Agenda and minutes

Cabinet approved the appointment of Councillors Finn and Winning to the newly formed Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership. 

Report of Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport seeking approval for exemption to procurement to enter into partnership with Network Rail for the Northam Rail Bridge project, detailing latest Council contributions and grant from Department for Transport.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45924)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To delegate authority to the Head of Supplier Management to direct award a contract for design and build in relation to the Northam Bridge Project via a procurement exemption to Network Rail to support the development of the Outline Business Case (for the design and other products).

(ii)  To accept the initial Outline Business Case grant of £1.45M from Department for Transport, to adjust the Northam Rail Bridge capital budget, and authorise spend of the funding across 2024/25-2026/27 financial years.

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director of Growth and Prosperity in consultation with the Executive Director of Enabling Services (s.151 Officer) to accept any future grants in relation to this project and make the necessary budget adjustments (including spend approvals within budget) arising from the acceptance of such grants.

(iv)  To approve the change in the local contribution (an increase of £0.416M to now a total of £1.377M consisting of SCC Local Transport Plan, Revenue, and S106 Developer Contributions funding from 2024/25 and 2025/26) and change the allocation for Northam Rail Bridge OBC in the Capital Programme.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Adults and health seeking approval for the proposed amalgamation of Southampton Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) and Southampton Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) to be incorporated under The Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership (SCASP).

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45922)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To support the establishment of the Southampton Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership (SCASP) as an outside body supported by the Council. It is proposed that the SCASP will meet bi-monthly to oversee the executive decision making.  This will be chaired by the Chief Executive of the Council, with attendance by the statutory decision makers (the Lead and/or Designated Safeguarding Partners) from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the Directors of Adult and Children Social Care.

(ii)  That the Independent Scrutineer of the SSCP becomes the overall Independent Scrutineer of the SCASP.

(iii)  The Adult and Children Systems Board will meet on a quarterly basis to address the work of the subgroup activity and to gain assurance or provide challenge on the effectiveness of the safeguarding functions across the partnership.  This will be chaired by one of the Delegated Safeguarding Partners with membership from each of the statutory partners, including education, the Safe City Partnership and relevant agencies, as well as the Independent Scrutineer.  Lead members will be in attendance to provide a two-way line of communication to Cabinet or Committee.

(iv)  The subgroup activity of the SCASP will be streamlined to promote shared learning, timely decision making around reviews and a shared quality assurance system across the partnership.  This will serve to promote the integration of learning for all agencies in the system who work with children, families and adults, recognising that partners will work with and come into contact with everyone in the Southampton community for the purpose of prevention and safeguarding.

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council detailing the performance management process and quarter 1 performance.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 459269)

On consideration of the report of the Leader of the Council and having received representations from Councillor P Baillie, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To note the performance report.

(ii)  To note performance issues raised, actions being taken and consider any areas for focus or further investigation. 

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City seeking approval for the Safe City Partnership.  The local Community Safety Partnership, ‘Southampton Safe City Partnership’ (SSCP) has a strategy to prevent and reduce crime, as required by Sections 5-7 Crime and Disorder Act 1998, for 22-27.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45932)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City, agreeing to the recommendation from Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee that the proposed targets within the refreshed strategy ensuring that they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound) and having received representations from Councillor P Baillie, Cabinet recommended the refreshed Southampton Safe City Partnership Plan to Council for approval. 

To consider the report of the Director of Legal and Governance detailing the statistical information for the financial year 2023-24 with regard to information governance. This report details statistical information on requests received under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR), the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Council’s activity under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45964)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To accept the update of the statistical information for the year 1st April 2023 – 31st March 2024 reporting on the Council’s performance relating to:

•  FOIA and associated legislation

•  GDPR

•  RIPA 2000

(ii)  To agree the updated Corporate Surveillance document (October 2023) as set out in appendix 1 of the report; and

(iii)  To agree the actions detailed as set out in paragraph 21 of the report.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Finances and Resources reporting the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman / Housing Ombudsman annual letters for the compliant year 2023/24 and update on key learning arising from the Council internal complaints policies.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45792)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services and having received representations from Councillor Powell-Vaughan, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To consider the complaints outcomes for 2023/24 and to instruct officers to consider these findings when reviewing service delivery and improvement plans for 2024 onwards.

(ii)  To re-confirm Housing Services as the service area designated under the complaints policy for which stage 2 complaints are considered by the Council’s independent complaints team within Enabling Services and offered additional advice, training and assistance for the period 2024-26 in order to assist the service area on its improvement journey.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City requesting approval to accept government funding relating to the Household Support Fund.

NOTE:  This report is submitted for consideration as a General Exception under paragraph 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules in Part 4 of the City Council’s Constitution, notice having been given to the Chair of the relevant Scrutiny Panel .  The matter requires a decision under this regulation due to its urgency (that it is impracticable to defer the decision until 28 clear days’ notice has been given on the Forward Plan). This is due to the timescales given between the Government announcement of funding being made available on 2 September 2024 and the period within which the scheme must be delivered between 1 October 2024 and 31 March 2025. 

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 46066)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City and having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To approve in principle for Southampton City Council to participate in the delivery of the next phase of Household Support Fund from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director Community  Wellbeing to finalise the details of the local Household Support Fund scheme following consultation with the Executive Director Enabling Services and S151 Officer and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Safer City and to administer funding in accordance with that scheme.

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council detailing the performance management process and quarter 1 performance.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45937)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Housing Operations, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To approve the proposal to enter into a lease for this property to use it for homeless households for a 3 year duration subject to the following conditions:

a)  A property inspection has been carried out by SCC and compliance information will need to requested and reviewed accordingly.

b)  The Valuation and Assets team will be instructed to review the proposed terms of the lease agreed to date and will liaise with the property owner as required.

c)  Once proposed terms have been agreed The Valuation and Asset Team will instruct legal services to review any documentation required.

d)  Clarification is sought in relation to insurance of the building.

e)  Following consultation that Cabinet approves delegated powers to the Executive Director of Growth and Prosperity following consultation with the Executive Director for Enabling Services to finalise the terms of the deal for the lease.

f)  That Cabinet approved delegated powers to the Executive Director of Growth and Prosperity to carry out any further functions or activities needed to conclude this arrangement.

To consider the report of the Leader detailing progress on the Transformation Programme.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45757)

On consideration of the report of the Leader of the Council, Cabinet approved the following:

(i)  To approve the release of transformation funding as detailed in ‘Resource Implications’ from reserves or the Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) facility

(ii)  To approve the appointment of Newton Europe Ltd (“Newton Europe”) as transformation partner to support the implementation of “adapt | grow | thrive” transformation savings proposals

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive following consultation with the Leader of the Council to take all necessary actions, including finalising contractual and commercial arrangements, in order to complete the appointment of the transformation partner.

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Compliance and Leisure outlining the future of leisure contracting services.

Decision Made: (CAB 24/25 45766)

On consideration of the report of the Cabinet Member for Compliance and Leisure, Cabinet approved the recommendations as set out in the confidential report.