Agenda Cabinet Date Wednesday, 18 September 2013 at 7:00 pm Venue Reception Room, Town Hall LEADER: COUNCILLOR DAVID EAVES Membership: Councillor Portfolio Karen Buckley Finance and Resources Susan Fazackerley Leisure and Culture Dr Trevor Fiddler Planning and Development Cheryl Little Social Wellbeing Albert Pounder Customer & Operational Services Thomas Threlfall Environment & Partnerships Public Platform To hear representations from members of the public in accordance with Cabinet procedure rules Procedural Items Pages 1 Declarations of Interest: Any member needing advice on Declarations of 1 Interest should contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting. 2 Confirmation of Minutes: To confirm the minutes of the previous meetings 1 held on 26 June and 2 July 2013 as correct record attached at the end of the agenda. Urgent Items 3 Urgent Items (The Chairman will be asked to indicate whether or not he 1 accepts that any additional item should be considered by the Cabinet as a matter of urgency, in accordance with section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). 1 Items for Decision 4 Policy Development Scrutiny Committee – Recommendations 4 - 11 5 Community Focus Scrutiny Committee – Recommendations 12 - 19 6 Revenues and Benefits Service 20 - 24 7 Boxes 2 Bins – Evaluation and Outcomes 25 - 38 Duty to Co-operate: Memorandum of Understanding between Blackpool 8 Council, Fylde Borough Council, Wyre Borough Council and Lancashire County 39 - 59 Council 9 Timetable for Developing Budget Proposals 2014/15 60 - 63 10 Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 64 - 69 11 Part Roof Replacement St Anne’s Swimming Pool 70 - 76 12 Fylde Water Management Partnership 77 - 80 13 Business Rates – Write-Off of Uncollectable Debts 81 - 88 Contact: Lyndsey Lacey - Telephone: (01253) 658504 - Email: [email protected] © Fylde Borough Council copyright 2013 You may re-use this document/publication (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium. You must re-use it accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Fylde Borough Council copyright and you must give the title of the source document/publication. Where we have identified any third party copyright material you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. This document/publication is also available on our website at www.fylde.gov.uk 2 Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at the Town Hall, St Annes Road West, St Annes FY8 1LW, or to [email protected] 3 REPORT REPORT OF MEETING DATE ITEM NO RESOURCES DIRECTORATE - FOR THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 18 SEPTEMBER CABINET 4 POLICY DEVELOPMENT SCRUTINY 2013 COMMITTEE POLICY DEVELOPMENT SCRUTINY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS PUBLIC ITEM This item is for consideration in the public part of the meeting. SUMMARY Since Cabinet last met, the Policy Development Scrutiny Committee has made recommendations which Cabinet may wish to note. The minutes of the meeting held on 11 July 2013 are attached. RECOMMENDATION To consider the minutes and recommendations arising from the Policy Development Scrutiny Committee meeting which met on 11 July 2013. CABINET PORTFOLIO The items fall within the following Cabinet portfolio(s): Leader of the Council – Councillor David Eaves Social Wellbeing – Councillor Cheryl Little Finance and Resources – Councillor Karen Buckley SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS DECISIONS The recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee are regularly reported to Cabinet. 4 REPORT To consider endorsing the recommendations of the latest Policy Development Scrutiny Committee meeting as detailed below: POLICY ON DISCHARGING THE HOMELESSNESS DUTY INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR 1. To approve the draft policy for consultation, to achieve the proposed outcomes in appendix of the report, and to recommend that it is built into the consultation process on the Fylde BC Homelessness Strategy 2013-18, for approval by Cabinet. The consultation results be noted. The CORPORATE PLAN 2013-16 1. Having considered the proposed Corporate Plan for 2013-16, to recommend it for approval by Full Council. 2. That the approved Corporate Plan is reviewed on an annual basis with the key short term actions updated through the Service Planning Process. The Committee also considered reports on the Year End Performance Report 2012/13 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Outturn Position 2012/13 which were both noted. IMPLICATIONS Finance None arising directly from this report Legal None arising directly from this report Community Safety None arising directly from this report Human Rights and Equalities None arising directly from this report Sustainability and Environmental None arising directly from this report Impact Health & Safety and Risk None arising directly from this report Management Report Author Tel Date Doc ID Annie Womack (01253) 658423 4 September 13 PDSC Recs List of Background Papers Name of document Date Where available for inspection Minutes of Policy Development 23 May 2013 www.fylde.gov.uk Scrutiny Committee 5 Attached documents 1. Policy Development Scrutiny Committee Minutes 6 Policy Development Scrutiny Committee Date: 11 July 2013 Venue: Town Hall, St Annes Committee members: Councillor Fabian Craig-Wilson (Chairman) Councillor Len Davies (Vice-Chairman) Councillors Frank Andrews, Tim Armit, Susan Ashton, David Chedd, Susanne Cunningham, John Davies, David Donaldson, Charlie Duffy, Howard Henshaw, Richard Redcliffe, Vivienne M Willder Other Councillors: Councillor Karen Buckley Officers: Allan Oldfield, Tracy Morrison, Clare Platt, Paul O’Donoghue, Paul Rossington, David Gillett, Kirstine Riding, Alex Scrivens, Lance Postings, Annie Womack Other Attendees: None Public Platform There were no requests to speak. 1. Declarations of interest Members were reminded that any disclosable pecuniary interests should be declared as required by the Localism Act 2011 and that any other interests should be declared as required by the Council’s Code of Conduct. Councillor Vivienne M Willder declared a personal interest in Item 4, as a member of the Board of New Fylde Housing. 2. Confirmation of minutes RESOLVED: To approve the minutes of the Policy Development Scrutiny Committee meetings held on 23 May 2013 as a correct record for signature by the chairman. 3. Substitute members The following substitutions were reported under Council procedure rule 24.3: Councillor Howard Henshaw for Councillor Karen Henshaw Councillor Vivienne M Willder for Councillor Simon Cox 7 Councillor Susanne Cunningham for Councillor Ben Aitken Councillor Tim Armit for Councillor Ed Nash 4. Policy on Discharging the Homelessness Duty into the Private Sector David Gillett, Head of Environmental Health and Housing, introduced the report which provided information on a change in the homeless legislation, which allows local authorities to discharge a duty to a homeless household by securing accommodation for them in the private rented sector. Prior to this legislation, an applicant had been able to decline such an offer and to insist on being placed in a social rented home. The draft policy would go out to consultation once it had been reviewed by this scrutiny committee Mr Gillett told members that although it was not compulsory for the Council to adopt such a policy, it would present an opportunity to strengthen current working arrangements with YMCA Face 2 Face, and would reduce pressure on the affordable housing market as provided by local Housing Associations for which the demand outstrips supply. Kirstine Riding, Senior Housing Officer, took members through the background to the report and explained that potentially there were 4 ways of discharging the duty, and the draft policy which would be going to consultation recommended using the power in a targeted approach. She outlined the protections available to applicants should they be given notice to leave by a private landlord, and also reminded members of the Rent Bond guarantee scheme operated by YMCA Face 2 Face which is designed to ensure that affordable good quality accommodation is offered within the private sector and that those properties are suitable managed. Face 2 Face is currently increasing the number of private landlords they work with through DCLG funding. Each property to be used under this policy will need to be subject to inspection by the Housing Team. It was pointed out by members that the minimum 12 month tenancy agreement required by the legislation may well be a disincentive to some private landlords. Mr Gillett agreed but said that many private landlords were happy to work with Face 2 Face and the Rent Bond scheme. In response to other questions he also said that this scheme assisted them in planning ahead for any increase in homelessness. There was no register of private landlords as such, but only those working with Face 2 Face would be considered when looking for private accommodation for homeless persons. He acknowledged the comment that private rents were usually higher than Housing Association rents and sid that there was a need to ensure that the rents charged were affordable so as to ensure that Housing Benefit, where it was in payment, would cover the rent. Members RESOLVED: 1 to approve the draft policy for consultation, to achieve the proposed outcomes in Appendix 1 of the report, and to recommend that it is built into the consultation process on the Fylde BC Homelessness Strategy 2013-18, for approval by Cabinet. 5. Year End Performance Report 2012 / 13 This report provided detail of performance by service area, both below and above the agreed target, for the financial year 2012/13, and was presented by Alex Scrivens (Corporate Performance and Efficiency Officer). 8 Mr Scrivens briefly explained that the report was set out so that the text items highlighted specific areas of under- and over-performance for the year for members’ consideration, with a concise narrative on each item. The second half of the report consisted of a table of all of the performance indicators and targets with actual results for year-to-date and performance status icons against each of the Local KPIs.