Agenda item

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 submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.1.

 

1.  Appearance of the High Street Above Bar

 

Question from Councillor Laurent to Councillor Rayment

 

What plans are there to improve the sorry state of the High Street Above Bar?

 

Answer

 

A deep clean was carried out in early September of this year. The Business Improvement District provided some support and we are liaising with them over continued support.

 

 

2.  Maintenance of the Cenotaph

 

Question from Councillor Laurent to Councillor Rayment

 

The Cenotaph is the focus of Remembrance Day in the City. Why is it not maintained to a high standard?

 

Answer

 

The Cenotaph is maintained on a routine basis within the resources we have the teams involved include Parks, Street Cleansing and the Ancient Monuments Teams. The routine tasks include:

 

•  On a daily basis we litter pick, empty bins, and inspect the paving and monument for any obvious defects.

•  During the spring and summer the grass is cut in line with our city wide program (approximately every 4 weeks)

•  Hedges are cut two to three times per year dependant on growth

•  Grafitti is removed from the monument as required

•  Chewing gum, detritus etc. is jet washed from the paving as required

•  Leaf debris is swept and cleared away during autumn.

 

In the weeks leading up to remembrance Sunday the teams work together to ensure that the Cenotaph and surrounding area is to a good standard. During this time they will usually:

 

•  Ensure that the hedges are all clipped

•  Ensure that the grass is cut

•  Ensure that there is no residual litter

•  Undertake a deep clean of the paving areas

•  Ensure the glass panels are all thoroughly cleaned

•  Ensure the monument itself is cleaned

 

The standard therefore is in line with the resources available to the Council. We usually get good feedback after the remembrance event.

 

3.  Fly Tipping Fines

 

Question from Councillor Laurent to Councillor Rayment

 

It has been reported that Southampton has not fined anyone for fly tipping. What is the reason for this?

 

Answer

 

The investigation of serious fly tipping offences is carried out by the Environmental Health service, sometimes working in partnership with the Environment Agency. These investigations focus on organised commercial activity or fly-tips that have an impact on public health (e.g. the deposit of asbestos containing material). The covert nature of fly tipping, together with restrictions on the use of covert CCTV evidence presents challenges to these investigations.

 

In 2016, legislation allowed local authorities to issue a £200 fixed penalty notice as an alternative to prosecution. Southampton City Council has not issued any fixed penalties for fly tipping using these powers due to the need to witness the fly-tip or to have evidence beyond all reasonable doubt to identify the culprit.

 

Smaller fly tips where there is some indication as to who may have dumped the rubbish or who the rubbish may belong to are followed up, but without the necessary evidence formal action cannot be taken.

 

4.  Guildhall Square

 

Question from Councillor Fuller to Councillor Letts

 

Can the Leader provide a date for the pedestrianisation of Guildhall Square?

 

Answer

 

Examinations into the pedestrianisation of Guildhall Square have commenced in conjunction with Council’s Highway Delivery Partner. The examination has identified the need for some vehicle access into the Square to be retained to service Council’s Civic Building,

 

At this stage, Council’s Highway Delivery Partner has indicated that once the appropriate approvals are in place, works will commence March 2018 with a delivery window of 1 to 3 months in total (with vehicle access restrictions to occur early on in the delivery process).

 

5.  City Welfare Wardens

 

Question from Councillor Fuller to Councillor Letts

 

Where have the resources come to fund the new City Welfare Wardens and are these posts secured in future or reliant on government money?

 

Answer

 

Dealing with the beggars and the homeless on our streets and in our car parks is a priority for this administration. The two City Welfare Wardens will be working to deal with the street litter and antisocial behaviour sometimes associated with these activities. They will also signpost those in need of support to agencies that can offer assistance.

 

Funding for these posts has been identified from existing general revenue fund budgets and from the Off Street Parking reserve fund, so these posts are not reliant in any way on government funding.

 

6.  Determining Planning Applications

 

  Question to Councillor Fuller from Councillor Letts

 

Does the Leader believe that the timescales for determining planning applications in Southampton is acceptable?

 

Answer

 

The answer is Yes.

 

Assuming the Member was trying to ask – is the Cabinet member happy with the performance of the planning team in respect of the speed that planning applications are being determined? Then the answer is as follows.

 

We have not been hitting the target of eight weeks in recent months. As the cabinet member I have raised this issue with officers following representations by applicants. I am now content that the reasons for the delays (staffing and IT) are being addressed and that we will soon be back on track.

 

7.  Hawthorns Centre

 

  Question from Councillor O’Neill to Councillor Rayment

 

 

Many establishments in urban parts of the city are dog friendly.  In stark contrast The Hawthorns Centre takes an opposite position and is dog-unfriendly.  Since the Common is one of the main dog walking areas in the city doesn’t it make sense to welcome dog walkers (and their dogs) into the Hawthorns?

 

  Answer

 

Historically the Hawthorns has excluded dogs from the buildings and grounds for the following reasons:

 

  •  There used to be animals kept at the study centre and it was considered not appropriate to allow dogs in the same area;

  •  The centre is an education centre where many children come and learn about environmental subjects, as with Schools and their grounds which are dog exempt, it is not considered appropriate for dogs to enter the premises whilst school children are present as many children are nervous around dogs;

  •  Dogs have not been kept under control within the garden area  which has sensitive wildlife areas within it, including the European protected Great Crested Newt and a colony of lizards, this has resulted in dog fouling and disruption of the sensitive areas;

  •  There is no facilities for washing dogs paws before entering the centre and owners have brought wet and muddy dogs into the building causing mess to floors and walls.

 

Although most of the animals have now gone, with the exception of a tank with newts in, the other reasons for exclusion are still relevant.

 

In addition to these historical reasons the centre now also runs a café and although not a legal requirement to exclude dogs, the café licensee does have the right to exclude dogs if they wish. It is a legal requirement that dogs are kept out of food preparation areas.

 

At the Hawthorns dog walkers are welcome to use the picnic benches situated at the front of the building and can also use the tying up rings next to the front door. There is always a bowl of water just outside the front door for dogs to drink from.

 

  Assistance dogs are not banned from the premises.

 

8.  Penalties for Landlords

 

Question from Councillor O’Neill to Councillor Hammond (Councillor Shields)

 

Can Cllr Shields answer the supplementary questions I asked at July Council Questions?  Cllr Shields promised to provide answers but has not done so despite 2 email reminders.  In particular, what resources are provided to wardens to assist with enforcement activities? What are the extreme circumstances of non-compliance? And what is the enforcement action that will be taken?

 

Answer

 

The Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Warden role is to investigate issues, complaints and take action relating to the HMO Additional Licensing scheme currently operating in 8 central wards of the city.  This includes liaising with landlords over issues such as waste, noise and antisocial behaviour with the ability to refer any enforcement work to the wider environmental health and waste team as necessary.

 

Extremes of non-compliance could include serious waste build up at licensed properties, pests, noise nuisance, anti-social behaviour and failure to license an HMO. Formal enforcement of these issues is referred and dealt with by the environmental health team or HMO licensing EHO, and could result in service of enforcement notices (Environmental Protection Act 1990, Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005). Failure to comply with such notices is an offence which could lead to prosecution.

 

In addition serious breaches of HMO license conditions would lead to enforcement action under the HMO Management Regulations 2006 or Housing Act 2004. Failure to license a property can result in prosecution. There have been 15 successful prosecutions since the licensing scheme started in 2013.

 

9.  Keeping bins off pavements

 

  Question from Councillor O’Neill to Councillor Rayment

 

Does the council have a policy regarding the use of black and clear bin bags for properties where it is inconvenient for residents to keep bins on their property and off of the pavement?

 

Answer

 

Yes, Southampton City Council does have a policy regarding the use of black and clear bin bags for properties where it is inconvenient for residents to keep bins on their property and off of the pavement.

 

Paragraph 6.3 of the Managing the Local Environment Policy and Customer Charter states:

 

“Where there is no space available to store a wheeled collection bin within the premises the council will, on a six monthly cycle, deliver black sacks for general waste and clear sacks for recycling.”

 

  The policy can be found on SCC webpages at:

 

  http://www.southampton.gov.uk/bins-recycling/waste-mgt-policy.aspx

 

 

10. Access to services for the elderly

 

  Question from Councillor O’Neill to Councillor Payne

 

If an elderly person without internet access wants to get in touch with Actionline how do they do it?

 

Answer

 

They should ring on 023 8083 3006 (option 2) or speak to a Neighbourhood Warden or Supported Housing scheme staff.

 

11. LED Lighting

 

Question from Councillor O’Neill to Councillor Rayment

 

What percentage of Southampton’s street lights are now using LEDs?

 

Answer

 

9.58% of Southampton’s street lights are now using LEDs.  Data correct as at end October 2017.

 

12. Local investment

 

  Question from Councillor P Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

Research has shown that councils that implement a strategy of buying locally can boost the economy and increase jobs.  For example Preston has increased local spending and created 800 local jobs last year alone.  What percentage of Southampton’s budget is spent locally?

 

Answer

 

I am delighted that the Councillor chooses to single out ‘Jeremy Corbyn’s favourite Councils Preston as an exemplar for Southampton. Having spoken to Preston Leader Cllr Peter Rankin about this matter, the Strategy referred to in the question isn’t about what the council does (it’s a district council with responsibility for a small proportion of public spending) but about what the whole public sector does in Preston.  An approach I am keen to pursue in Southampton.

 

The situation for us is complicated by the fact that the procurement function lies with Capita. The contract extension agreed last year with the support of all three council groups included a procurement guarantee which incentivises savings above other factors (like local procurement).  However the administration is keen that these procurement processes are made as simple as possible to encourage local smaller companies to seek work with the council.

 

The exact amount of our current contracts spent locally is not known (or even easy to define) and the amount of research required to determine it could not have been completed in the timescales allowed for the answering of questions.

 

13. Direct Payments

 

  Question from Councillor P Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

The number of Direct Payment users has gone down by 7% over the last 12 months. Yet, you still have the target of increasing the current number of users receiving Direct Payments by 50% by March 2018, and by a further 20% by March 2019. Why should we have any confidence in your ability to meet these targets?

 

Answer

 

The percentage of people receiving a direct payment (excluding carers) has remained stable at 18% over the last year. The council’s target is to increase this to 27% by 31 March 2018. In order to achieve this, approximately 175 new or existing clients will be supported to take up a direct payment. Several workshops have recently been held to fundamentally redesign the process. The new process makes it easier and quicker for individuals to take up a direct payment, and to benefit from the extra choice and flexibility that this brings. A new team is also now in place with additional staff to support delivery. The number of carers taking up a direct payment remains on target at 79%, which has increased significantly from 52% over the last year.

 

14. Southampton’s Suicide Rate

 

  Question from Councillor P Baillie to Councillor Shields

 

Southampton’s suicide rate is some 40% higher than the national average, 6th worst in England, and worst in the ONS comparator rankings. Each suicide has a cost of well over one million pounds. When are you going to introduce some funded policies to reverse this terrible blot on your administration?

 

Answer

 

In the three year period 2002-2004 the City’s age-standardized suicide rate (10.5 per 100,000 population) was very similar to the England rate (10.2 per 100,000).  However in the latest three year period for which data is available (2014-16) Southampton’s rate – following a period of steady decline immediately prior to the economic crash in 2008 – had risen quite markedly to 13.3 suicides per 100,000 population compared with a slight fall in the England rate to 9.9 per 100,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southampton’s national rankings on this indicator are 4th highest amongst England’s unitary authorities – behind only Middlesbrough, Cornwall and Brighton & Hove. Torbay, the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth also rank amongst England 10 worst performing upper tier local authorities on this indicator. Six out of the ten worst areas for suicide, therefore, are to be found in the south of England.

 

Currently our priorities are to: reduce the risk of suicide in high risk groups; tailor approaches to improve mental health and wellbeing; reduce access to the means of suicide; provide better information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide; support the media in delivering sensitive approaches to reporting suicide and suicidal behaviour and support further research, data collection and monitoring.

 

Our biggest challenge is the limit on the available level of resources to support us in providing suicide prevention training and development of a suicide bereavement service. This is primarily due to the reduction by central government in the Council’s public health grant.  Whilst the government has outlined its expectations for suicide prevention from local authorities no new resources have been assigned. Indeed the City Council currently faces a £3 million p.a. shortfall in its public health grant allocation by 2020.

 

The council has a statutory obligation to take steps to improve the health of the city which includes responsibility for coordinating and implementing work on suicide prevention. In 2012 the government published a national strategy “Preventing Suicide in England” whose objectives are to (1) reduce the suicide rate in the general population and (2) provide better support for those bereaved or affected by suicide. Southampton’s Suicide Prevention Plan was adopted by the Health & Wellbeing Board in 2016 and it supports the Public Mental Health Strategy “Be Well” which aims to reduce suicides in the city by 10% although there is a growing body of support locally for adopting a far more challenging target in line with the zero suicide ambitions adopted in other parts of the country experiencing unacceptably high rates.

 

15. Leaking Pipes

 

Question from Councillor P Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

Would you explain the health benefits of tenants living in flats next to pipes leaking liquid including effluent?

 

Answer

 

The down pipes referred to are common to Redbridge and Canberra Towers and Millbrook Towers. They are designed to carry surface water run off to balconies and waste from kitchen sinks. They are not connected to bathrooms or toilets and the systems are not connected so they should not carry effluent from these sources.

 

The original pipes are cast iron and have corroded in places. We have already completed a programme of replacement with plastic pipework at Redbridge Towers and Millbrook Tower.

 

Replacement pipework has been ordered for Canberra Towers and is expected to be delivered on 27th November. Our Housing Operations team plan to commence work to replace the pipes week commencing 4th December.

 

16. Housing and Adult Care Portfolio Schemes

 

Question from Councillor P Baillie to Councillor Payne

 

Over the last two years, how many schemes in your portfolio have gone ahead, despite you personally being against that scheme?

 

Answer

 

None I can recall, but if Councillor P Baillie has a particular scheme(s) in mind that he feels I shouldn’t have supported, in order to save time I’d suggest he contacts me before the meeting with those concerns to avoid any further delay. 

 

17. Health and Well Being of Southampton

 

Question from Councillor P Baillie and Councillor Shields

 

The Health and Well Being of Southampton seems to have relatively worsened over your tenure as Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board. Indeed, you said you had become distracted with other matters. Was the health of the people in Southampton of so little concern to you that you were unable to focus?  and since you are now going to focus, what four areas will be your top priority?

 

Answer

 

The 2015 Index of Multiple Deprivation shows Southampton has become relatively more deprived since the beginning of the Government’s austerity programme in 2010. Of the 326 councils in England Southampton is now ranked 54th most deprived (worse than its 72nd ranking in 2010).

 

The latest public health profile for the city (2017) shows how the health of people in Southampton is generally worse than the England average. About 23% (10,000) of children live in low income families. Life expectancy for men is lower than the England average. Life expectancy is 8.4 years lower for men and 5.7 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Southampton than in the least deprived areas.

 

In Year 6, 22.5% (508) of children are classified as obese, worse than the average for England. The rate of alcohol-specific hospital stays among those under 18 is 77 per 100,000 population, worse than the average for England. This represents 37 stays per year. Levels of teenage pregnancy, GCSE attainment and smoking at time of delivery are all worse than the England average.

 

The rate of alcohol-related harm hospital stays for adults is 753 per 100,000 population, worse than the average for England. This represents 1,651 stays per year. The rate of self-harm hospital stays is 347 per 100,000 population, worse than the average for England and representing 963 stays per year.

 

The rate of smoking related deaths is 354 per 100,000 population, worse than the average for England. This represents 368 deaths per year. Estimated levels of adult smoking are worse than the England average. Rates are also worse than average for: hip fractures; sexually transmitted infections; and the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads.

 

The Health & Wellbeing Strategy seeks to create physical, social and legislative environments to encourage and enable healthy lifestyles and in particular reduce physical inactivity and the harms from smoking, alcohol and other substance use. Our Key priorities are:

 

1.  Maintaining a Focus on Mental Health (including Suicide Prevention; Drug and Alcohol-related Harm and action on Stigma and Discrimination)

2.  Ensuring a Healthy Start in Life (including reduced Smoking in Pregnancy, action on Childhood Obesity and reduced preventable admissions to Hospital – e.g. from injuries and poor Dental Health)

3.  Addressing some of the key Wider Determinants (including exercise as part of everyday living; tackling the health effects of Poor Air Quality; reduced Excess Winter Deaths)

4.  Tackling Loneliness and Isolation amongst Older People and preventing falls.

 

We want to adopt a ‘whole city’ approach to improving people’s health by (a) putting health into all Council policies and making every contact count. Our biggest challenge, though, is the reduced level of resources available to the Council due to the cuts by central government to the public health grant. The City Council currently faces a £3 million p.a. shortfall in its public health grant allocation by 2020 which will severely limit our ambitions to stem and reduce the city’s widening and unacceptable levels of health inequality.

 

18. Improving Secondary Education

 

Question from Councillor J Baillie to Councillor Paffey

 

What are the council's priorities for improving the standard of secondary education in Southampton?

 

Answer

 

The Council’s priorities for improving secondary education in Southampton necessarily reflect the improvement priorities of the Department for Education. The key focus continues to be Maths, English and Science and the progress of students from key stage 2 to 4.

 

The Progress 8 measure across the city’s schools has improved since last year and reflects well on the forensic focus on monitoring and tracking students’ progress over the time they are at school. This has led to a marked improvement in a number of schools in the authority.

 

In addition, the top three performing schools in 2017 in the whole of Southampton and Hampshire are within this local authority area, and schools in more challenging circumstances have seen their improvements recognised recently by Ofsted, with one no longer in special measures, and another making good progress.