Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 17th March 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 17th March 2016 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary and other interests in relation to any Agenda item.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary or other interests received at the meeting.

To consider the Waste Management Service Specification.

Approve the Waste Management Service Specification, attached as Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report, subject to the following amendment:

Part (II) – Dry Recyclable Waste Collection Service:

‘2.2  The Waste Service shall be required to separate and collect Dry Recyclable Waste …’

By way of a report from the Interim Head of Service (Operations) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered the Waste Management Service Specification.

The Service Specification had been developed to better direct the waste management activities delivered by the Operations Service and to make service delivery arrangements and standards more transparent for residents.

The Waste Management Service provided by the Council included all doorstep collection services, specialist collection services and the trade waste service.  The Cabinet were referred to paragraph 2.3 of the Officer’s report which detailed the full scope of the services provided within the Specification.

At 7.08pm Councillor J Gray entered the meeting.

Having referred to paragraph 2.2 of the Dry Recyclable Waste Collection Service Specification, the Cabinet agreed the following amendment:

‘The Waste Service shall be required to separate and collect Dry Recyclable Waste …’

Having been invited to address the Cabinet, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economy and Growth) explained that the Panel had suggested the Service should aim to collect missed bins within 24 hours; and that the target for the delivery of replacement bins should be reduced from six weeks to four weeks.  The Panel was also supportive of the opening of waste disposal facilities on bank holidays to enable the provision of collections on bank holidays.  Whereupon the Cabinet,

RESOLVED

to approve the Waste Management Service Specification, attached as Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report, subject to the following amendment:

Part (II) – Dry Recyclable Waste Collection Service:

‘2.2  The Waste Service shall be required to separate and collect Dry Recyclable Waste …’

To consider the service delivery arrangements for the integrated Street Scene Service.

Approve the service delivery arrangements for the integrated Street Scene Service.

By way of a report from the Interim Head of Service (Operations) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Cabinet considered the service delivery arrangements for the integrated Street Scene Service.

It was explained that the proposal remodelled service delivery arrangements for street cleansing and grounds maintenance was to be delivered on an area basis. The purpose being to introduce a more holistic and customer focused approach. The proposals had been developed to deliver the service delivery requirements and standards set out in the Service Specifications for Street Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance recently approved by the Cabinet.

Although the integrated Street Scene Service included the removal of graffiti and flyposting that was offensive or on a public building, it was noted that there would be a future policy devised regarding these issues including fly tipping.  The District Council was in discussions with the County Council regarding graffiti on highway cabinets and signage was being introduced on highways cabinets to advertise how the public were able to report graffiti.

Maps to illustrate the area based service delivery arrangements would be published on the Council’s website to enable residents to have immediate access to the core information regarding the integrated Street Scene Service provided by the Council.

In response to a question regarding the north/south grounds maintenance deployment programme, it was explained that three weed treatments would be delivered over the season and prior to the weed treatments being administered mechanical sweepers would be used.

Regarding external commercialisation of the service it was explained that the Council had successfully gained the contracts for providing a grounds maintenance service to five additional Parish Councils.  The cost of the District Council to deliver this service was competitive to the larger Parish Council, but it could not contend against services provided by one person operations who the small Parish Councils tended to use.

Ramsey Town Council employed the District Council to deliver its grounds maintenance service and following a service level agreement being approved, the public amenity space throughout the town had improved. The Cabinet were pleased to note that discussions were proceeding with Huntingdon Town Council for provision of its grounds maintenance service and a service level agreement would be encouraged so that the District Council was undertaking the service to the same standard throughout.

In response to the service provided to the County Council it was explained that the dialogue was ongoing as to what the County Council was willing to pay for including the amount of grass cuts.

Having been invited to address the Cabinet, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economy and Growth) stated that the Panel had suggested that the Organisational Structure chart for Environmental Services included names as well as job titles.

The Panel was pleased that mechanical sweepers would be used throughout the villages in the District.  However, had suggested that better management was required to notify residents to ensure vehicles were removed prior to sweeping. 

The Panel had requested regular update  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

To approve the business plans for ICT, Legal and Building Control Shared Services and to approve the Terms of Reference for the Shared Services Joint Group, to enable that Group to operate as a formal committee from September 2016.

i.  Note and agree the report in principle; and

ii.  That the report be presented to the Cabinet meeting in June to allow the Business Plans to be reconfigured into a more succinct document in response to the comments made by the Cabinet, as contained within the Minute.

The Cabinet considered a report by the Corporate Director (Services) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the Business Plans for the ICT, Legal and Building Control Shared Services for the period 2016/17 and the Terms of Reference for the Member Board that formed the strategic part of the governance arrangements, to be known as the Shared Services Joint Group.

It was considered amongst the Cabinet that the Business Plans were complicated to comprehend and inconclusive.  The documents did not appear to be typical Business Plans, but more a technical manual that included a project plan.

It was suggested that an executive summary was required.  When the report was presented to the Overview and Scrutiny (Finance and Performance) Panel, due to the unmanageable volume of the documents, the majority of the Panel had not read the Business Plans.

The Cabinet noted that the shared service was predicted to deliver financial savings of 15% per annum over the succeeding five years.  However, it was considered that it had not been tested as to how the savings would be realised. 

The Cabinet acknowledged the significant amount of work that had already been achieved.  However, the Business Plans needed to be re-configured and commercialised.  For the purposes of monitoring and scrutinising, the documents needed to be condensed.

The Cabinet were reminded that there were two other authorities within the shared service and therefore a compromise was required to agree a document that satisfied all three Councils.

On the basis of the discussions, the Cabinet considered that it could not support the recommendations as contained within the Officer’s report and instead,

RESOLVED

i.  to note and agree the report in principle; and

ii.  that the report be presented to the Cabinet meeting in June to allow the Business Plans to be reconfigured into a more succinct document in response to the comments made by the Cabinet, as contained within the Minute.

To receive the Minutes of the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group meeting held on 11th March 2016.

RESOLVED

  That the draft Minutes of the Hinchingbrooke Country Park Joint Group meeting held on 11th March 2016 were received and noted.

To resolve:

that the press and public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information); and information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

RESOLVED

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting because the business to be transacted contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information); and information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

To consider a report by the Head of Resources regarding a Commercial Investment Strategy asset.

Approve the recommendation as contained within the submitted exempt report.

Due to the reasons as contained within the exempt report, the dates of future Cabinet meetings and an imminent decision being required, having obtained the agreement of the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Finance and Performance) the item of business was considered under the Special Urgency Provisions - Section 17 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules, as contained in the Council’s Constitution, in accordance with Section 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Cabinet gave consideration to the exempt report by the Head of Resources (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding a Commercial Investment Strategy asset, as contained within the submitted report.  Whereupon it was

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet agree the recommendations as detailed within the submitted exempt report.

Prior to conclusion of the meeting the Cabinet expressed their appreciation to the Chairman, it being his last meeting prior to the elections.

It was noted that Councillor Ablewhite was leaving a remarkable legacy to the future Cabinet and the new leadership.  Due to this the Council was in a stronger position, which was regarded by his peers.

It was stated that the Chairman had made serving in the Cabinet an enjoyable experience and that duties were conducted with humour and always with an underlying seriousness.  The Cabinet thanked the Chairman for his outstanding term of office.

In response Councillor Ablewhite expressed appreciation to the Cabinet.  The last five years had been extraordinary and he had only been able to be effective due to the people around him.  Councillor Ablewhite acknowledged that the Cabinet had made some difficult decisions and the greatest legacy being the Managing Director.