Agenda and minutes

The Committee is asked to note any apologies for absence and substitutions received from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Chittock (with no substitute).

To confirm and sign as a correct record, the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee, held on 3 December 2018.

The minutes of the last meeting of the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee, held on 3 December 2018, were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

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.

Councillor Newton declared an interest in agenda item 6 – Reference Report from Council – A.2 Clacton Town Council, as this motion was proposed by herself. She did therefore not participate whilst the Committee deliberated and reached its decision.

Councillor Pemberton declared an interest in agenda item 4 – Free Swimming Lessons for Children, as he proposed this motion.

Councillor Henderson declared an interest for agenda items 4 and 5 as he is an Essex County Councillor.

Clare Kershaw (Director of Education) and Dawn Emberson (Relationship Manager), from Essex County Council, will be in attendance to enable members of the committee to discuss how all schools can meet their statutory duty and move towards 100 per-cent of the districts children learning to swim before they leave primary school education.

The motion was considered at the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2018, where it was agreed:-

 “That this Council takes the following steps in order to see that every child in the District of Tendring can be taught to swim, before they leave primary school education;

(a)  The Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee invite the director for Education from Essex County Council to attend a future meeting of that Committee in order to discuss how all schools can meet their statutory duty and move towards 100 per-cent of the Districts children learning to swim before they leave primary school education; and

(b)  That Officers continue to work with partners to develop a cohesive plan to further improve safety measures across the Districts coastline and report back with findings and any recommendations to Cabinet in February 2019, for implementation prior to the 2019 season.

Clare Kershaw (Director of Education, Essex County Council) and Dawn Emberson (Relationship Manager, Active Essex), attended the meeting to discuss with Members how all schools can meet their statutory duty and move towards 100 per-cent of the Districts children learning to swim before they leave primary school education.

Members recalled that at the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2018, it was agreed “That this Council takes the following necessary steps in order to see that every child in the District of Tendring can be taught to swim, before they leave primary school education;

(a)  The Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee invite the Director for Education from Essex County Council to attend a future meeting of that Committee in order to discuss how all schools can meet their statutory duty and move towards 100 per-cent of the Districts children learning to swim before they leave primary school education; and

(b)  That officers continue to work with partners to develop a cohesive plan to further improve safety measures across the Districts coastline and report back with findings and any recommendations to Cabinet in February 2019, for implementation prior to the 2019 season.

(c)   

Clare and Dawn set out for the Committee the statutory requirement under the National Curriculum for swimming which is as follows:-

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

·         swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres

·         use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]

·         perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

After discussion by the Committee, it was RESOLVED that;

Essex County Council / Active Essex will lead on the following actions:-

(a)  To undertake a review to determine how many pupils do not reach the required level of proficiency by the end of year 6. A piece of work will then be undertaken to work with schools to target those children that are not reaching the required proficiency;

(b)  to investigate how it was decided that the swim safe programme is centred on Clacton, Walton and Dovercourt and whether there would be any funding available to extend the programme more widely across Tendring;

(c)  to look at whether the swimming pools available at local caravan parks could be used to provide swimming lessons to school children;

(d)  to investigate whether local bus providers could assist with taking pupils from schools to pools as the cost of transport is cited as one of the biggest barriers for schools in providing swimming lessons;

(e)  to review the affordability of providing swimming lessons for schools and the capacity to provide enough lessons. Although it was commented that the latter point is not thought to be an issue;

Tendring District Council will lead on the following actions:-

(f)   To look into whether Tendring District Council’s beach patrol staff could provide swimming lessons in the sea for young people as swimming in the sea  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

To enable Members of the Committee to determine comments they would like to submit to the Essex County Council consultation on the future of library services.

The Committee had before it a report of the Head of Leadership Support and Community (A.1) which enabled the Committee to put forward comments in response to the consultation being undertaken by Essex County Council  (ECC) on their draft strategy for the future of library services up to 2024.

It was reported that Essex County Council has published a draft strategy on the future of library services over the next five years. Consultation is now being undertaken to enable views to be submitted on the strategy. The strategy is based on views gathered from the public in 2018; the consultation closes on 20 February 2019. Essex Libraries currently serve a population of 1.5 million through 74 library buildings, eLibrary services, 2 mobile libraries and home library service volunteers. It also supports 8 volunteer run community libraries. Over the last 6 years the use of libraries has declined.

 The strategy is about library services, both physical and online, and how and where these can be provided in the future. The strategy is not about library buildings and it could be, for example, that library shelves could be in community centres or other public buildings. The strategy anticipates that in the future, community groups and volunteers are more likely to be involved in delivering library services. The strategy sets out the overriding ambition for library services and the key points that the strategy will focus on. These focus on keeping books and reading at the heart of the library service, embracing digitalisation and technology and working with communities to deliver services locally.

Each of the existing 74 libraries has been placed in one of four tiers based on assessment against the criteria of; location, usage, population, deprivation and social isolation. The four tiers are;

·         Tier 1 – Main or hub libraries which will part of the statutory provision

·         Tier 2 – library services in areas where there is a need for them to be managed by ECC in partnership with community or other partner;

·         Tier 3 – locations where no library service is needed as part of the statutory provision but where ECC could support the provision of the service run locally. If no suitable offer is received within six months of Cabinet approval of the strategy then ECC intend to re-consult on the future of these libraries;

·         Tier 4 – these libraries are proposed for closure but ECC would consider proposals for community libraries in these locations.

The libraries in Tendring are in the following tiers;

The full strategy and consultation questionnaire were attached to the report (A.1) as appendices A and B respectively.

The comments of the Committee will be submitted to the Cabinet meeting on 15 February to agree the final response of Tendring District Council.

After discussion, focussing to a large extent on the five criteria underpinning the rationale for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

To report to the Committee a motion submitted by Councillor Newton to the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2018, relating to a proposed Community Governance Review with a view to creating a Clacton Town Council and which was referred to the Community Leadership Committee by the Chairman of the Council for consideration and report in accordance with the provision of Council Procedure Rule 12.4.

The Committee had before it a reference report from Council (A.2), which reported to the Committee a motion submitted at the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2018. Relating to a proposed town council for Clacton-on-Sea and which was referred to the Committee by the Chairman of the Council for consideration and report, in accordance with provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.4.

Councillor Newton further explained this motion to the Committee, she then left the Council Chamber whilst the Committee deliberated and reached its decision.

Members recalled that, at the meeting of the Council held on 27 November 2018, the following motion was moved by Councillor Newton and Seconded by Councillor Bucke and, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.4, stood referred to the Committee for consideration and report:

“This Council, in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (as amended) and the statutory guidance issued by DCLG in 2010, conducts a Community Governance Review with a view to creating a Clacton Town Council to come into effect in 2023.

The Council will consult with members of the public and other stake holders as to the creation of a Clacton Town Council which will be intended to serve the areas of Clacton-on-Sea that are not currently being represented by a Town or Parish Council. This will be inclusive of the following District Council Wards (as effective from May 2019) –

Bluehouse

Burrsville

Cann Hall

Coppins

Eastcliff

Pier

St Bartholomews

St James

St Johns

St Pauls

West Clacton and Jaywick Sands”

After much discussion from the Committee, it was RESOLVED that it be RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the motion be amended to read;

“This Council, seeks to ascertain the views of the people of Jaywick, Clacton and Holland as to the  possible creation of a Town Council or Councils for the currently unparished area of the district and that this be done by way of a question included with the Council tax leaflet.”

To agree the speakers / topics to be considered at the meeting on 4 March 2019.

With regards to the next meeting of the Committee, it was RESOLVED that;

1.    The March Meeting be moved to the 25^th February, to allow the Five Year Business Plan for North Essex Garden Communities to be scrutinised.

2.    A Reference from Council, forwarded by Councillor Honeywood, regarding enforcement will be scrutinised.

Performance Reports for Quarter 3 will be scrutinised