(a) Apologies for Absence
(b) Announcements
To consider any announcements by:
(i) the Chairman of the Council;
(ii) the Leader of the Council; and
(iii) any other Cabinet Member.
Minutes:
(a) Chairman’s Announcements
(i) Peter Harrison QC
The Chairman stated with great sadness that he had to announce the recent sudden death of Peter Harrison QC who had represented this Council to the highest standards in various venues over many years. The Chairman invited the Director of Corporate Support Services and the Council’s Solicitor to advise members of some of the work Peter Harrison had undertaken for the Council.
Miss C O’Boyle advised that a funeral service to celebrate Peter’s life had been held on 11 February 2012 and she had represented the Council together with the Director of Planning and Economic Development.
She reported that the cases that Peter Harrison had worked on for the Council included planning issues at Rosedene, Magdalen Laver; the Northern Gateway Access Way Inquiry in 1999 and advice on the London Borough of Enfield’s latest consultations of that proposed link road; and an Ombudsman case in relation to Galley Hill Yard, Waltham Abbey.
Miss O’Boyle also advised that Peter had delivered a number of training courses to both members and officers.
(ii) Civic Awards Dinner
The Chairman asked those members who had not yet responded to the invitation to do so without delay so that the arrangements could be finalised.
(iii) Refreshments
The Chairman advised that it was customary not to provide refreshments after the Budget and Council Tax setting meeting each year as in the past these meetings had tended to last several hours. He stated, however, that after this evening’s meeting light refreshments would be available.
(iv) Events
The Chairman reported that on 31 January 2013 he had attended a memorial service in Chelmsford Cathedral organised by Essex County Council to remember those who had lost their lives in the East Coast Floods of 1953 when Canvey Island had been devastated. He advised that the service had been attended by HRH The Princess Royal who had read the lesson in what had been a very emotional event. The Chairman stated that possibly the most moving part of the service for him had been an address by a Canvey Island Parish Councillor who had recounted his experiences on that night 60 years ago when he had been a 10 year old boy.
The Chairman thanked members for supporting the quiz held on 8 February 2013 in aid of his charity. The meeting noted that the event had raised £1,066. The Chairman thanked the officers who had organised and assisted on the evening, especially the quiz masters Ian Willett and Ian White.
(v) Floral Display
The Chairman announced that he intended to send flowers from tonight’s meeting to Honey Tree Court in Loughton.
(b) Announcements by the Leader of the Council
The Leader advised that he had no announcements to make under this heading.
(c) Announcements by Portfolio Holders
(i) Housing Portfolio Holder
(a) Telecare
Councillor Stallan, Housing Portfolio Holder, drew attention to the future of the Epping Forest Careline in the light of Essex County Council’s proposals for a County-wide Telecare Contract. He advised that the District Council currently received a proportion of the funding for Epping Forest Careline from the County Council which also provided disbursed alarm equipment free of charge.
The meeting noted that the intention of the County Council was to procure a contract for County-wide provision of Telecare Services via one provider following a competitive tendering exercise.
Councillor Stallan advised that discussions had taken place between County Council officers and officers of those authorities in the County currently providing the services themselves to discuss the possibility of a negotiated agreement to provide consistent services across the County with lower charges and less grant funding. However, the County Council had stated that it proposed to proceed to tender the service.
The Portfolio Holder continued that the County Council’s preferred option was to use a Government Framework Agreement for the proposed contract and as a result none of the current providers would be able to bid. The County Council had suggested that if all the Essex Telecare Providers agreed to submit a tender for a County-wide service either in their own right or through a consortium it might decide to have an open tender rather than follow the Government Framework Agreement route. Councillor Stallan advised that he proposed to submit a detailed report on the matter to the Cabinet in April if this option was made available. He stated that he would also be submitting a report to that meeting on the implications of the County Council decision.
(b) Tolpuddle House, Ongar
Councillor Stallan reported that one of the Council’s preferred Housing Association partners, East Thames had been shortlisted as a finalist in the Chartered Institute of Housing’s UK Housing Awards for its new development at Tolpuddle House, Ongar.
The Portfolio Holder advised that Tolpuddle House comprised nine self contained flats for young people with learning difficulties with support provided by East Thames to help the residents live independently. He added that it was part of a larger development at the Zinc Arts Centre which provided a new arts facility together with short stay residential accommodation. Councillor Stallan wished East Thames every success at the Awards Ceremony on 16 April 2013.