Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Ian Brookfield said it had been a difficult time in the last two or three months and it would continue to be a difficult time. He wanted to thank the City’s residents, the various key workers and the Council’s employees for all the work they had done in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.  He particularly wanted to thank the residents of the city, without them doing what they have been doing, the city could have been in a worse situation.  He said that many people in the city unfortunately had lost their lives and everyone was a tragedy to the City. There would be many people across the City who would know somebody who had lost their life too early. The scale of it had and would continue to have touched everybody.  The Council’s heartfelt condolences go out to people who have gone too early.  He then led the meeting in a minute’s silence to think of the people who had lost loved ones.

No apologies for absence were received for the meeting.

No declarations of interests were made.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 18 March 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

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

[To recommend to Full Council that it approves the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership refreshed Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy for 2020-2023]

That subject to amendments to emphasise the links between the strategy and Anti-Social Behaviour Teams, and to bolster the equalities implications section, Full Council be recommended to endorse the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy 2020-2023.

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal presented the draft Safer Wolverhampton Partnership – Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy 2020-2023. She asked Cabinet to endorse the strategy for recommendation to Full Council, subject to amendments to emphasise a greater link between the strategy and anti-social behaviour teams and an additional comment to bolster the equalities implications section.   In presenting the report she highlighted some of the successes and challenges from the previous strategy that would be built into the refreshed strategy going forward.  She also referred to the priorities that had been included in the new document and the place based approach to deliver the strategy.

Resolved:

That subject to amendments to emphasise the links between the strategy and Anti-Social Behaviour Teams, and to bolster the equalities implications section, Full Council be recommended to endorse the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership Community Safety and Harm Reduction Strategy 2020-2023.

[To approve the Transport Capital Programme 2020-2021 and future years]

1.      That the list of projects for development and implementation as part of the Transportation Capital Programme 2020-2021 and future years, as set out in appendices 3, 4, 5 and 6 to the report be approved.

2.      That the Head of City Transport be authorised to proceed with development work for each project on the list including surveying, site investigation, options appraisal, feasibility analysis, traffic modelling, detailed design, statutory advertising and public consultation, as appropriate.

3.      That the projects marked ‘Approve’ in the ‘Approval’ column of appendices 3 and 4 to the report be approved for implementation, subject to the availability of funding.

4.      That the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Director for City Environment be authorised to approve, through an Individual Executive Decision Notice (IEDN), implementation of the projects on the list marked ‘IEDN’ in the ‘Approval’ column of appendices 3 and 4 to the report, subject to the satisfactory outcome of public consultation, availability of funding and any other relevant considerations.

5.      That the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Director for City Environment be authorised to approve, through an IEDN, the bringing forward of projects from appendix 5 to appendices 3 or 4 to the report and thereafter to approve them for implementation during 2020-2021 subject to the satisfactory outcome of public consultation, availability of funding and any other relevant considerations.

6.      That the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Director for City Environment be authorised to approve, through an IEDN, appropriate virements between existing approved budgets within the transport capital programme maximising use of resources.

7.      That further reports be submitted at the appropriate time in order to obtain the necessary authority to implement the projects marked ‘Cabinet’ in the ‘Approval’ column of appendices 3 and 4 to the report.

8.      That the Chief Legal Officer be authorised to serve all necessary notices in respect of the projects listed in appendices 3 and 4 to the report and, subject to there being no unresolved objections, make traffic regulation orders as required.

10.That the Head of City Transport be authorised to make applications and bids for additional external funding noting that agreement ahead of submission would be obtained from the Director of Finance and appropriate governance would be followed to amend budgets on receipt of such funding.

11.That the Director of Finance be authorised to approve the Council entering into funding agreements with the various funding bodies to receive grant funding in respect of the projects included in the report.

12.That the expenditure and progress made in delivering £41 million worth of projects in the Transportation Capital Programme during 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020 as set out in appendix 2 to the report be approved.

13.That the Council’s continuing success in bidding for additional funding and delivering new projects through the Local Growth Fund, Access to Growth, and the West Midlands Combined Authority be noted.

Councillor Steve Evans presented the report on a programme of capital projects to develop and maintain the transportation network for the financial year 2020-2021 and future years, subject to available resources and annual review.  The programme covered highways improvements projects, local safety schemes, cycling programme and a cycling strategy, safer routes to school, disabled access and street lighting.    Councillor Evans also informed Cabinet that as a result of the Government’s response to Covid-19, local authorities had been instructed to look at their town/city infrastructures and ensure that by no later than 15 June they had in place a safe infrastructure for people to walk or cycle. As a result, the Council had put in place plans to temporarily reduce the speed limit around the Ring Road from 40 mph to 30 mph.  This was one of a package of temporary measures being put in place to make sure if the public want to cycle or walk into the city centre, that there is a safe environment for them. The package of measures would be reviewed and monitored.  Where they are found to have worked well and benefitted the city as a whole there would be an opportunity for the Council to bid for Government funding to make them permanent.  Councillor Steve Evans also placed on record his thanks to the officers who do excellent work in attracting funding from Government and other funding streams to enable the Council to maintain its roads to a good standard and deliver road safety schemes that it had.

Cabinet members welcomed the decision to temporarily reduce the speed limit along the Ring Road, pointing to the significant difference it would have on road safety and on encouraging cycling around the City. Cabinet colleagues also placed on record their thanks to the Highways team for their work in maintaining the network during the lockdown.

Resolved:

1.    That the list of projects for development and implementation as part of the Transportation Capital Programme 2020-2021 and future years, as set out in appendices 3, 4, 5 and 6 to the report be approved.

2.    That the Head of City Transport be authorised to proceed with development work for each project on the list including surveying, site investigation, options appraisal, feasibility analysis, traffic modelling, detailed design, statutory advertising and public consultation, as appropriate.

3.    That the projects marked ‘Approve’ in the ‘Approval’ column of appendices 3 and 4 to the report be approved for implementation, subject to the availability of funding.

4.    That the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Director for City Environment be authorised to approve, through an Individual Executive Decision Notice (IEDN), implementation of the projects on the list marked ‘IEDN’ in the ‘Approval’ column of appendices 3 and 4 to the report, subject to the satisfactory outcome of public consultation, availability of funding and any other relevant considerations.

5.    That the Cabinet Member for City Environment, in consultation with the Director for City Environment be authorised to approve, through an IEDN,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

[To approve a policy for purchasing private properties and converting to affordable housing]

1.      That the acquisition of market housing to convert to affordable housing to increase the housing stock as part of the Additional Social Housing Programme be approved.

2.      That the policy and criteria to identify and purchase suitable market housing units be approved.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment to agree the expenditure on individual property/land purchases.

4.      That authority be delegated to the Service Manager, Strategy and Policy and in their absence, the Housing Enabling Manager the decision to ‘decline’ a Right of First Refusal request.

5.      That the completed acquisitions of market housing which have been converted to affordable housing in 2019-2020 be noted.

Councillor Jacqueline Sweetman presented the report on proposals to introduce targeted interventions to support the Council’s strategic objectives and broader housing outcomes, by purchasing existing market stock in the city and converting it to affordable housing. This would also help ensure the Council maximise the use of the Right to Buy receipts (1-4-1 receipts) and receipts from Section 106 agreements to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Resolved:

1.    That the acquisition of market housing to convert to affordable housing to increase the housing stock as part of the Additional Social Housing Programme be approved.

2.    That the policy and criteria to identify and purchase suitable market housing units be approved.

3.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for City Assets and Housing in consultation with the Director of City Environment to agree the expenditure on individual property/land purchases.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Service Manager, Strategy and Policy and in their absence, the Housing Enabling Manager the decision to ‘decline’ a Right of First Refusal request.

5.    That the completed acquisitions of market housing which have been converted to affordable housing in 2019-2020 be noted.

[To consider the outcome of consultation and approve the adoption of policy as part of the Vision for School Organisation]

1.      That the High Needs Provision Framework be approved.

2.      That the outcome of consultation on the draft High Needs Provision Framework be noted.

3.      That the amendments (in Section 5) made to the draft High Needs Provision Framework following consultation be noted.

Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre presented the report on the outcome of a wide ranging public consultation on the draft High Needs Provision Framework and requested that Cabinet adopts the strategic policy document. Approval of the Framework would enable the publication of a clear and transparent structure to guide the future development of special educational needs and disabilities education for those children in the city who need more specialist provision. The policy would help create where possible in good and outstanding schools, a special resource base so that children with special educational needs could be integrated into mainstream education. It also enabled the creation of specialist accommodation in special schools for those children for whom mainstream education would not be a realistic possibility.

Councillor John Reynolds, in his capacity as Cabinet Member for Children and Young People congratulated Councillor Dr Hardacre and the senior offices within the Education service for their work on the framework and policy.  It would mean that the Council could continue to support the city’s children and young people and make sure that as many of them as possible remain in mainstream education.

Resolved:

1.    That the High Needs Provision Framework be approved.

2.    That the outcome of consultation on the draft High Needs Provision Framework be noted.

3.    That the amendments (in Section 5) made to the draft High Needs Provision Framework following consultation be noted.

[To review and comment on performance and key areas for improvement]

The item was withdrawn.

The item was withdrawn.

[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 item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below.]

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 item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved:

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 item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

[To approve the proposed School Expansion Programmes 2021 and 2022]

1.      That the formal proposal for schools to be included within the Primary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022 and associated capital expenditure be approved.

2.      That the formal proposal for schools to be included within the Secondary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022 and associated capital expenditure be approved.

3.      That permission be granted to enter into formal negotiations with Secondary Academy Trusts.

4.      That permission be granted to enter into formal negotiations with Primary Academy Trusts.

5.      That permission be granted to enter into all necessary legal agreements/transactions to protect the local authority’s interests.

6.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills in consultation with Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Finance, to approve the allocation of the Expansion Programme budgets to individual capital projects in order that they may be progressed in a timely manner.

7.      That it be noted that the funding for the proposed expansions programmes would be subject to approval through the appropriate governance mechanisms.

8.      That it be noted that in light of the scale of recent primary and secondary expansion programmes, practical opportunities to continue to expand the existing estate are constrained.

9.      That the current status of the School Expansion Programmes 2021 and 2022 that involves both temporary and permanent solutions to meet short and medium-term demand be noted. This approach has been taken to ensure that an oversupply of school places is not created. Future demand may be influenced as a consequence of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, and through the establishment of free schools within the City.

10.   That it be noted that the Regional Schools Commissioner is responsible for determining if academies can expand and the Council is not fully appraised of all the information which decisions are based on. In addition, the Council is not in full control of all the factors relating to the effective and timely supply of school places.

Councillor Dr Michael Hardacre presented the report on the schemes proposed for inclusion in the Primary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022 and the Secondary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022.  He sought approval to implement the proposed programmes to ensure the Council’s statutory duty regarding the provision of sufficient school places could continue to be fulfilled. 

Resolved:

1.    That the formal proposal for schools to be included within the Primary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022 and associated capital expenditure be approved.

2.    That the formal proposal for schools to be included within the Secondary School Expansion Programme 2021 and 2022 and associated capital expenditure be approved.

3.    That permission be granted to enter into formal negotiations with Secondary Academy Trusts.

4.    That permission be granted to enter into formal negotiations with Primary Academy Trusts.

5.    That permission be granted to enter into all necessary legal agreements/transactions to protect the local authority’s interests.

6.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills in consultation with Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Finance, to approve the allocation of the Expansion Programme budgets to individual capital projects in order that they may be progressed in a timely manner.

7.    That it be noted that the funding for the proposed expansions programmes would be subject to approval through the appropriate governance mechanisms.

8.    That it be noted that in light of the scale of recent primary and secondary expansion programmes, practical opportunities to continue to expand the existing estate are constrained.

9.    That the current status of the School Expansion Programmes 2021 and 2022 that involves both temporary and permanent solutions to meet short and medium-term demand be noted. This approach has been taken to ensure that an oversupply of school places is not created. Future demand may be influenced as a consequence of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, and through the establishment of free schools within the City.

10. That it be noted that the Regional Schools Commissioner is responsible for determining if academies can expand and the Council is not fully appraised of all the information which decisions are based on. In addition, the Council is not in full control of all the factors relating to the effective and timely supply of school places.