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 of Council (verbal);

(b)        Report of the Place Portfolio Holder (attached);

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

(d)        Report of the Housing & Community Portfolio Holder (attached);

(e)        Report of the Wellbeing & Community Partnerships Portfolio Holder (attached);

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

(g)        Report of the Contracts & Commissioning Portfolio Holder (attached);

(h)        Report of the Technical Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(i)         Report of the Internal Resources Portfolio Holder (attached);

(j)         Report of the Reviews & Efficiency Portfolio Holder (attached);

The Council received written reports from Portfolio Holders. The Chairman invited the Leader of Council to provide an oral report and the opportunity for other members of the Cabinet to give updates on matters concerning their relevant portfolios.

(a)           Leader of Council

Since the last meeting, the Leader reported attending meetings with residents Epping Town Council and Epping market traders. Everyone was able to use the District’s car parks for free parking at the weekends in December. Before Council this evening, there had been a webcast on the Government paper on devolution, but this did not involve local government reform, in addition to the proposals for the North Essex Authorities to work more closely together. The Chief Executive, G Blakemore, was also actively engaged and the Council needed to be looking at new partnership working.

The Leader appointed Councillor J Parsons to Area Plans West, who was attending his first full Council. He also appointed Councillor S Kane to the Constitution Working Group to replace Councillor S Rackham, who was no longer a member of the Conservative Group but was an Independent member of the Council.

(b)           Housing and Community Portfolio Holder

Councillor H Whitbread announced the appointment of Interim Housing Director (Housing Revenue Account) P Wharfe since D Fenton had left the Council. She thanked D Fenton for her work on the Council housebuilding projects and ‘More than Bricks and Mortar’ scheme and that properties were up to a high standard.

Much work was being done to promote the warm places scheme during the winter with Voluntary Action Epping Forest and churches across the District. Furthermore, during the severe weather last week an emergency protocol had been in place for homeless people, so no one was sleeping rough. Housing officers had also organised a Christmas party for the Norway House residents last week.

Congratulations were announced to D Butler (Young Persons Officer) in recognition of her work with the Epping Forest Youth Council, which was awarded to her by the Jack Petchey Foundation.

(c)           Customer Portfolio Holder

Councillor A Lion reported on the use of a new web assistant feature known as a ‘chat bot’ on the Council’s website, which was helping to deal with customers’ enquiries especially on waste management. It had been well accepted by the public and there had been an 11% reduction in direct contacts. Following the Local Councils’ Liaison Committee meeting in November, Customer Services had put in a new process for local councils to work with the District Council and a new direct contact has been set up for them to use.

(d)           Internal Resource Portfolio Holder

Councillor S Kane reported a virtual all-member briefing would be held on 10 January 2023 at 18.00 on the Elections Act 2022 about the changes coming in for the May 2023 elections. The Zoom meeting invite had been published in the Council Bulletin of 23 December.

(e)           Finance Portfolio Holder

Councillor J Philip announced the Council had been successful in its bid to central government and had been awarded £1 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund spread over three years. This was positive news for the District and the Council’s bid had been fully supported for a range of programmes. In addition, the Council would be able to administer the projects. There was no news yet on the Council’s recently submitted bid to the Rural England Prosperity Fund which, if successful, would see a further £440,000 secured from central government.

(f)             Place Portfolio Holder

Councillor N Bedford advised that all the representations received on the Further Main Modifications consultation had been uploaded by the Planning Policy Implementation Team, which he thanked, and was available to view on the Council’s website. All the consultation documentation had been sent to the Planning Inspector, Mr S Bore, and the Council was awaiting his response in the new year.

A complaint made by two Loughton residents to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) alleged that the Council was in breach of environmental law by failing to comply with the legal obligations for approving planning applications for developments that might cause harm to the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation. However, after launching a full investigation, the OEP informed the Council no evidence to substantiate this complaint had been found. The OEP had closed the complaint and also notified the complainants of its decision.