Agenda item

To receive reports and any announcements 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 Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (attached);

(c)        Report of the Environment Portfolio Holder(attached);

(d)        Report of the Finance Portfolio Holder (attached);

(e)        Report of the Governance and Development Management Portfolio Holder (attached);      

(f)        Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder (attached);

(g)        Report of the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(h)        Report of the Planning Policy Portfolio Holder (attached);

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

(j)         Report of the Technology and Support Services Portfolio Holder (attached).

(a)        The Leader of Council

The Leader advised that he had attended a variety of meetings with various organisations around the District and specifically with Councillor J Philip with regards to the Draft Local Plan Consultation. He advised that an extraordinary amount of effort had been put into the communication of which he thanked both the Planning Policy Portfolio Holder and Officers.

The Leader informed the Council that he had recently had the opportunity to explore new ideas for the District, which had included looking at modular units with the Housing Portfolio Holder and Housing Officers. He advised that the modular units were manufactured at North Weald Airfield and could also help with the Districts’ homelessness provision and tackling the bed and breakfast problems. 

In addition, he had hosted a visit from the new Chairman of South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) Christian Brodie, where he had been able to showcase the District and demonstrate the Council’s future economic visions including Langston Road Development and North Weald Airfield. Furthermore, he had recently walked around the whole St John’s site in Epping, which had been finally acquired with the help of Officers, Essex County Councillor A Jackson and the Chief Executive.  Finally, the Leader advised that the Council had hosted the Locality Board with Local MP’s, Essex County Councillors and the Police and Crime Commissioner, where he explained his visions and plans for the future of Policing in the District.

(b)        Safer, Greener & Transport Portfolio Holder

Councillor G Waller advised that following the recent murder trial involving a Theydon Bois resident concluding at Chelmsford Crown Court, the victim’s husband had been convicted of murder and arson and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years. He advised that the Domestic Homicide Review would resume, establishing any relevant lessons to be learnt and learn how comparable occurrences maybe avoided. It would restart on Friday 6 January 2017.

(c)        Planning Policy Portfolio Holder

Councillor J Philip updated Members on the draft consultation for the Local Plan. He advised that 12,000 unique visitors had accessed the website, 15,000 social media accounts had been reached with 1,000 impressions given and 6 events held with 1200 attendees. There had been 3,400 responses to the draft plan received with 1670 responses online, 200 hard copies, 710 letters and 747 emails. Officers would now check for duplicates and begin data analysis of the responses with a report being brought to Cabinet in March 2017. He thanked everyone who had completed a consultation and all the Councillors that assisted residents.

(d)        Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Grigg made a correction to her report regarding the name of new Chairman of SELEP’s name being Mr Brodie, not Mr Keiffer who had also been present but the previous Chairman of SELEP.

(e)        Housing Portfolio Holder

Councillor S Stavrou advised that the Communities Select Committee on 17 January 2017, had been asked to consider a comprehensive report regarding the current homelessness situation in the District; increasing pressures on the Council’s Housing Service and residents; and how some of the pressures could be reduced and mitigated. The suggestions within the report offered a variety of options and the Select Committees views were welcomed. Any Members concerned about the effects of homelessness on the District residents were invited to attend the Select Committee to find out more.

(f)        Finance Portfolio Holder

Councillor G Mohindra advised that further details on the Local Government Financial settlement information for the New Homes Bonus had been received and instead of the Council receiving £300,000, it was significantly lower at £16,000. Some of the reduction had been taken into account within the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS); consequently the short fall for the budget in 2017/18 was £184,000 and not the potential £284,000. He advised that the budget had been progressing well for 2017/18 and had been on target to achieve the required level of savings and consequently would not affect the 2017/18 budget, however it would require significant changes to the MTFS and adjustments to the savings targets for 2018/19 and beyond. The details of these adjustments would be presented to the Finance Performance Management Cabinet Committee on 19 January 2017 and he urged as many Members to attend as possible.