Agenda, decisions and minutes

This meeting is to be webcast and the Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this hybrid meeting will be broadcast live to the internet (or filmed) and will be capable of repeated viewing (or other such use by third parties).

Therefore, by participating in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes. If any public speakers on MS Teams do not wish to have their image captured, they should ensure that their video setting throughout the meeting is turned off and set to audio only.

Please also be aware that if technical difficulties interrupt the meeting that cannot be overcome, I may need to adjourn the meeting.

Members are reminded to activate their microphones before speaking”.

The Leader of Council made a short address to remind everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the internet, and would be capable of repeated viewing, which could infringe their human and data protection rights.

To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest pursuant to the Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 4 December and 18 December 2023.

That the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 4 and 18 December 2023 be taken as read and signed by the Leader as a correct record.

That the minutes of the Cabinet meetings held on 4 and 18 December 2023 be taken as read and signed by the Leader as a correct record.

To receive oral reports from Portfolio Holders on current issues concerning their Portfolios, which are not covered elsewhere on this agenda.

(a)           Leader Portfolio

Councillor C Whitbread announced that Councillor S Kane for personal and health reasons had left the Cabinet with immediate effect. He thanked Councillor S Kane for all his work over the years as a Cabinet member recognising the work he had achieved and wished him well. The Leader continued that he would announce in due course when he had reorganised the Customer and Corporate Support Services portfolio holder responsibilities within the existing Cabinet members.

(b)           Regulatory Services Portfolio

Councillor K Williamson reported that as the Council had not received any responses against the Taxi Tariff consultation, the increase in tariffs would go ahead as planned but would be reviewed annually.

(c)            Housing and Strategic Health Partnerships

Councillor H Whitbread advised that as a result of Government funding the Council was retrofitting some of the more rural Council housing stock.

(d)           Contracts, Service Delivery and Improvement

Councillor R Balcombe was pleased to report the efficient refuse clear up after the Christmas break. Councillor C Whitbread also thanked the Waste Management team and Biffa for their work on this despite the inclement weather.

To receive any questions submitted by members of the public and any requests to address the Cabinet.

(a)        Public Questions

To answer questions asked by members of the public after notice in accordance with the provisions contained within Part 4 of the Constitution (Council Rules, Rule Q3) on any matter in relation to which the Cabinet has powers or duties or which affects the District.

(b)        Requests to Address the Cabinet

Any member of the public or a representative of another organisation may address the Cabinet on any agenda item (except those dealt with in private session as exempt or confidential business) due to be considered at the meeting, in accordance with the provisions contained within Article 7 of the Constitution (The Executive, Paragraphs 27 and 28).

The Cabinet noted that no public questions or requests to address the Cabinet had been received for consideration at the meeting.

To consider any matters of concern to the Cabinet arising from the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny function and to identify any matters that the Cabinet would like the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to examine as part of its work programme.

The Chairman of the Committee, Councillor D Wixley, reported that the agenda for the next meeting had been published and the Committee would be reviewing the 2023/24 Quarter 3 Corporate Performance Report, Quarter 3 Budget Monitoring Report 2023/24 and the Draft Budget 2024/25 at the meeting on 23 January 2024.

(Housing and Strategic Health Partnerships – Cllr H Whitbread) To note the attached report detailing the update on the emergency alarm upgrade (C-037-2023-24).

(1)           That the Cabinet noted the Council was working with TSA (Telecare Services Association) the representative body for technology enabled care (TEC) services to procure a new emergency alarm system for the Council’s independent living schemes, and designated dwellings for older people in the community following the termination of the contract with Doro & Everon in January 2023.

(2)           That the Cabinet noted the alarm monitoring contract with Tunstall Response was due for renewal in 2025, and that a tender exercise was underway to procure new emergency alarm systems and an alarm monitoring service for the Council’s independent living schemes and designated dwellings for older people in the community, to ensure work was completed in readiness for the digital switchover in 2025.

Councillor H Whitbread (Housing and Strategic Health Partnerships) advised the Council must upgrade the emergency alarm system in their independent living schemes that operated on the public switched telephone network (PSTN), as the analogue telephone lines were being discontinued by November 2025. The Council would then move to using a digital IP network. The Council had been working with the Telecare Services Association (TSA) to procure a new emergency alarm system. In addition, the current emergency alarm monitoring contract with Tunstall Response was due to expire in 2025, so the Council also had to undertake a tender exercise to procure a new monitoring provider for its emergency alarm systems.

Councillor R Brookes remarked that this had previously been done in-house and then the Council had switched to a telecare system that was Essex-wide. Councillor H Whitbread acknowledged this was the case. The Interim Housing Services Director, S Balu, continued that the TSA had recommended hard wired alarm upgrades for the Council’s independent living schemes and the Council currently provided a dispersed alarm to older people living in the community. It was more cost effective to have an external provider in terms of upgrades and repairs and other people could sign up externally who were not in independent living.

The report set out the options considered, if any, and the reasons for the recommendation and the decision.

            Decision:

(1)           That the Cabinet noted the Council was working with TSA (Telecare Services Association) the representative body for technology enabled care (TEC) services to procure a new emergency alarm system for the Council’s independent living schemes, and designated dwellings for older people in the community following the termination of the contract with Doro & Everon in January 2023.

(2)           That the Cabinet noted the alarm monitoring contract with Tunstall Response was due for renewal in 2025, and that a tender exercise was underway to procure new emergency alarm systems and an alarm monitoring service for the Council’s independent living schemes and designated dwellings for older people in the community, to ensure work was completed in readiness for the digital switchover in 2025.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, together with paragraphs 6 and 24 of the Council Procedure Rules contained in the Constitution requires that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

In accordance with Operational Standing Order 6 (non-executive bodies), any item raised by a non-member shall require the support of a member of the Committee concerned and the Chairman of that Committee.  Two weeks' notice of non-urgent items is required.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Cabinet.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Cabinet.

(Contracts, Service Delivery and Improvement – Cllr R Balcombe) To consider the attached report to award a contract hire and vehicle maintenance agreement to Specialist Fleet Services (SFS) (C-038-2023-24).

Please note that Appendix A is restricted – see item 12).

(1)           That Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) award an 8-year contract hire and vehicle maintenance agreement to Specialist Fleet Services (SFS) to provide EFDC with vehicles and the maintenance of provided vehicles within the agreed financial cap which could be found in restricted Appendix A.

(2)           That officers and advisers were instructed to finalise negotiations with SFS with a view to placing an order by 1st February 2024 subject to Leader, Portfolio Holder, and Section 151 Officer approval.

Councillor R Balcombe (Contracts, Service Delivery and Improvement Portfolio Holder) introduced the report. For EFDC to manage its statutory duties in relation to domestic and commercial waste collections from November 2024 after the current waste contract ended, the Council must procure a new fleet of vehicles. Contract hire was the preferred method of procurement, and the advantages (detailed in the report) included greater flexibility to change vehicles, ability to use greener, cleaner vehicles when affordable and the ability to include vehicle maintenance at the Operations Hub at North Weald Airfield. All environmentally friendly options had been considered.

Councillor J Philip (Finance and Economic Development Portfolio Holder) remarked that he was pleased the Council was heading down the leasing option. This was a sensible approach since waste vehicles typically only lasted for around 8 years. The Contracts, Partnerships and Procurement Service Director, J Warwick, added that 8 years was the right length of time for the contract from a financial point of view, as 8 years was better value for money. A thorough maintenance package was to be provided. Also, street cleaning vehicles would be swopped after 4 years.

The report set out the options considered, if any, and the reasons for the recommendation and the decision.

            Decision:

(1)           That Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) award an 8-year contract hire and vehicle maintenance agreement to Specialist Fleet Services (SFS) to provide EFDC with vehicles and the maintenance of provided vehicles within the agreed financial cap which could be found in restricted Appendix A.

(2)           That officers and advisers were instructed to finalise negotiations with SFS with a view to placing an order by 1st February 2024 subject to Leader, Portfolio Holder, and Section 151 Officer approval.

Exclusion

To consider whether, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press should be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on grounds that they will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended) or are confidential under Section 100(A)(2):

The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, which came into effect on 1 March 2006, requires the Council to consider whether maintaining the exemption listed above outweighs the potential public interest in disclosing the information. Any member who considers that this test should be applied to any currently exempted matter on this agenda should contact the proper officer at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Background Papers

Article 17 of the Constitution (Access to Information) define background papers as being documents relating to the subject matter of the report which in the Proper Officer's opinion:

(a)        disclose any facts or matters on which the report or an important part of the report is based;  and

(b)        have been relied on to a material extent in preparing the report and does not include published works or those which disclose exempt or confidential information and in respect of executive reports, the advice of any political advisor.

The Council will make available for public inspection one copy of each of the documents on the list of background papers for four years after the date of the meeting. Inspection of background papers can be arranged by contacting either the Responsible Officer or the Democratic Services Officer for the particular item.

That the Cabinet noted the exclusion of the Public and Press was not required during the consideration of the item on the Procurement of waste fleet vehicles, as Appendix A was not specifically questioned.

That the Cabinet noted the exclusion of the Public and Press was not required during the consideration of the item on the Procurement of waste fleet vehicles, as Appendix A was not specifically questioned.