CABINET – 27.07.06
CABINET
27 JULY 2006
PRESENT: Councillors Mrs Gliksten (Chairman), Werner (Deputy Chairman and
Community Partnerships), Eglise (Finance) Fagence (Leisure and Cultural Services), Mrs
Howes (Property and Strategic Planning), Mrs Newbound (Children’s Services), Mrs
Pitteway (Education and Lifelong Learning), Mrs Proctor (Adult Services and Housing), and
Wood (Transport and Traffic Management).
Non Members: Councillors Burbage, Herlinger, Hilton and Thompson
Officers: Messrs, P Brown, S Brown, Clemence, Mrs Dackombe, J Gould, T Gould, Ms
Halliday, Miss Hills, Hunt, Ms Kenyon, Lunn, Peckham, Richardson, D Scott, B Smith,
Thompson, and Trigwell.
PART I
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors Fagence and Mrs Newbound declared personal and prejudicial interests in
relation to the item 6(viii) on the Agenda, ‘Appointment of School Governors’, as LEA
School Governors seeking re-appointment, and left the meeting for the duration of this item.
Councillor Mrs Howes declared a personal and prejudicial interest in relation to the item at
item 6(viii) on the Agenda, ‘Appointment of School Governors’, as her husband was seeking
re-appointment as an LEA School Governor, and left the meeting for the duration of this item.
Councillor Burbage declared a personal interest in relation to the item at item 6(viii) on the
Agenda, ‘Appointment of School Governors’, as an LEA-appointed School Governor.
MINUTES
of the meeting of the Cabinet Prioritisation Sub Committee held on 13 July 2006 were noted.
PETITIONS
Cabinet considered the following petitions:
Feathers Public House, Wraysbury
"For the last 12 years we the undersigned residents of Wraysbury village have had to endure
the deterioration and loss of visual amenity of the site on Feathers lane known as the
Feathers Public House. Today the Public House is virtually derelict and the whole site is an
eyesore and a shameful showcase to residents and visitors alike as they enter the village.
The undersigned residents demand that the site is brought back into use and if appropriate
the site is re-developed into new homes. We therefore as a matter if urgency require the
RBWM Council to take all necessary action under the Empty Homes Policy to take control of
the site by expeditious and effective means such as compulsory purchase with the goal of
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ensuring that a development is proposed and built to improve the visual amenity and create
new homes”.
Mr Reg Marsh, the Lead Petitioner, addressed Cabinet in support of the petition, and outlined
the history of the site. He referred to the location of the Feathers Public House in Wraysbury,
and summarised what had happened to the site since he moved to the area about 20 years ago.
The site had been trashed and had become a hazard for the area. It had been boarded up, but
was now becoming an eyesore and was a health hazard. There were also environmental health
issues associated with the site, and the car park was becoming an area for the dumping of
rubbish. It was also now overgrown, and some fences had been installed on part of the site.
Mr Marsh also referred to the proposed planning application that the new owners were
currently preparing, and noted the proposal being put forward by the Lead Member to give the
new owners 6 months to pursue this application. He supported this proposal, subject to there
being appropriate action should no progress be made at the expiration of the 6 month period.
The Lead Member thanked Mr Marsh for his comments, and confirmed that action would be
taken if no progress had been made at the end of the 6 month period.
RESOLVED: That the owners of the property be given 6 months to pursue
the planning application which they are currently preparing, and if
substantive progress is not made within this time, Cabinet be asked to
review the options.
CABINET MEMBERS’ REPORTS
Chairman
Delivering Excellence: Progress Report
Cabinet noted the contents of the latest progress report about the Borough’s modernisation
programme. Particularly highlighted was the Summer Events day, which looked at some of
the issues that would face all Councils and their partner organisations in the future. In
addition, an update was provided on the development of a Local Area Agreement, together
with the production of the updated Community Strategy. It was noted that a consultation
period in relation to the priorities for the Community Strategy was being proposed and
Members felt that this should be extended until 29 September.
Members were also informed of the proposed forward process for the Desborough Suite
Improvements, the refurbishment of the registrars suite, and the Town Hall external works.
Councillor Hilton asked about the performance targets and customer feedback in relation to
the Customer Service Centre, and it was noted that a survey had been undertaken with
customers. The Chairman agreed to provide Councillor Hilton with a copy of the survey.
RESOLVED: That
a) the progress on the Royal Borough’s Modernisation Programme be
noted.
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CABINET – 27.07.06
b) Consultation be undertaken with the public, statutory, and voluntary
and community sectors on the priorities for the Community Strategy
and the Local Area Agreement from 28 July to 29 September.
c) The forward process for the Desborough Suite Improvements Phase II,
the refurbishment of the Registrars Suite, and the external works, be
endorsed.
Finance
Procurement Strategy 2006
Members considered the 2006 Procurement Strategy. It was noted that the National
Procurement Strategy included a target under the key theme of Providing Leadership and
Building Capacity for every Council to adopt a Corporate Procurement Strategy. It also
required Councils to monitor their performance against the national strategy targets, all of
which were contained within the Procurement Strategy for the Royal Borough.
Procurement was a major contributing element to the Delivering Excellence programme of
the Council and achieving the targets of the Medium Term Financial Plan. Cabinet noted that
this strategy would lead the Council to the achievement of these targets and form a framework
within which the Council would develop and improve its procurement capacity and
effectiveness. The Strategy linked directly and also built upon the 2005 Procurement Strategy,
and the Best Value Review of Strategic Procurement, which were both endorsed by Cabinet at
its meetings on 28 July 2005 and 21 November 2004 respectively.
The Lead Member outlined the Strategy, and highlighted the huge progress that had been
made since the work on procurement had started. It was noted that the 2005 Procurement
Strategy had placed much emphasis on the Council’s commodity purchasing and the
improvements afforded by the Council’s adoption of eProcurement, and in particular linking
the Council’s purchasing system with the IDeA:marketplace. This had produced significant
savings on items such as stationery, computer consumables and paper but far greater
efficiencies were also emerging from the work which procurement was contributing to in
areas such as Social Services Care and Non Public Transport. In addition, Members noted that
since joining the Royal Borough in October 2004, the Head of Procurement had initiated
proposals that had secured £154,500 of external funding, and worked with officers in various
departments in negotiations with suppliers where an aggregate gross saving of over £1.5m had
been achieved. Many of these savings would be repeated annually for the life of the contract.
The Chairman placed on record, on behalf of Cabinet, her thanks to the Head of Procurement
for his hard work.
RESOLVED: That the draft Procurement Strategy 2006 and recommended
actions contained within the body of the Strategy be approved.
Transport and Traffic Management
5 Year Review Delivery Report On The Local Transport Plan 2001/2006 (LPT1)
Cabinet considered the 2001/2006 5 Year review Delivery Report on the Local Transport Plan
(LTP1) for submission to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).
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Members were informed that the 2001/06 5 Year Review Delivery Report on the Borough’s
first LTP was a statutory requirement of the Transport Act 2000. When put together in 2000,
it represented the Council’s first attempt at compiling an LTP, and it set out how the Council
was delivering its transport strategy and Capital Programme to meet local objectives and
national targets. The judgements made by GOSE on the 5 Year Review Delivery Report and
the Local Transport Plan 2006/2011 (LTP2) would form a key part of the Borough’s annual
Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA).
The Lead Member highlighted the process in relation to submitting the document to GOSE,
together with the background, history and timescales associated with the production of the
LTP. In addition, the Lead Member presented data highlighting the expenditure against
forecast (capital) for the LTP2 2006-2011, together with data in relation to the number of
schemes delivered against the LTP2 forecast.
Cabinet noted the comments of Councillors Burbage and Hilton.
RESOLVED: That the 2001/06 5 Year review Delivery Report be approved
for submission to GOSE on 31 July 2006 and any final changes to the
document be delegated to the Director of Community Services in
consultation with the Lead Member for Transport and Traffic
Management.
Finance
Annual Review Of Risk Management Strategy
Members considered progress on the Council’s Risk Management Strategy. Since the last
review report to Cabinet on 28 July 2005, the Council’s risk management arrangements had
been scrutinised internally, with a review undertaken by the internal Audit and Review team,
and externally by the Audit Commission as part of the Use of Resources element of the
Comprehensive Performance Review. The Audit Commission had indicated that they were
pleased with the progress that the Council was making and that the way the Council handled
risk was a strength of the organisation. Subsequent to the review, the Audit Commission had
requested that copies of the Council’s risk management documentation be made available on
their website of good practice examples.
It was also noted that risk management had been integrated into all Council plans, and the
Council had made excellent progress in using risk management within programme and project
development and implementation. The Council’s use of risk management as an integral part
of programme management had been recognised, with the Royal Borough being a finalist in
the 2006 European Risk Management Awards for Best Approach in the Public Sector.
RESOLVED: That the findings of the report be noted.
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Adult Services
Health Act Flexibilities (Intermediate Care)
Cabinet considered the continued provision and expansion of a pooled budget for intermediate
care under Section 31 of The Health Act 1999.
RESOLVED: That
a) officers be authorised to negotiate an expanded pooled budget for
Intermediate Care, Rapid response and First response Services, and
officers de delegated to enter into arrangements with the local health
body for pooling budget, resources and integrating structures in
accordance with the powers contained under Section 31 of the Health
Act 1999 and associated with the management of the pooled budget
arrangements.
b) The Director of Learning and Care, in consultation with the Lead
Member for Adult Services, be authorised to sign a section 31
Agreement between the Council and Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead
Primary Care Trust (and it’s successor organisation) covering such a
pooled budget from 1 October 2006.
Deputy Chairman and Community Partnerships
Badnells Pit Monitoring Group
Members considered the formation of a residents monitoring group to discuss the remediation
of Badnells Pit.
Councillor Herlinger commented on the meetings of the Group, and it was noted that
meetings of the Group would be held in the evenings.
RESOLVED: That the adoption of the proposed residents monitoring group
as set out in paragraph 3.3.3 of the report be agreed, and that any
monitoring or communication protocols requiring approval be delegated to
the Director of Community Services in consultation with the Leader, the
Deputy Chairman and Lead Member for Community Partnerships, and the
Ward Councillors.
Finance
Budget Monitoring – 2006-07 Projected Outturn
Members received details of the projected outturn for the Revenue and Capital Budgets for
the 2006-07 financial year based on the latest available information.
Also considered was supplementary estimates and budget virements for Social Services
relating to the transitional costs arising from the re-provisioning of Wardens Lodge.
Councillors Burbage and Hilton asked a number of questions, to which they received
responses from the Lead Member.
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RESOLVED: That
a) supplementary estimates of £250,000 be approved to the Social Services
budget to be funded from earmarked reserves.
b) the virements, as set out in Appendix D of the report, be recommended to
Council for approval.
c) the remainder of the Revenue Outturn be noted.
Education and Lifelong Learning
Appointment Of School Governors
Cabinet considered the latest list of vacancies and candidates.
RESOLVED: That the following appointments be made in accordance
with the borough’s Code of Practice to vacancies on school governing
bodies in the Royal Borough.
Alexander First
Alexander First
Alexander First
Altwood CE Secondary
Altwood CE Secondary
Charters
Churchmead CE
Churchmead CE
Courthouse Junior
Cox Green
Dedworth Green First
Dedworth Middle
Dedworth Middle
Desborough
Ellington Primary
Eton Wick CE First
Furze Platt Infant
Hilltop First
Hilltop First
Holy Trinity CE Primary
C’ham
King’s Court First
King’s Court First
King’s Court First
Knowl Hill CE Primary
Larchfield Primary &
Nursery
Lowbrook Primary
Newlands Girls’
Oldfield Primary
Mrs Joyce Adcock
Mrs Molly Baker
Mrs Constance Walker
Mr Frederick Ashmore
Cllr David Howes
Mr David Evans
Mr Michael Clegg
Cllr Mrs Elizabeth Hawkes
Cllr Mrs Kathy Newbound
Mr Christopher Brown
Mr Brian Lancaster
Mrs Janet May-Bowles
Mrs Karin Taylor
Mrs Maureen Kenney
Mrs Jennifer Spear
Mrs Barbara Muir
Mrs Joanne Lonsdale
Mrs Anne Frater
Mrs Maggi Ward
Mr Arthur Burgin
Mr Matthew Fletcher
Mrs Gillian Hepsworth
Cllr Eric Wiles
Mr Dennis Cullinane
Mr Mark Eynon
Mrs Christine Sherwood-Phelps
Mrs Jill Nicholls
Mrs Anne Crosbie
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St Edward’s Catholic
First
St Edward’s RF
Ecumenical Middle
St Luke’s CE Primary
St Luke’s CE Primary
St
Mary’s
Catholic
Primary
St Michael’s CE Primary
South Ascot Village
South Ascot Village
The Queen Anne Royal
Free CE
The Queen Anne Royal
Free CE
Waltham St Lawrence
Primary
Windsor Girls’
Windsor Girls’
Mrs Jenny Evenden
Mr Dominic Cook
Mrs Pauline Joseph
Mr Brian Wastell
Mrs Melanie Stack
Mr Norman Ashby
Mrs Nicola Gardiner
Mr Andrew Oates
Mrs Frances Hartridge
Mrs Barbara Sutherland
Dr Branwen Mellors
Cllr Richard Fagence
Mr Ammer Masood
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 – EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
RESOLVED: That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act
1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst
discussion takes place on items 8 & 9 on the grounds that they involve the
likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part
I of Schedule 12A of the Act.
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