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 Highways 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 Highways 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 thanked the many District Councillors who had attended and contributed to the three Local Plan Workshops which had been held.  He also extended thanks to the representatives of Town and Parish Councils for their valuable input.

The Leader drew attention to the Duty to Co-operate requirement of the Local Plan process.  He stated that he had attended a joint meeting with the Leader and representatives of Harlow Council at which an update had been provided from a number of developers who had proposals for schemes in and around the boundaries of the Epping Forest District and Harlow.

The Council noted the proceedings of a recent meeting of the Locality Board.  Councillor Whitbread advised that as well as discussing budget proposals the meeting had received feedback from a recent visit to the District of the new Police and Crime Commissioner, Nick Alston, an update on the North Weald Airfield consultancy, a progress report on the development of a West Essex Wellbeing Strategy and a presentation on the Essex County-Wide Traveller Unit.  The Leader stated that concerns had been shared with members of the Locality Board about the adequacy of reporting arrangements for highway defects under the new Ringway Jacobs contract and the proposals for a County-Wide Telecare contract.  Councillor Whitbread stated that the Locality Board was proving to be a positive initiative in terms of improving communication and mutual understanding between the various tiers of Government affecting the District. 

The Leader reported that on 15 March 2013 he had chaired the Local Strategic Partnership Board which had received a report from the Director of Housing on the Council’s Welfare Reform Mitigation Action Plan.  He stated that the Council had been congratulated by other parties for taking such a pro-active stance in relation to this matter. He continued saying that as many of the reforms had been implemented the Partnership had agreed unanimously to share information amongst themselves, as many agencies were involved.  To this end it had been agreed to hold a conference on the issue of Welfare Reform and the local impacts for the Epping Forest District.

Councillor Whitbread reported on his attendance at a meeting of the Essex Leaders and Chief Executives.  Discussions had included the Community Budget Pilot Programme.  The Leader stated that it was still not clear what efficiencies could be delivered under this initiative but that progress was being made within the Essex Pilot in relation to the Integrated Commissioning of Health and Adult Social Care Services which hopefully would be of benefit particularly to the elderly. 

Councillor Whitbread also referred to his continued involvement in the West Essex Economic Alliance, the London Stansted Corridor Consortium and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Councillor Whitbread referred to the announcement made earlier in the meeting by the Chairman of the Council regarding the Civic Awards event.  He stated that this had been an event of which the Council could be proud and he said he had been pleased to be invited by the Chairman to formally toast the guests, on behalf of the Council.

In closing, the Leader invited all members to join him in offering congratulations to former Councillor Di Collins on being selected as Epping Forest Citizen of the Year.  He advised that the award had been in recognition of the length and breadth of her voluntary and community work for the residents of the Epping Forest District.

(b)       Finance and Technology Portfolio Holder

Councillor Stavrou referred to the reference in her written report to the Telephone Switch Replacement Project.  She advised that the existing Telephone Switch was obsolete and would be unsupported from 2017.  As a result a tender exercise for the replacement of the switch had been undertaken with the assistance of the Essex Procurement Hub using the Government Procurement Service Framework.

The Council noted that invitations to quote had been issued and five expressions of interest had been received.  The first stage of the evaluation had accounted for 75% of the scoring and had been evalued against both the price and the ability to meet the specification and technical requirements.  Councillor Stavrou advised that the top three scoring suppliers from this stage had then been required to present demonstrations.  The demonstrations had accounted for the remaining 25% of the scoring and had been attended by herself, ICT officers and an ICT consultant.  She advised that the totals had been combined and as a result she had signed a Portfolio Holder Decision Notice accepting the tender submitted by Solar Communications in the sum of £213,643.  She pointed out that the new contract would achieve annual revenue savings of between £30,000 and £35,000.

(c)        Asset Management and Economic Development Portfolio Holder

Councillor Grigg pointed out that Sainsbury’s had agreed to submit an application to vary the Section 106 Agreement in relation to The Broadway store only to allow servicing via the forest from their depot in Waltham Abbey.  She advised that the application would be considered at a future meeting of the District Development Control Committee.

Councillor Grigg drew attention to the success of the Tourism website –

www.visiteppingforest.org and the One Shops Local website – www.oneshopslocal.com  

(d)       Planning Portfolio Holder

Councillor Bassett advised that the Planning Advisory Service had agreed to offer a training session for councillors on the new Government guidance on planning for traveller sites and reported that the session would take place on Monday 13 May 2013 commencing at 5.30 p.m. at the Epping Town Council Offices. He stated that further details would be included in the Council Bulletin.  The Portfolio Holder encouraged all members of the Council to attend this session as it was important that the issue was robustly addressed in the Local Plan.

Councillor Bassett advised that he had attended a meeting concerning the proposal of the London Borough of Enfield for a Northern Gateway Access Road and that he would provide a summary of the proceedings in the Council Bulletin.

The Portfolio Holder advised that it now appeared the Government had softened its approach to deregulation of permitted development rights within residential curtilages.  He stated that he would provide details in the Council Bulletin. 

(e)       Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder

Councillor Webster highlighted the grants obtained by the Council’s Community Services as outlined in her written report.