions, it was clarified that Officers could look at extending the upper age limit beyond 18.  Also, the scheme would be funded from the Transformation Reserve.

The Executive approved the proposal now detailed.

RESOLVED - that (A) the funding for apprentices as detailed in the report submitted, be approved; and

(B)      the Council’s apprenticeship rate be £4.00 per hour, increasing to £4.50 per hour in the second year.