The Executive Leader, Councillor G J Bull to address the Council on the State of the District.
(The Chairman will invite the Leaders of the Opposition to respond to the address. A Member may speak once in the ensuing discussion).
Minutes:
The Chairman invited the Executive Leader, Councillor G J Bull to address the Council on the State of the District 2018 and to open the debate which was scheduled to follow. A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is appended in the Minute Book.
In his opening remarks Councillor Bull began by emphasising some important facts about Huntingdonshire that informed local policy making. In particular, the population of the District was predicted to grow by over 17%, with a large increase in the elderly. He also referred to the rural/urban population split and the trend for a decline in the rural population that may be attributed to the larger villages becoming more urban.
Members’ attention was drawn to the low unemployment rate for the District compared with neighbouring Districts, although there was a requirement to increase the number of individuals with higher level qualifications to ensure that the District maintained a skilled and motivated workforce. In referring to the Index of Multiple Deprivation, Councillor Bull reported that three pockets existed in Huntingdonshire, namely the east of St Neots, North Huntingdon and parts of Ramsey and had been taken into account as policies develop focussing on the housing accommodation types, economic growth, skills and provision of leisure facilities.
In referring to the other major challenges faced by the Council, Members’ focus was drawn to the external pressures, including Brexit, a reduction in Central Government funding, an increasing demand for services as the population grows and other major external policy pressures such as the reduction in plastics recycling by China impacting upon our planned reduction in landfill.
Councillor Bull stressed the importance of focussing on the needs and welfare of the local residents, enabling the provision of good quality services at a fair value. The District Council itself was also a significant local workforce with over 700 permanent staff and gross expenditure of nearly £80m.
Referring to the Corporate Plan for 2017/18, the vision was to improve the quality of life, deliver economic growth and provide value for money services for the people of Huntingdonshire. Focussing on the main priorities and looking back at performance in enabling communities, Councillor Bull reported that the Council has successfully implemented a Homelessness Strategy and action plan that had resulted in the prevention of 363 cases in 2017/18 and a success that should be celebrated. In so doing, Councillor Bull congratulated the Officers involved in delivering this achievement and although not eradicated the problem, the Council had delivered higher than the target that had been set.
In focussing on the priority and performance of delivering sustainable growth, the provision of rural exception sites had assisted in delivering local housing for local people, the Local Plan had been submitted for independent examination and Councillor Bull paid tribute to those Members that had been involved in the St Neots Master Plan.
In highlighting the performance against the priority of becoming a more efficient and effective Council, Councillor Bull referred to the pressures on the Council’s budget, but alongside this the successes that had been achieved was the co-location of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) with Citizens Advice in the Council offices at Pathfinder House, Huntingdon. He also reported upon the success of the Mosaic Transformation programme, with attendance at a recent market stall event and was encouraged to witness the enthusiasm from staff to develop ideas for change and produce creative solutions. The Council had also introduced an Apprenticeships Scheme, with the recruitment of 11 apprentices that had led to the successful employment of five on permanent contracts throughout the Council.
Members noted that the updated Corporate Plan had not currently been formally approved but Councillor Bull indicated that the Conservative manifesto that had been presented at the recent elections in May would assist in forming the basis of the updated Corporate Plan and he then drew Members’ attention to his policy priorities. These included continuing to work closely with the Combined Authority to deliver the required infrastructure needs, improving relationships with Town and Parish Councils and continue to support the Mosaic Transformation programme to encourage the ethos of customer service throughout the Council.
Focussing on other main priorities, Councillor Bull indicated his keenness to continue to work to improve the delivery of affordable homes, encouraging Members of the Council to engage in the decision making process and continue to maintain the highest standards of probity in public life. In concluding his address, Councillor Bull paid tribute to his fellow Cabinet Members, in particular his Deputy, the Executive Support Team and Councillors S J Criswell and Ms J Tavener for their support in his previous and current ward respectively.
The Chairman reminded Members of the decision made by the Council to suspend Council Procedure Rule 11 (Rules of Debate) to enable a full debate to be made by Members on the State of the District in an open manner. The Council therefore
RESOLVED
that Council Procedure Rule 11 (Rules of Debate) be suspended for the duration of the discussion on Minute No. 23, during which time the common law rules of debate be observed by Members and applied by the Chairman.
In response, Councillor B S Chapman, Leader of the HDC Independent Group, indicated that he supported the direction of the Council in many areas but highlighted some concerns. In particular, reference was made to his concerns with the Commercial Investment Strategy and investment of the shopping centre out of District in Sudbury. In so doing, he drew Members’ attention to the drop in the commercial value of the asset that had not been in accordance with the predicted yield of 6% return on investment, thereby resulting in a net loss to the Council when the property was sold.
By reference to the areas of deprivation in the District, Councillor Chapman noted the success of the DWP and Citizens Advice co-location but outlined his concern that half of the planned housing growth was in the south of the District where there still required a Customer Service presence in St Neots to support this growth and the requirements of the growing population. Councillor Chapman also highlighted his concerns in the light of the disappearance of the revenue support grants and impact this would have locally to deliver the five year plan for housing growth, as well as ensuring that the infrastructure was in place to assist development.
In thanking the Executive Leader for his presentation, Councillor P Kadewere, Leader of the Labour Group, welcomed the Council’s efforts to focus on the causes of constituents needing our services rather than focussing on the problems in isolation and welcomed progress on this in the coming year. Furthermore, he applauded the work of the Officers in its progress so far with the Local Plan to enable planning applications to be considered on their merits in the interests of constituents. In concluding, he endorsed the Council’s support to ensuring the delivery of affordable housing and welcomed the review by Overview and Scrutiny of the Council’s performance in terms of it delivery of affordable housing.
Councillor D R Underwood, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, thanked the Executive Leader for his address and for the Council’s achievements over the past year. He indicated his Group’s support to develop ideas and his awareness of the need for a new Local Plan to direct development in a measured and consistent way. He commended the intervention made on homelessness but voiced his concerns with approach to the Corporate Plan. In particular the lack of reference to supporting those with disabilities and although acknowledged the Council’s support for Citizens Advice, Councillor Underwood requested that Council policy focus on the support of charities. In concluding, Councillor Underwood asked that the Council put pressure on the Combined Authority to focus on the improvements necessary to public transport across the District.
Councillor T D Sanderson outlined his concerns with the Council’s budgetary pressures, drawing particular attention to the overspend in the Operations Division and his concern that the level of service in grounds maintenance had not been as high as previous years. He also indicated concerns with the drop in income for One Leisure balanced against the recent investment in the service.
In indicating his encouragement of the Executive Leader’s address, Councillor D A Giles suggested that it had not gone far enough in particular areas such as the post 65 residents and the growing elderly population, having a clearer vision for anti-deprivation measures including the provision of more social housing and youth projects, as well as encouraging industry to be located next to such areas.
Councillor D M Tysoe concluded the debate by referencing the recent market place events as part of the Mosaic Transformation programme and was encouraged by the Officers attendance that would be driving forward changes that the Council needed to support the residents of the District.
Actions:45 Minutes.