PRESENT: Leader of the Council

COUNTY BOROUGH OF BLAENAU GWENT

REPORT TO: THE LEADER AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SUBJECT: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – 26 TH JUNE 2013

REPORT OF: EXECUTIVE/SCRUTINY OFFICER

PRESENT: Leader of the Council Councillor H. McCarthy (Chair)

Deputy Leader/Executive Business Manager Councillor S. C. Thomas

Executive Member – Economic Strategy & Development Councillor B.J. Scully

Executive Member – Governance Councillor B. Sutton

Executive Member – Social Services – Adult Services Councillor H. Trollope

Executive Member – Social Services – Children & Active Living Councillor A. Hobbs

Executive Member – Highways & Transportation Councillor D. White

Executive Member – Skills & Works Preparation Councillor D. H. Wilkshire

E21 Executive Member – Waste Management & the Environment Councillor K. Hayden

Education Commissioner Bethan Guilfoyle

WITH: Chief Executive Chief Legal Officer Chief Finance Officer Director of Social Services Acting Chief Officer, Environment & Regeneration Assistant Director, Leisure Services & School Transformation Interim Press & Communications Officer

AND: Mr. Robin Thompson, R.P.T. Consulting

DECISIONS UNDER DELEGATED POWERS

ITEM SUBJECT ACTION

E20/(E10) 1. APOLOGIES

The following apology for absence was reported:-

Councillor J. McIlwee, Executive Member Financial Strategy & Management (Council business)

E21/(E11) 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATION

No declarations of interest or dispensations were reported.

E22/(E12) 3. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the Executive Committee held on 5th June, 2013 were submitted.

E22 RESOLVED that the minutes be accepted as a true record of proceedings.

E23/(E5) 4. CONFERENCES/COURSES

WLGA Annual Conference 2013 – 20th June, 2013, Cardiff

RESOLVED that retrospective approval be granted.

E24/(E6) 5. MEMBERSHIPS/SUBSCRIPTIONS

NAC Membership Fees 2013/14

RESOLVED that the membership fees be approved.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGY MATTERS

E25/(-) 6. JOINT PROCUREMENT FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Consideration was given to report of the Chief Finance Officer.

The Chief Finance Officer spoke to the report which sought approval to award a contract for consultancy services, under the exception procedure Section 3 of Standing Orders for Contracts. He pointed out that it was a single procurement to undertake an overall review of services, which would include a more in-depth analysis of Social Services under stage 4 of the process.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the contract for the production of an operating model assessment for all services and a high level opportunity assessment for Social Services be awarded, under the exception procedure (Section 3 of Standing Orders for Contracts).

E23 E26/(-) 7. PENSION AUTO ENROLMENT DELAY

Consideration was given to report of the Chief Finance Officer.

The Chief Finance Officer spoke to the report which briefed Members on the implications of Pension Automatic Enrolment, and sought approval to delay the implementation in respect of certain eligible jobholders.

He said the financial impact of automatic enrolment for the Authority could result in Pension Contributions increasing by approximately £4m per annum, it was therefore proposed that auto enrolment be delayed until September 2017.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and:-

(i) Blaenau Gwent CBC delays full implementation of Pension Auto Enrolment until September, 2017; and

(ii) Employees of Blaenau Gwent CBC are notified of auto enrolment delay and their rights to opt in to the Pension Scheme (in line with the Council’s current arrangements).

E27/(-) 8. GRANTS WORKING GROUP

The Minutes of the Grants Working Group held on the 24th May, 2013 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes be received.

ECONOMY STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT MATTERS

E28/(-) 9. HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND APPLICATION TREDEGAR TOWNSCAPE HERITAGE INITIATIVE

Consideration was given to report of the Acting Chief Officer Environment and Regeneration.

E24 The Acting Chief Officer Environment & Regeneration spoke to the report which provided an update on the current position regarding the Council’s application for Heritage Lottery Funding to support a Townscape Heritage Initiative for Tredegar.

The following amendments to the detailed report were then reported:-

Section 2.3

The Executive Member for Economic Strategy & Development reported that Tredegar Ward Member should read Tredegar Ward Members, as all Tredegar Members would be invited to participate on the THI Advisory Board.

Section 2.6

The Acting Chief Officer Environment & Regeneration reported that the paragraph should be amended to read:-

“There may be a need to secure additional resources to support implementation in early October 2013, subject to the Council receiving confirmation of the necessary funding to progress the projects Implementation Stage.”

Recommendations (Summary Report)

The Officer reported that recommendation 4.3 should be deleted, and the following should be added to the end of recommendation 4.1:-

“which included amendments to the Conservation Area boundary”.

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and:-

(i) The Tredegar Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan be formally adopted as a policy document, which included amendments to the Conservation Area boundary.

E25 (ii) The formation of a THI Advisory Board be authorised, and their terms of reference be acknowledged as a consultative body to oversee the 5 year Implementation Stage of the Tredegar THI Project (October 2013 – October 2018).

E29/(-) 10. TRANSFER OF MONWEL SIGNS & SERVICES TO A NEW SOCIAL

Consideration was given to report of the Acting Chief Officer Environment and Regeneration.

The Acting Chief Officer Environment & Regeneration spoke to the report which provided an update on the current position regarding the transfer, and sought authority to agree the terms and conditions of the transfer arrangements.

The Officer said it was proposed that the Council would act as Guarantor for the potential Pension Liabilities of Monwel Ltd for a maximum three year period, after which Monwel Ltd would secure a Bond from an external provider.

There was an element of financial risk for the Authority, however, to underwrite this risk Monwel Ltd would pay an annual premium to the Authority which had yet to be determined.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and:-

(i) The Council agree to act as Guarantor for the potential Pension Liabilities for Monwel Ltd for a maximum three year period, after which Monwel Ltd will secure a Bond from an external provider.

(ii) Monwel Ltd pay an annual premium (to be determined) to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council for underwriting the risk in relation to ongoing pension deficits.

(iii) The transfer of Monwel into a new Social Enterprise is undertaken as soon as possible as agreed by the resolution of Council in March.

E26 SOCIAL SERVICES – CHILDREN AND ACTIVE LIVING

E30/(-) 11. LEISURE AND YOUNG PEOPLE PORTFOLIO – ALTERNATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY

To consider report of the Assistant Director Leisure Services & School Transformation.

The Assistant Director Leisure Services & School Transformation introduced Robin Thompson of R.P.T. Consulting, who had been commissioned on behalf of the Council to undertake a review of service delivery options.

The Officer then spoke to the report which updated the Executive on the views of the Education & Leisure Scrutiny Task and Finish Group, established to explore the Leisure Services alternative service delivery agenda. The report also provided the Executive with the recommendations of the appointed consultants R.P.T. Consulting and sought a determination on the preferred way forward.

He referred to the fact that it was suggested at the Scrutiny Committee that further consultants be appointed, or an in-house team appointed to look at all the options before a model was adopted. The Officer indicated that the attached report referred to all options and that the use of further consultants was unnecessary.

The Officer then went through the report and highlighted the key issues contained therein.

He said R.P.T. Consulting had proposed that the Authority undertake a two stage approach, which sought to provide the Authority with more detailed information on the type of NPDO, the heads of terms and the scope of transfer to enable the Authority to make the financial decision as to whether to transfer services to a new NPDO.

E27 He confirmed that financial support would be sought via the ‘Spend to Save Fund’ of the Budget Contingency Fund, to cover costs associated with the next stages of the Leisure Services alternative service delivery, and this would be approximately £45k.

The Leader of the Council said this piece of work was timely in light of the Government’s comprehensive spending review.

The Executive Member Social Services Adult Services said he was pleased that this was an in principle decision to proceed to the next stage, as he wanted more detail in terms of the risks associated with the Libraries and also the covenant arrangements attached to Bedwellty House & Park.

In response the Officer confirmed that should a trust be established in the future, part of the project management approach would involve risk management. He also confirmed that consideration would be given to the covenant arrangements, and the Authority would retain all the buildings etc., with the Trust taking over the day to day management of the facilities.

The Executive Member for Social Services – Adult Services referred to documentation circulated by the GMB Union, and stated that membership of any future potential Board would be a Council decision.

The Deputy Leader said in terms of alternative service delivery, he assured that everything would be fully examined. However, he said in the current financial climate it was clear that the Authority could not continue to run certain services, and this piece of work would protect and improve those services.

The Executive Member Social Services Children & Active Living said the Leisure Services budget had been cut year on year. This piece of work was needed in order to modernise services and create efficiencies, and strive towards improved leisure provision for the people of Blaenau Gwent.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the following be approved:-

(i) The draft R.P.T. consulting report and the options available to the Council to deliver Leisure Services;

E28 (ii) R.P.T. Consulting’s in principle recommendation to establish a new Not for Profit Distributing Organisation (N.P.D.O.) for Leisure Services, subject to further more detailed work;

(iii) The scope of the N.P.D.O. (if preferred) and which services would form part of the N.P.D.O.;

(iv) The project management methodology to be used, for example, a two stage approach, and

(v) A request for financial support from either the ‘Spend to Save Fund’ of the Budget Contingency Fund (B.C.F.) to cover the costs associated with the next stages (Part B) of the Leisure Services alternative service delivery agenda.

E29 E31/(E17) 12. GRANTS TO ORGANISATIONS

Consideration was given to report of the Assistant Director Leisure Services & School Transformation.

Members were advised of the following additional grants, which had been submitted since the preparation of the report:-

ABERTILLERY Llanhilleth Ward – Councilor H. McCarthy, J. McIlwee & M. Bartlett 1. St. Mark’s Church, Llanhilleth £300

NANTYGLO & BLAINA

Nantyglo Ward – Councillor M. Dally

1. Nantyglo Rugby Club £100 2. Nantyglo Bowls Club £75 3. Nantyglo Senior Citizens £50 4. Winchestown Senior Citizens £50 5. Nantyglo St. Anne’s Youth Club £100 6. Nantyglo English Wesleyan Youth Club £100 7. Nantyglo English Wesleyan Coffee Morning £25 Club 8. Nantyglo British Legion £50 9. Nantyglo & Blaina 275 Squadron Air Training £50 Corps 10. Nantyglo & Blaina Allotments £25 11. Nantyglo & Blaina Chartist Group £25 12. Coed Cae Karisma Krew School Dance £25 13. International Youth Camp £25 14. Pen y Cwm School DOE Expedition – France) £25 15. Nantyglo Sewing Club £50 16. Beaufort Male Choir £50 17. Abertillery Male Voice Choir £50 18. Blaenau Gwent Indoor Bowls £50 19. Nantyglo Cheeky Dragons £25 20. Nantyglo PHAB Club £50 21. Nantyglo & Blaina Christmas Lights £100 22. Coed y Garn School Christmas Activities £50 23. Abertillery Comprehensive School – prize giving £50

E30 E31