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 and Legal Portfolio Holder;

(b)         Report of the Environment Portfolio Holder;

(c)     Report of the Finance and Economic Development Portfolio Holder;

(d)         Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder;

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

(f)      Report of the Planning and Technology Portfolio Holder;

(g)     Report of the Safer, Greener and Highways Portfolio Holder;

(h)     Report of the Support Services Portfolio Holder.

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

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

(a)        Leader and Legal Portfolio Holder

Councillor Wagland reported that she had met Councillor Peter Martin, Leader and Joanna Killian, Chief Executive of Essex County Council to discuss a number of matters including highway repairs, children’s commissioning, refuges for domestic abuse, locality boards and member liaison.  She advised that the County Council would be submitting proposals on these issues and that there would be further meetings to pursue actions.

The Leader reported that she had attended a meeting of County Leaders and Chief Executives.  Discussions had included the Integrated County Strategy under which the County Council was looking to set up a rolling fund of £20,000,000 over five years for priority projects aimed at generating economic growth within the county.  Councillor Wagland advised that 36 projects had been identified to date and these included in West Essex, the Harlow Enterprise Zone and the regeneration of Harlow Town Centre.  Members noted that these projects would be filtered down to a core number and that projects to be funded by the Local Enterprise Partnership would be excluded.  Councillor Wagland advised that councils would not be expected to contribute to the fund unless they were to benefit directly from a project.  The Leader advised that she had made it clear and it had been accepted that care would need to be taken in identifying benefit from the projects as for example in West Essex the Harlow projects were in competition with the Epping Forest economy in some respects.

The Leader advised that the meeting had also discussed the election of a Police and Crime Commissioner to replace the Police Authority under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.  She informed the Council that the arrangements were aimed at making the Police more accountable to the community they served and that the Commissioner would set the Police precept, distribute the budget and commission services.  Councillor Wagland reported that a Panel was to be set up for the county comprising 15 local authority members and two independent persons and this would have powers of veto over the budget and appointments made by the Commissioner.  A Shadow Panel was due to be set up and discussions were taking place on the membership of that Panel.

Councillor Wagland reported that Essex was taking part in a pilot for community budgets with Essex being the only two tier local authority area taking part.  The money available would be aimed at bringing together local public services for families with complex needs.

The Council noted that the County Leaders and Chief Executives meeting had also discussed the proposed changes to Council Tax Benefits.  Concerns had been expressed about the possibility of these changes leading to an increase in homelessness and poverty.  It had also been pointed out that the necessary computer software for the new system would probably not be available in time and that Tendering District Council had already started to set up a manual system. Councillor Wagland advised that  the Leader of the County Council had agreed to try and persuade local Members of Parliament to make representations about this unacceptable aspect.

Councillor Wagland informed the Council that she had met Eric Pickles, M.P., Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in relation to planning issues.  She advised that he had confirmed that the transitional period for the preparation of Local Pans would be 18 months and that the National Planning Framework should be in place by April this year.

Councillor Wagland reported that the South East Local Enterprise Partnership had been awarded an additional £672,000 by Government making a total of approximately £33,000,000 funding for Growing Places.  The initial list of proposed projects for funding included major infrastructure schemes such as the proposed junction 7A for the M11 and projects to overcome factors blocking business development that could not be resolved by local authorities or developers themselves. 

The Leader reported that she had attended a meeting of the North London Strategic Alliance which was developing a prospectus for the M11 Corridor aimed at attracting inward investment.

Councillor Wagland advised that she had also attended a meeting of the West Essex Alliance whose new Chairman was to be Nick Barton of Stansted Airport with a new Vice-Chairman to be appointed from the business community.  She informed the Council that the Alliance was concentrating on broadband coverage over West Essex to achieve high speed reliable broadband, business support schemes and schemes similar to this Council’s One Shops Local, the website supporting local traders.

In relation to the legal part of her portfolio, Councillor Wagland reported that Legal Services had completed the contract with Sita for an extension of the Waste Collection Contract having addressed a number of potential pitfalls in the initial drafting.  Councillor Wagland reported that Legal Services had instituted Health and Safety Prosecutions in accordance with advice from Leading Counsel regarding the unfortunate death of a child at a nursery at Buckhurst Hill.  She also advised that during a period of one week, Legal Services with the assistance of Reprographics had produced 38 witness statements and 14 complete sets of papers which was an outstanding achievement.  The Leader advised that the defence of litigation initiated by Search Agents was continuing to be met on a shared footing through the Local Government Association to avoid what would otherwise be a very expensive issue for individual authorities.  The Leader advised that Legal Services were also supporting the Forward Planning Section in relation to the Local Plan process.

(b)       Environment Portfolio Holder

Councillor Knapman, Environment Portfolio Holder, reported that he had been negotiating an Inter Authority Agreement on Waste Management with Essex County Council and had persuaded the County Council that a memorandum of understanding was not necessary.  The understanding he had reached with the County Council was that if the County Council put money directly into the Epping Forest District, or if the District Council participated in a county-wide scheme, any savings should be shared on a 50/50 basis.  However, if the District Council initiated a scheme itself it would keep 100% of any savings.

(c)        Housing Portfolio Holder

Councillor McEwen, Housing Portfolio Holder, reported that following advice from the Housing Minister and the Chief Fire Officer of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and the undertaking of a feasibility study into reducing the risk of fire in Council properties, the Housing Scrutiny Panel at its meeting in January 2012 had supported the Council’s Fire Safety in Flat Blocks policy agreed by the former Housing Portfolio Holder in January 2010.  She advised, however, that since that time a further letter had been received from the Chief Fire Officer which would require further discussion and the submission of a report to the next meeting of the Cabinet.

Councillor McEwen repeated the encouragement given earlier in the meeting by the Chairman of the Council for members to attend the rescheduled date for a presentation on the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 regarding housing.  She pointed out that the Act introduced fundamental changes in relation to fixed tenancies, succession rules and eligibility for new and current housing applications.

(d)       Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder

Councillor Phillip, Planning and Technology Portfolio Holder drew attention to an error in his written report.  In relation to KPI 53 (Appeals Allowed – Members Reversal of Officer Recommendations) he pointed out that 7 of the 16 appeals had been dismissed and therefore 56% of appeals had been allowed.

The Portfolio Holder reported that advice had been obtained from Counsel in relation to the Council’s approach to consultation in relation to the Local Plan.  His advice was that whilst it would still be sound to proceed with two sets of consultation there would be a need to wait the results of the Strategic Land Assessment before commencing consultation.  As a result the February/March 2012 timescale for consultation would be later but the submission of the new draft Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate by 28 August 2013 would still be within the 18 month transitional period which had been reported earlier in this meeting.  The Portfolio Holder advised that he was continuing to work with Forward Planning Officers in order to bring forward that date if possible.

The Portfolio Holder referred to the Disaster Recovery and District Wide Broadband Project in his written report and advised that this would enable residents of the district to be offered a wireless broadband solution covering areas not currently receiving broadband.  The installation cost was likely be approximately £140 and the monthly fee was likely to be approximately £12.50 making the scheme competitive with current broadband suppliers.

Councillor Phillip referred to his role on the Local Enterprise Working Group on Broadband and stated that an aim was for broadband to be placed on the same footing as gas and electricity supplies and provided in new properties at the design stage.

(e)       Finance and Economic Development

Councillor Mohindra, Finance and Economic Development Portfolio Holder, advised that officers in consultation with the Chairman of the District Development Control Committee had convened a special meeting of that Committee to consider the planning application for the redevelopment of the Langston Road Depot and the adjoining T11 site, Loughton.  It was noted the meeting was to be held on 27 February 2012.

(f)        Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

Councillor Gadsby, Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder, reminded members that the new Limes Centre at Limes Farm, Chigwell would be formally opened on Monday 20 February 2012 and she invited members to attend between 3 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. on that day to view the facilities and some of the activities that would be available.