Agenda item

To receive reports from the Leader and members of the Cabinet on matters falling within their area of responsibility:

(a)         Report of the Leader;

(b)     Report of the Asset Management and Economic Development Portfolio Holder;

(c)         Report of the Environment Portfolio Holder;

(d)     Report of the Finance and Technology Portfolio Holder;

(e)         Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder;

(f)      Report of the Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder;

(g)         Report of the Planning Portfolio Holder;    

(h)     Report of the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder;

(i)      Report of the Support Services Portfolio Holder.

The Council received written reports from the Asset Management and Economic Development Portfolio Holder, the Environment Portfolio Holder, the Finance and Technology Portfolio Holder, the Housing Portfolio Holder, the Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder, the Planning Portfolio Holder, the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder and the Support Services Portfolio Holder.

The Chairman invited the Leader to provide an oral report and other members of the Cabinet give an oral update of their written reports.

(a)          The Leader of the Council

Councillor Whitbread referred to the earlier briefing on the potential new Ongar Academy. He advised Members that although the Council was not the statutory Education Authority it had taken a close interest over many years in the standard of Secondary School provision for Young People in the District. The new Free School proposed was an exciting opportunity to provide better access to quality educational opportunities for Ongar and the surrounding villages.  He applauded the drive and commitment of those parents and other members of the community who had worked hard to take this proposal to the final stage of bidding for Government approval.

The Leader advised Members that he was pleased to be elected by the Leaders of all the Essex Authorities, to become their representative on the full South East Local Enterprise Partnership Board (SELEP). SELEP was amongst the largest of the Enterprise Partnership Boards in the Country and was responsible for the prioritisation and allocation of tens of millions of pounds of investment, to provide the infrastructure and environment for economic development and regeneration. He said he would keep Members advised on the major issues that SELEP were considering, through his regular reports.

Councillor Whitbread reported that in March he had been invited by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the Rt. Hon. Eric Pickles MP, to attend, with other local authority Leaders in the South East, what the Secretary of State described as a “Fireside Chat”, at the House of Commons.  Essentially this had been a briefing and opportunity to ask questions around the key issues affecting local government, for example, Welfare Reform, Changes to the Business Rate Regime arrangements and the National Planning Policy Framework. The Leader said it was good to see that issues important to the Epping Forest District, such as the protection of the Green Belt, were shared by many other authorities.

The Leader advised that he was pleased to have attended the launch of the Waltham Abbey APP. This was an APP suitable for i-Phones and Android Devices, that provided visitors to Waltham Abbey with information about how to get the best from their time in the Town. He stated that this would be a great asset in bringing people to Waltham Abbey, not only to enjoy themselves, but also to support local businesses.

(b)          Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

Councillor Webster advised that the Museum had launched the second of its Arts Council England funded touring exhibitions called Response and Rescue at the Time Machine, Harlow from 28 April – 28 July 2014. This was being exhibited in Harlow whilst the Museum in Waltham Abbey was being refurbished.