Agenda item

Reference from the Cabinet - A.2 - Executive's Initial Highlights Priorities Proposals

To set out the Executive’s initial proposals for highlight priorities in 2025/26 for scrutiny by the Committee.

 

Minutes:

Earlier on in the meeting as detailed under Minute 70 above and in relation to any possible discussions of the Careline service at this meeting, Councillors P B Honeywood and S A Honeywood had both declared an Other Registrable Interest insofar as a member of their family was a customer of Careline.

 

The Monitoring Officer (Lisa Hastings) had decided, prior to the commencement of the meeting, that as Councillors P B Honeywood and S A Honeywood were not Decision Makers on the future of the Careline service, she had consented to grant them both a Dispensation in order to allow them to remain in the meeting.

 

The Committee scrutinised the Executive’s initial proposals for highlight priorities in 2025/26.

 

Members were aware that a report relating to the Executive’s initial proposals for highlight priorities for 2025/26 had been considered by Cabinet on 20 December 2024, with the comments of the Committee now requested as part of developing the Executive’s final proposals.

 

Appendix A – Delivering against the Council’s Corporate Plan 2024-28 – Initial Proposals for Highlight Priorities for 2025/26

 

At its meeting on 20 December 2024 (Minute 96 referred), Cabinet had:-

 

“RESOLVED that -

 

(a)     the initial highlight priorities for 2025/26, as set out at Appendix B to the report (A.3), be approved for consultation;

 

(b)     all Councillors, other partners and the public be invited to consider the initial priorities referred to in (a) above; and

 

(c)     the outcome of the consultation referred to in (b) above be reported to Cabinet on 21 February 2025 in order that Cabinet can formally adopt its finalised highlight priority actions for 2025/26 with relevant milestones during that year.”

 

At the meeting of the Committee the following questions were asked to which the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships and others, when appropriate, responded.

 

Committee Member asking the Question

Question (summary form)

Individual giving the response (Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, unless otherwise indicated)

 

Response (Summary form)

Paul Honeywood

In relation to Careline and the former contract with ‘YourStride’, has there been a financial re-evaluation of the viability of Careline in the light of the ending of this contract i.e. what has been the financial impact?

 

Officers are working on this and a report will be submitted to Cabinet in February which will set out that impact.

Peter Harris

In relation to Careline, is the Council considering the social impact of any cessation of the service as well as the financial aspects?

 

Yes, it is alongside other matters such as recruitment problems, value for money and quality of service and whether TDC is still the best service provider given the increase in alternative providers in the marketplace.

Graham Steady

In relation to Careline, was all of that service’s debt caused by the Your Stride contract?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gary Guiver (Director for Planning & Communities)

That’s one of the things that Officers are looking at and it will be covered in the report to Cabinet in February.

 

The intention of the report to Cabinet in February is to revisit the five options previously reported to Cabinet and the financial assumptions around those. That will provide a projection of the expected financial performance resulting, in part, from the termination of the ‘Your Stride’ contract and the removal of its 9,500 external customers.

Peter Harris

In relation to the Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy, and the cost to TDC of £25,000 for a PCSO at Harwich, why is TDC paying for this when there is not one in other areas such as Clacton and the Council is looking to cut costs?

 

It was recognised in around 2019 that something extra was needed at Harwich as their crime figures were second to Clacton and Harwich did not have the bespoke crime prevention campaigns that existed in Clacton. So hence the decision to joint fund with Harwich Town Council the PCSO which was renewed last year. Going forward this will be part of the grant funding review so it is not guaranteed to be renewed. It was felt prudent to carry on for the time being with this funding last year.

Mark Cossens

Is there a possibility of the Harwich PCSO becoming a Special Expense given that it is being done in parts of the District and not in others for example Frinton & Walton Town Council funds three PCSOs?

Richard Barrett (Director (Finance & IT) and Section 151 Officer)

I do not believe so but I will investigate that further.

Peter Harris

In the event that the Cabinet continues to fund the PCSO in Harwich would it look at similar requests from other parts of the District to part fund their PCSOs?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Stephenson (Leader of the Council)

Cabinet has previously decided that any consideration whether to continue to part fund the Harwich PCSO post 31 March 2025 will be undertaken following the Council’s new arrangements for the consideration of any external funding requests. So anybody can apply for anything but there is no guarantee that it would be granted when matched against the grant funding criteria.

 

This was originally a response by the previous administration to very high crime figures in Harwich. This was done in consultation with Essex Police who have significant crime initiatives in place in Clacton (the highest crime area). We are not offering this out to other areas. It was felt to be a good proposal at the time to joint fund with Harwich Town Council an extra Officer in Harwich. Other parish/town councils in the District solely fund their own PCSOs. This matter along with all other external grants are now under review.

Paul Honeywood

In relation to the CCTV Project, what permissions do we need from ECC Highways and do we have them?

Andy White (Assistant Director (Building and Public Realm))

A small number of the camera locations require Highways Act Section 50 Agreements for cabling et cetera. Those applications have been submitted and whilst consents have not yet been granted discussions are ongoing.

Paul Honeywood

What is the projected timeframe to complete this project given the end date for the funding of 31 March 2025?

Andy White (Assistant Director Building and Public Realm))

Construction phase begins on 17 February and the bulk will be installed within March. There will be a phase of testing, commissioning and troubleshooting going on until 10 April 2025. We understand that the Prolice, Crime and Fire Commissioner for Essex does not intend to withdraw funding but we will be seeking to confirm that.

Paul Honeywood

Will the planning applications for the CCTV project need to go before the Planning Committee and will this be in February?

Gary Guiver (Director for Planning and Communities)

Yes, that is the plan.

 

Following that question-and-answer session the Portfolio Holders were thanked for their attendance.

 

The Committee then determined whether it had any comments or recommendations it wished to make or put forward to the relevant Portfolio Holder or the Cabinet.

 

After a discussion, it was moved by Councillor M A Cossens, seconded by Councillor S A Honeywood and unanimously:-

 

RESOLVED that -

 

(a)     Cabinet be recommended to urgently address: (1) the projected General Fund savings/income generation requirements to 2028/29 to support a balanced budget from that point; and (2) to move the Housing Revenue Account to a sustainable position; and

 

(b)     further to (a), Cabinet engage swiftly with the Committee with sufficient details in respect of the necessary plans concerned to enable the Committee to perform its overview and scrutiny role as a critical friend to the Cabinet.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: