Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3, Third Floor - Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1SH

Contact: Philippa Salmon  Tel: 01902 555061 or Email: philippa.salmon@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were receive from Councillor John Reynolds and Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE.

2.

Declaration of interests

Minutes:

Councillor Louise Miles declared a personal interest in Item 8 - Better Care Fund Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget 2018-2019) as her sibling was employed by the Clinical Commissioning Group.

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 121 KB

[For approval]

Minutes:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 July 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

4.

Matters arising

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

Minutes:

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

5.

Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2018-2022 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the City of Wolverhampton Homelessness Prevention Strategy for 2018-2022 be approved.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Bilson presented the Homelessness Prevention Strategy 2018-2022 for approval. The Homelessness Reduction Act required local authorities to refresh their strategies in line with the new duties. The Strategy would focus on four key elements: homelessness prevention, tackling rough sleeping, vulnerability and health and responding to the local housing market. Joint working with partners would be promoted to determine long-term solutions.

 

Resolved:

 

That the City of Wolverhampton Homelessness Prevention Strategy for 2018-2022 be approved.

6.

Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy under the Regulatory Reform Order 2002 be approved.

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Bilson presented the Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy for approval. The Policy set out the current position with regard to financial assistance provided by the Council to residents of the City under powers given by the Regulatory Reform Order 2002. A future review would be undertaken to ensure that the financial assistance provided to residents was still relevant to wider Council strategy and objectives and in line with other partner programmes in health and social care.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Private Sector Housing Assistance Policy under the Regulatory Reform Order 2002 be approved.

7.

Houses in Multiple Occupancy Mandatory Licensing pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the implementation of changes, in line with updated legislation around the licensing and management of Houses in Multiple Occupation, be approved.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Bilson presented the Houses in Multiple Occupancy Mandatory Licensing report for approval. The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018 had extended mandatory licensing to include all properties with five or more unrelated occupants, sharing amenities, taking out the three or more storeys requirement. It was estimated that there would be an additional 500 properties in Wolverhampton that would fall under the new definition, in addition to the existing 127 houses in multiple occupation.

 

Resolved:

 

That the implementation of changes, in line with updated legislation around the licensing and management of Houses in Multiple Occupation, be approved.

8.

Better Care Fund Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget 2018-2019) pdf icon PDF 76 KB

Decision:

1. That that the Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget) with the NHS

Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group be approved to continue for 2018-2019.

2. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Adults, Public Health and Wellbeing and Resources, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Service, Director of Public Health and the Director of Finance, to approve the revised Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget) for 2018-2019.

Minutes:

In the absence of Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, Councillor Roger Lawrence presented the Better Care Fund Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget 2018 – 2019) for approval. In order to operate a pooled budget, the partners were required to have in place a Section 75 Agreement. If the existing Section 75 Agreement with the NHS Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group was not continued, the partners would fail to comply with the requirements of NHS England under the Better Care Fund Pooled Fund arrangements. If this were the case, relevant funding would not be received.

 

Resolved:

 

1. That that the Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget) with the NHS

Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group be approved to continue for 2018-2019.

2. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Adults, Public Health and Wellbeing and Resources, in consultation with the Director of Adult Social Service, Director of Public Health and the Director of Finance, to approve the revised Section 75 Agreement (Pooled Budget) for 2018-2019.

9.

Local Offer for Care Leavers pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

1. That the Local Offer for Care Leavers be endorsed.

2. That authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, to consider and agree any variation to the current Local Offer within the annual review period.

Minutes:

Councillor Paul Sweet presented the Local Offer for Care Leavers for approval. Local authorities were required to publish a Local Offer for Care Leavers to provide information about services that the local authority offered that could assist care leavers in, or in preparing for, adulthood and independent living. This included services relating to health and well-being, relationships, education and training, employment, accommodation and participation in society. An amendment to the second recommendation was agreed to ensure that the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People would be consulted on any variation to the Local Offer during the annual review period.

 

Resolved:

 

1. That the Local Offer for Care Leavers be endorsed.

2. That authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, to consider and agree any variation to the current Local Offer within the annual review period.

10.

Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Annual Report 2017-2018 pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Annual Report 2017-2018 be endorsed and identified areas for development be supported.

Minutes:

Councillor Hazel Malcolm presented the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Annual Report 2017-2018 for endorsement. The report detailed progress against the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership’s strategic plan and performance. It also outlined services commissioned using the annual allocated grant from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and performance against the City’s 2017-2020 Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Annual Report 2017-2018 be endorsed and identified areas for development be supported.

11.

Apprenticeship Pay Scale pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Decision:

That the new pay scales created for apprentices that are recruited into the Council be approved.

Minutes:

Councillor Val Gibson presented the Apprenticeship Pay Scale for approval. The proposed pay scale would not discriminate against apprentices who were younger but carrying out the same level of apprenticeship as older colleagues. The pay scale would offer a reasonable wage with progression and a career pathway to ensure that it would be an attractive option to encourage quality candidates. The simplified pay scale would also allow managers to budget for an apprentice in advance of the recruitment process.

 

Resolved:

 

That the new pay scales created for apprentices that are recruited into the Council be approved.

12.

The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

1.  That ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be approved.

2. That the outcome of external consultation in relation to ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be noted.

3. That the summary of discussion from the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Panel on 20 June 2018 regarding ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be noted.

4. That the reduction in the recommended primary and secondary surplus be noted (currently 5% and 6% respectively). The aspirational level of surplus has been reduced towards the Department for Education funding surplus figure (2%).

5. That the need to introduce additional Secondary School places for September 2019 be noted.

6. That it be noted that projected levels of demand suggest that further significant investment in additional school places will be required in the future to ensure that supply can meet demand. This will be over and above the existing capital programme.

7. That it be noted that a further report will be brought to Cabinet with details of proposed individual schemes to be considered for inclusion in the Secondary Expansion Programme 2019 - 2020.

8. That it be noted that the Regional Schools Commissioner is responsible for determining if academies can expand. The Council is not in full control of all the factors relating to the effective and timely supply of school places.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Lynne Moran presented The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning for approval following consultation. The Vision outlined the framework for decision making regarding primary and secondary school places across the City. It also illustrated the impact of demographic uplift on demand for schools and the need to identify and develop appropriate solutions.

 

Resolved:

 

1.  That ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be approved.

2. That the outcome of external consultation in relation to ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be noted.

3. That the summary of discussion from the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Panel on 20 June 2018 regarding ‘The Vision for School Organisation 2018-2020: City of Wolverhampton Education Place Planning’ be noted.

4. That the reduction in the recommended primary and secondary surplus be noted (currently 5% and 6% respectively). The aspirational level of surplus has been reduced towards the Department for Education funding surplus figure (2%).

5. That the need to introduce additional Secondary School places for September 2019 be noted.

6. That it be noted that projected levels of demand suggest that further significant investment in additional school places will be required in the future to ensure that supply can meet demand. This will be over and above the existing capital programme.

7. That it be noted that a further report will be brought to Cabinet with details of proposed individual schemes to be considered for inclusion in the Secondary Expansion Programme 2019 - 2020.

8. That it be noted that the Regional Schools Commissioner is responsible for determining if academies can expand. The Council is not in full control of all the factors relating to the effective and timely supply of school places.

13.

Exclusion of press and public

[To pass the following resolution:

 

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below.]

Decision:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Minutes:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

14.

Wolverhampton Homes Management Agreement Update

Decision:

That the recommendations be approved as detailed in the exempt report.

Minutes:

Councillor Peter Bilson presented the Wolverhampton Homes Management Agreement Update that was exempt as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

Resolved:

 

That the recommendations be approved as detailed in the exempt report.