Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Cllr Sandra Samuels.

Cllrs Roger Lawrence and Phil Page declared a personal interest in Item 7 (City Council Statement of Pensions Policy - discretions), in so far as they are members of the West Midlands Local Government Pension Scheme.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That subject to the inclusion of Cllr Roger Lawrence in the list of councillors present, the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2015 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 the delivery plan to Full Council for approval]

Cllr Peter Bilson asked Cabinet to receive the Wolverhampton Homes Annual Delivery Plan 2015/16 and recommend it to Full Council for adoption.

Resolved:

That Full Council be recommended to approve the Wolverhampton Homes Annual Delivery Plan 2015/16.

[To approve the next phase of the reconfiguration of in-house services within Adult Social Care]

Cllr Steve Evans reported on the salient points of the proposals for the next phase of the reconfiguration of in-house provided adult services with regard to:

·           Learning Disability - Duke Street residential bungalows

·           Learning Disability - Community Outreach and Enablement Services

·           Older People – Residential and Domiciliary Reablement

·           Older People -  Assistive Technology (Telecare and Carelink)

·           Older People – Ekta

The reduction in the Council’s Government Grant thathelped the Council provide services to residents and the duty placed on local authorities to promote independence under the Care Act 2014, meant that the way the Council delivered its in house adult services could not remain the same.  In response to the challenge councillors and employees had been working hard to ensure the continued provision of quality and value for money services for the citizens of Wolverhampton. 

He also informed Cabinet that the Adults and Community Scrutiny Panel had carried our pre decision scrutiny on the proposals at its meeting on 10 March 2015. Overall, the Panel were supportive of the proposals and Cllr Evans summarised and acknowledged the comments the Panel had made.  He concluded by stating that the proposals were not about cutting services, but were about the Council working hard to provide alternative excellent services.

Resolved:

1.    That the development of an options appraisal to determine the long term use of the Learning Disability – Duke Street residential bungalows with a view to moving towards a supported housing model with personalised support be approved.

2.    That the commissioning of an externalised Learning Disability - Outreach Service be approved.

3.    That a joint social care and health review of Older People - short term reablement and rehabilitation resources with the creation of an integrated health and social care reablement strategy and new service model with a home based short term support focus be approved.

4.    That the consultation process for the commissioning of an externalised specialist Older People - reablement home care service in partnership with health colleagues be approved. The scope of the service would be specified as part of the above review process.

5.    That the development of proposals for an Older People’s integrated telecare and care link offer that would be integral to a 'home first' integrated reablement approach and help to shift the balance of care to support at home be approved.

6.    That a further engagement and consultation process with service users of the Ekta Day Centre and stakeholders based upon a personalised approach, including consideration of the future use of the building be approved.

7.    That the outcome of the consultation process to date with regard to Learning Disability Services (Duke Street Residential Bungalows and Community Outreach and Enablement Services) be noted.

[To approve the policy]

Cllr Paul Sweet presented a report seeking approval to a Council Statement of Policy about the exercise of discretionary functions under regulation 60 (1) of the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (LGPS) 2013 and Regulation 66 (1) of the LGPS (Administration) Regulations 2007.

Resolved:

That the Wolverhampton City Council Statement of Pensions Policy – Discretions be approved and implemented from 1 April 2015.

[To approve the schemes for co-ordinated school admission arrangements for secondary and primary schools and the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for 2016/17]

Cllr Phil Page presented, for approval, schemes for co-ordinated school admission arrangements for secondary and primary schools and admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for 2016/17.

Resolved:

1.    That the co-ordinated admission schemes for secondary and primary school admissions at the normal year of entry for 2016/17 be approved and the Secretary of State be notified accordingly by 15 April 2015.

2.    That the proposed admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools for 2016/17 be approved.

[To consider the scrutiny review report and the Executive response thereto]

Note: The Chair of the scrutiny review group has been invited to the meeting

Cllr Phil Page thanked Cllr Ian Angus and his colleagues on the scrutiny review group and for bringing forward an excellent report into Employability and Skills.  He commented that the report set out a way forward to ensure that local people have the skills to enable them to compete in a diverse jobs market. 

Cllr Ian Angus, Chair of the scrutiny review group was in attendance at the meeting for this item.  He gave a brief introduction to the report containing the findings and recommendations from a scrutiny review into Employability and Skills. The headline findings from the review had been presented to the Wolverhampton Skills and Employment Commission and from their feedback they found the review group’s findings helpful.  He also reported that the challenge the city faced was high levels of unemployment alongside low skill levels in the population. The review group report contained strategic and practical recommendations in response to the challenge but there was no magic bullet.   He was confident that the recommendations provided a robust platform to meet the employability and skills challenge the city faced.  In concluding, Cllr Angus thanked the members of the review group and witnesses for their contributions and the employees who provided excellent supported during the review.

Cllr Roger Lawrence also thanked Cllr Angus and the scrutiny review group for an excellent piece of work which would feed into the work of the Skills and Employment Commission who would shortly be issuing its Interim Report.

Resolved:

1.    That the report of the review group be received and the following recommendations be noted:

R1       That the Council takes a stronger role as the champion and honest broker within and across partnership forums to ensure that employment and skills outcomes are effectively delivered.

R2.      That the Council utilises its role of champion and honest broker within partnership working to generate confidence and credibility in the capability of the City to deliver against the employability and skills agenda, linking  strongly with the Council’s Corporate Communications Team.

R3.      That the City develops a long term cross partnership strategy for employability and skills to achieve a step change in reducing the number of the working age population with no qualifications and not in employment. The strategy should:

·               provide clarity of roles and responsibilities whilst also ensuring quality provision

·               make provision for oversight and accountability, consideration should be given to establishing a bespoke forum to maintain oversight of this agenda

·               take into account the extent of the issues facing the City and ensure interventions  are scalable and  closely aligned to the emerging work on the Combined Authority

·               ensure consistency of approach for young people in the City

R4.      That schools be strongly encouraged to fully engage in the partnerships in the City that are dealing with employability and skills issues to meet the reasonable expectation that schools will support young people to develop soft skills, receive careers advice and gain work experience to get work ready.

R5.      That the Council has a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

[To note the report and approve the development plan]

Cllr Phil Page presented the report that summarised the results of the Adult Education Service’s recent self-assessment. It also set out the main areas for development, identified through the self-assessment process, in order to achieve continuous improvement.

The Self-Assessment process had been conducted using Ofsted’s (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) Common Inspection Framework. Overall the Adult Education Service had been judged as being outstanding.  Cllr Phil Page paid tribute to the employees within the service. He also informed Cabinet of the receipt of a letter from Nick Boles, Minister for Skills and Equalities congratulating the service on its achievements.

Resolved:

1.    That the Adult Education Service Development Plan 2014/15 be approved.

2.    That the Adult Education Service Self-Assessment Report 2013/14 be noted.

[To receive an update on the programme of regeneration and to approve proposals which will inform the development of the regeneration proposals]

Cllr Peter Bilson presented an update report on the activity undertaken to develop a programme for the regeneration of the Heath Town estate since the last report on 11 March 2014.  Approval was requested to specific proposals which would inform the development of the regeneration proposals.

Resolved:

1.    That proposals on the Heath Town Regeneration Project as listed below be approved:

i.       The revised phasing for the delivery of the project based on the revisions to the masterplan.

ii.      Further revisions to the masterplan, subject to amendment of details considered in the report relating to the revised three broad phases of the programme and the current considerations including the inclusion of the additional General Fund sites at Alma Street, Wyrley Street and Qualcast Road.

iii.    Delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity in consultation with the Strategic Director for Place to determine if the Grosvenor Street site should be included within the Heath Town regeneration scheme having considered the outcome of the discussion at Petitions Committee on 13 March 2015.

iv.    The utilisation of the revised masterplan to develop a procurement prospectus and to procure a developer through the Homes and Communities Agency Delivery Partner Panel 2. Appointment of the development partner would be subject to a further report to Cabinet to confirm the appointment.

v.      The progression of the actions set out in the report relating to the revised three broad phases of the programme and the current considerations subject to such further reports to Cabinet or Cabinet (Resources) Panel as required following the completion of feasibility and related negotiations with the parties concerned.

vi.    To re-house affected tenants from Chervil Rise, the block proposed for demolition, and award Band 1 priority together with the Home Loss and disturbance payments.

vii.   To ring-fence void properties which have received Decent Homes works on the Heath Town estate for transfers as an incentive for tenants to move.

2.    That further reports be submitted to consider the enabling works required, including procurement of re-routed District Heating and utilities infrastructure, demolition works, and associated mechanical and electrical works. This work relates to the proposed demolition of identified Chervil Rise and Hobgate Road buildings and would not extend to the rest of the estate.

3.    That progress made with the Heath Town Regeneration Project be noted.

4.    That the on-going discussions with Black Country Make Community Investment Company around providing access to a small site on a leasehold basis for the development of community build homes on the Heath Town estate be noted.

5.    That the requirement to fund and procure enabling works including utility separations in advance of the planned demolition be noted.

6.    That the revised project plan timescale and the communications strategy be noted.

7.       That Wolverhampton Homes’ planned development of wider investment plans for the retained housing stock within the Heath Town estate be noted.

[To approve a framework for building on the progress to date  in improving the delivery of a ‘fit for purpose ‘city housing offer across all tenures]

Cllr Peter Bilson presented a report which summarised the challenges facing the Council in improving delivery of a “fit for purpose” city housing offer across all tenures and, building on the progress to date, set out a framework for progressing this across the city.

He reported that the Council wished to improve on the housing offer in general and increase the amount of housing development taking place in the city.  The proposals in the report looked at this and put forward a framework for delivery.

Cllr Roger Lawrence drew Cabinet’s attention to the appendices containing a list of housing developments in the city and reported that Wolverhampton was well placed in terms of the housing development opportunities to supply housing for the next ten years.  However, the Black Country Core Strategy indicated that Wolverhampton should be building to a much higher rate. The challenge was how the Council together with its housing partners could work together to increase the housing provision.

Resolved:

1.    That the proposed framework for the programme of activity to improve the city housing offer be approved.

2.    That the revised governance arrangements to manage the delivery of activity to improve the city housing offer be approved.

3.    That the proposals regarding the future management of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and review of the HRA Business Plan and Asset Management Plan be approved.

4.    That it be agreed to pursue the investigation of other public sector housing delivery models.

5.    That the intention to review existing employee delivery arrangements and go live with new structure from September 2015 be approved.

6.    That the report be referred to the Vibrant, Safe and Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel on 19 March 2015.

[To approve a programme of capital funded schemes to develop and maintain the transportation network for the financial years 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18, subject to available resources and annual review]

Cllr Peter Bilson sought approval to a programme of capital funded schemes to develop and maintain the transportation network for the financial years 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18, subject to available resources and annual review.  The programme represented an investment in a significant level of work over the years of £15 million.

Resolved:

1.    That the list of schemes for development and implementation for each part of the Transportation Capital Programme 205/16 and future years, be approved.

2.    That the Transportation Manager be authorised to proceed with development work for each scheme 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 67 schemes marked ‘A’ in the ‘Approval’ column in Transportation Capital Programme 205/16  be approved for construction using the Council’s own resources and/or the term framework contractors available to the Council, the selection of contractor to be based upon the criteria set out in the report.

4.    That the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity in consultation with the Service Director, City Assets be authorised to approve construction of the 84 schemes on the list marked ‘D’ in the ‘Approval’ column in Transportation Capital Programme 2015/16, subject to the satisfactory outcome of public consultation, availability of funding and any other relevant considerations.

5.    That the actions of the Strategic Director, Place and the Director of Finance in submitting bids for additional funding under the Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund be approved as well as  the inclusion of these schemes in the capital programme subject to the successful outcome of the bids.

6.    That Wolverhampton City Council acts as the accountable body for the Accessing Growth Fund.

7.    That the Director of Governance and Solicitor to the Council be authorised to enter into legal agreements with Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley Councils in respect of the funding and delivery of schemes under the Accessing Growth Fund, and agree to the inclusion of the relevant schemes in the capital programme.

8.    That the inclusion of the ‘Managing Short Trips’ programme in the capital programme be approved and the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity in consultation with the Service Director, City Assets be authorised to agree the individual schemes to be included in the programme.

9.    That approval from Full Council be sought to make grant payments to Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC), Sandwell MBC and the Canal and River Trust as follows:

10. That the Director of Governance and Solicitor to the Council be authorised to serve all necessary notices in respect of the schemes listed in the Transportation Capital Programme 205/16  and, subject to there being no unresolved objections, make traffic regulation orders as required.

11. That the Council be authorised to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

[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.]

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(s) of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within the paragraphs of Schedule 12A of the Act set out below:

[To receive an update and approve the strategy to bring forward the delivery of the project and the influencing strategy to secure the wider project delivery]

Cllr Peter Bilson presented an update report on the Wolverhampton Interchange project and sought approval to specific proposals to further the delivery of the project.

Resolved:

1.    That the strategy to bring forward the delivery Wolverhampton Interchange Project and the influencing strategy to secure the wider project delivery be approved.

2.    That it be agreed to Wolverhampton City Council (WCC) receiving grant funding of £4.5 million Local Growth Fund (LGF) monies and £9 million Local Transport Board (LTB) funding entering into a funding agreement with Walsall Council as accountable body for the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

3.    That it be agreed to include £17.5 million within the Council’s capital programme for Interchange Phase Two funded as per the funding and expenditure profiler at table 1 in the report.

4.    That the principle of WCC acting as accountable body for the Wolverhampton Interchange Project drawing down the external funding from LGF and LTB be approved and authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity and Resources in consultation with the Strategic Director, Place and Director of Finance to enter into sub-agreements with Centro and Neptune.

5.    That it be agreed in principle that WCC land at Interchange, as detailed on Appendix A to the report, can contribute to the project and authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity and Resources in consultation with the Strategic Director, Place and Director of Finance for the execution of the appropriate land transactions.

6.    That the principle of receiving Homes and Communities Agency investment into i10 be approved and authority be delegated to the Cabinet Members for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity and Resources in consultation with the Strategic Director, Place and Director of Finance to agree the principles of the investment and execute the necessary legal agreements.

7.    That the continuing support of the project team in influencing partners, stakeholders, funders and decision makers to assist in the delivery of Wolverhampton Interchange be agreed.

8.    That further progress reports be submitted to Cabinet as the delivery of this project progresses.

[To receive an update on the physical works at i54 as they draw to a close and to approve future working arrangements and new governance arrangements between the three local authority partners and other parties such as adjoining landowners]

Cllr Peter Bilson presented the report that updated Cabinet on the current position of i54 as the physical works come to a close and the Junction Two Programme, a wider area which would include i54.

Resolved:

1.    That the future strategy for widening the i54 project to include the Western Extension and J2 East referred to as “Junction 2” be approved.

2.    That the next steps for progressing an extension to i54 be approved.

3.    That the proposed arrangement for working in partnership with Staffordshire County Council and South Staffordshire Council be approved.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration and Prosperity in consultation with the Strategic Director- Place to agree the Heads of Terms for a revised joint venture arrangement for the partnership

5.    That the progress made in delivering the i54 project be noted.

6.    That the progress made with the western extension feasibility work be noted