Executive - Monday 9 December 2024, 7:30pm - Wandsworth Council Webcasting
Executive
Monday, 9th December 2024 at 7:30pm
Speaking:
An agenda has not been published for this meeting.
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Good evening.
Thanks for being here and welcome to this meeting of the Executive.
Are there any declarations of interest before we begin?
Okay.
Any apologies?
I think we have Councillor Akinola understood.
So if we can move to the matters for decision.
And this evening, a couple of nights before full Council meeting, we've got papers from
environment health housing children's and finance committees
So if we could take those in order
Turning first to environment
councillor gasser
Yes, thank you. Good evening everyone. So the first paper for consideration
came to our environment committee and the recommendation is to
Continue or extend the contract with enable which runs our parks and leisure
bereavement services and events and runs a lot of our council buildings, so they do all sorts of work for us.
So we're proposing to extend the contract for three years in the first instance, but with some changes.
So we are recommending that 14 of their staff transfer over to the council,
are brought in house, and that is to reflect and work on our ambitions.
Because I am very ambitious, we're all very ambitious in terms of biodiversity and nature and parks and
green spaces and all of that.
So we felt we would have better oversight, better control,
and better ambition working through offices in -house.
So 14 members of staff coming over
to be part of our ECS team, still working very closely
with their colleagues in ENABLE.
We are all one team together, but they
will be working for us.
And we think that's going to work very much better.
And on top of that, we renegotiated the contract price.
So it's a concession contract.
They have the use of all our facilities, they make money out of them, and they pay us a concession fee.
And going forward, we have agreed a concession fee of 3 .7 million per year.
But out of that, we the council will have some increased costs.
So we will be paying for the 14 staff, of course.
We are going to pay the utilities because that takes the risk out of the volatility of utility prices.
So that gives and enables some more security.
And the result of all that is we're expecting to be three or four hundred thousand pounds a year
Of growth for the council, so it's advantageous to the council and therefore to our residents
And it will achieve a lot more of our ambitions, so we're recommending that
So the executive is happy with that
Excellent thank you for that summary and congratulations on those successful negotiations
If there are no questions is that agreed
Thank you.
Thank you.
The next paper for consideration is the annual revision of charges.
We do this every year and of course our costs go up or our contractors costs go up, particularly
energy bills have gone up hugely and staff bills are going up.
So this year we are just recommending an inflation charge.
So we're recommending 2 .2 % on just about all of our charges across the board.
I think we think that's fair.
We do have a scheme where we help residents who are on the lower income.
We have this access for all scheme.
So those residents that qualify for that will get free charges, or no charges,
free services during off peak times and half price during peak times.
So that should support those residents very much.
And we have gone somewhat above 2 .2 % increase for
Certain commercial entities that may be high the big evolution site or something like that the big companies that can afford a little bit more
They're going to pay a little bit more because that helps subsidize the people that can't so that's the recommendation on those that paper
Excellent, thank you that seems to make sense. Is that agreed?
Thank you, thanks very much councillor gasser, and if it's alright if we can look to the health overview and scrutiny committee
Councillor Henderson.
Thank you.
Two papers.
The first is the commissioning of extra care services at Chester House and Ensham House.
Extra care perhaps is best described as a sort of halfway house between care in your
own home and actually having to be admitted full time to a care home.
So extra care is people living in purpose accommodation,
et cetera, so they're living actually in their own flats,
but there is someone on call 24 -7
in case they actually sort of need any assistance.
So they're people who essentially can look after themselves
substantially but have certain conditions
which may require some additional assistance.
Currently,
these are two properties
,
they are in Tooting.
They have been performing
very well
and so the proposal is to extend
their contracts
which are due to expire
on the 31st of August
of next year.
The proposal is to extend
their contracts
for another four years with an option
to extend further for another two years.
One very important aspect of this particular procurement
is that all you actually want to do is work
with the care providers.
I mean, the housing provider essentially will provide
someone to look after people to respond to their needs.
But we have found that quite a lot of people
who live in that accommodation lose touch
with the wider community and indeed have difficulties
in dealing with official, in the whole range
of different areas.
So what we're looking for is enhanced service
whereby the care providers will actually provide
considerably greater care for people to meet their needs
and hopefully ensure that they can actually stay
in extra care rather than actually having to progress
to the next level of moving into a formal care home.
So there is a slight sort of change
to the contract provision.
It's much more strategic, but the main provision
is simply a renewal for the current arrangements
at Chestnut House and Enscher House.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councillor Henderson.
If there are no questions, is that agreed?
Thanks so much.
Thank you.
The second paper is continued participation in the London sexual health and contraception
e -service.
It is an electronic service which certainly is taken off, perhaps not surprisingly, post
COVID
is quite extensively used
for example
that people can order HIV tests,
contraception
and a wide range of other services.
Currently we are one of 30 local
authorities
who are involved in the current contract
which is actually
run by the Corporation of London.
The contract doesn't expire
until 2026
but clearly
if we were to actually break away from our partnership agreement with the other 29 local authorities,
we would have actually had to make a much earlier decision to do so.
However, because the system is working very well, because there is certainly considerable uptake for the services,
the proposal is to continue with that assistance and service, certainly for the foreseeable future.
Thank you.
Thank you.
That's a really helpful summary.
And is it supported?
Excellent.
Thanks so much.
Moving on to the housing committee.
Councillor De Kloet.
We've got three papers to report.
The first is the vulnerable residents policy which we discussed at cabinet which is the
aim of it is to allow our services to be able to flag possible vulnerabilities within our
so that someone isn't having to tell the same story kind of over and over again.
And also adaptations can be made in terms of booking repairs,
making sure people are aware of some of the vulnerabilities that people might have.
So it's a good move to help us protect some of our tenants.
Is that supported?
Yeah, right.
The second paper is on our affordable housing update,
which is not in relation to the thousand homes but in regards much more to our pipeline of section 106 in private sites.
It does an update on the figures coming through and shows that as our administration moves forward,
we are seeing an increase in the delivery of affordable housing on private sites as well as an increase in social rent.
That outlines also our aspiration that will be taking place during our consultation in January,
public consultation on changing our local plan to increase that pipeline so that would be a
50 % affordable and private size with a 70 -30 split in terms of social rent
But things moving in the right direction
As they stand we're actually getting we're getting some private sites come forward with that
with our
proposed
Percentage types even though that isn't that isn't what the plan says at the moment
So supported
great
And then the final one is the housing services activity update which is basically that the homelessness paper
It goes through the challenges that we're faced in the final quarter of the year
Increase in demand for a statutory service and the budgetary implications for that
The
The cabinet will be aware that we're going to bring forward a host of measures to try and work out what we can do
to try and you know
Like I said, we've discussed this at length, but it's something affecting borrowers all
across London, but what we as a council can do to try and get back in control of the financial
overspend that's taken place because of the number of people that are presenting this
to the council.
This paper was more just highlighting the problem, but I thought it was important that
it was passed by cabinet because it does include an overspend.
Also, it's transparent in terms of the challenges that we face with social housing and social
housing weight in this.
And I think it links well with the positive news in the affordable housing update, but like I say it's it's a it's an area where London is seeing massive challenges.
Thanks very much is that proposal agreed?
Excellent and then next we have the
Children's Committee
Councillor Stock
Thank you chair
First paper to report is the Young Wandsworth youth strategy
So this is our bold and ambitious strategy about what we're going to do to improve youth
provision in the borough over the next 10 years.
So our ambition here that we set out in the strategy is about making sure that all young
people in the borough have access to a dynamic youth service with trusted relationships running
throughout what we want to do and making sure that we provide safe and welcoming environments
for young people to access those youth services.
So the paper particularly touched on the work we've been doing with young people and the
Youth Council already, thinking about a single identity for our youth provision across Wandsworth
so that young people recognise provision in their local area so we can increase access.
Also about investing in safe places and spaces for young people to come together and receive
youth services, not just our current youth clubs and family hubs, but also schools and
other council loan properties that we can encourage low or low cost or no rent
to increase the amount of youth provision by some of our partners. I
think most excitingly the paper also recommended the launch of the Wandsworth
Youth Partnership Board and we've already had engagement with our
voluntary sector partners, community partners and faith partners on the terms
of reference for that board and that's been really really well received by
those in the community and lots of interest in joining the boards and appetite for that.
So that's really exciting to bring those partners together in a new way of doing our youth services
and with the aspiration of growing that youth service going forward.
The strategy also talked on a desire for an agile and skilled workforce, not only investing
in our own workforce, but also working in partnership with our voluntary sector providers
to enable things like that.
So comments and joint training opportunities
to really have a collective offer across the borough
and also building on our work that the cabinet
and executive are aware about around digital poverty
to ensure children have access to laptops and data,
particularly with our partnership with Power to Connect
and a unique partnership with Apple
that's working with schools on digital skills as well.
And the strategy finally also touched on detached youth service and the work we're doing there
out in communities with youth workers building relationships with young people within their
communities, often housing estates, to reach those that are sometimes more difficult for
us to be able to reach.
That's great stuff.
Thank you very much.
Is it supported by the executive?
Very good.
The next paper that's reported is on play strategy or a new approach to play in the
borough.
This is really about the whole council putting children at the top of their agenda and particularly
play at the top of our agenda.
So I think we as an executive are committed to access for all in particular and what that
means in this context is really children having the opportunities available to them in the
borough in relation to play and some of those opportunities have diminished sadly because
of the pandemic but also the cost of living has exacerbated that and it's made it more
difficult for some families to be able to travel or afford some activities in the borough.
So strategy really talks to our ambition around access for all and the increasing partnerships
that we can build to enable families and children to access play. Also our investment in partnership
with Environment Directorate around the work we've done to improve our splash zones at Teating Lido,
our football pitches, Lady Allen which is our adventure playground for children with
special educational need and two current consultations ongoing in relation to that
investment for Latchmere Recreation Ground and also Teutong Lakeside.
Also about the work that is ongoing in our family hubs to make them welcoming spaces
where families can come together, connect, socialise, engage in play activities which
can promote child development and in those early years which we know is particularly
important and also around the work we're doing already around baby boxes, so really promoting
play and family bonds within the home, within the early years of a child's life. And then
a new exciting proposal around developing our own in one's a 10 by 10 programme, which
is 10 life -enriching activities before the age of 10 and hoping that London Borough Culture
can really spotlight play in the borough and really help us drive forward with this new
approach to play and making children in the borough everyone's business across the cabinet.
Brilliant. Thank you very much. If there's no questions, is that supported also?
Great.
Excellent.
And then the statutory complaints policy, so a new policy, I understand, arising out
of a recommendation from the Ombudsman in relation to adult social clear. So this is
just a policy so that all residents in the borough understand how to complain, but we
also have also set out in that policy how residents can come forward with some compliments,
And at the same time, committee also heard about our annual reports, which included both
complaints but also some positive compliments about the work that the directorate's been
doing with children and families in the borough.
Excellent.
Thanks so much.
And is that also supported?
I think there's one more for Children's.
Yes.
Thank you, Chair.
Something that the executive is aware of and a difficult paper and proposal to bring forward,
but as the executive is aware, Wandsworth currently maintains Bradstow School in Kent,
and that's been a school that we inherited since 1990 following the abolition of the Inner London Education Authority.
So Bradstow is a residential special school as the executive is aware.
It provides really much loved and valued care for some of our most vulnerable children.
But Wandsworth is one of 50 local authorities who now place children at that school.
As I said, it's located in Kent and Kent County Council are by far the largest user of that school with 14 children out of the 33.
who attend that school being placed by Kent County Council.
In contrast from Wandsworth, we only have four children attending that school at this time.
So Bradstow, as I said, is a really well regarded school and
the quality of their provision is really recognized.
And the consultation that we're proposing is no comment on the current leadership
of the school but because of the complex nature of the school and the unwillingness
of some councils to pay the level of fees and the debt that has accumulated
and there was some discussion at committee about extending debts and
refusal to pay uplifts by Kent County Council that's put a lot of pressure on
the financial viability of the school which can have an onward impact on the
quality of education and care that can be provided.
So as a consequence, the paper recommended to
propose to begin a consultation of closure of the school in August 2025.
And that really is a proposal of last resort and
nevertheless the closure recommendation is for a proposal following a comprehensive
consultation and very much want people to engage with that so that we can understand
and take into full account when we consider the responses to the consultation.
So as the Executive will also be aware, we've invested a lot of funding, 41 million over
the past two or three years in our local provision in the borough,
including converting Broadwater Primary School into a special education school
and a number of hubs and resource bases within our local primary schools and
secondary schools as well. So this decision to consult was really, as I said,
one of last resort. We had been working with Kent County Council for the past
three years in the hope of transferring the school to them.
But in October, we were informed by Kent County Council that they no longer wish to proceed with that transfer,
even though during the course of that negotiation, we had been willing to provide them with the land to support the financial viability of the school.
So, during committee, members of the committee heard a statement from the head teacher of
the school and clearly understood and recognized the impact that the consultation will have
on the school community.
There was an amendment that was proposed and discussed around delaying the consultation
to allow the school to pursue their work they're doing on other financial viability options.
That was discussed by committee but ultimately that was voted down.
Nevertheless, I have met with the head teacher, governors and other teachers and parents
since the committee and I hope that during the consultation process those options will
come forward so that they can be considered.
I have also too written to Kent County Council myself,
to the political leaders there,
to again invite them to reconsider their decision
not to move forward with the transfer of Bradshaw School
to themselves to keep it open into the future
and we await a response.
And I also hope to visit the school in the new year
to hear further from teachers and parents
while I'm there.
Thanks, Councillor Stock.
I know it's been a very difficult decision and not taken lightly.
And thank you to you and officers putting a lot of work behind the scenes.
I don't know if there's any comments or questions on that proposal.
If not, is it supported?
Thank you.
So next we're moving to the Finance Committee, Councillor Ireland.
I think we've got maybe eight papers to get through here.
Over to you.
Oh, thank you.
The first paper, 24375, is about Wandsworth Heritage Collections
Development Policy.
So this is really to agree our policy for deaccessioning items
in the collection.
There is an amendment requested.
I'll read the amendment.
The opposition requested that the executive considers
the wording of recommendation 2D to ensure that it does not
the request is that the Executive re -words the recommendation to ensure that any donations
that are deaccessioned are transferred over to other relevant organizations.
So are you proposing that? Yes, I'm proposing that. I need a seconder, please.
Thank you. And I wonder if you'd like to make any comments
about the sort of substantive proposals or are they self -explanatory?
It was simply to agree with the accession policy.
So having taken on board that we'd like to tidy it up very slightly,
are colleagues happy to approve the proposal?
Thank you.
Thank you.
The next paper is about the change program.
So this was an update paper.
Every six months we get an update paper to the committee
and this includes progress on the change program and the reorganization of various projects
into four themes. Great employer making ones with a great place to work, customer experience,
developing our digital work, and also place and partnerships.
So the next steps in the program is to develop business cases for 14 projects in Phase 1.
Now, the amendment referred on here is simply to reflect the change of responsibility so
that we delegate an authority.
It was with the executive director of finance.
We're proposing to move it to the executive director of change who's in charge of the
program.
Is that agreed?
Sounds sensible.
Thank you.
Thanks very much.
Paper 24377, infrastructure funding statement.
And this is simply a record of all the projects that have been funded from infrastructure
levy for last year up to the 31st of March, 2024.
Do we agree?
Thank you.
The next paper, 24378, is the medium -term financial strategy.
This models income and expenditure over the four frameworks for the next four years from
2024 to 2028.
It's part of the corporate plan and it forms the basis of the budget for 25 -26.
So this is simply a factual statement of what's happening and our predictions for the next four years.
For the general fund revenue, general fund capital, housing revenue account and dedicated schools budget.
Do we agree with that?
We agree with that.
Thank you very much.
The next paper is the Treasury Management Mid -Year Review.
Again, simply a record of the work that's been done so far this year, where we've increased
the income that we've earned from investments, simply because we've been clever with our
investments and we've got more cash to invest at the moment.
Again, that's simply a statement that tells us where we are this year.
Do we agree?
Thank you.
Following that, we've got the annual corporate complaints.
This is, this paper details, has a summary of all the complaints received for all departments, summarizing what's happened, with an emphasis really on lessons learned.
So it isn't just simply saying these are the complaints we've received, the paper will also include recommendations of what we can learn from that.
Are we agreed?
The next paper is 24382 and this is the debt write -off paper.
Now this details all the debts over £25 ,000 that the Executive Director of Finance has
a delegation to write off.
These are from residents and businesses who could be rent, council tax, business rates.
The difference this year is that we're very proud of this.
It's not just simply listing all the debts.
We've developed a debt fairness charter, which reflects our ambitions to be a compassionate council.
So we do recognize that it's important to collect these debts, but we think that we need to treat our residents and our businesses fairly.
And also, you're more likely to collect the debts if you can work with the residents of business and give them a chance to pay their debts.
I'm really pleased with the work offices have done on this.
So if somebody gets behind with their rent or council tax, they immediately contact the person,
ask if there's been a change of circumstances and what the council can do to help maximize the income of this resident.
The same for businesses, to help them manage the cost of living crisis and to develop financial sustainability.
And we're very proud of this policy and it was agreed by the minority party as well.
Thank you.
Do we agree that?
Thank you.
The final paper is budget variations. This is simply a statement of all the changes to budgets agreed at previous committees
Do we agree?
Thank you very much. Thank you
Excellent. Thanks very much cancer Island and to everyone for a busy and productive
Set of papers and a period we've been working on and that ends the executive meeting for this evening. Thank you
.