And also councel yakub um first of all do we have any apologies for absence run run run councelor hitle yes councelor Headley and councelor Sullivan will be here shortly thank you any Declarations of Interest apart from those members that may be double hated and therefore affected by being County counselors as well C
Sergeant item seven chairman under uh Council the council local council’s policy on on the uh not brid Parish Council thank you do I have your permission to sign the minutes of the cabinet meeting of last week uh which will be in your new agendas all those in favor
Thank you very much um I would now ask us to stand for a minute silence to commemorate the passing of the mayor who has sadly died last week e thank you slight change with running order we are because of a various things we’re going to move item 14 now to the the the
Top agenda um which is the local plant issues and option statements of consultation which is on page 349 to 949 of your agenda packs councelor Mo uh thank you Mr chairman uh the the issues and options regulation stage is the first step to Preparing a new local plan and addresses
The long-term vision and objectives of the new local plan Plan before a spatial strategy is finished and detailed policies written a comprehensive 10we program of consultation took place last year from June the 27th through to September the 5th all the responses have been considered and will be used to help
Inform form the next stage of the local plan which is called the draft local plan the statement of consultation shows how the comments have been taken into consideration and will be used to enforce the preparation of the draft local plan the statement of consultation also sum summarizes the planning team’s
Analysis of the responses and sets out proposed next steps to develop a draft local plan and you can see this on pages 351 to 362 enclosure three is the schedule of Regulation 18 comments and summarizes over 300 plus Pages the comments received from members of the public developers and statutory
Consules I would like to take this opportunity Mr chairman to thank all those people and organizations who took the trouble to engage with the consultation and provided their comments to us the results from the consultation were presented to an all member briefing held on January the 25th not February
The 1st as stated in the report and the the statement of consultation was reviewed in detail by the prosperity scrutiny committee on February the 1st all the responses have been considered and will be used to help inform the next stage of the local plan this statement of consultation States
How the comments have been taken into consideration and will be used to inform the preparation of the draft local plan policy officers will continue with the ongoing duty to cooperate and Technical evidence leasen with esses County Council and other statutory authorities for the local plan we continue Mr
Chairman to push forward with the development of the draft local plan and we have explored the local development scheme time scales further and therefore we have made significant changes to the local development scheme I’m pleased to say that our regulation 18 draft local plan will be prepared this year with
Consultation targeted for this coming winter regulation 19 publication of the local plan including consultation in Spring 2025 and this will be followed by the formal submission of the local plan to the Secretary of State by the summer next year thank you Mr chairman thank you councelor Mo councel
Thank you two years have now passed since this Administration discarded a ready to go local plan in favor of speculative development in that time we have witnessed significant financial losses due to failed planning appeals um we’ve returned 10 million in regeneration funds to homes England and we’ve received a Stern warning from the
Secretary of State regarding our dwindling 5-year housing land Supply which has now been reduced to a precarious 1.8 years and what for it’s no secret that the proposed new local plan offers little deviation from the previous one except from for the substantial additional cost we could have easily avoided the statement of
Consultation has yielded no groundbreaking Revelations the majority of residents and stakeholders continue to advocate for more affordable housing with a preference for Brownfield development and a staunch commitment to preserving the green belt residents also Express a desire for increased employment opportunities improved infrastructure and sustainable Transportation alongside any development
Demands that again remain consistent over time while residents emphasize the importance of enhancing biodiversity and achieving Net Zero goals they rightfully Express concerns about the feasibility of development if these priorities compromise economic viability whilst acknowledging the statutory requirements for this consultation statement it’s evident to me that the underlying issues remained
Largely unchanged the previous local plan may not have been Flawless but this current statement before us hasn’t revealed anything of of great significance I think it is an absolute shame that we have wasted the3 million that we had to use towards funding the previous local plan and and now we we’re
Wasting further taxpayer money on something that could have been avoided thank you councel y um I’d probably be more convinced if that was said with any conviction as opposed to writing what was clearly a prepared speech with a with very little depth or tangibility to it but can a
Rimor uh thank you leader um no matter how many times councelor yaku and her party are told that we didn’t return 10 million we just didn’t take 10 million that that 10 million is still on the table for when the timing is right they don’t listen and they get the numbers
Wrong on a lot of things I think they’re talking about you know um scrapping Cinema deals the cost of 75% of what’s given over when they come into power I mean they they come up with um lunatic plans about youth zones which would have bankrupted the council um but in terms
Of sorry I’m speaking now counselor Yak coup it’s uh this isn’t a banter chamber it’s a place to do business CC you C I know you’ve been absent from us for a while but can we please have ability Quorum thank you what is clear though is things have
Changed um one aspect which has been a a focus in the zeist and we’ve talked about more in planning as well is biodiversity and actually biodiversity is actually now being taken as seriously as climate change and and a lot of authorities are looking at this and and you know private companies are looking
At it too to think about not just thinking about carbon Net Zero but how do we get to biodiversity loss Net Zero and it’s quite crucial here that that has actually been brought up but I think this is a really interesting consultation and it’s an interesting set
Of results was really up to dat and and really of the time and showing what people today think in terms of the future of this burrow and development in this B and what they see as interesting uh I I mean sustainable transport more cycling uh Lanes who who could not agree with
That um and the um aspects of you know a resilient town center and and are key as well so I’m actually um glad that we’re moving forward with this where I do share some frustration is I think we’re stuck with these Blair right planning law laws which are very stalinist in the
Way they actually do things they’re very black and white you either have a local plan or you don’t and it’s going to be for 20 years or not um when actually a lot could have been agreed a lot earlier by both political parties across the Spectrum and could have been banked a
Lot earlier but we’re where we are because there was a labor plan that was going to rip up people’s driveways confiscate their houses build on green belt destroy nature and create urban sprawl and that was totally unforgivable and not what the public wanted thank you thank you councelor councelor Mo did
You want to wind up uh thank you Mr chairman I’d just like to respond to one item that uh that councelor yaku raised and she said the new local plan is not different to the withdrawn plan well we don’t have a new local plan at this point in time we’ve
Just done a consultation on what residents would like in a new local plan so that that’s completely wrong uh so um I’m happy with that Mr chairman go to the vote thank you Council Moore the uh the uh recommendation is on page 350 of your agenda packs those in
Favor thank you members that is unanimous we now move back to our normal scheduled broadcast which is item five on the agenda the adoption of the scrap metal licensing policy and for some bizarre reason that’s me not the cabinet member for environment carbon reduction and waste as it says in the report um
This is very much something that’s come out of Licensing as you know he one of our quasi judicial functions uh and therefore I’m going to defer to the appropriate officer to actually give a a very broad overview and also councel Lawrence the chairman of Licensing
Should he wish to add his wise words as part of this particular item thank you chair um I apologize I’m a bit croaky tonight but I’ll do my best to throw my voice so uh this is the uh local scrap metal Dealers Licensing policy which is due for review um and
Has been out to consultation it covers the licensing of scrap metal collectors and scrap metal dealers and is designed to ensure that we provide a fair process to those that are making application for scrap metal licenses um operating within the burrow uh it’s part of the architecture of the
Local licensing regulation um and it sets out the local issues and priorities for basilon Council we have been um subject to review by licensing committee and it is also been out to public consultation that didn’t result in a significant um in fact I don’t think we
Had any responses or a very small number of responses but it’s actually a very Niche um activity so not one that we would expect a huge U amount of interest in in engagement but um there’s been minimal changes to the policies it stands largely relating to changes in financial checks but that’s reflected
Been reflected in the policy um happy to take any questions from Members thank you thank you C Lawrence did you want to add anything yeah just want to reinforce that um the only changes to the policy is the hmrc tax working um checks um and the
Policies uh we do this policy every 5 years council is not obliged to actually have a policy um but you know best practices that we do have one um and um just like to thank the officers for with h and back to you chair thank you counc Lawrence counc
Ybe no other members have indicated oh ccel River no I just thought on this um scrap matter it was quite ironic really that we have councelor yuk here tonight you know she’d been put on the scrap metal Heap but um she’s now been recycled by the labor group and she’s back again um
I understand that there might be other recycling of other former counselors um but uh hopefully with this scrap metal license uh we can be careful and a bit more uh discreet about the level of recycling that goes on and make sure only quality product comes out the other
Side thank you C and I’m sure we should also be kind so the um we we have the recommendation on page 25 all those in favor thank you members that is item five we move on to item six which is the empty homes policy and strategy counselor schrder item Pages 71 to 107
Of your agenda thank you leader uh this item uh went to place scrutiny a few weeks ago where members gave it a good uh kickabout uh I’d like to thank councelor gascoin and the members of the committee for their input uh I also reiterate my thanks to Rachel Glover and her team for
The work that they’ve done on this uh in a nutshell leader uh the proposal is that we bring in a dedicated member of staff to work with a probate researcher and the owners of empty homes to explore options to bring empty properties back into use now as I advised the place
Scrutiny committee uh there could be any number of reasons why a home is empty mostly they’re awaiting the conclusion of probate or have become empty due to bankruptcy repossession or something like that uh some have even been abandoned for one reason or another in such cases owners May Simply Be unaware
Of the different options available to them so the basic IDE aidea here is that the council can try to assist by for example looking at an arrangement to rent out the property through our housing solution service or it may be that an empty homeowner needs support in
Resolving a probate issue with a view to selling the property on the open market the bottom line for us as an authority is this empty homes have a negative impact on our local neighborhoods particularly if they’re not uh properly maintained we want to explore options with homeowners to encourage them to
Bring their properties back into use there are a range of mechanisms uh that could enable this including through an agreement to rent but this project is intended to work through the options we can’t force anyone to do anything but clearly it’s in nobody’s interests to have long-term empty properties just
Sitting about doing nothing uh we’ll be looking at a range of mechanisms within our legal powers to address empty homes and set out within the policy and accompanying strategy are are some of the uh some of the levers available to us but uh this will be a pilot scheme to
See if we can indeed make a difference as the report says every empty home removes a property from the housing market and with it opportunities for our residents to be housed firsttime buyers to purchase or those looking to progress on the property ladder so anything we
Can do to help move the process along to bring empty homes back into use will ultimately help rejuvenate the housing market in basilon uh thank you leader the recommendations are on page 72 I commend them to Cabinet I’m happy to try and answer any questions thank you thank
You counc rer as always uh councel you CP thank you I mean you’re talking here about conviction I mean you don’t even have convictions in your own plans you’re continuously pushing things through and exempting them from Callin so that proper scrutiny can’t take place when the opposition calls for emergency
Motions to be discussed they’re being thrown out because you don’t C can you talk to the item I don’t think coun policy was speak the item thank you very much absolutely the only lunatic here is councel rimmer trying to push through his CC yob can you stick to the agenda item many
Thanks it’s worrying to see that there are 150 six vacant homes in bason especially when we know that there is such a pressing need for housing in our burough however appointing an empty homes officer at a salary of 53,000 doeses raise some questions about value for money while it’s acknowledged that
An empty homes officer will play a role in identifying um properties and in in in order to establish communication with landlords I think we need to be clear about the limitations here they will have no powers of enforcement other than the 100% council tax ta Levy which we know we’ve already established is
Ineffective and the empty dwelling management orders and compulsory purchase orders which are both um costly and in terms of logistics it can be quite challenging to implement on any significant scale so are we truly convinced that pouring resources into a single officer um whose authority will largely be toothless is the best approach
Here thank you for eventually getting to the point C youu it is appreciated um nobody else has spoken I know officers or caner want to respond to that question uh yeah thank you leader um well I totally agree that that given the demands on housing at the moment um and
The fact that we are in a housing crisis the fact that we have 156 vacant homes um is concerning um so at the end of the day I don’t disagree materially with anything she says um because as I said in my speech we can’t compel anyone to
Do anything the available to us are limited but the alternative to what’s proposed here is to Simply do nothing um and just let nature continue to take its course in these events and I think it is worth um you know it’s it’s this is one member of staff on a uh uh short-term
Contract as I say we’re going to be you know it’s going to be a trial project to see if we can make a difference it may be that we don’t make any difference at all and we determine that it’s not not not worth pursuing um but I can’t really
See the point in just sort of accepting the fact that we’ve got 156 vacant homes if we think there may be levers that we can pull um to to try and get some of those back into some kind of gainful use so I mean in terms of the the
Limitations and whether or not the the the office Holder will be toothless I’ll defer to the um the officers who may may have a view on on what they think the options look like I mean I ran through some of them in in Fairly broad brush
Strokes um but I think uh Mr brace made the made the good made a good point at the place scrutiny committee when it was discussed there which is as things presently stand if we have a a vacant property that is empty and has been empty for a while and is starting to
Fall into a state of disrepair which is sometimes is the case it’s quite often um that the the first point of contact we have with these homeowners is at the point of which we’re enforcing against them because the property is becoming untidy now that isn’t exactly the best foot forward if
Our first point of contact with them is the point to which we’re enforcing against them so what this officer will enable us to do is to take a much more a softer more proactive more Collegiate for one of a better word approach where we say okay look
What are the barriers what like I said in a lot of cases it is probate and and things like that which we can possibly assist with and that will then head off us getting to the point where we’re looking at enforcement action because the sites become untidy but I I I’ll
Defer to any of the officers if they’ve got anything that they want to add but I I think it’s worth having a p thank you I’ll add to that really and and uh I think it just obviously to stress it is a pilot project so uh We’ve certainly not engaged the services of
The probate researcher previously as far as I’m aware um and uh certainly it also creates an element of work around the boarding up or having to deal with the the the issues for impacts on the community so I think that’s the other element that we’re trying to combat um
So yes I think we’ve said we’ve said one year to twoyear fixed term contract and we’ll certainly keep it under review um and provide the feedback to members as to how the project is going thank you thank you um I don’t normally have a set of banter but I am going to say
Something which I will give Council Yak the right to reply because I was slightly a Gog when she starts throwing around salary scales and talking about uh the salary of an officer from a a member whose group has consistently stood up a council fighting for minimum wage and saying how people should be
Paid more and everything else it just seems completely um inconsistent now to a sing Lou and obviously that hasn’t even been pointed yet and question the validity or the value in their contract especially when we know that local government pay scales are pretty much set for the job they do and the roles
That they have uh and does this mean that Ki C no longer doesn’t believe in the minimum wage or doesn’t believe in the fact that people should be paid a fair amount for the job they do uh you do have the option to respond should you wish to councel
Yak thank you um I I think it’s a very very simple case here of me actually saying is it worth as appointing this position I haven’t picked on the salary um I don’t know since when 53k became minimum wage um but I haven’t picked on a salary of an officer because a the
Officer doesn’t exist B the position doesn’t exist where you’re voting here tonight um to create this position so that’s number one it’s in your own report maybe you should read it and number two is I’m talking about whether it’s worth and value for money for us as
A council to appoint this position and to have it in the first place thank you for that clarification ccel yakob um and of course I have read it and we’ll continue to read it uh the recommendation as C sh said is on page 72 all those in
Favor thank you that is carried we then move on to item seven working with local council’s policy this is on page 109 to 139 of the agenda packs councelor sergeant thank you leader a local council’s leasen group was set up some years ago between basan Council and the town and parishes of
Basan to work more collaboratively quarterly meetings are held with the purpose of discussing and remedying issues that arise also new policies and consultations discussions drifted recently into exploring how we could work closer together together to better serve our residents a working together commission was set up to explore how we could
Achieve better outcomes we will shown excellent examples over the country how parishes can run some Council Services very cost effectively there are also good examples that exist in our own Council um for example billeri Town Council took over the old rundown day Center building in Chantry way and red
Veloped it to become a community center Ramon bellhouse they employ a security service much of the Delight of their residents to keep their homes safe BS gford funded a handyman service that was really popular and as of late note Bridge Parish Council are tying to the council’s CCT system to enhance our CC
Uh the local um CCT service at note Bridge so these projects large or small all progressed with buying from our residents the objective the policy is to bring a more coordinated approach to the exercise and set out how Basildon will support local councils articulate their Ambitions for
Their communities I also see this as a two-pronged approach where help and guidance can be gained between the local councils and the principal Council for a more prosperous future thank you later thank you Council Sergeant Council y cp thank you just a quick question on this do we have in place any mechanisms
That we will use to monitor the progress and evaluate the impact of the policy in terms of the relationship between Basden Council and local Parish councils yes there will be monitoring um in place because those there’s regular meetings taking place and the policy is very clear in what it wants to achieve
So yes councelor coup there will be monitoring and we will put things in place to ensure that the project is going in the right direction and um we’ll be pleased to bring it back to council so that they can see the results of the um the working together thank you
I think that was a Fair Point from Council you and in fact from my point of view if you’ve got a Cabinet member that’s responsible then that will actually feed in through the executive function uh and of course having a cabined function also means we have scrutiny and that gives scrutiny the
Ability to uh get that sort of information and actually make sure that the policy is working because ultimately that is the whole point of scrutiny to um Kick the tires on new policies to make sure they’re fit for purpose to follow through when the policies are enacted to make sure they’re working and
To get feedback and actually provide that feedback to Cabinet to refine and enhance as we go forward so absolutely Council sh uh uh thank you chairman yeah um I speak on this item with with great trepidation because I’m aware that um the cabinet member uh counselor Sergeant
Is herself a very Dy and hardworking uh Parish counselor um and I I will of course be supporting the recommendations as set out in the agenda um and I’ve worked with with many parish counselors over the years and by and large I think most of them do a pretty
Good job um unpaid and clearly Parish councils do provide a platform for local people to improve their areas um however colleagues in the room will be aware that I do have one consistent bug bear with Parish councils which means that I shall be voting for recommendation four
With a degree of trepidation uh in 2022 the brand spanking newly created Wickford Town Council held its inaugural elections they were uncontested in other words they weren’t elections we created a new Parish Council after much persistent lobbying by a number of Wickford residents and in the event um they weren’t able to hold
Elections so uh and and in fact last year one of them resigned and they held a by elction and again there was only one candidate so that was uncontested uh shotgate Parish Council had elections last year too they were uncontested BS gford and North Ben Fleet Parish Council uh 2022
Also uncontested 2021 was a bumper Year biler Ricky Town Council uncontested great bursted and South Green Parish Council uncontested little bursted Parish Council uncontested Ramon bellhouse Parish Council uncontested Ramon CRA Parish Council uncontested not Bridge Parish Council uncontested um so the fact is leader we we have seven
Parish councils in this burrow and none of them have held proper Bonafide a contested elections in in some years in some cases more than a decade so what I do hope that we can do as part of this policy is work to increase a wider public understanding of and interest in
Parish councils and the opportunities that exist for residents to make a difference to their Community by serving as a parish counselor uh because I honestly can’t see the point in creating more if people aren’t sufficiently interested to see collection to the ones we already have they clearly do have uh
The potential to add value and to serve a role for their area but as things stand I worry they operate in a rather opaque fashion and of course they’re largely unaccountable to the electorate because if you don’t have an election there’s no ability for the residents to
Give that body any kind of uh Democratic mandate so I think that it it we need to work more effectively with our our Parish councils but I think also we maybe need to do a bit of a job of work to promote what they do what they’re
Capable of doing so that people do want to stand for election to them and they can have properly contested elections that allows them to have that that degree of uh electoral uh legitimacy that at the moment I is a consistent irritant of mine um I could not possibly vote for a
Recommendation for without at least making that point but I will be supporting the recommendations chairman thank you counc Sher and I’ve got to say I I have a lot of Sympathy For What you say I mean the other issue to me and it’s something that does need
To be addressed I think as we go forwards we have been very very cognizant through the budget setting process and everything else about how we as a responsible Council need to set a balanced budget and the financial pressures and the difficult decisions we’ve had to make and we’ve also respected the fact
That we have a cost of living crisis that people are you know finding it hard in some places to make ends meet and therefore any additional tax burden is a problem and yet we are constrained with the counter tax that we set to actually provide these valuable and important
Services and yet a parish and Town Council can set a precept whatever they want with any form of real check or due diligence as to how that money is going to be spent or the affordability or anything else and it just it just seems completely inconsistent and in congruent
To the whole Council processes that there isn’t these checks and balances and that is something I think that we should be at least having conversation somewhere uh to see how legislation could be brought in that provides the same level of probity and responsibility on precept setting as we are faced with
Our coun tax setting but that’s just my view ker River yes I think I’m I’m going to strike a note of Discord on this um but Accord with my fellow Cabinet member counselor Sergeant I hope um I I actually do feel they’re accountable I mean you don’t it just because um
Accountability when you’ve got monthly meetings and the members of the public can turn up and actually ask questions of them makes it accountable and and that’s what’s happening in a lot of Parish and town councils in this burrow um in particular i’ I’ve got a good experience of bows gford and North
Benley Parish Council and how they actually interact with members of the public um no I I i’ also question the legitimacy aspect because notices of elections are posted people have those vacancies available to stand um it’s not you know that doesn’t make something illegitimate people don’t stand it’s not
Russia where people are being thrown out of Windows at the threat of standing actually people are probably generally happy with the service that they’re getting which is a political Parish councils actually prefer it if no parties are involved with them at all to be honest with you um and that they’re
Just coming from residents who are it’s a nice feeling when you know it’s just residents who care about their locality that are dealing with the locality and there’s no stupid politics involved you know about not making Common Sense decisions like putting in a motion to council one moment and then coming up
Trying to put in a council motion on an emergency basis to reverse it the next of course I am counselor can Y Yak it’s a pleasure to have you here but try and behave thank you I know you’ve missed me um I have missed you immensely um like a hole in
The head um we have the item uh for discussion cancer sergeant you want to sum up thank you leader um I thank councelor uh Shada for his comments and they’re quite they’re quite right what he said is absolutely true and this is why I think one of the
Reasons that we do need a policy we do need a way of working together because for too long um and and you’ve sat on the uh local Council so aison committee and that and that’s where my experience is as well because I’ve sat on there for
Quite some time as well along and and Richard Moore chairs that um Council Moore chairs that committee now what we are lacking in is the um the parishes and the work streams that it takes on and the delivering of services to the residents and some of the items that and
And this has been quite a process that we have been through you you know as the report is very clear in what it says all the the discoveries that we’ve un you know that have come to light over the year where the other councils all over the country have been doing certain
Things we’ve been doing certain things ourselves but this thing with elections is is pretty bad and that’s why this policy May well set councils on the track to deliver in the services and budgeting properly for them rather than um you know a finger in the
Air as to what the budget is going to be when I took over the not Bridge Parish Council I set it up many years ago and when I I I got involved and uh set in 2016 it was because it was in total total disarray and I think
Councilor malol Buckley that used to um sit on this Council he was always complaining particularly about pre ETS and about non-contested elections and also what your what he was he was complaining about as well is which is my complaint is that you’ve got Clarks working and if you looked at the
If if you looked at the budgets there’s so many Administration fees that are being paid to Clarks which are going up and up and up because there’s the work as the work streams according to them goes on but then so does the so does the wage bill now
Obviously um we’ve had a few Clarks at not Bridge they’ve not been successful so I’ve been acting Clark and and obviously I don’t get paid and we’ve accumulated quite a sum of money but that sum of money has been invested in a neighborhood plan and they are pretty
Pricey as I’m sure officers in the know will um be quite clear on you need to employ consult an but it also means that you are involving not only your counselors and steering groups but you’re involving the community and I think that is another thing that is lacking within parish councils is that
They are not going out like we do to the electorate and speaking to them and getting them involved and that’s why I am in favor of this policy that it will draw to the attention and it’s something that we can work together on is what can we do together together with the
Principal Council to get those councils to work in in a better you know in a better way in a more effective way cost effective way and on the point that you raised leader on you know the cost of living crising yes you are absolutely right and and people do they bring up
The tax all of the time because it is added tax that money should be there to enhance the services that the people have it shouldn’t be there as um just to pay a wage bill for a Clark or for Unnecessary services and that’s that’s what I hope this um this policy aims to
Achieve and as we go past the year as you’ve said yourself leader this will this will you it will be written into the minutes and I and maybe we can you know put that into a recommendation that that’s one of the things that scrutiny will look at you know possibly halfway
Through the year as to how this how effective this policy is becoming and how effective our councilors are becoming because that’s the whole um that’s the whole purpose of putting this policy together that we’ve got groups of elected people or uncontested elected people that are running services for people that they can benit
From thank you uh Council Sergeant the recommendation is on yes page 110 all those in favor I’ll be with tribulation thank you members that is moving on to item eight Financial inclusion and resilience policy this is on pages 141 to 164 of your agenda packs councelor Sullivan thank you chairman um this
Policy has been scrutinized already by the scrutiny commission it’s a policy that was introduced during covid uh to ensure that the council uh leverages its uh contacts experience and influence in helping to guide people um to available financial and practical help uh particularly those on low incomes um it
Will uh aim to work in the policy will aim to work in partnership with such organizations as the BBW CVS the Bas and biler Wickford Council for voluntary Services we aim to uh access grant funding where that is available and it will also aim to work with and create
Opportunity for local businesses um I think that’s pretty much it in a a nutshell with regard to the broad principles of it chairman happily happy to take any comments or questions thank you thank you uh councel Sullivan councel y thank you I mean there has been a repeated lack of progress and innovation
In this administ A’s approach to addressing the cost of living challenges that our residents are facing this Administration has continued to rely on the same tired strategies resulting in a policy that fails to offer any meaningful solutions to our struggling communities the reality is that while this Administration touts its efforts to
Sign post support and benefits or my personal favorite when councelor rimmer condescendingly tells residents that they just need to learn to manage their money better maybe you can put on some lessons after you lose your seat in May councelor Rimer these actions alone are insufficient in addressing the
Increasing levels of deprivation in our burrow the only noticeable changes that occur each time this policy is reviewed are the escalating numbers of residents grappling with fuel poverty and plumbing into low discretionary income thresholds 80 to 90% of households in freen St Martins pitty Northwest Lee Chapel North
Are in the low discretionary income category yet this Administration continues to fail in devising any tangible Solutions this policy is superficial and I cannot take it seriously until there is targeted intervention in the most deprived areas of our borrow and when the leader of the council thinks 53,000 is minimum wage I
Think we’ve all got a lot to worry about and if I thought it was minimum wage I’m sure You’ be right coun Yuba yet again um the spin that you put put on things and the lack of um attention you pay to what is being said uh is just
Pretty congruent with the way you conduct yourself uh within this uh this room uh councel shr uh thank you leader um well uh having served on the uh cost of living working group um with councelor ybe actually um and others we we I I had a very different experience of it uh to
Her evidently um I’d like to endorse uh the contents of this report and praise the hard work of our offices particularly those involved with the cost of living uh support Hub um uh also our many uh community volunteers I should add like the uh the food banks and of course the community
Supermarkets uh it’s also good to hear that the community bus will be coming back in Spring that was uh very popular and well received I think that everyone well almost everyone who served on the working group was deeply impressed by the range of support available from this
Council and by the hard work that was being put in um by the officers particularly the Outreach workers um this particularly came to a head during the pandemic uh but although things have got better in many respects since the pandemic uh a b ated um obviously other challenges to the community have come
Along uh and they continue to emerge through a range of factors particularly cost of living pressures um so I do think that the council’s work in this area remains as important now um probably than as it ever has um perhaps even more so so I wholeheartedly endorse
The report um and obviously any more that we can do in this area is very much to be welcomed thank you thank you C sh I think it’s it’s it’s a good point uh to to remind everybody that we did have the um the working group on cost living
Crisis which is a cross-party group uh and of course were there interventions that could have been suggested one would have expected the labor group to have put those forward but I know that ideas and free thinking are something that is frowned upon in the labor group
Currently which is why they seem to be hemorrhaging members and why they’ve lost one already to become non-aligned already and I wonder how many other members will continue to hemrid from the labor group as the full um impact of council yakub’s return becomes manifest in that group um but K
Rumor uh thank you leader no I’m I actually welcome this too I I think counselor yube has a she’s not just taken remarks out of context she’s actually given me words that I didn’t say um it’s very odd I mean I actually worked on a National Financial inclusion
Strategy that got adopted by the money and pensions service um and actually I do know a lot about um Financial guidance and financial inclusion and cost of living crisis and and what people need in terms of help in terms of budgeting in all sorts of spheres of
Life um I’ve also been involved with working groups in respect to mental health and financial Wellness as well and to see how that factors impacts in terms of people’s ability to budget so I I really wish that the opposition would stop actually um minimizing and being so childish about matters of such severity
These issues are affecting people on a daily basis um in terms of whether they can actually afford to pay um for school clothing whether they can afford to feed themselves as well as their children and um you’re actually you know minimizing it and it’s not it’s not
Right i’ take that very seriously indeed um but I agree with what councelor shrad has said I agree with what councelor Sullivan has said in terms about the breadth of services here and and the council’s playing a good role in terms of curating that and trying to make it
Low friction in terms of the contact points for it because if you having that wealth of services out there can also be confusing you want to go well where do I go to first and so actually when you’re already under stress financially and you’re probably already um you know
Vulnerable because of that Financial stress it it it’s a real service and it has to be credited that you can actually give people that pathway to a curated service that will help them most relevantly in their needs so I I’ll be voting for this thank you thank you uh counc r c
Sergeant thank you leader it’s all o it’s all okay to Grand standard cabinet about how uh the cabinet or the administration are not carrying out their duties um and there’s lots and lots of deprivation and we can shout it from the rooftops but as my colleague Council Rim
Said we should not be shouting this from the roof rooftops we should be doing what we are doing and that’s dealing with it this cost of living crisis is actually under communities in our in our corporate plan Owen is the um sorry uh Mr Sparks um he heads up the the cost of
Living uh program and the team that he’s had of young you know the younger people that are coming out in that bus and will be doing so throughout the summer and doing it so effectively that they’re getting right into to the communities going straight into into the
Neighborhoods also what we are doing is we’ve got we’ve got the um the money that we put into our service level agreement for our youth team we’ve got some Outreach work working in our communities we know exactly where those communities are we know the problems that those families suffer and I’ve just
Spoken to councelor shr tonight so that you know we will all the time as cenet we’re working together so that on each portfolio we can try as hard as we can to get those families the help that they need so that they don’t have to be shouted have someone shouting from the
Rooftop that oh they should be having free this and free that do those people you know they they’ve got commitments themselves they don’t want to be in uh hard up they don’t want any of this but it’s down to us to help them and help
Them we will and as I say as soon as you know that will go through it’s gone through scrutiny the corporate plan and we will ensure that those people get the help we need obviously though the money is not that there that we can give everybody what they want but at least
People are not going totally without thank you leader thank you uh Council Sergeant Council Sullivan did you want to wind up yes thank you chairman um I thank my cabinet colleagues for their their words on this um they they gave a bit more uh context to uh the actual policy that’s
In the report um just to address some of councelor yakub’s uh points I think that the fact the existence of this policy is Testament to how serious the council takes uh the difficulties that some people find themselves in the current economic climate so the fact that we
Have this policy uh it shows that we are making our best efforts to help alleviate those problems um I would add that we in the last budget increased the hardship payments uh fund by £50,000 um to assist people uh who fall behind with their rent um and then we have
Other tangential policies as well such as the safe and sound policy which aims to improve the um the environment of the people where people live as well which all all goes towards assisting um the uh their their General uh enjoyment of lives and and their environment as well
As uh the financial um aspect as well which the policy addresses um but the policy follows the conservative principle of a hand up and not a hand out it’s there to assist and guide people and small businesses to uh um to other areas that might give them um help
And I would just uh uh finish by saying that if councelor yuku or any other the labor group think that we should increase financial assistance then they had their opportunity to do that by um giving us an alternative budget at the last budget meeting where they could
Have told us what to do with the money so other than that chairman um could we go to the vote thank you thank you uh councel Sullivan the recommendation is on page 142 all those in favor thank you members that is carried we move on to the culture and creative
Industry strategy this is on page 165 to 226 gender PKS councelor Henry thank you leader um this is item nine in the agenda pack and it is on pages 165 to 226 the cultural and creative industry strategy for basilon sets out an ambitious vision for culture as a
Catalyst for positive econom iic and social transformation of the Town sitting within the Leisure and cultural strategy it sets a direction of travel joining together numerous work streams across the council’s portfolio from Community Development health and well-being Economic Development transport environment and culture under a single shared Vision basilon town
Center should be the heart of the burrow culture and creative industry strategy positions culture as a catalyst and a connector for community and business life supporting a wider strategy for positive economic and social growth for everyone investing in its future the strategy is therefore focused on using
Culture as a powerful tool for the Regeneration of the basilon Town Center this is not an art for Arts sake as if the Town Center is to succeed it has to embrace change to own the big idea to embrace the narrative and the vision for which differentiates it from its competitors
The associated action plan represents a road map for how we will achieve this its role is to translate ideas into action with defined responsibilities and resources identified to ensure that the ambition of the strategy lead to tangible outputs and outcomes the action plan draws on extensive engagement with key stakeholders local communities setting
Out priorities against the eight Focus areas the strategy aligned with its Vision principles and tactics this is not a strategy that the council can deliver in isolation but is one that I’m proud that the council is driving alongside our partners and our communities it will help us to draw further inward Investment Drive
Opportunities for a local creative Community further support the development of the local creative Industries and enhanced footfall dwell time and localized spend in the Town Center Our intention is to learn from the associated work taking place in this strategy and to build from bason Town Center to other retail and
Community hubs throughout the borrow thank you members thank you councel Henry councelor Yak thank you um look I’m going to begin councelor bagger by asking you to take control of this chamber and to have consistency in your rules because I have had enough of the attacks that I have I
Have received from councelor rimmer in which you have not stopped him from speaking shouting out and not speaking to the agenda it needs to be one rule for all members because otherwise this is turning into a very misogynistic bashing which I will not accept full Council was held in the middle of half
Term and there is no surprise there because why would middle-aged white men care about mothers who have children who are off from school during halterm racist Cy C first of all stick to the agenda secondly um I am not going to coun bag you need to ask councelor rmer
To stick to the agenda you need to ask councel rimmer to behave please behave please behave councelor rimmer you councel bag you need you wave you wave W the motherhood you wave the motherhood flaget me wave the motherhood flag way that is incre you wave the motherhood
Flag as if it is some sort of um misogynistic chamber here that has got nothing in but disrespect for women which is fundamentally untrue uh you use motherhood as some sort of excuse I would remind you that as a single parent I have a child I my child also goes to
School therefore I could have been unavailable during half term but that’s the difference in priorities I chose to prioritize the benefit of the council and the residents of this Council by ensuring that I was present to ensure a balanced budget was set on behalf of this Council
Because as leader of the group I have an obligation to do so now if you feel that as a mother your priorities are elsewhere I respect that but then you should also respect your group and at the very least you could have asked any one of your group to have presented a
Budget on your behalf uh if you were even remotely uh working as a leader you would have a shadow cabinet and therefore you would expect to have a shadow Cabinet member for resources who could have actually presented a budget to the people shown the people what you expect to do coun
Reinfor that would have then reinforced the fact that when you put out leaflets currently showing and telling the electorate blatant lies about the policies you’re going to enact when you haven’t actually costed it or actually presented a budget allowing you to do it so we’re not going to take any lectures
From you and your false narrative coun y I would ask you now we have an item here please try I know it’s very difficult but try and actually speak to the agenda thank you councelor bagger and councelor Rimer the way that you’ve behaved in this chamber is incredibly misogynistic and Incredibly
Disrespectful this is disgusting for me thank you K I presume that’s I presume that’s I I presume councelor Yak that that you have nothing to add to this item and therefore we will move to members that do have something to add to this item councelor Rimer and of course
He he’s now going to not be speak I will speak to the agenda item Council rimmer please don’t attack Council yaku who is very sensitive and and and deserving of our respect calling women sensitive when they speak up to say that what doing sing M as is every single member
Of this chamber misy 101 misy 101 when a woman stands up for her so moving back to the agenda item um I’m I’m going to talk to the draft culture and creative industri strategy if I may um I actually think this is a great paper um and obviously um we can
See that with the murals that are in the town center and there’s an element of AR with those that you can actually scan them with your phone and they start moving and all sorts and it’s quite interesting in that aspect but we’ve got that Arts culture Grant as well for the
Creative digital Tech Hub and obviously we’re looking to create um you know something very special there um that is actually going to potentially create popup businesses uh new Enterprises new entrepreneurs um in that Creative Tech space and create this Creative Tech Town um it was you know um you’re not um I
Some people have taken my words out of context or changed them I think some newspapers have done so recently and I’ve been quoted as wanting to turn U baselin into Berlin um but I think I was just saying there’s some examples there that we could actually look at in terms
Of where we could actually transform um the Town Center in terms of Creative Tech Enterprise um to create that Creative Tech Town um so I’m very excited about this and happy to um endorse this thank you thank you k i I would actually endorse you say I think
This is this shows a breadth vision for what we want within the within the burough um for a long time culture was under all sorts of different political spectrums quite actually hidden if you like as far as a as a priority and even in this time where we are actually
Having to cut our cloth accordingly I think it’s important important that we recognize the benefits that having a cultural and creative strategy can bring both to the economy to people uh in general and to communities so I think it is something to be applauded and for the
Record um Council yaku will be familiar we do have a standards policy I think that she has actually in fact um been a a recipient of a finding from the Standards Board itself so she feels that I’m being misogynistic in any particular way we have officers here and we have
Members here please feel free to put in a standards complaint about me and I’ll be very happy to respond to that complaint for any uh claims that she wishes to make which she’s totally entitled to do as a member I’ve not got anybody else wishing to speak so councelor Henry to wind
Up thank you leader I just want to um check with the principal officer to see if there’s anything that he would like to add before we take it to the vote thank you councelor yes um I’m pleased to be able to have brought this here today it’s been uh much work over many
Years working with numerous partners and across different service areas um I um think the organization should be very proud of the difference we’re seeing now in uh culture opportunities in and around the bough and we really hope that um the this strategy should it be adopted tonight can really Drive um
Forward the cultural opportunities specifically uh in basm town center and learning further and wider all around the bar from there working with numerous Partners um most perly our uh very grateful for our colleagues at the Arts Council who continue to see us as a priority place for their support and investment so thank You thank you leader um I would like to to to thank Grant and Jim Sims and all of our other officers that have been involved in this and also the the countless different organizations that we’ve met with over the period of time that this has been w around um it’s nice
To actually get it to to Cabinet we did take it to place uh no um can’t remember we took it to a scrutiny committee um a few weeks ago as well um so the recommendation is on page 165 thank you leader uh all those in favor thank you members we move to item
10 the designation of parks and Countryside sites this is on page 227 to 251 of the agenda pack and again this is Council Henry thank you leader um I’m not going to go on terribly terribly much about this but there were a few points I did want to pull out of
This report um and and preface it by by saying that the council’s corporate plan 2327 includes a commitment to continue to enhance the Burrows barks and Open Spaces in order to improve the quality of life for residents um and this follows a consultation with natural England which has identified um several areas across
The Bor um those areas are Giddings cops in Wickford Nev and bushes in burnt Mills Oakbridge Nature Reserve in Crouch nausey Meadow and biki St Nicholas church Hills in Len cranes Farm nature Zone nature Zone which is at the rear of um freans and bamps Meadow which is also in Wickford
Um many of these sites or some of these sites are already considered to and probably referred to as local nature reserves um but they don’t actually have any proper standing um local nature reserves are a statutory designation made under section 21 of the national parks and access to Country act side act
1949 by principal local authorities natural England’s accessible natural Green Space standards recommends at least one hectare of statutory local nature reserve should be provided for 1,000 population in 2021 it was estimated the population of basilon was 187,00 therefore requiring of us that we have 187,00 hectares of land designated as a
Local nature reserve we are some considerable distance off that um at 113 and tonight’s um tonight’s paper will take us considerably closer to that um the designation to LR status will offer protection against future development of the seven sites but could also prevent opportunities or present opportunities to designate further um development of
Further sites such as elanar and potentially um sites of specific scientific interest the designation as a local nature reserve will ensure that they are managed in a manner which is sympathetic to wildlife in order to contain good habitats and in turn retain their status as lnr am I boring you no
Not all good good um this will enable the council to apply a consistent approach to the management of parks in lenr designation um it will also possibly present us with an opportunity to draw down funding and and various other aspects um it meets and it works hand inand with our biodiversity action
Plan which we brought to Cabinet um some time ago and it meets the General aim of the plan A1 and also the urban action plan um as part of the work the definition of parks and Countryside sites as part of the work a review has been undertaken of all of our parks and
Countryside sites within the bur and there are a vast number of parks and historically definitions allocated to each of these sites do not accurately necessarily reflect the management or the use so on Park sites and Town Park sites um the designations are set out on page 229 in addition to those um local
Nature reserves Town parks there are five main towns within in the bar basilon billeri Landon pitsy and Wickford only four of these towns have a designated Town Park and this paper aims to change that um what that will do is that will then mean that Landon Victoria
Park will be designated as a town park and will be treated um accordingly um the recommendations leader are on pages 227 and flow into 228 so that’s it thank you thank you C Henry CC Yak thank you councelor Sher uh thank you leader um I Just Want
To Praise uh councelor Henry for the work here and his officers have done on this uh as a former Lon resident myself I have to say I’m pleased uh in particular to see Victoria Park formerly designated as what it has always been which is the uh the town park for Lon
It’s long overdue recognition that gives Victoria Park parity of esteem with our other Town Parks like Gloucester Park and Lake Meadows it’s also gratifying to see nausey Meadow recognized as a local nature reserve I think this underscores uh this administration’s commitment to protect Wildlife sites and Wildlife corridors and our residents uh
We know hugely value their open spaces and it’s vitally important that we support them across cross the burrow thank you leader thank you councel Sher councel sorry councel Sergeant thank you leader I too um welcome this report and give thanks to councelor Henry for the work that’s been done on
Protecting those areas that’s most important to not not just the council but our residents these places are very very widely used by residents but not only that a number of them are also um have the help of volunteers they they go in as groups maintain them and um it saves the
Council they work along with Council officers and I had the pleasure in attending um a recognition Day last year with councelor Henry where all the volunteers came along that that do most of the you know the volunteering within these kinds of areas cuz without them
You know at least they go in clear up the rubble clear the ponds out do all that kind of stuff so I mean this is something that we should be really proud of it you know we’ve now protected those areas and it’s obviously it’s great for
Me because I live in an area where there is a nature reserve and the beauty of it for us is is that we can now put in our neighborhood plan that we have a designated no brid nature reserves so thank you cancer Henry thank you leader thank you cancer sergeant can
River uh this is also quite poignant for me as well because where we’re going into the policy and talking about rewilding I just remember my former late colleague Luke and how he brought in the pollinator policy and some of this is obviously a continuation of that and and
It is nice to see in our Parks now areas that have been set aside for insect life and pollination in particular um we’ve seen that in the Jubilee park next to northland’s Park as well in a special area there and the signage going up and I think it’s good
To see this continuation of this throughout the Barrow thank you counc rer um we have another speakers councelor Henry would you like to wind up thank you leader and I thank members for their their um lovely comments about the work our officers have done on this
I do want to um acknowledge um as councilor Sergeant has said the incredible work and incredible dedication of our volunteers that that that run our parks and work in our parks and are so collaborative with us as as counselors as cabinet members and with our officers um we genuinely couldn’t do
It without them um their determination and their commitment to their local area and their passion for doing it is amazing they like our officers around out in all weathers um quite often dragging grandchildren along um for the ride as well um in particular I do want
To thank my officer team my Parks team um we have uh Rob Glenn Ian Tracy and Josh in particular and and also um Mr Paul Bryce for for recruiting and and giving me one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with ever in any capacity so a huge thank you um the recommendations
Uh leader on page 227 um to 228 thank you all those in favor thank you members we move to item 11 the grounds maintenance service future options councel Blake thank you leader uh before I go into this just want to say a few words and I don’t wish to embarrass barass the
Officer at all but um I work with uh Paul Bryce now for off too many years you probably say but um for a long period of time worked very very closely with him um people say you shouldn’t have a member office of friendship and I accept there’s always got to be that
Distance but if if you’re going to have one and I think that we’ve got it and had it um and I have to say when he’s gone and when I may have gone uh we I I’m sure we continue to have that relationship uh um it’s we doesn’t mean
To say that been an easy run for us we’ve had our moments where we’ve uh We’ve challenged each other quite considerably and that goes back to distance when we had Gary was here as well so it’s been a marvelous uh working relationship a very professional relationship um and probably one of the
Best officers I’ve certainly ever worked with uh um by by by long score that’s no disrespect R officers I have to say and we’ got some great ones coming up before better get that bitting um even when I go on H I tried to get away from him now
So I do need a bit of again I go to Vore and there he is so he he was with his family and I was with the lads but you know we did meet up and another a uh have a little chat so it’s been great whereas most bles sometimes they send
Each other things they really shouldn’t do on WhatsApp Paul and I those sadly sending things of pictures of rib rib of beef before they cook it or after they cook it for Sunday dinner so we got quite a sad relationship when it comes to that but just want to put on record
My my thanks tremendous thanks for him I know he’s still here for a while it’s my last chance to say thank you publicly for it uh and I say I can’t couldn’t wish for a better off the support you’ve given me um as well as my wife actually
You I think you you’ve said before there two two coun there was two counsel Blakes it was a nice one and it was me so um so she appreciated that so just want to that record before I going to the minute moment I wanted to okay I’ll
Get on to the serious business now although it was quite serious um this this report uh details the work that has been undertaken to date towards the future of B and ground maintenance service following two rounds of Discovery with members the residents and the parish and vsh councils an officer
And cross party working group was established to look at the future options for the service this report includes the revised specification which these groups have been working on and the options which we working group have recommended to take forward for detailed cost analysis this specification was reviewed and approached endorsed by the
Place scrutiny committee following work to established the detailed Service delivery models and cost cost works there will be further reports to F future cabinet meetings to decide upon a delivery method moving forward the existing services will run until the end of March 2026 the key elements within the revised specification are increased flexibility
Over Services deployment increase hedge and shrub bed bed work Clarity over what is required from service increased climate change and biodiversity commitments removal of weeds obstacles and seeding trees the options for Village and Paris councils to enhance the work if required the member working group has asked for this specification if agreed
To be taken forward and looked at the following ways of delivering the service contracted out in-house via Direct Services organization in-house via local Authority Trading Company the member working group is scheduled to meet a again to discuss any feedback from cabinet and the next steps towards uh delivering the grounds maintenance
Service for the future the item is the item is seeking endorsement for the revised specification and the option is for the delivery of the service and for the specification to be fully costed against each of of these proposed methods with future results likely be brought back to the cabinet one of the
Things I want to emphasize on that when we look about the increased flexibility climate change is CH is is is really affecting us all I actually believe we was hoping to start doing the first grass cut in March uh because last year what happened was by the time it got
There in in April it was already quite long the grass was quite long and it made it the the first couple of cuts really look like it wasn’t doing much so we decided we try and look at doing it in March you can’t get your own lawnmower on your back Gardens at the
Moment let alone trying to get the things that we’ve got or salivan might yeah so that’s the problems we got so already we come up against obstacles which is really what we’re asking for increased flexibility in service and that that’s where this will come into it we’ve already got a lot better closer
Working sh working ship with them at the moment and it has improved over the last six seven months maybe eight months now uh where there’s been a lot more negotiations and talking with them uh so uh there there any questions I’m happy to take them thank you councelor Blake councelor Y
C thank you councelor Blake um are you are you able to tell us and clarify the extent of work that our current contractor has undertaken for tasks falling under the Essex County council’s remit and specifically how much funding are we currently not recouping that should rightfully be charged to Essex County
Council well I will say this is um I’m surprised that your your members on the working group haven’t fed back to you uh because that’s one of the specific things I actually mentioned on several of times uh that we’re we’re doing work for for County Council uh and and we’re
Not getting the the bucks for it um and I’ve raised it with a Cabinet member concerned County and I rais it on more than one occasion on those actual meetings themselves saying we have to make a decision we have say to County you’re going to deliver this um if
You’re not we’re not to deliver it and you’re the ones who going to cop the responsibility for it and get the flat for it at the moment it’s there’s a lot of places in in the borrow that that look untied in look like it’s our responsibility and it’s not it’s been
County uh so that is something that’s H so sorry I’m speaking I don’t interrupt you I don’t expect you to interrupt me um so as far as I’m concerned we are looking into that uh we did did actually in the working party as I said uh and
It’s something high high in my agenda thank you but do you have the figures or do officers have the figures thank you leer they U they are being worked on as part of what the working group are working on for the Bill of quantities that will come out
For the next part of this they are being maed as we speak so yeah you happy the answer counc C thank you and see counc R sorry councelor Blake I just wanted to check um did the was it the last Administration that actually made a cut in this budget and decided that they
Were going to reduce the amount of grass cuts that were done and then um and and perhaps they act Ed Too Quickly with obviously the long-term prospects of climate change you are absolutely correct can Blake going to wind up I’m have to go straight to the vote
The recommendation is on page 254 of your agenda packs those in favor thank you members we move on to item 12 the basan sporting Village swimming pool floor replacement this is on page 32 3 to 337 of the agenda packs councelor Henry thank you leader um this report
Seeks cabinet’s endorsement of the plan that Sports and Leisure management or slm as we call it would like to progress for the place would like to progress with the replacement of the movable swimming pool floor at basilon sporting Village as the current one is beyond economical repair the The Proposal is
For the replacement of the movable floor to be funded from the building’s life cycle account that the council holds on behalf of the operator slm to ensure that the facility remains in an excellent condition throughout the duration of the contract and although the funds within the lifecycle
Account belong to slm Cabinet has to endorse um or cabinet endorsement is sought due to the significant expenditure that is required um The Works will commence in April 20 5 and this will enable the payment schedule to be divided over 3 years to further help reduce the risk of
Depleting the lifestyle uh the life cycle account um I don’t have a great deal else to say on this at the moment other than the fact um that the recommendation can be found on page 324 I think it’s fairly boiler play thank you thank you C Henry councel
CBE thank you um I’ve just got a few questions what is the primary function of the life cycle account and will utilizing the funds from this account potentially put the building at risk if other priorities suddenly arise how will the introduction of the new movable swimming pool affect the overall Revenue
The sporting Village the report highlights that there’s a missed opportunity for income generation from swimming GES can you provide more details on the potential Financial gains the sporting Village will experience once the pool is operational and during the construction of the new pool what arrange ments will be made for current
Users of the sporting Village including children who regularly attend swimming lessons there sorry councel I’ll try and pick up on them uh one by one the first question was in relation to yeah sorry thank you so the life cycle account is um slm it’s part of the
Contract the slm um or the the winning provider of of when that contract went out um um put money into a life cycle account over the period of the contract for um the council to hold and for them to draw down their money um with to ensure that the the building remained in
Tiptop condition throughout the period of the contract okay so the next question was how would the introduction of the new moveable swimming pool affect the revenue um and what are the potential Financial gains that we’ll get once the new pool is operational because there’s mention of the fact that we’ve missed
Out on opportunities such as the swimming gers and other events yes so it’s it’s not count it won’t be for the council but it will be for the contract itself so yes um to to get the uh floor operational again we’ll see uh an impact to um for slm’s
Operating contract profits um on a basis that for the works will take probably about 16 weeks to to take place um that’s not ideal it’s a very difficult thing uh to be done um but of course um we’ve got a 50 m REM removable pole
Floor um and for a reason and if it’s uh if it’s not operational you know it’s it we need the building back to being exactly as it was designed so with regards to slm they’ve obviously um accounted for that that loss of income that they that they will take over that
Period but of course they are operating two other pools within the B um so are um will be supporting people as much as they can to be able to access those pools within the bur and and obviously I’ve also got um pools in in neighboring authorities as well but we’ll try to
Keep them within the B and there is also other pools within the B of course as well which we hope people will be able to use um the swimming gallers um take place through the very very successful um local swimming Club um as on Phoenix
Um and at the minute um they’ve not been able to to to do so so that’s having two impact really it’s it’s stopping the sport being able to and the club being able to drive forward with um uh an significantly um fantastic swimming club and winning national awards I must say
We should be very proud of them um and also um means that slm are not being able to recover that uh the profits that they would need we have a profit share agreement with with with with slm and the fact that um the gas are not being taken place is is
Meaning that we’re not reaching the level where we are seeing um profits coming back into the council at this stage so we are hopeful that this will get us closer to that also um just on the swimming lessons for children that are currently taking place in the sporting Village what will happen with
Them yeah so I mean this is it is difficult we to the team will be talking to the the um the families and the children themselves the aim is to get as many of those over to the other other polls as they can um I’m I’m not going
To sit here and say that it won’t seee some short-term pain for some but we’re trying to we will work with them and be pushing them hard to mitigate that as much as possible ultimately getting the pullback functioning and operational is going to see a significant uplift and
Opportunity for families ongoing um so it is regrettable that we’re in a situation where we need to fix this but we will do our utmost to make sure that the impact is is is lessened as much as possible I mean thank goodness we got the evly pool built as we promised the
Electorate that we would do so because that actually acts a ability to act as a bit of a buffer and uh I want to thank you can Yu for taking such a keen interest in the sporting Village especially considering you were running to the metor only a few months ago with
Wild fantasies bar going bust and creating consternation among staff and the public and communities uh as something that wasn’t viable wasn’t going to be here so now hopefully with the with even more factored hands you’ll be a Advocate and a supporter of the sporting Village haven’t seen oh councelor
Rimer uh no thank you leader um to be honest I mean this is um something that we’ve been aware of for you know needed to be done for some time um I’d had residents of other burough who knew me personally contact me because their own children were doing swimming meats or
Swimming races there and then suddenly they couldn’t and they were asking me when is this going to be operational again and have the full use of the full pool so um ultimately once this is done we are going to have you know uh three of these pools across the B run by slm
As Top Class facilities I mean that’s a result isn’t it um so I think yes it I think councelor ybe asked really good question and obviously kicking the tires on this um is important but ultimately um the outcome for 16 weeks of pain is going to be worth it in terms of the
Facilities that we’re going to have thank you coun r c sh thank you leader um I did just want to ask um I mean kind of similar to uh uh councelor RoR um I Mr Taylor will be aware I’ve had constituents who’ve contacted me um with a certain degree of
Consternation in the past where the the facility has been unavailable because the the movable floor has been broken what I just would like to know what what would be the normal um kind of life cycle of a piece of Kit like this what would we normally how long would we
Normally expect to last so I I assume it went in in 2011 when the the bsv opened um and obviously I’m aware that uh it’s the largest in the country um and it’s sort of part of the the Olympic Legacy of the bsv um and I do note on
Page 325 does say 95% of new builds in the country come with VAR op pool flaw and research suggests that these floors have not experienced any regular ongoing issues but I’m aware that we have had ongoing uh issues with the floor um is there what would we not be better off I
Guess is the question I to ask Would we not be better off just having a normal pool that doesn’t have a movable floor with all the attendant problems that come with that and it’s it is noted in the report that because it’s a specialist item there are there is this
Limited supply chain so when it breaks it tends to be broken for ages um what s sell me on the benefits of having a movable floor as opposed to a a straightforward swimming pool that doesn’t articulate in that way I suppose the answer to that is to
Do that we’re going to have to pull quite a large amount of concrete into the pool um and then tile it which will be substantially more than 16 16 weeks of work which um that was the original plan that we do away with it and would it be any cheaper no it
Wouldn’t um so um that puts that to bed and cuts out the ability to have a gara because you’d have a depth of 1.1 me or 1.3 M at the shallow end and then 1.8 at the end which means they won’t be able to dive at both ends so um that’s the
Restriction in terms of the floor 2011 was a long time ago in terms of equipment development the pool floor was a problem from the beginning and lots of adaptations have been made to it in the last few years it’s at a point where they’re frighten to move it now and it
Will become dangerous so it was technology that worked whenever you hear the line the largest movable pool floor in Europe it most people go that’s good isn’t it I was a bit couldn’t have someone tested it before we got one so but um so but it has lasted it has been
Used um but the variable one from the ones that the team have been to see and from what we know from an operator that’s got a number of them they’re nowhere near as much of a problem and if there is any issues the call out is very
Quick to them to be able to do it and that will bring some trust back I think because there’s been lots of problems as I will know lots of members have been contacted of when the poll stops as of my team um it is a bit of an
Inconvenience when you’ve got a Galler on with thousands of people turning up and the pool floor won’t work so this then puts a lot of trust back in the facility and we’ll draw that income back in and put the center back where it was on the day we
Opened H Henry would you like to wind up thank you leader um I don’t I don’t know if we’ve got a a facility in this burough that actually we manag to get more out of it’s got so many different things going on all the time um with so many different
Organizations using it so much excitement around its use um I think we we you know we have a fantastic working relationship with slm they’re a really really really good a really good partner they’re they um fantastic support to the community and they’re not confined to just the four walls of of the sporting
Village um I think that this is a a really sensible Sensible approach um and I’m glad we had the foresight to make such a policy possible that we do have some sort of a tap to draw down from because obviously we know what it’s like to try and keep um all of our
Assets across the burrow maintained in the way that we do so that’s it from leader um the recommendation is on page 324 thank you K Henry all those in favor thank you members that is carried we now move on to item 13 the license of land in Woodland Road for use as a
Market this is on page 339 to 347 of your agenda and this is C rer uh thank you leader um actually councelor Sergeant was speaking earlier obviously about the role of local councils and this is another interesting development in that um evolution of local councils in the sense that here
With this license what we’re actually proposing is for Wickford Town Council to take over the running and the management of the market and actually see if they can create another Revenue stream for themselves from that as well and make it in a very bottomup way actually um manage the
Market in a way that meets the needs of the local residents um one of my officers and and Paul um and did a great amount of work on this Caroline and Paul did a great amount of work on this in terms of moving the market site when unfortunately we
Weren’t able to continue it in the High Street um due to um the public consultation process uh we still have Ambitions at some point to put it back into Wickford High Street and and we won’t lose sight of that ambition but what we have been able to make is on the
Woodland Road um a a site that is suitable for a market and has been thriving as a market there just slightly different scale it’s fair to say and but I think with this with that local impetus from the Town Council and with the accountability that comes with that
With being closer to Residents I think we could see um quite a change there and a thriving wiford market so i’ commend this report um to the cabinet thank you c r c y thank you um I suppose I’ve just got one question just from a best value point of view the
Recommendation three of giving uh Wickford Council appeared of six months rent free for the kiosk is that something that we feel is good value are we losing money as a result is it is it best value um the unit is currently empty and our hope is that by regenerating the
Market and getting some more footall up there it will draw actually uh a POS potential tenant for that unit so at the moment it lies empty and we have nobody waiting on the list so we’re hoping to this use it as a marketing ploy to get
People to well I’m a great believer in seed funding uh K yes and one of the Wickford counselors has already come forward with an idea and I think they’ve posited it with the Town Council which is I think one of the I think it’s one of the food units in
The market I find that sometimes that their goods could be perishing if they’re putting them out and actually if they used the kiosk in instead um they would be able to keep produce fresh and be able to sell it so that could be one opportunity but obviously um it’s it
Will be with the town councils to see if they wish to take that up yes and I have heard that there’s maybe a resident that’s interested in selling shoes from it I believe as well understanding right did you want to wind up Co River no I I think um I think that’s um
Been very useful and thank you for your question leader in terms of the value for money aspect and opening up in terms of the use of the kiosk um and just would ask everybody to vote for the recommendations are set out on page 340 thank you thank you those in favor thank
You members we have that carried so we now move to item 15 uh which is uh members it provision of equipment this is on page 951 to 9 65 of the agenda um this is Mr Young in conjunction with myself uh I would point out that the nub of this report
And at the heart of it is the cyber security and the very real threat that councils are facing from Cyber attack and potential uh Mal fence from people that are criminally orientated we have seen the NHS who have had a huge cost of I think the I have a a client of mine
Who worked the NHS on the the time that they got hacked and uh his conservative estimation was it was a cost of one and a half million a day that it actually cost them with regards to the um the impact of that whether that is an accurate assessment I don’t know but we
Have seen time and time again reports of cyber tax on different organizations and different institutions and we are obligated to ensure that we protect the council because we’re protecting the council we are by definition protecting residents because God forbid uh we did have a Cyber attack against the council
Which cost us a huge amount of money that actually translates to a lack of services going into special measures potential 114 notices etc etc etc I want to thank officers because what they’ve done is recognized that in order to deal with this cyber security issue that not
One size is necessarily going to fit all we have different members from with different ways of working and everything else and the end result will be sitting down with members to find members the appropriate solution with the appropriate equipment in order to actually be safe from a from a uh cyber
Point of view but what it’s not and I know there will be some commentary from different sources that says it is is this is not some sort of free to counselors give them free laptops or or free equipment this is a functionality a requirement that in order to do the job
To do it efficiently and to protect the organization we’re putting the appropriate steps into place and in fact given the changes to the it allowance and given the fact that this will go to the independent remuneration committee it is anticipated that there will be uh no additional cost I understand uh for
The provision of the equipment but I don’t know Mr Young wanted to expand on anything I may have missed on that before we go to members thank you leader um uh I think you you’ve covered it comprehensively uh leader in terms of your introduction the only points I’d add just for the purpose
Of clarity um there is no recommendation in this report that members are gifted or given any equipment this is a this is a a set of recommendations that would require members to use Council equipment much in the same way that I am using the microphone on this desk at the moment it
Isn’t my property but I required to use it to fulfill my duties the machinery would remain in the ownership of the council at all times the recommendations in the report uh to onward refer to remuneration panel are an attempt to mitigate any cost to the public uh purse
Of the requirement to use that equipment so there are two elements to the report there and uh leader you have um more eloquently and I uh explains the the reason that we’re bringing the report tonight which is the cyber security based reason one of the duties that I
Fulfill for the council is senior information risk officer sometimes known as cro and we have identified as part of that role that cyber security represents the single highest continuing risk to this Council of any of the risks that we monitor so uh the report is brought before members in that context thank you
Very much leader thank you Mr Young c y thank you as a member of the overview and scrutiny committee where we have extensively discussed these matters now I’d like to begin by acknowledging the significant threat posed by the cyber attacks to the council um but I am pretty sure councelor rimmer’s handouts
To View cinema will drive us to bankruptcy before a Cyber attack ever done sorry K but I I cut you off stayed off the agenda again uh because I I didn’t see any in this report that mentioned View cinema sure councelor b i I’ll stick to
The agenda I also want to express that we have had workshops that have been put on which um have been quite useful um it’s worth noting that over a year ago as as it has been mentioned here already that there was a lot of opposition towards this for various reasons um
Including the cost but also the fact that it was quite impractical to carry around um multiple laptops I think the inclusion of a tablet or a phone option um in this recommendation is a positive step um and I think that concerns around um the cost um you know they are
Alleviated given that we are now repurposing the current um member it allowance to cover the schemes cost um there are still questions around other applications that members can use and I think it’s really important that members are able to do their job as counselors um so whether they’re using a tablet or
A you know I think a phone will restrict them a lot because they won’t have access to for example Microsoft um applications but whether it’s a tablet or a laptop there are other applications um that members will probably need permission um to be able to use so I
Think conversations around that need to continue to take place um but overall I think you know this is something that we do need to do thank you uh counc y uh councel sh um thank you ler God help me I I agree with councelor Yak coup that’s a strange and unusual feeling
Um I I think this is something we’ve all known for some time uh needs to be considered we um we know that the risk of cyber attacks uh are one of the greatest open-ended threats to the council um and we know pretty confidently that um the the single most
Obvious point of vulnerability for the council is members it’s us um at present um bason counselors aren’t supplied with any um any actual kit um we all make our own Arrangements uh some of us have PCS some of us have laptops or tablet devices uh some do all their Council
Work on their own personal iPhones um some for all I know maybe going down to the library and using the computers there we’ve got we’ve got no idea really um and I think that the the risks inherent in these LAX Arrangements uh are probably obvious um now our reluctance inevitably
Stems from a a fear counselors always tend to have around this sort of thing um of being seen to be you know splashing out on fancy laptops for ourselves um and I I dare say that that some of that criticism will will will come to bear on on on any
Decision we make this evening but I think that uh the issue is coming to a head now we as I understand it and Mr Young will correct me if I’m wrong but we we’re under fairly sustained regular uh cyber attacks as it is um members will be aware that that I
Work for a local Authority in London um it’s exactly the same there as well I have to say um um all officers and members there are supplied with it that’s been you know signed off by by the council um and it is the same uh obviously with ESS County Council we
Know that County members are supplied with with the the equipment that they need uh to do that job so I I I think that the seriousness of this can hardly be understated we know that some councils um you know have been hit to the tune of hundreds of millions of
Pounds um and it it’s not inconceivable that a Cyber attack could quite literally wipe this Council out so members need to be cognizant of the the seriousness of that threat and also the security of our residents data particularly given that we are all data handlers um many of us are are
Often presented with fairly sensitive personal information by our constituents during the uh the course of undertaking our casework so in all honesty leader while while I have no particular uh desire to be lumbered with another piece of Kit I’m not a great lover of of Technology anyway um I think the ongoing
Risk to the Council of not doing so probably uh outweighs any squeamishness I have about the uh you know any upfront costs uh or or my own reluctance to be um uh furnished with yet another piece of tech um so I think that any reservations I
May have have to be counted by the fact that I think this is just too important for us to to to put off any further um we did have a report on this about a year ago um it was as Council y cp said it went to scrutiny it it was given a
Fairly good kickabout by members who raised some fairly understandable concerns and I think that the policy that’s come back before us is very much improved but it is still nonetheless as urgent now as it was then and I think we need to proceed on that basis thank you
Leader no I think you’ve subm that very well C shrer and to C yaku to be fair I think that the key thing is we need to make sure we have a workable solution that members are comfortable with but never forgetting that the driving force is the cyber security issues first and
Therefore they they take precedence um but not without actually having a level of flexibility in in the fact that members will work differently in different ways uh councel Henry thank you leader um I think most people in conversation and just like no I don’t want another bit K I don’t want
This I don’t want that I think for me personally um councelor trade has covered a a good bit of that but what I would say is that since the the creation of icbs or IC um I’m having more Health conversations as a Borough counselor than than ever before um I’m getting
Quite a variety of of inquiries come through with information it worries me that I get it on my mobile phone I’ve gone through all of the the the normal narratives with it here so I’ve got a two point um access um aspect on my phone so I know the information’s safe
But I think it could be safer and i’ I’d very much I don’t particularly want another bit of Kit I’ve already got one one bit for Essex and it’s a pain logging it about when you forget it you can’t you feel like you’ve gone blind but it’s essential it’s absolutely
Essential I’ve learned um in the last couple of years as as a Cabinet member I’ve learned to work with my team and we we use teams for everything if I need an office so I can go on and see if they’re in a meeting or see if they’re out of
The business or see if they’re on a holiday or I can see if they’re they’re green in which case then now would be a good time to call them because the showing is free I can go on they share very very large files that aren’t sent
To me that aren’t taking a a century to download or ar crashing my phone because they’re stored on a cloud base somewhere where this is um safe and easily accessible and I don’t need to to walk around with 15 Stone agenda papers either which I hope would be another
Output of of this that we become or work to towards becoming a paperless Council because it is preposterous that we have somebody coming around to 11 houses with a th000 Pages for each one and that’s without then whatever spare copies our officers might print should somebody else appear um or
Whether we’ve got gu speakers so it’s it’s Preposterous that we do all the work that we’re doing on biodiversity in the environment and then we’re sending around 15 trees um you know for every meeting that we have so I’m absolutely in favor of this I don’t particularly want the kit I
Really don’t but I do want a solution that that I can at least go to bed at night knowing that I’m keeping my residents that contact me safe so I think it’s a it’s it’s not a question really it’s just to get on with it thank
You councelor Henry I must be a bit of an eot terrorist because I quite like paper but uh talking earlier I know councelor rimmer came up with a brilliant idea with regard to how we could save paper and also achieve uh you know agendas and so I think that uh
Hopefully that will be coded through as we as we progress but K rumor yeah thank you Thea um no I I just felt that’s the idea was to actually not have so many enclosures and have links off to enclosures because I think as one can see the local plan aspect has
Probably taken about five to 600 pages of this report because of the level of enclosures involved which is is natural but we they could have been licked off in in respect of this um I must admit I and and I’ve shared this skepticism I I actually am in the camp
Of cloud security as a whole as you know and less on the having too much Hardware camp and part of it is an Eco reason on that as well because obviously um we’re going to get to the point where you could be renewing laptops and devices every four to eight years depending on
How long they last obviously there’s rare earth materials that actually get used in this Hardware so there’s an element of Mining and how much natural resource in terms of our natural capital is actually um destroyed as a result um whilst you know if you’re going down the cloud security route in the future
That’s not problem um potentially now I am obviously we need to come to a solution quickly because the threat is really there and we’ve got to do one that actually works with um our Council resources and budget so I am convinced that this is the right way for now to to
Actually plug any holes in the dam to make sure that it’s not breaking open but I would like officers to think about Cloud security for the future future because I wouldn’t want us to be in a situation where we’re perpetually renewing devices so I just want to
Consider um I also wonder if there is actually going to be an aspect to Cloud security with these devices because um in respect if one is given a laptop so this is a question by the way sorry if one’s given a laptop are you going to
Actually have to enter into um into the cloud or into some form of security post that um to separate whatever you might be doing personally on that in terms of work so let’s say for instance um we’re writing up a motion for Council we’d rather it wasn’t out there on the on you
Know in the shared Cloud for whatever reason um but we’d like to keep it secret until it’s published you know can we you know at least have the acknowledgement that there would be an ability to work offline without that being shared um or or or to work in a
You know outside of the cloud outside of the council security not outside of the council security outside of the council’s shared Universe um so that that’s my question uh thank you councelor RMA uh to provide some Assurance uh the cyber security approach that’s being proposed to members is is inclusive of cloud
Security as well as device level security as well as perimeter security firewalls as well as system level security in terms of the applications that are provided uh going back to councelor yaku’s point from earlier about application tailoring um so we are proposing that all of those levels of
Security are present in terms of this council’s defense of the sensitive data that a number of councilors tonight have spoken about we don’t see them as mutually exclusive levels of security we see them as inclusive and they are all contained within the current cyber security approach that this Council
Takes towards how officers operate that we are proposing to extend by the use of devices to members so that’s the first point second point I would raise is um uh we are proposing uh in this report to tailor the implementation of this so that we hold onetoone conversations with
Counselors and therefore we will be able to pick up both the app point that was raised earlier and any particular requirements that councilors have for example the one that you just outlined there councilor Rimer in terms of preparation of private material before you wanted to share it
And thirdly please be assured that these devices come with private space which also sits within that cloud secure environment and benefits from a level of device security so you can have your cake and eat it in terms of data protection uh before you are ready to to share something in a public Cloud
Environment um the reason that that’s the reason that that’s important and and and um leader for the purpose of clarity um I’m not professing to being a technical cyber security expert here nor am I professing to go into any more detail for obvious business continuity reasons about our
Cyber security Arrangements in in a part one conversation um but um the reason I I raised all of that is because the report the report is recommending is a whole package of uh measures which go towards the protection of Resident data for members thank you Mr Young
K no thank you I mean and that was quite helpful um but I just wanted to know also you you talked about private space for members I guess where does that you may not know the answer maybe Paula knows the answer where does that actually stand in law if there’s a
Freedom of information request is it still private in that respect then or is the council obliged to open up our members private folder I think the the usual Provisions would apply counselor the same Provisions would apply for the use of that resource if you’re holding information for if you’re doing console business on
Any device it’s subject to Freedom of Information whether it’s a personal device or a console device that that is the case now um regardless of which device you’re using that is the case now with the devices that you’ve got in front of you this evening this is becoming a very elated
Conversation and straying from the actual topic but go on k um just I I appreciate that absolutely but just in terms of the request would that have to come through the counselor to request to say this request has come or would the council just act and and
That’s and it’s just it’s a matter for me it’s just a matter of understanding the level of privacy or not that particular folder would have um so the current process that the council operates for fois would would always include reaching out to the owner of that data as part of the um foi
Request or or any other Associated information request so that that practice we’re not proposing to change that practice by the provision of hardware by the provision of physical equipment but that is a that is a process which exist now uh in the council uh and would include reaching
Out to in this example that you’re giving yourself thank you Mr Sparks there we go quickly if I can I think it’s worth noting obviously this this topic was discussed a risk as well just to emphasize the point is really one of the biggest R we’ve got at
Council so this conversation is really really helpful also to flag up in the me this week there’s been another Council that’s been hacked just this week I know the system’s been down for a couple of weeks they trying to bring back online just emphasizes this is a real problem
It’s happening to real councils now so just really emphasizing the seriousness and why it’s really good conversation thank you Mr Sparks K Sher very very briefly it’s it’s quite tangential but I just wanted to touch on the the the comment that that Jeff councelor Henry uh made about um
Printing because I think I I don’t know that it’ll make a huge amount of difference uh I think a lot of us have a device that we could read our agendas on if we really wanted to and we probably should but I I do think if we all had a
Laptop or or a council laptop or a device of some kind that we were encouraged to read them on I mean fortunately they’re not all as ridiculous as this but I do think actually at a time when we’re looking at the cost of the council the cost of
Paper and printing has gone up immensely this will have cost a fortune um and as councelor RMA says there are parts of it that probably could have been you know we could have accessed electronically and didn’t need to be in the printed agenda but I just going to mention that
The chap who delivers them all to us I did actually speak to him because of course he couldn’t get it through my door um so he had to knock um and I happened to mention to him that the mayor had passed away and he he asked
You know where did he where did he live and I told him and he remembered delivering stuff to him he said oh I stopped delivering to him a few years ago because he arranged that he he didn’t want any paper agendas anymore all of his were sent electronically and
I remember thinking ahead of this this debate yes of course I mean Luke would have thought this was utterly preposterous he read all his agendas online and I’ve reached the conclusion he was absolutely right so I’m going to send a similar instruction myself I prefer paper I do and I have a whole
Ized thing I do with my agendas but I I think it’s a cost this Council doesn’t require so I think we should all all take a Le from Luke’s book thank you oh you’ll be espousing veganism next um right the recommendation is on page 952 of the report all those in
Favor thank you members we now move on to item 16 the extension of the housing management it system contract again this is myself in conjunction with Mr Young oh no it’s is it Mr is it you okay um again we uh if you look at the boards outside
Which show the history of Basden Council Basden Council has been going for a long long time and in the same way that we have huge problems in the infrastructure of the council across the burough with regards to Patchwork ownership of land Legacy land etc etc etc we also have the
Same within our it systems because the county been going for a long time systems have been have come in then other systems have come in to support them licenses have changed the world has changed and we’ve had to actually start to update uh entire management system um the extension of this contract I
Understand is is a victim of part of that because if I’m correct and I’m sure offic will correct I’m wrong when we’ve actually put it out to Tender we couldn’t get anybody else to actually um bid for this particular system which is actually necessitated keeping the current system we have while we actually
Go out and and find a more suitable system but Mr Young I’m sure you can be more eloquent than I have on this particular item as myself and it are not good friends uh thank you leader um so I think you covered most of the points the
Um the H the housing management system is is planned for uh replacement as part of the it strategy that members uh agreed in 2020 20 um so this is a planned piece of work we went to procurement in good time we engaged with the market we are now on the second
Round of procurement engagement having uh clarified our spec and been able to attract a number of potential suppliers to the table the the delay between round one and round two of our procurements means that it makes uh business continuity sense to seek an extension to our current provider so that there is no
Gap in provision between procuring a new system system uh implementing that system and the ending of the contract for the current system uh members have got two options this evening which is an extension of one year or an extension of two years uh given that there is a
Favorable rate that is provided for a 2-year extension and given that the significance and size and complexity of the system that we are replacing uh officers are recommending a 2-year extension to give us ample uh continu uh continuity and um uh sufficient uh space uh for the project to deliver uh on time
Uh chair thank you Mr Young and I do know that coun Headley the champion and cab member for procurement has also been looking at this and he was very very clear that he would support that were he to be here ccel y thank you I understand
That the contract ends in July of this year um why has this extension been left to the last minute uh thanks councilor c as I was explaining um we originally were not intending to extend or we thought that we would have a very short extension such that the the cost of that would
Fall below a cabinet decision uh but that was based on our first procurement round uh with a um you know a favorable wind in terms of making progress with that given that the market uh responded to us um without coming forward with potential suppliers we we then had to go
Through a a second round of procurement respecify what it was that we were seeking and encourage the market to reply to us we uh have had success with that we are in conversation with a number of suppliers now the gap between those two rounds of procurement has eaten into the contingency period that
We had in this project so whilst we still remain confident that we would reach a position of a preferred supplier by the end of the current contract date we have eaten into the implementation period for the new system and given that housing uh represents uh such a significant aspect of this council’s
Provision to Residents and given that the element of the housing management system under replacement is connected with rent and Rental income and collection uh it’s deemed too significant a risk to allow a a shortened implementation period and that’s the reason that we’ve brought the report to you now
Just just to follow up on that I understand that there have been at least 12 contracts between uh September 2022 um and August 2023 where instead of going towards a full procurement process we have chosen instead to extend the contract um and a lot of the times this
Has happened on a last minute basis um this seems to be a pattern of this Administration um what lessons have we learned from this and how can we do things differently the council um the council looks at each procurement for each service on on the merits of that particular service need
We uh carry out a comprehensive uh project plan uh uh activity so that we are clear about the length of time that changing a system will take uh and we allow contingency as part of that project in addition the council has carried out a review of its procurement
Activities which is reported at each meeting of OV and scrutiny commission and has introduced a procurement pipeline so that members have a transparent oversight of all of the procurements and contracts end dates that are coming forward just to clarify on that I know the county is a political animal and
Would like to make it sort of somehow the administration’s fault and a political issue but in fact it is actually more symptomatic of of the procurement process and some of the elated and convoluted Hoops the councils have to jump through in order to procure coupled with the fact that there is out
There in the big real world a reticence for a number of contractors now to actually put bids in for certain items and where we are struggling in a lot of areas to find people that actually wish to bid or actually offer um their their bids to councilors CC sh
Uh thank you leader yes I I completely agree um and I would just uh sound a note of ction if we’re going to go down the route of saying that administrations are to be judged on the effectiveness of how they handle procurement contracts because anyone who aspires to lead a
Council in the near future um may not wish to set that precedent because local government procurement is complete miasma it’s incredibly complicated I think the fact that um we didn’t get any bids on the first round of procurement probably underscores that point it’s a very very challenging Marketplace for
Local authorities now to procure on a host of contracts because um frankly we’re not as attractive as we once were um but I think that uh you know in terms of our business here tonight um in the interest of business continuity and as Mr Young has said this this particular
Um system could hardly be uh more crucial to uh the council um I think that going for the two years is probably the wisest course under the circumstances um I think Council YP is perfectly it’s perfectly reasonable to raise the fact that we have had a lot of
Uh things come before us um uh that have been a bit last minute.com um apart from anything else we’ve raised that issue ourselves you have uh uh in particular leader um and as a consequence of um you know a certain amount of dissatisfaction around that we now have um the
Procurement pipeline we have that greater level of accountability through the overview and scrutiny commission and um we have the first ever as far as I can remember dedicated Cabinet member who has procurement oversight within his portfolio and councelor Headley is going through a lot of these um the the these these procurement
Exercises with a fine tooth comb now but there’s only so much he can do as one individual is it is up to all of us as members to pick up some of that slack and start kicking the tires on these things more than perhaps we have in the
Past and certainly the experience of um some neighboring authorities ought to give us all pause for thought and and I think every every elected member should be taking a much closer interest in procurement than we have perhaps in the past I think that it behooves us to uh
To to kick the ties on these things more than we have and um I think all the um uh all the all this Administration has certainly put in place all the mechanisms to enable uh elected members to do that and obviously through the through the cabinet member we have that
Additional level of um oversight thank you leader thank you coun sh um we are going to move to the recommendation which is on page 967 all all those in favor thank you I’m now going to uh Meander and possibly take um just officer advice on protocols here uh but
By way of explanation uh as an Administration we believe in being as transparent it is possible to be but we also recognize the sanctity and rationale behind having part two items uh the rationale behind having part two items is because a lot of the time they can either be individually personally or
Corporately sensitive they can have um commercial implications for the the people that we are uh dealing with or negotiating with uh there can be contracts where uh it is sensitive information that competitors of the people could that are bidding might not want to make known there are all sorts
Of very valid reasons why officers and it’s an officer decision as to whether something is part two is made to a part two item or not a part two item is never made a decision is never made by the ad Administration to put something in part
Two it is on the advice of our professional officers so in the previous iteration of the cabinet agenda the pit Community Diagnostic Center was going to be a part two item but having looked at it there is only one page of the report that effectively is part two uh and therefore
We are moving it into part one uh in order to be able to have the debate however if any member Strays into that particular page we will immediately shift to part two because of that the normal and the the legal process is to consider excluding the public and Crest from a
Meeting during consideration of a following item of business on the grounds is likely if any member of the public impr press were present during consideration of the items there would be a disclosure of item of exempt information as defined in paragraph three of part one of schedule 12a to
Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest in maintaining this exemption outweighs a public interest in disclosing the information all the items after the P py Diagnostic Center are part two items so I’m going to ask now for members to consider excluding the public and press who aren’t here anyway
So that if we do stray into it we can then move straight into part two and continue part to rather than to Halt have the vote and everything else councelor Henry thank you leader as this is no you’re not no we we have to do a vote
First I’m asking for a vote on moving vote on whether to move the party yes yes if if it Strays into it yes if so we are now going to vote on moving into part two if it Strays into it and that will carry over then to all the items
Subsequent on the agenda all those in favor of excluding the non-existent public and Press thank you very much that means we can now discuss this item in transparency but if it does stray over we will turn off the webcast we will have the discussion pertaining to that
Item and the remaining items will remain in part of two Council Henry thank you leader okay the CDC program is a national initiative um with 2.3 billion of capital funding allocated to create Community diagnostic Centers this is designed to improve health outcomes and reduce Health inequalities this report provides a
Program a progress update on the delivery of the py CDC project and requests an increase in the previously agreed Capital contribution needed from 2.6 million to 3.4 million for the replacement facilities it also seeks approval for the delegation of any necessary changes to the leasing structure which might be necessary to
Deliver the development to the director of resources in consultation with the head of property Jesus Christ a report was presented to cabinet on the 22nd of June 2023 where it was unanimously approved that to develop a a CDC in partnership with the mid and South Essex NHS Foundation trust and
Essex County Council together with the new facilities for both councils the project was also considered at people scrutiny on the 9th of November 2023 approval was granted at the planning committee on the 7th of February and um minute item number four um- 2024 for the demolition of the existing
Buildings the place and the ECC library and the Redevelopment and the Redevelopment of a site to provide a community Diagnostic Center containing a new activity center and library spaces since the last cabinet the trust have been able to undertake further design work and there have been a number
Of meetings between the trust design team and both basilon burough Council and Essex County Council officers the detailed internal design for all occupiers has progressed with the layout for basilon Council operated space now agreed in Principle as a result of the changes the amount of space required by the council has
Increased by around 10% and therefore estimated costs have also risen additionally building costs have been rising at 7 to 8% per anom leading to a slight uplift to costs the additional 7.5 development agreement contingency on Council space has been applied as such it is now recommended that basilon b Council Capital contribution be
Increased to 3.4 million this will be a capped amount removing the risk of further build cost increases to the council and whilst the program of Works has not yet been finalized draft time scales are provided within the report and a draft timeline is the current estimate and may change as matters
Progress in particular during the design works however the subject um subject to trust executive board approval um the proposed start date of the site is expected to be from the summer of 2024 that’s it thank you thank you C Henry Kaz Yu yes on my electronic agenda the Diagnostic Center is before the
Exclusion of public and press yes it is I did say that so obviously the enclosure number three is in part two it’s only the enclosure right okay so is it is this can I make reference to this no none of the figures no understand do you want to check R first yeah
C you C and so so in order for me to to share my comments we will need to go into part two okay then we will move into we we’ll start and then we’ll come to you you afterwards yeah yeah because I think that from my point of view if
Ever there was a reason why a community Diagnostic Center is needed it was evidenced with a tragedy that we we felt upon ourselves last week at a time where we’ve been recognized that there are Health inequality across the burough and with the NHS getting more and more uh
Fine-tuned with its ability to diagnose illnesses and early diagnosis of a lot of the scourges that actually affect us uh the ability to have a a building where people can go get tested as early as possible and to therefore then get Tre the right the right the right and
The appropriate treatments that can make a difference between whether they are alive or not is absolutely Paramount in my mind and both this and the S gad’s uh project which is coming to fruition I actually think will have such a massive positive impact for the resident of this burough on health
Outcomes alone that it is absolutely to be applauded and to be done but done with the right level of due diligence the right level of probity and the right level of ensuring that we’re not actually uh running before we can walk in ensuring that all these things are
Done and the right processes were into place so I absolutely applaud the report I applaud the officers on the work they’ve done so far um and I’ll now hand over to k r uh thank you leader ad DEA those words um I I think it is key to get early
Diagnosis and essentially this is what this is offering um I’ve UND stood from colleagues in Clapton where they have similar facility but they’re going straight from the GP into one of these clinical diagnosis centers the same day if not next day on occasions and we are talking about the cutting down the time
To diagnosis uh you know with this um new tC new CT scanning will cut waiting list by 85% with 20748 more tests per year that’s there in the report there’s going to be increased MRI capacity cutting waiting lists in half um and we’re going to have ultrasound photomy endoscopy Dex
Of bone density scans x-rays taking place in the new CDC it’s also going to be a source of local employment um there’s going to be 100 new roles at least 25% of those are committed to go to local residents so this is um a great thing as well
Um also we’re future proofing our library and we’re future proofing our Activity Center um and making it possibly more disabled access as a result as well so these are all great things so as well as improving People’s Health outcomes physically um and and we’re also looking at tackling loneliness and having participation in
Society and Community um when you look at okanawa in Japan people there are living to about a 100 and they’re actually having healthy lives you know um teaching karate on the beach um I’m wrestling 30y olds and winning at it um this is maybe you know maybe We’re
Dreaming a bit but in in essence it’s good to have these aspirations because in Japan healthy life expectancy is much higher and also it’s that last year they have usually on average one year of unhealthy whilst in the UK um there’s an there’s an average of a lot higher than
That so of 3 to five years of unhealthy life and and the idea is to have longer healthier lives for our residents um in the burrow and of course this is going to help the whole of South essic as well um and this is key um the leader rightly
Mentioned gallad homes as well as the health facility that’s coming into the Eastgate also the new ambulance Hub that will be coming as well which will actually increase hopefully response will actually reduce response Times by ambulances as well and probably you know those extra minutes will actually help
In terms of saving people’s lives as well so all of this together I think is is going to be great for for pitsy for the burough for South ess6 and uh I I just I’m so proud of what we an Administration and what our government has actually been doing in this respect
Is actually delivery in py there’s a new swimming pool there’s a new CDC uh we’ve got a public space protection order we’ve got a pollinator policy in place we got new Cinema that’s going to be opening uh which was cross party but they seem to be disowning it
Now and then and and we are just going to say that this is basically uh delivery in action not words thank you thank you K rer and uh we have a it a question which is going to strain to part two so at this point I will say
Good night to all those people at home um and we will move into part two sorry is it possible just if the item wished to be discussed is that okay yes and just to clarify to the public at home that uh we voted on on the fact that if the item was going
To move into part two that we would close the webcast and move into uh part two which is now what we’re going to do so good night everybody at home