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Council and Democracy

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber Area B, Rushcliffe Arena, Rugby Road, West Bridgford. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

2.

Community Partnership Review - Positive Futures and YouNG pdf icon PDF 254 KB

The report of the Executive Manager – Communities is attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Community Development Manager presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities which provided the Group with an overview of the current service level agreement with the Trent Bridge Community Trust who currently deliver both the Positive Futures and YouNG projects on behalf of the Council both of which were due to expire on the 31 December 2020. The report provided an overview of a business case proposal provided by Trent Bridge Community Trust for the period 2021 to 2025, and options for future commissioning of those services.

 

It was explained that the Positive Futures programme provided mentoring support in schools and community settings, which targeted individuals to address their attendance, behaviour and attainment levels to raise their aspirations. It was also noted that the YouNG Project delivered work experience placements and entrepreneurial markets for young people within the Borough. 

 

The Group were asked to consider the options from one of the following commissioning proposals;

 

a) Commission Trent Bridge Community Trust to combine the current Positive Futures and YouNG Service Level Agreements at existing levels of £192,000 per annum for the period 2021-2025.

 

b) Commission Trent Bridge Community Trust to combine the current Positive Futures and YouNG Service Level Agreement at a reduced level of £150,000 per annum (22% reduction).

 

c) De-commission delivery of one or both of the Positive Futures and YouNG projects at the end of the current Service Level Agreement period.

 

It was noted that any future commitment to a new Service Level Agreement would result in an annual revenue increase of £110,000 (option a) or £68,000 (option b) for the duration of the agreement.

 

The Group were very supportive of the Positive Futures programme, and believed that it had a better outcome for individuals in comparison to the YouNG project. It was noted that the Council could work with the Trent Bridge Community Trust to see what efficiencies could be made if the two services were combined although further negotiations would be required. The Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods stated that the Service Level Agreement should be considered in the wider context of the medium term financial strategy and would need to be discussed as part of the budget process. The Executive Manager asked the Group to consider if the community outcomes of the programmes delivered by the Trent Bridge Community Trust could be delivered with a 22% funding reduction. It was discussed that reducing funding for the projects would increase the task of the TBCT being able to engage with those not in employment, education or training and would water down the outcomes of both projects.

 

It was suggested that perhaps the Council could fund the Positive Futures programme at existing levels and send out a tender for the commission of a new programme for young people to enhance their talents and abilities to replace the YouNG project. It was also discussed that a programme to target sport and a healthy lifestyle could be more beneficial to young people than work experience placements and entrepreneurship  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Carbon Management Plan Development and Review pdf icon PDF 339 KB

The report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods is attached.

Minutes:

The Community Development Manager presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods which outlined the Council’s current strategic framework and recent performance in reducing carbon emissions from the Council’s direct operations in order for the Council to achieve carbon neutral status by 2030.

 

A presentation was delivered by the Environment Sustainability Officer which covered:

 

·         Climate Change – overview of the issue

·         The impact locally of Climate Change

·         Progress in Cutting Carbon emissions by RBC

·         Carbon Management Plan 2010 – main actions

·         RBC emissions from different sources

·         The process to produce a new Carbon Reduction Action Plan

 

The Group were informed that a wide range of actions were being investigated, for example, the Environmental Health Team were exploring promotion and enforcement of efficiency standards for privately rented accommodation and that the Council was networking with D2N2, the Midland Energy Hub and Nottingham City Council in order to share best practice and resources. 

 

It was suggested that solar panel farms could be used as an income stream for the Council with the loss of business rates from Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station in 2025. The Group also discussed the possibility of Carbon and Environmental impacts for reports be added as a heading to all Council reports. It was noted that ongoing monitoring of the delivery of the action plan would need to be incorporated into future scrutiny work programmes as there was no quick and easy response to the scale of the challenge faced.

 

It was RESOLVED that:

 

a)    the priority focus on the Council’s own direct operations and the mitigation required to achieve carbon neutral status by 2030 be endorsed.

b)    officers undertake a further review in 2025 regarding the potential adoption of a Borough-wide net zero carbon emissions target

c)    the proposed process to produce a new carbon management action plan and their interest in attending training be noted.

d)    officers report back to scrutiny in January 2020 with a draft action plan (including resource implications) to enable members to make their recommendations to Cabinet in March 2020

 

4.

Public Space Protection Order Review pdf icon PDF 385 KB

The report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods is attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Environmental Health Manager presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods which asked the Group to consider whether to extend the current Public Space Protection Order for a further three years. It was explained to the Group that the Council approved a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) on 2 February 2017, which controlled the activities of street drinking and outdoor sleeping in key areas of West Bridgford and Edwalton and that it was a requirement of the enabling legislation, namely the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, to review the Order after the expiry of 3 years.

 

The Environmental Health Manager explained that the need for a PSPO was established with the support of key partners suchas the Police and Nottinghamshire County Council to help tackle anti-socialbehaviours associated with street drinking and outdoor sleeping, namely:vomiting, urinating and defecating in public areas, littering, violence, aggressive or intimidating behaviour and criminal damage. The Environmental Health Officer reassured the Group thatPublic Spaces Protection Orders were not used to criminalise homelessness and was pleased to note that since the order came into effect on the 1 March 2017, neither the Police nor the Council had found it necessary to use the Fixed Penalty Notice powers available within the PSPO.  It was noted that instead the signage of the areas has acted as a strong deterrentand alternative powers had continued to be used such as CommunityProtection Warnings and Community Protection Notices.

 

The Group asked questions regarding the Rough Sleepers Group that meets monthly. The Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods noted that The Council had always recognised that persons sleeping outdoors needed support rather than an enforcement approach and the Council works closely with partners through the rough sleepers group including Framework, to ensure that it takes place. It was explained that the Rough Sleepers Group deals with known individuals who were homeless and that the Group aims to establish the root cause of their homelessness and support them to make positive changes.

 

It was RESOLVED that the proposal to extend the Public Space Protection Order to control street drinking and outdoor sleeping in the areas set out in Appendix 1 and 2 be endorsed.

 

5.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 223 KB

The report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

Minutes:

The Group considered the report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services, which detailed the work programme for the Communities Scrutiny Group. The Group queried if the Council’s strategy and approach to fly tipping could be discussed at a future meeting. It was explained that if members of the Group wanted to add additional items to the work programme they would have to be submitted to the Corporate Overview Group in order for them to be discussed and approved if necessary. The Democratic Services Officer agreed to circulate the scrutiny matrix to members of the Group in order for them to submit their topic suggestions for scrutiny.

 

It was RESOLVED that the work programme detailed below be agreed.

 

9 January 2019

 

·         Review of Community Hall Facilities in West Bridgford

·         Carbon Management Plan Development and Review

·         Work Programme

 

19 March 2019

 

·         Resources and Waste Strategy government proposals (provisional)

·         Work Programme