To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from

Members/Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following members/ officers for the reasons so stated:

Councillor R M James – Personal Commitment

Councillor K Watts – Family Commitment

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including Whipping declarations)

None

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Community Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 8 October 2015

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the Community Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 8 October 2015 were approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting subject to the amendment to the job title of Officer from Trecco Bay Holiday Park                  

The Scrutiny Officer presented the report to the Committee with items that were due to be considered at the Committee meeting to be held on 27 January 2016 and sought confirmation of the information required for the subsequent scheduled meeting to be held on 23 March 2016

RESOLVED:

·           Members agreed the item on the Vibrant and Viable Places Programme would be presented at the meeting on 27 January 2016.

·           Members requested that the item on the Procurement of Waste Management Services at the Materials Recovery and Energy Centre (MREC) be scheduled as the second item for the meeting 27 January 2016.

·           Members agreed that items on Social Housing Allocation Policy (Common Housing Register) and the Housing function within BCBC and a report on the Cultural Partnership would be scheduled for the meeting on 23 March 2016.

Invitees:

Mark Shephard - Corporate Director – Communities

Satwant Price, Head of Regeneration and Development

Zak Shell, Head of Neighbourhood Services

Councillor Hywel Williams -   Cabinet Member for Communities

Joanne Norman - Finance Manager - Education Communities and Transformation

The Scrutiny Officer introduced the report to the Scrutiny Committee with the draft MTFS 2016-17 to 2019-20 which included a financial forecast for 2016-20 and a detailed draft revenue budget for 2016-17

Members were concerned at the loss of funding for community based regeneration projects as this area seemed to be badly hit year after year.  Members asked how the budget reduction would impact on the Directorate.  The Corporate Director Communities advised that this area was marked green as the savings had already been delivered and a restructure proposal was underway.   The Head of Regeneration and Development added that managing a change in expectation would be the most difficult challenge as staffing levels had been reduced by a third and the service had no Group Manager.

Members were concerned at the proposed reduction in budget to Ground Maintenance and Bereavement Services.  They stated that this was a concern with constituents as the Borough was looking more run down and untidy every week with pot holes, grass cutting, litter and dog fouling not being tended to as often as they needed.  Members felt the budget should have seen an increase in this area and not a reduction. 

Members also noted that fees had increased in bereavement services and were now amongst the highest in Wales but service levels had decreased.  They stated that the increase in fees should be put back into the service as it was upsetting and disrespectful for members of the public to see overgrown and run down grounds.  Members added if the service was not covering its own costs then it should look at how other Authorities operate or if it was more viable to externalise the service.  The Head of Neighbourhood Services stated that the Authority could look at the possibility of re-investing the fees but the budget reductions would need to be achieved elsewhere.  Another option to outsource the maintenance of the grounds would need to be approved by Cabinet and a tender put out for the contract.

Members sought clarification on the reduction to the Grounds and Maintenance Services and asked what percentage the reduction equated to.  They were also concerned that they did not have previous years reduction figures available to them so they were unable to see the true reflection of the reduction to the service overall.  The Finance Manager -Education, Communities and Transformation stated that the reduction equated to 6% and the previous years’ reduction was 24%. 

A Member suggested that by not tending to general wear and tear this could potentially be costing the Authority more in damages and repairs.  The Corporate Director Communities advised that the Authority were unable to maintain services as they did previously due to budget pressures in all areas.  He added the Authority were also looking to alieve the pressures through the Community Asset Transfer Scheme.

A Member asked if the Authority would be able to deliver at a Local Government level if approached by Welsh Government to support a new transport infrastructure system.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None