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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Penrith

Items
No. Item

HCc/19/01/20

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Smith.

HCc/20/01/20

Appointment of Vice-Chairman

To appoint a Vice Chairman for the remainder of the 2019-2020 municipal year.

Minutes:

Proposed by Councillor Hanley

Seconded by Councillor Simpkins

 

and RESOLVED that Councillor Clark be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Housing and Communities Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the 2019-2020 municipal year.

HCc/21/01/20

Minutes

To sign the minutes HCc/10/11/19 to HCc/18/11/19 of the meeting of this Committee held on 21 November 2019 as a correct record of those proceedings (copies previously circulated).

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that:

 

1.            the minutes HCc/10/11/19 to HCc/18/11/19 of the meeting of this Committee held on 21 November 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of those proceedings; and

 

2.            feedback be given to the Monitoring Officer regarding the level of detail contained within Minutes.

 

HCc/22/01/20

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of the existence and nature of any private interests, both disclosable pecuniary and any other registrable interests, in any matter to be considered or being considered.

 

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were made at this meeting.

HCc/23/01/20

Communities Portfolio Holder Update - Leisure Contract

To receive a verbal update and ask questions of the Communities Portfolio Holder in respect of the Leisure Contract.

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation and asked questions of the Communities Portfolio Holder in respect of the Leisure Contract.

 

It was noted that:

 

·                 FMG Consulting have been appointed to review and consider the most appropriate management arrangements for delivering the service from April 2022;

·                 when compared against benchmarks, Key Performance Indicators show that overall the business appears to be performing well.  Maintenance costs, staff costs and costs of sales are within benchmarks;

·                 social value should be considered in addition to costs. Income per m2 is below the benchmark, one element of this is the indoor bowling green which, whilst occupying a large space for the number of user, does provide considerable social value;

·                 consultation has taken place with Council Officers and Members, GLL, sports partnerships and users of the facilities.  Feedback indicates: pricing is reasonable; free parking is positive; there are opportunities to integrate care; transport is a challenge and accessing pool time can be difficult;

·                 future management options for consideration include: Re-tendering to an existing company; bringing services in  house; establishing a new company of joint venture; establishing a new charitable or non-charitable trust and asset transfer (community asset transfer/long term lease or sale to a third party);

·                 a presentation will be made to Officers during the week commencing 27 January 2020.  A report is expected to be presented to Council in April 2020;

·                 there has been no feedback from the Councillors who sit on the GLL outside body;

·                 a complaint raised with GLL was dealt with quickly once Eden District Council became involved; and

·                 the consultants costs amounted to £20,375.

 

The Communities Portfolio Holder, the Assistant Director of Commissioning and Technical Services and the Leisure and Communities Manager left the Council Chamber at 7.18pm

HCc/24/01/20

Scrutiny Coordinating Board Update

To receive a verbal update from the Chairman.

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update from the Chairman in relation to the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Board. 

 

RESOLVED that the update be noted.

 

HCc/25/01/20

Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee and Health and Wellbeing Committee Reports

To receive a verbal update from Councillor M Hanley.

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update from the Chairman in relation to the Health and Wellbeing Forum and the Health Scrutiny Committee.

 

RESOLVED that the update be noted.

HCc/26/01/20

Housing and Community Committee Work Plan pdf icon PDF 221 KB

To consider the attached report of Chairman of the Committee.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered report G3/20 of the Chairman of the Committee which set out current and possible future agenda items for the Housing and Communities Scrutiny Committee. The report invited suggestions for possible agenda items from all non-Executive Members.

 

Proposed by Councillor Dew

Seconded by Councillor Orchard

 

and RESOLVED that the Communities Portfolio Holder be invited to present the final Leisure Services Contract review report to the Housing and Communities Scrutiny Committee for comment at the meeting scheduled for 19 March 2020.

 

Proposed by Councillor Dew

Seconded by Councillor Orchard

 

and RESOLVED that in addition to the existing work plan item regarding fuel poverty and the Warmer Homes Scheme, the Housing and Health Portfolio Holder be invited to present a report on progress against the key actions detailed in the Council Plan 2019-2023 in relation to the Healthy, Safe and Secure key actions, including feedback on the Housing Needs Survey undertaken by Dr Bullock.

 

Proposed by Councillor Clark

Seconded by Councillor Simpkins

 

and RESOLVED that the Housing and Health Portfolio Holder be invited to present a report detailing the what air quality surveys have or will take place within Penrith, together with details of the air pollution levels and actions being taken to address this, to the Housing and Communities Scrutiny Committee at the meeting scheduled for 19 March 2020.

 

Proposed by Councillor Clark

Seconded by Councillor Simpkins

 

and RESOLVED that information regarding the process for reviewing the Discretionary Home Improvement Grants policy be forwarded to Members of the Housing and Communities Scrutiny Committee.

 

HCc/27/01/20

Any Other Items which the Chairman decides are urgent

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business from the Chairman at this meeting.

HCc/28/01/20

Date of Next Scheduled Meeting

The date of the next scheduled meeting be confirmed as 19 March 2020.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the Committee was confirmed as 19 March 2020.