Items
No. |
Item |
49. |
Minutes PDF 103 KB
To approve as a correct record
the minutes of Cabinet held on 9 October 2019.
Minutes:
The minutes of the Cabinet
meeting held on 9 October 2019 were approved as a correct
record.
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50. |
Items of Urgent Business
To receive additional items
that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter
of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local
Government Act 1972.
Minutes:
There were no items of urgent
business.
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51. |
Declaration of Interests
Minutes:
There were no interests
declared.
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52. |
Statements by the Leader
Minutes:
The Leader began his statement
by wishing everybody a Happy New Year and discussing a major power
outage that had occurred on New Year’s Eve at Collins House,
during which all 38 residents had to be
temporarily relocated. He stated that all residents
had been moved out and back in quickly
once the power had been restored. He thanked the residents,
families, and staff who had managed the incident, and felt that
everybody, particularly residents, had kept their spirits high
during the difficult time. He also discussed a second major
incident that had occurred on 6 January during which 415,000 litres
of sulphuric acid had been spilled. He
thanked the emergency services who had attended, and had received
minor injuries, and thanked every officer and department who had
worked throughout the night to manage the incident. He stated that
the gas cloud had dispersed naturally, but schools had been closed quickly to minimise the impact, and
again thanked everyone for their management of the situation.
The Leader moved onto discussing two recent inspections that had
occurred of Thurrock’s vulnerable people services which had
come back positive, as well as the recent OFSTED inspection, during
which Thurrock had received a ‘good’ rating. He
elaborated that Thurrock had narrowly missed the
‘outstanding’ rating, but this was due to timing. He
thanked everyone for the effort they had
put in to make the inspection a success, and for their continued
hard work throughout the year. He stated that Thurrock’s care
homes had also recently had an inspection by the Care Quality
Commission, and these services had also
been rated ‘good’, which was an improvement on the
previous inspection. He clarified that these services were also on
the path towards an ‘excellent’ rating, and felt that
many people had worked hard for this.
The Leader then mentioned the recent Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) scores
that had improved since the last inspection, and mentioned that
Thurrock had previously inspected themselves, but had moved this
responsibility to Keep Britain Tidy, as they were independent. He
felt that although there was still room
for improvement, the directorate was moving forward and had
numerous plans in place to improve the KBT scores. He highlighted
that the Environmental Enforcement team had recently been
shortlisted for an award by KBT, and wished officers good luck. He
clarified that last year the environment directorate had doubled
their street cleaning capacity, installed 600 new bins, 4 new road
sweepers, and had improved the old road sweepers, which had made an
impact across the borough. He also highlighted that the Civil
Enforcement team had received devolved powers from the police, so
they could now enforce certain laws such as underage possession of
alcohol. He stated that additionally Thurrock had received the
powers of injunction to remove illegal encampments, which
was already being used where necessary,
around the borough.
The Leader then talked about housing and the work Thurrock was
doing to tackle rogue landlords and the
successes that had been seen ...
view the full minutes text for item 52.
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53. |
Briefings on Policy, Budget and Other Issues
Minutes:
Councillor Watkins stated that
work was being undertaken to install new
air quality monitoring stations around the borough, to provide data
for the new Air Quality Strategy, and help to tackle the problem of
air pollution. He added that the environment team was working with
Public Health on the air quality monitoring, and detailed findings
would be reported back to the Cleaner,
Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee in February,
which would outline the proposed changes and upcoming work. He
added that as there had been very strong
winds over the weekend 11 trees had fallen, but in line with the
Tree Strategy, these would be replaced.
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54. |
Petitions submitted by Members of the Public
Minutes:
No petitions had been received
by members of the public.
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55. |
Questions from Non-Executive Members
Minutes:
The Leader advised that one
question had been received from Councillor Piccolo regarding Item
17: Acquisition of Land, and this would
be discussed during that item.
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56. |
Matters Referred to the Cabinet for Consideration by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Minutes:
There were no matters referred
to Cabinet for consideration by an overview and scrutiny
committee.
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57. |
Lower Thames Crossing Task Force Update PDF 83 KB
Minutes:
The Leader stated that this
report was for noting as Councillor Coxshall and Councillor Rice
had been unable to attend the meeting. He stated that a number of
Task Force meetings had taken place, and Thurrock had requested
lots of data from Highways England. He
felt that the meeting that had occurred in December discussing cut
and cover had been particularly useful.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Noted the work of the Lower Thames
Crossing Task Force
Reason for decision: as outlined in the report
This decision is subject to call-in
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58. |
Quarter 2 Financial Report PDF 210 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor Hebb introduced the
report and highlighted the three main points. He stated that the
first point was the financial health of Thurrock was strong, as
there was currently a surplus. He stated that the second point was
Thurrock’s handling of the economy
which meant that a modest 1.49% rise in Council Tax was needed to
maintain services such as weekly bin collections and the timely
fixing of potholes. He commented that the third main point was
Thurrock’s commitment to delivering funding for new police
officers in town centres and communities across the borough.
He stated that this report looked back at the financial health of
Thurrock since the last budget had been
agreed in February 2019, and there were currently pressures
within some services, although the budget as a whole was forecast
to be balanced. He stated that one of the main directorates that
was experiencing financial pressure was adult social care, as
pressures were external and outside of the councils control. He
commented that this was due to a few high-need, high-cost
placements, which could push the budget envelope. He added that
this was the first time in many years that the service would
experience overspend, and the budget was being
handled well despite external pressures, and the fragility of the
domiciliary care market. He felt that the most important factor for
adult social care was that good quality care was provided, and the financial budget had to be a
secondary concern.
Councillor Hebb then moved onto discussing the pressures within
children’s social care, which although was overspending by
£900,000 had reduced their
overspend compared to previous years. He felt that this
directorate was very fluid, as a few high-need placements could
again push the cost envelope. He congratulated the team on their
‘good’ OFSTED rating, and felt that the investment in
the system highlighted in the report would help to sustain this
level of achievement and help to achieve the
‘excellent’ rating in the future. He added that lots of
investment had also occurred in the environment directorate, such
as for street cleaning and parks, but was still under-budget and
thanked the team in the hard work dealing with market pressures.
Councillor Hebb added that due to the Homelessness Reduction Act,
Thurrock had seen an increase in the number of people presenting as
homeless, but Thurrock were working hard to tackle this in line
with the central government strategy.
Councillor Hebb stated that Thurrock were predicting a surplus for
the next three years, and if this occurred, it would mean a
balanced budget for a total of seven years. He elaborated that this
was due to reform of services, as well as investment, and this led
to the ability for a one-off spend on more policing. He added that
corporate projects totalled £112million spending for new
infrastructure and projects that were
outlined in appendix 2 of the report, and included the
regeneration of Purfleet and Grays, A13
east-facing slips, 21st century care homes and
...
view the full minutes text for item 58.
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59. |
Housing Development Process (Decision: 110521) PDF 239 KB
Minutes:
Councillor Johnson introduced
the report and stated it was important as it ensured the delivery
of housing programmes, both internally and through Thurrock
Regeneration Limited. He clarified that this report did not discuss
specific sites but outlined the proposed process and criteria for
choosing sites. He stated that this report had gone to the Housing
Overview and Scrutiny Committee who had approved the
recommendations, and wished to see an update report in six
months’ time to be able to monitor progress. He explained
that this report set out robust criteria for housing development
sites, whilst still allowing projects to be delivered at pace. He
described how careful consideration would be
used for all sites to ensure that no unsuitable sites would
be brought forward in the future, and focus would be put on Ward
Councillors and residents views. He clarified that if a site
was added to the long-list, this did not
mean it had received planning endorsement, as the new process meant
the site would have to go to scrutiny, then Cabinet, before finally
arriving at Planning Committee. He summarised and stated that this
would be an annual process, with scrutiny committees and Ward
Councillors seeing sites first, for a smoother and more transparent
process.
Councillor Halden thanked the Portfolio Holder for his report and
thanked him for his support in the Head Start Housing Scheme, which
ensured young people leaving care had somewhere suitable to live.
The Leader added that he felt it was good to see earlier engagement
and consultation with Ward Councillors and residents as it would
improve the process for land release, and ensure that sites were
worth selling before planning approval was
sought.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Approved the proposed process and
criteria by which Council owned sites are selected for
redevelopment for residential purposes.
Reason for decision: as outlined in the
report
This decision is subject to
call-in
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60. |
Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025 PDF 79 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor Johnson introduced
the report and stated that it strengthened the strategy, which
had last been updated in 2015. He
commented that homelessness was a concern across the country, and
the new Homelessness Prevention Act put the onus on councils to
tackle homelessness within their borough. He stated that the Act
had increased the number of households eligible for homelessness
assistance, and this had increased the homelessness figures across
Thurrock. He stated that this report had been made in consultation
with a number of other directorates such as education, and had
consulted with residents who had had lived experience of
homelessness. He stated that a Homelessness Partnership Board
had been put in place to monitor the progress
of the strategy, and described how the strategy increased access to
services for armed forces veterans and those people who were
escaping domestic violence. Councillor Johnson highlighted
that the report increased accessibility to temporary accommodation,
winter night shelters and council housing for residents faced with
homelessness.
The Leader felt this report was very important as many people
experienced homelessness through no fault of their own, and felt
glad to see the scope of the strategy increasing. He was glad to
see that Thurrock would not send homeless people and families to
other boroughs unless necessary, as this further disrupted
people’s lives, such as their employment or access to
schools. The Leader stated he was pleased to see increased access
to services for veterans. Councillor Hebb echoed the Leader’s
sentiments and supported the strategy as he felt it tried to avoid
crises before they appeared.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Approved the implementation of the
draft Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy
2020-25
Reason for decision: as outlined in the
report
This decision is subject to call-in
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61. |
School Protocol to Reduce Serious Youth Violence PDF 66 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor Halden introduced
the report and felt that young people needed to feel safe in
schools to be able to receive the best education. He outlined the
changes in the nature of crime over recent years, and felt that
gang violence could affect every area of society. He highlighted
that gangs tended to prey on vulnerable adults and could use their
houses as gang bases, as well as being aware of the legislation
regarding curfews and police presence to evade arrest. He described
how the Youth Offending Service had been
expanded and now included officers with expertise in gang
violence, and this had reduced youth reoffending rates to 27%,
which was 10% lower than the national average. Councillor Halden
also highlighted that young people not in education, employment or training was also only
1.5%, which was half of the national average. He added that
Thurrock had granted £1million to Essex Police to help them
tackle gangs across the borough, which had led to 24 injunctions
and 16 prosecutions of youth gang members.
Councillor Halden then outlined the proposed Protocol and stated
that it gave schools the opportunity to designate specific staff
members with the powers of stop and search, for both children and
adults on school premises. He clarified that the proposed protocol
was clear on the policy and its uses, as well as being responsible
and robust. He added that the Protocol brought together the Youth
Offending Service, as well as pastoral care such as mental health
workers, careers advisors and the drug/alcohol teams. He stated
that this would tackle the root causes of gangs in the borough. He
added that the report would produce a proactive network, which
would work both in and out of schools throughout the year to help
vulnerable children and young adults, and would provide a
wrap-around service. He stated that this report would increase the
relationship with schools as it expanded the role of the mental
health teams and Youth Offending Service, as well as working to
avoid exclusions and expulsions.
Councillor Hebb stated that he felt this was a good initiative as
it increased collaboration between teams and would support
vulnerable children. He asked if there was a role for the finance
team and debt management officers. Councillor Halden replied that
the debt management team could be
brought into the Protocol, as they could work with young
adults on the Life’s Ladder initiative and teach young people
how to avoid debt and enter into schemes such as the Help to Buy.
He stated that this could provide young people with financial
stability and mobility, which would reduce the pull of gang
membership. The Leader stated that it was good to see partnerships
on projects such as these, as collaboration became standard
practice across the council. He stated that this report would
provide the appropriate level of action when required, and would
not become mass stop and search policies as was seen in some
American schools.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Approved ...
view the full minutes text for item 61.
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62. |
CCTV Identification Policy PDF 129 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Leader introduced the
report and stated that this report focussed on the CCTV strategy as
a whole, as well as the identification of criminals through their
photos on the internet, which many other councils already do. He
mentioned that this policy would have numerous benefits as it meant
that criminals could be caught quicker,
as the police requested Thurrock’s CCTV footage very
regularly. He stated that the London Borough of Barking and
Dagenham, and the London Borough of Havering currently used the
same system to catch fly-tippers and had a ‘most
wanted’ page on their website. He stated that photographs of
criminals would appear both on the council’s website and
around the Civic Offices to ensure criminals are successfully caught, and anti-social behaviour
could be prevented across the borough. He stated that overview and
scrutiny had agreed the recommendations and requested an update
report in six months’ time to monitor progress and make
comments. He stated that this would become recommendation 1.4 of
the Cabinet recommendations.
Councillor Little asked if the policy
would be used for both town centres and rural areas, as she felt
there was often large fly-tips on the fens. The Leader replied that
the policy would be used across the
entire borough, and the photos of criminals would be easily
accessible on the council’s website. He described how the
policy outlined the use of both covert and overt CCTV, and the team
were becoming more adept at recognising hotspots when they appeared
and catching culprits. Councillor Watkins added that this policy
also used inter-departmental working, which he felt was good to
see. He outlined changes to the Household Waste and Recycling
Centres that would reduce fly tipping across the borough, and asked
residents to check waste carrier licences when they used such
companies to remove their waste. He also detailed a new
zero-tolerance policy on fly-tippers bringing their waste from
other boroughs, and stated that signs had been
erected at the entrances to the borough outlining this
scheme.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Approved the implementation of a
Public Identification CCTV policy for enforcement purposes.
2. Approved the use of images in local publications and on the
internet including the council’s website.
3. Approved that the Community Safety Partnership monitor the
implementation of this policy.
4. Approved the Cleaner, Greener and
Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive an update report on
the Policy in six months’ time to monitor the progress
made.
Reason for decision: as outlined in the
report
This decision is subject to
call-in
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63. |
Mid-Year Corporate Performance Report 2019/20 PDF 202 KB
Minutes:
Councillor Huelin introduced
the report and stated that 74% of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
were now on target, compared to less than 50% under the last
administration. She highlighted that 50% of KPIs had also improved
since last year, such as the number of apprentices, number of
potholes filled in on time, and percentage of bins collected on
time. She stated that the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee
were particularly happy with the success of the KPI relating to the
percentage of tenant satisfaction, and the introduction of the
‘route to green’, which focussed on improvements that
needed to be made. Councillor Huelin drew Cabinet’s attention
to page 145 of the agenda and felt that there had been a good
direction of travel for the majority of KPIs, and felt pleased to
see the spreadsheet was mostly green.
Councillor Watkins felt this was a good report, and elaborated on
the environment directorates KPIs. He described the KPI relating to
bins collected on the correct day as he felt pleased that this
target had been met every month, barring February 2019 when the
target had been missed by a marginal percentage. He stated that
this service had been improved by the introduction of Bartec, which
reported bins missed to the contact centre and the relevant
collection trucks, so bins could be picked up. He added that the
KBT scores had improved and thanked the department for their work
on the ‘Think 4 5’ Strategy which set the standard for
cleanliness across the borough. Councillor Watkins then moved onto
discussing the environment directorates missed KPIs, such as the
percentage of waste recycled. He commented that this was a
challenging KPI, but lots of work had been done on its improvement,
such as the introduction of the Waste Management Working Group who
were currently undertaking resident consultation. He stated that a
pilot scheme had also recently been completed to improve recycling
in flats, which the estates management team had found successful,
and had rolled out across their sites earlier than anticipated. He
also highlighted a schools outreach programme that was currently
underway to teach children about recycling, as well as highlighting
changes to the Household Waste and Recycling Centres, which would
be introduced in March.
Councillor Little elaborated on social care’s two missed
targets, but stated these were out of her control, as they were due
to the death of residents. She stated that this report held the
council to account and felt that improvements had been made across
the directorates. She also felt pleased to see that all
children’s social care KPIs had met their target. The Leader
outlined which KPIs his directorate had missed, including the
non-payment of Fixed Penalty Notices for littering, although he
stated that these had started to increase. He mentioned that the
new CCTV Identification Policy would help enforcement officers
tackle the problem of criminals providing false names and
addresses, which would increase the number of Fixed Penalty Notices
and prosecutions.
RESOLVED: That Cabinet:
1. Noted and ...
view the full minutes text for item 63.
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64. |
Acquisition of Land (Decision: 110522) PDF 353 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Leader highlighted that
there were two exempt appendices to the report, but felt that as
long as these were not directly
discussed, the meeting could remain open.
There had been one question submitted by a non-Executive
Member. Councillor Piccolo asked the following question to
Councillor Coxshall, relating to Item 17 on the agenda: Can the
Portfolio Holder outline how his new plans for Stanford le Hope
station will benefit residents? As Councillor Coxshall was unable
to attend, the Leader replied that the Stanford Le Hope Transport
Hub was a significant project to deliver much improved station
facilities in Stanford Le Hope for residents, businesses and
commuters. He added that the original design of the scheme with a
cantilevered deck proved to be an expensive design, requiring
complex engineering solutions to be delivered all of which pushed
the scheme much beyond the existing budget available. He clarified
that consequently the scheme had been under review to identify
alternative design and construction options that could deliver a
high quality design within the available budget. The Leader stated
that the options included identifying additional land that could,
if secured, result in much improved public realm outside of the
station and a dedicated bus turnaround/waiting area on land in the
vicinity as well as much needed additional parking provision.
Councillor Piccolo was invited to ask a
supplementary question and asked the following question:
since the Labour administration sold Sandpits carpark,
Stanford-le-Hope residents have been struggling to park, and there
has been a lack of infrastructure links in the town. Can the Leader
assure me that the proposed purchase of land will reduce the
stranglehold of capital landowners in the town?
The Leader replied that the proposed acquisition of land would
increase both commuter parking and parking for residents wishing to
access the town centre, as well as a new bus turnaround location.
He stated that although the new station car parking would not be as
convenient as Sandpits for access to the town centre, it would
still provide parking within walking distance. He stated that
parking and development of the station was long overdue.
The Leader introduced the report on behalf of Councillor Coxshall
and stated that this report was a fantastic opportunity to improve
Stanford-le-Hope station, after the loss of Sandpits carpark, the
increase of commuters, and the expansion of DP World. He felt that
this report would deliver the required improvements to the station
at a timelier pace, and would reduce the need for a complicated
design. He mentioned that the new design would not require a
complicated cantilever bridge, changes to Mucking Creek, and would
not encroach as much on resident’s houses. He added that the
new design would also provide better bus turnaround facilities, so
workers at the port could access the buses more easily, and would
increase commuter and town-centre parking. He apologised to the
residents of Stanford-le-Hope for the delay in the implementation
of the project, but felt that it was better to get the
...
view the full minutes text for item 64.
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