Agenda and minutes

Councillor Kevin Doyle and Councillor Tammy Bisset.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

None.

Report of the Elections and Members’ Services Officer

Representatives from the Clinical Commissioning Group attended the meeting and provided a presentation to the meeting which explained the rationale for the closure of the Colwick Vale Medical Practice, detailed the public consultation, and to request the Committee’s comments and views regarding the closure of the practice, the consultation process and proposed solutions.

The Vale Road practice is run by the Trentside Medical Group whose 5 year contract comes to an end March 31st and will not be renewed.   The practice has stated that it is no longer financially viable to run the services from the Colwick Vale Surgery and would transfer existing services to the Netherfield Surgery.  Colwick Vale Surgery is one mile from the Netherfield site; there are regular buses between the two sites.  The number of services and available appointments will not be reduced and systems to mitigate the additional demands on the telephone and reception services will be introduced.

A consultation exercise to find out the views and the perceived implications for members of the public was undertaken.

The eight week consultation was led jointly by the Trentside Medical Practice and Nottingham North East CCG, with the support of the Trentside Patient Participation Group.  The consultation was promoted via posters at surgeries and in shops etc., In addition to a household leaflet drop, two public events, publicity via partner organisations and social media.  Consultation surveys were available on line, via telephone, by post and at both surgeries.  A total of 158 surveys were completed and opinions were gathered from letters, feedback from public events and social media sites.

Following questions from Councillors additional points were addressed regarding transport routes and the pharmacy.

Representatives from the CCG were asked if it would be possible for the doctor to hold a surgery in the community centre at Colwick 2 days a week which would provide a service for people who may have difficulty getting to Colwick.

The representative was not able to answer on behalf to the surgery but would consult with the practice to see if it was viable. However, they considered that although this may appear to be a good idea due to issues around reception staff, infection control, IT systems etc. it would be probably not be practical.

RESOLVED:

To receive an update at the next committee meeting.

Report of the Elections and Members’ Services Officer

The Chair welcomed Councillor Wheeler and invited him to discuss issues relating to his portfolio.

Councillor Wheeler informed Members about the areas of responsibility that fall within his portfolio which includes homelessness and housing needs, liaison with Public Health and the CCG, Housing and Council Tax Benefits, sports development and health promotion.  He is also the Gedling Borough Council representative on the County’s Health and Wellbeing Board.

He then addressed issues that had been identified in advance:

·         How will the new Housing Bill affect Gedling Borough Council and its residents?

·         Indicators below target in the Quarter 3 Performance Report.

The following points from the Housing and Planning Bill were highlighted:

Right to Buy for Housing Associations

·         Housing Association (HA) stock sales will be funded vis forced sale of low rent high value Council houses as soon as they become vacant

·         This will fund Right to Buy (RTB) discounts for HA tenants. Gedling Borough Council does not have any Council Housing.  There are over 20 housing associations operating in the Borough providing social housing; Gedling Homes is the biggest.

·         Right to Buy has no guarantee that Housing Associations will replace properties on like for like basis.  A three bedroom house could be replaced by a one bedroom flat or two bedroom house, they could also change tenure from rented to shared ownership occupancy

·         This will deplete the supply of social housing in the Borough unless replacement homes are built on a like for like basis.

Starter Homes

·         The Housing and Planning Bill makes provision for the delivery of 200,000 ‘starter homes’ for first time buyers under the age of 40 years. Sold at a discount of 20% market value at or below a cap of £250,000 outside London and £450,000 in London. The Treasury predicts that only 30% of the population earn more than the £50,000 the income estimated to be able to afford a starter home.

·         In Gedling the average salary is less than £26,000 resulting in many workers having insufficient income to buy a starter home.

Section 106

·         The Bill allows developers to provide ‘Starter Home’ instead of affordable housing on private sites to satisfy the 106 requirements. Developers are more likely to build houses to sell than for rent.  The Bill places a legal duty on Councils to promote the supply of ‘starter homes in their area.  This means that Councils will no longer have to insist on social or affordable rented properties in 106 planning agreements; developers can fulfil their Section 106 agreements by building starter homes for sale. Last Year nationally 40% of new Housing Association homes came from 106 agreements.

·         The loss of the obligation to build affordable homes could result in a decrease in homes available to rent

Pay to Stay

·         The Housing and Planning Bill also introduces a scheme called Pay to Stay.  Pay to safe tenants in social housing with a combined income of £30,000 (£40, 000 in London) will have to pay rents at full market prices or risk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.

Report of the Director of Organisational Development and Democratic Services.

The Director of Organisational Development Helen Barrington provided an overview of Quarter 3 2015/16 performance which had been presented to Cabinet on 18 February.

Just over half (16) of the 28 performance indicators that are appropriate for quarterly monitoring were on target. Of the remainder 3 were amber and 10 were red. These 10 indicators are anticipated to be behind target at the year end.  Members were updated on the reasons for indicators not being met despite management action.

(a)             Number of fly tipping incidents reported to Gedling Borough Council

There has been a significant rise in the number of fly-tipping incidents this year, despite successful enforcement operations leading to well publicised prosecutions. It is increasingly difficult to stop fly tipping. There has been an increase in the removal of fly tips including one successful prosecution but it is not sustainable for the Council to continue to remove an ever increasing number.

(b)             Number of visits to leisure centres

Councillor Wheeler had already discussed this indicator earlier in the meeting.

(c)             Preventing homelessness – number of households who considered themselves as homeless, who approached the Council, and for whom housing advice resolved their situation

              Information to be provided at the April committee.

(d)             Average time to process homeless applications (number of working days)

              Information to be provided at the April committee.

(e)Net additional homes provided

(f)              Number of affordable homes delivered (gross)

(g)             Percentage of minor planning applications processed within 8 weeks

(h)         Percentage of other planning applications within 8 weeks

              Information to be requested from the Portfolio Holder for Growth and Regeneration, who will be attending the April committee meeting.

(i)          Residual household waste per household in Kg

The indicator is currently on target but expected to miss target at the end of the year.  The envisaged increase in the collection of garden waste next year should reduce the amount of residual bin waste.

A discussion followed regarding how the authority should encourage recycling companies to collect and recycle more recyclable waste, for example cartons. They were informed that the contract for the disposal of waste is the responsibility of the County Council and is currently with Viola who do not have the facility for recycling cartons.  Members asked when the contract was due for renewal and felt this should be considered when it was retendered.

(j)           Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting

               This is a stretching target and will not be hit in the current year. The increase in the customer base for the garden waste collection should help increase the amount of waste sent for composting next year.

                 Members agreed that these two indicators should be discussed when the Portfolio Holder for Environment attends the committee.

RESOLVED to:

·         Note the Quarter 3 performance information

·         Request information regarding the recycling contract

·         Request additional information regarding a number of indicators to be available for the April meeting

·         Request information regarding indicators in the Environment Portfolio to be discussed when the Portfolio Holder attends  ...  view the full minutes text for item 107.

Report of the Elections and Members’ Services Officer

Response to request for additional information

Members had no comments on the additional information and noted the information.

Scrutiny Reviews 2014/15

Reducing Unemployment in Gedling Borough: six month update

The Elections and Members’ Services Officer informed Members about the six month progress report of accepted recommendations arising from the review.

Members noted the report

2015/16 Work Programme

Obesity and Bonington Theatre Working Group

After discussion Members agreed the scopes for the two reviews.

Future Items for Scrutiny

Highways maintenance including the maintenance of trees on the highway

Members requested that the focus for the discussion should be the repair of ‘pot holes’ future problems and the cost of road maintenance.  They requested that an officer from the authority an officer from the County Council attend.  They also requested that County Councillor Roy Allen be invited.

Work programme

Members noted the programme.

RESOLVED:

·         To note the responses of the Reducing Unemployment in Gedling Borough: six month update

·         To agree the scopes for the current reviews

·         Agree the focus for the maintenance of roads

·         To note the work programme.

None.