Agenda, decisions and minutes

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Contact: Ian Ford  01255 686584

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

The Cabinet is asked to note any apologies for absence received from Members.

 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Fairley (Portfolio Holder for Investment and Growth).

2.

Minutes of the Last Meeting pdf icon PDF 135 KB

Minutes:

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet, held on Friday 20 April 2018, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

3.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Personal Interest, and the nature of it, in relation to any item on the agenda.

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made at this time.

 

Later on in the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 10 (Report of Health and Education Portfolio Holder – A.3 – Update on Community Projects) when the discussion touched on Teen Talk Councillor G V Guglielmi declared a personal interest insofar as his wife (Councillor V E Guglielmi) held a position of general control and management in Teen Talk.

 

Also later on in the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 11 (Report of the Deputy Chief Executive – A.4 – Corporate Peer Challenge – Action Plan) when the discussion touched on the emerging Community Interest Company in Jaywick Councillor P B Honeywood declared a personal interest insofar as he held a position of general control and management in that Company.

4.

Announcements by the Leader of the Council

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Stock OBE) informed Cabinet that he had requested Officers to undertake a review of the workings of the Big Society Fund, which had been a great success in levering in large sums of third party funding contributions for community groups and charities within the District, in order to ensure that it remained properly funded, sustainable and had adequate governance arrangements.

 

The Chief Executive (Ian Davidson) further informed Cabinet that Essex County Council had recently launched two community funds and that Officers would also be looking at how this Council could ‘mesh’ with those funds in order to maximise funding opportunities for community groups and charities within the District.

5.

Announcements by Cabinet Members

The Cabinet is asked to note any announcements made by Members of the Cabinet.

Minutes:

The Leisure and Tourism Portfolio Holder (Councillor Skeels Snr.) paid tribute to the superb efforts undertaken by Officers within the Council’s Engineering Section in renovating and restoring to public use the public conveniences at The Quay, Harwich.

6.

Matters Referred to the Cabinet by the Council

There are none on this occasion.

Minutes:

There were no matters referred to the Cabinet by the Council on this occasion.

7.

Matters Referred to the Cabinet by a Committee - Reference from the former Service Development and Delivery Committee - A.1 - Demonstration of the Council's new IT Systems pdf icon PDF 250 KB

To enable Cabinet to give consideration to a comment made to it by the former Service Development and Delivery Committee in respect of the above.

Decision:

That Cabinet notes, and welcomes, the support of the former Service Development and Delivery Committee in this matter.

Minutes:

It was reported that, at its final meeting held on 4 April 2018, the former Service Development and Delivery Committee had received a demonstration from the Council’s Head of IT and Corporate Resilience (John Higgins) and IT Support Officer (Dan Pobjoy) on how to use Skype for Business and also how to use the Council’s Self-Service Portal (Kiosk).

 

The Skype for Business demonstration had included how to use instant messaging, how to share a document, make a phone call and make a video call.

 

The Self-Service Portal demonstration had provided Members of the Committee with information on how to use the Portal to register to vote and to submit information for queries relating to Housing, Licensing, Benefits, Council Tax and other inquiries.

 

Members of the Committee had been given the opportunity to ask questions throughout the demonstrations.

 

Following on from the demonstrations the Head of IT and Corporate Resilience had given the Committee a presentation on the Council’s IT systems, Past, Present and Future.

 

The presentation had covered the following areas:

 

(1)  The Council’s Secure Data Storage;

(2)  Corporate Cisco Council Network (Voice & Data) Evolution;

(3)  Strategic Operational Investments;

(4)  Strategic Communications Investments;

(5)  Self-Service Portals (Kiosks);

(6)  Strategic IT Investment Programme Financial Analysis;

(7)  Digital Transformation Programme; and

(8)  Front-Office System Investment.

 

Following on from the presentation Members of the Committee had been given the opportunity to ask questions which had been responded to by the Head of IT and Corporate Resilience and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources (Councillor G V Guglielmi) who was also in attendance.

 

The former Service Development and Delivery Committee had decided to comment to Cabinet that –

 

“the Committee would like to express their support for the excellent progression and changes with regards to the Council’s IT systems which were beneficial for all.”

 

The Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder had responded as follows –

 

“I would like to thank the former Service Development and Delivery Committee for its support with regards to the progression and changes in respect of the Council’s IT systems. Together with the Head of IT and Corporate Resilience, I would be very pleased to attend a future meeting of the new Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to give a further update on the progress of the second tranche of IT investment, at the appropriate time.”

 

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Stock and –

 

RESOLVED that Cabinet notes, and welcomes, the support of the former Service Development and Delivery Committee in this matter.

8.

Leader of the Council's Items

There are none on this occasion.

Minutes:

There were no such items on this occasion.

9.

Cabinet Members' Items - Report of the Finance and Corporate Resources Portfolio Holder - A.2 - Performance Report - 2017/18 Outturn Report pdf icon PDF 177 KB

To present to Cabinet the Performance Report for the period 2017/18 Outturn.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the contents of the report be noted.

Minutes:

There was submitted a report by the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate Resources (A.2) which presented the Performance Outturn Report for the period 2017/18 and included both the Corporate Plan and Priorities and Projects 2017/18.

 

It was reported that, of the 16 indicators and projects where performance had been measured, the Outturn position demonstrated that 13 (81%) were on, or above, their expected target and 3 (19%) were not in line with the expected performance. Three of the indicators and projects highlighted in the report were deemed to be ‘non measurable’ as the Council’s role was that of ‘influence’ only.

 

The Cabinet was reminded that there were now two Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee would retain a focus on external partnerships and the Council’s influencing role in the community. The Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee would focus on the work of the Council and the resourcing and delivery of its services. Up to now, all performance monitoring had been subject to scrutiny by the former Corporate Management Committee. Whilst it was proposed that the majority of the performance framework would continue to be reported to the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny, the targets that related to the Council’s partnership and influencing work would be compiled into a separate report for consideration by the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The new reporting arrangements would be introduced from the first quarter of 2018/19.

 

Cabinet was aware that the report before it would be presented to the Resources and Services Committee Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting due to be held on 21 May 2018.

 

The Leader of the Labour Group (Councillor I J Henderson) requested that he be informed in writing how much income from recycling credits that the Council had lost over the last five years due to its failure to meet its recycling targets and that this request be recorded within the minutes.

 

Having considered the contents of the outturn report:-

 

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor McWilliams and:-

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted.

10.

Cabinet Members' Items - Report of the Health and Education Portfolio Holder - A.3 - Update on Community Projects pdf icon PDF 496 KB

To provide an update on community projects relating to education, health and wellbeing and community safety, and to ask Cabinet to endorse these projects.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That:-

 

a)     Cabinet endorses the listed projects as those which will continue to be delivered in 2018 in support of the Corporate Plan priorities; and

 

b)        the currently identified projects be monitored through the Council’s Performance Plan together with future projects agreed with the Health and Education Portfolio Holder.

Minutes:

During the consideration of this item when the discussion touched on Teen Talk, Councillor G V Guglielmi declared a personal interest insofar as his wife (Councillor V E Guglielmi) held a position of general control and management in Teen Talk.

 

There was submitted a detailed report and appendices by the Portfolio Holder for Health and Education (A.3) which provided an update on community projects relating to education, health and wellbeing and community safety, and sought Cabinet’s endorsement of those projects.

 

Updates on specific projects were reported under the following headings –

 

Education

 

1)         Tendring Children and Young People Strategy 2017- 2020 & Delivery Plan 2017/18

2)         Gt Bentley Primary School – Wellbeing Hub

3)         North East Essex Teacher Training (NEETT)

4)         TeachFirst

5)         IntoUniversity

6)         Tendring Scouting & Youth Services

7)         TDC Education Newsletter

8)         School Places

9)         Benefits Leaflet

10)      Junior Warden Project

 

Health and Well-being

 

1)         Sport England Local Delivery Pilot (LDP)

2)         Tendring Health and Wellbeing Strategy

3)         Housing and Health

4)         Junior parkrun

5)         Livewell

6)         Parkeston Welfare Park – New community site for development

 

Community Safety

 

1)         Tendring Hub – Stay Safe for Summer Event

2)         Tendring Community Safety Partnership – Street Action Days

3)         Task & Finish Groups

4)         Daily Hub Tasking Conference Call

5)         Tendring Problem Solving Group

6)         Operation Valour

7)         Project Mercury

8)         Crucial Crew

9)         Gangsline

 

Cabinet was informed that the projects identified above would continue to form the subject of regular updates to the Portfolio Holder and at All Member Briefing sessions.

 

Cabinet was aware that engagement in these areas was supplemented by the work of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee which provided overview and scrutiny of these sectors as part of its work programme.

 

The Health and Education Portfolio Holder (Councillor McWilliams) made the following statement to Cabinet:-

 

“Looking at this report and going back in my thoughts as to how it was with all the partnership areas referred to in the report and when there was little or no interest to work with, or alongside, the local council it is now really great to see how everything has turned around and greatly improved through working together with our external partners. This update now makes me realise how much there is working out there for our community and how much better it is for our residents because we now share information and communicate with each other on a regular basis.

 

I just would like to mention a couple of recent events, one being the invitation we received to attend a health conference around the Sustainable Transformation Partnership (STP), when we were supporting the Health and Well-being Hub at one of our Primary Schools; the Executive Head gave a presentation on the work that had been carried out over the last year for her students; we have supported the school with its work. It was interesting to note that we were the only Council present at the conference and I was the only Councillor. We have all pulled together on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Management Team Items - Report of the Deputy Chief Executive - A.4 - Corporate Peer Challenge - Action Plan pdf icon PDF 156 KB

To provide Cabinet with the proposed Peer Review Action Plan for information and approval.

Additional documents:

Decision:

That –

 

(a)    the Peer Review Action Plan be approved;

 

(b)    Cabinet notes that further updates will be provided in October 2018 and March 2019; and

 

(c)      the report be referred to the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for its information and review.

Minutes:

During the consideration of this item when the discussion touched on the emerging Community Interest Company in Jaywick Councillor P B Honeywood declared a personal interest insofar as he held a position of general control and management in that Company.

 

There was submitted a report by the Deputy Chief Executive (A.5) which provided Cabinet with the proposed Peer Review Action Plan for its information and approval.

 

Cabinet was aware that the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge of Tendring District Council had taken place from 6th to 9th March 2018 and that the purpose of the review was to look at how the Council worked in terms of its internal processes and how it interacted with partners, businesses and residents in order to shape Tendring as a District.

 

The Feedback Report from the Peer Challenge, which had been provided to all Members, highlighted a number of actions which had been formulated into a Peer Review Action Plan (Appendix A to the Deputy Chief Executive’s report). The key recommendations in the Feedback report were:

 

1.      Improve how you tell the story of your ambition, your plans, your successes and the positive impact you are having across the whole district.

 

2.      Devise a TDC approach to programme management, project delivery and performance reporting and be consistent in using it. This should include a focus on improving governance.

 

3.      Bring the four key elements of your transformation programme together: office accommodation, digitalization, customer service and people.

 

4.      Review how you deal with under-spends, savings, risk and phasing of the capital programming.

 

5.      Add housing to the existing key strands of joined up working (health, education and community safety) and incorporate this into your emerging housing strategy.

 

6.      Be confident in your plans for Jaywick Sands. Build a shared commitment with community and other partners, setting this out in a strategic development plan.

 

It was reported that some of the actions fell within the remit of Cabinet, some within the remit of the Human Resources and Council Tax Committee whilst others were operational management issues but that the Action Plan had been reported to Cabinet for the sake of completeness.

 

Cabinet was informed that a number of the actions proposed had already been completed whilst others had been incorporated into the Cabinet’s priorities and performance reporting arrangements which had been agreed by Cabinet at its previous meeting held on 20 April 2018 (Minute 182 referred). However, notwithstanding the above, progress reports would be made to Cabinet (and subsequently to the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny) in six and twelve months’ time.

 

Having considered the information submitted:-

 

It was moved by Councillor G V Gugliemi, seconded by Councillor Stock OBE and:-

 

RESOLVED that –

 

(a)    the Peer Review Action Plan be approved;

 

(b)    Cabinet notes that further updates will be provided in October 2018 and March 2019; and

 

(c)      the report be referred to the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for its information and review.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.