Agenda item

Report of the Leader of the Council, attached.

 

The report of the Leader of the Council was submitted setting out the details of the business undertaken by the Executive.

 

The Leader and the Cabinet made statements and responded to Questions.

 

The following questions were then submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1

 

1.  City Wide Estate Regeneration

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Payne

 

Can the Cabinet Member outline the Executive’s plans for City wide estate regeneration over the next 2-4 years?  

 

Answer

 

I am pleased to report that planning consent was granted for the regeneration of Townhill Park on 3^rd May. Demolition of the site of Phase 1A and most of Phase 1B is now well underway and officers are well advanced with plans to start on site on Phase 1A later this year. It is intended to bring a paper to Cabinet in July seeking approval to appoint the development agent and contractor and to progress the Compulsory Purchase Order to secure possession of the last remaining leasehold flat.

We are also in detailed discussions regarding phase 1B with a proposed development partner and funder. A programme for the delivery of the remaining phases will be included in the Cabinet report.

At Millbrook and Maybush the first Phase at Woodside Lodge and Wimpson Lane is also progressing well and a detailed planning application will be lodged this summer and a paper will be brought to Cabinet in August seeking approval to appoint the contractor.

Following the appointment of a new Project Manager for Millbrook & Maybush we intend to bring forward detailed proposals.

The regeneration of Erskine Court in Lordshill is nearing completion, and is due to provide 54 council homes when it opens this summer. The properties will be ‘extra care’ flats and this will be the first purpose-built extra care scheme delivered by the council and the aim is to deliver more of these.

 

2.  Estate Regeneration

 

Question from Councillor P. Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

Why has Estate Regeneration been such an abject failure during the last four years?

 

Answer

 

It hasn’t.

 

3.  Estate Regeneration Projects

 

Question from Councillor P. Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

Please list all of the current Estate Regeneration projects being led by Southampton Council which involves building homes, together with their approved council funding level, and with the expected completion date?

 

Answer

 

Townhill Park – A paper seeking an approved budget and approval for the appointment of a contractor for Phase 1A will be brought to Cabinet in July. It is intended that Phase 1A will be complete by Spring 2018

Woodside & Wimpson – A paper seeking an approved budget and approval for the appointment of a contractor will be brought to Cabinet in August. It is intended that this project will be on site in early 2017 and complete by Autumn 2018.

 

4.  Townhill Park Estate Regeneration

 

Question from Councillor P. Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

When may we expect an apology to the residents of Harefield and Bitterne Park for the (at least) four year delay to the Townhill Park Estate Regeneration Project because of your party's political dogma?

 

Answer

 

The alleged four-year delay is nonsense and nobody’s ever asked for an apology except for Cllr P Baillie in this question.

 

5.  Housing Associations – Townhill Park Regeneration Scheme

 

Question from Councillor Fuller to Councillor Payne

 

Has the Cabinet Member for Housing now met with Housing Associations to discuss their potential involvement in the Townhill Park Estate Regeneration scheme?

 

Answer

 

I have met our partner housing associations several times, and discussed regeneration at those meetings. More recently, the Head of Capital Assets has met with some of the same associations and further meetings with the portfolio holder will be arranged as required.

 

6.  Bitterne Precinct

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Letts

 

Can the Cabinet Member update us on the vision for Bitterne Precinct?

 

Answer

 

We are keen to see the precinct play its part in a successful Bitterne district centre. We will be re-surfacing the precinct to provide an improved quality of public realm. In addition we have procured a new market operator to provide additional footfall to support local traders.

 

 

7.  Guildhall Square

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Letts

 

Can the Cabinet Member outline the vision for the future useage of Guildhall Square?

 

Answer

 

We want Guildhall Square and the immediate environment, to become a vibrant city centre destination and gain a reputation for being a hub of cultural activities and events.

It has hosted many successful events while it has been undergoing redevelopment such as Sky Ride, the ABP Half Marathon 10k, Music in the City, Rainbow Run, The Nuffield Playing Fields, Commonwealth Games and more. These events have attracted thousands of visitors to the area. Working with local businesses, event organisers and other stakeholders, we can deliver a diverse events programme

 

8.  Blacklisting

 

Question from Councillor Pope to Councillor Letts

 

What investigations have you launched at the City’s current and former construction sites, including but not limited to: (i) the Sea City Museum (Constructor: Kier), (ii) the former Ordnance Survey site in Redbridge ward (both Taylor Wimpey and Kier sections), and (iii) on Watermark West Quay (SRM – Sir Robert McAlpine) and what policies have you put in place since November 2015, including but not limited to employment and skills plans and Section 106 agreements, to ensure that blacklisting is not conducted on the City’s construction sites, including but not limited to the above sites?

 

Answer

 

We have no plans to launch investigations into historic projects. I was pleased to see an out of court settlement had been reached recently.

We are working with the procurement team to use contractor selection processes to address concerns about blacklisting, and to ensure future selection and development of frameworks secures appropriate reassurances and commitments about the practice of blacklisting.

We will introduce requirements within our employment and skills plans, that also secures appropriate reassurances and commitments about the practice of blacklisting.

 

9.  Council Land

 

Question from Councillor Pope to Councillor Letts

 

Would you say it was (a) legal, (b) ethical to sell Council land to a firm registered in a well-known tax haven, especially when the vast majority of local residents do not wish for that land to be sold? If you do say that the answer to either (a) and/or (b) is yes, please give reasons.

 

Answer

 

It is the duty of the Council to get best value for any disposal of land it makes. I am content that the proposal to dispose of the land delivers on this duty.

I would also add that the development of employment land here and at other sites in the City is essential if we are to maintain the low levels of unemployment that we currently have.

If the Member thinks that the Council has acted unlawfully he is of course at liberty to launch a Judicial Review.

The registration of companies in non UK jurisdictions is a matter for national government and I am happy to bring your concerns to the attention of the cities MP’s.

 

10. Forecast Overspends

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Chaloner

 

Can the Cabinet Member advise onthe current level of forecast overspends in this year’s budget?

 

Answer

 

As is standard practice, the authority does not undertake any financial forecasting in April, (Month 1) of the financial year. This is due to a number of factors:

1.  Staff are closing down the previous year’s accounts 

2.  There is not sufficient in year expenditure to enable an accurate forecast to be obtained

3.  There is still a high number of creditor payments from the previous year outstanding.

 

Indicative positions will be calculated at the end of May (Month 2), and a full monitoring report will be compiled at the end of June (Month 3 or Quarter 1) to be presented at Cabinet in August.

Based on 2015/16 outturn (which will be reported to Council in July) the areas of concern are:

Children’s Social Services where we have increased funding by £7 in 2016/17

Adult Social Care where we have increased funding by £5M in 2016/17

Waste Collection and Disposal, where we have not at this stage increased funding in this area as Finance and the service area are working together to try to find ways to bring this area back to within its financial envelope.

Both Transformation and Finance are working with the all the above areas to help reduce costs and deliver savings that have been identified within these areas, to ensure the Service Areas deliver within budget.

A more complete picture will be presented to Cabinet at Quarter 1.

 

11. Low Emission Zone

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Rayment

 

Can the Cabinet Member advise on the review of the 4 year plan to deliver a low emission zone and confirm we are on track?

 

Answer

 

DEFRA published the UK Air Quality Plan in December 2015.  The document identifies Southampton as one of five cities which will be required to implement a mandatory Clean Air Zone (CAZ) no later than 2020.  This will introduce penalty charges for the most polluting HGV’s, buses and taxis.  A national framework and legislation to facilitate this are expected in 2016.  Government have allocated funding to support those Local Authority’s affected.  Southampton City Council’s Scientific Service are working closely with colleagues in DEFRA to develop the framework and Southampton’s own implementation plan.  DEFRA’s project plan is illustrated below:

Although Clean Air Zone’s will be characterised by the introduction of penalty charges DEFRA are keen to ensure that they are the focus of additional measures.  SCC is currently finalising its CAZ Implementation Plan which includes additional actions to complement and support the penalty charging.  We are currently in discussion with DEFRA to declare our CAZ as early as 2017.  Access restrictions and penalty charging would follow in 2019 as per DEFRA’s timetable.  This is likely to be the first CAZ introduced in the UK and will assist in delivering our mandatory requirements at the earliest opportunity and possibly ahead of DEFRA’s own timetable.

 

12. Weekly Bin Collection

 

Question from Councillor Fitzhenry to Councillor Rayment

 

Can the Cabinet Member confirm the Executive will keep the weekly bin collection and keep the service run by the Council? 

 

Answer

 

We have no plans to outsource the service. 

The administration will look at this issue later in the year, at the present time our policy remains unchanged. Everything will be kept under review in the light of our transformation programme.

 

13. Public Space Protection Orders

 

Question from Councillor Fuller to Councillor Payne

 

Following Cabinet approval for Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in March, what is the timescale for implementing the PSPOs?

 

Answer

 

Begging and street drinking are complex issues and the Public Spaces Protection Order provides additional powers to the Police tackling these activities.

Discouraging members of the public from giving money directly to people begging in the City forms part of the solution. The Council has produced posters to educate the public and to encourage those who wish to make donations to give directly to charities which are active in the City (i.e. the Society of St James and Two Saints). Posters are currently on display around the City. 

Enforcement of the PSPO will be preceded by work to engage with people who are street drinking or begging. This will involve the Police and the Community Safety Team advising individuals that continuing to drink in the street or beg is likely to lead to a fixed penalty notice being issued. People will also be encouraged to the support services which are available.

The Neighbourhood Police teams will then start to enforce the requirements of the Order during the early part of the summer.

 

14. Woodmill

 

Question from Councillor Inglis to Councillor Rayment

 

As there has been a long outstanding problem at Woodmill and Bitterne Park residents suffer the consequential traffic issues, would it not have been an opportune time to use the temporary lights during current road repairs to have run a trial at almost zero cost. If not why?

 

Answer

 

The temporary traffic lights in Woodmill Lane were only for a few days while kerbing works were carried out and would not have allowed any meaningful traffic data to be gathered. It takes several days for traffic to settle down when changes are made. There is a closure of Woodmill Lane planned for 31^st May and 1^st June for surfacing, and again the duration is insufficient to fully assess how drivers would react in a permanent situation.

 

We continue to work with Townhill Park Residents’ Association and other interested parties to see if any permanent solution is possible to improve the situation at Woodmill Lane. We have commissioned a technical report to establish the likelihood of any long term benefits of permanent signals given the close proximity of the other (also congested) river crossings.

 

It is anticipated that the early findings of this investigation will be available in June/July.

 

15. Mental Health Services

 

Question from Councillor White to Councillor Shields

 

Following the damning CQC report on Southern Health what steps is the Cabinet member taking to ensure that residents of the City are receiving high quality care mental health services.

 

Answer

 

Since the BBC’s reporting of the leaked Mazars report into the Deaths of Patients at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust (April 2011 – March 2015) in December 2015, I have kept the situation at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust under close review.

I maintain regular contact with Southampton City CCG (which commissions the vast majority of NHS mental health and learning disability services for Southampton patients) and I have also ensured that issues relating to safe patient care are addressed by the Southampton Local Safeguarding Adults Board.

I discuss any developments that may affect the quality and safety of the care of Southampton residents using services provided by Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust with the City Council’s nominated representative to its Council of Governors and with the chair of the Council’s Health Overview & Scrutiny Panel.

The most recent Care Quality Commission report into concerns about the care provided by Southern Health has precipitated appointment by the regulatory authorities of Tim Smart as the new Chair for a fixed term period following the resignation of the previous chair, Michael Petter.

Last week I was copied into a letter from Tim Smart to local stakeholders dated 9 May 2016 and I very much welcome his commitment to bringing greater focus to the Trust Board, to accelerating improvement actions and to assuring the regulators that issues are being resolved with some pace and urgency. I am further reassured that Tim Smart expects by the end of the month to have a very clear view of ways in which the Trust needs to improve.

I will ensure that the City’s Health & Wellbeing Board is fully engaged in developing plans for improved local mental health and learning disability services in Southampton.