Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of 15 July 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of 15 July 2019 were confirmed and signed, subject to the following comments;

1.    In regards to minute number OSC11/19, point 2 should read; ‘Councillor Mason suggested that as opposed to holding additional meetings…’

Members to receive an update on the previous meeting’s Action Plan.

Members requested that the date of the meeting in which an action is raised, is added to the first column of the action plan.

In relation to Action 1 on the Action Plan; Councillor Booth thanked officers for their response but stated that the figures show that only 5% of breaches are resolved when a formal notice is issued by the Council. He suggested that these figures reflect that the Council could do more in relation to planning enforcement and asked that his comments are passed back to Nick Harding.

This report sets out the Council's progress in delivering the corporate objectives from April 2019 to July 2019.  This is to ensure that members have the most up to date information possible.

Members considered the Progress of Corporate Priority – Communities report.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows;

1.    Councillor Miscandlon asked what the Council are doing to support vulnerable members of the community to ensure they are receiving the help available to them. Councillor Mrs French explained that Dan Horn works closely with the Housing Options team and officers work hard to ensure people do not ‘slip through the net’.

2.    Councillor Hay highlighted that the cumulative figure provided for LP1 ARP1 (page 15 of the agenda pack) is below target for 19/20. Councillor Mrs French explained that the Council had originally been given a target of 12 days however this had been reduced this to 8 days. She added that Anglia Revenues Partnership (ARP) are currently recruiting which should further improve this figure.

3.    Councillor Hay asked how many Council Tax Billing Officers are currently recruited by ARP. Councillor Mrs French agreed to provide members with this information after the meeting.

4.    Councillor Booth questioned the green RAG rating for performance indicator LP1 ARP1 as whilst monthly the target has been exceeded, cumulatively it is underperforming. Peter Catchpole explained that the RAG rating has a 10% tolerance and therefore is still classified as a green RAG rating. He reiterated that the original target given to the Council was 12 days however the Council asked for this to be reduced to 8 days.

5.    Councillor Mrs French highlighted that considering the pressure the team are under, they are doing an exceptionally good job.

6.    Councillor Booth stated that the target reported to members should include the tolerance level of 10%.

7.    Councillor Miscandlon asked what action is being taken by the Council to ensure vulnerable members of the community are being supported. Councillor Mrs Wallwork explained that the Council liaise with outside agencies to ascertain whether contact has been maintained with these individuals and attempt to re-establish contact where necessary.

8.    Councillor Cornwell said whilst it is positive that work is underway in identifying Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs), he is concerned that a high number of HMOs may not have been identified (page 16 of the agenda pack). He asked what action the Council is taking to identify these properties. Councillor Miss Hoy explained that legislation changed in October 2018 and HMOs are now identified as properties in which five or more unrelated individuals form more than one household. HMOs now require a licence and whilst a number of licences have been applied for, there are still those outstanding. She explained that the Council have issued Press Releases in relation to this and officers inspect properties on a regular basis to ensure they are compliant.

9.    Councillor Miss Hoy explained to members the challenges surrounding the identification of HMOs and assured members that the Council are utilising the powers available to them in relation to enforcement action.

10.Councillor Booth asked for further assurance that the Council are using the powers available to them. Councillor Miss  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC14/19

Each year the Council is required to review its Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme. This report advises Overview and Scrutiny of the progress of the 2019 annual review and the resultant proposals for consultation for changes to the CTS scheme to take effect from April 2020.

The meeting reconvened at 4.40pm

Members considered the Council Tax Support – 2020/21 scheme report, presented by Councillor Boden.

Councillor Boden offered an apology to members of the Overview & Scrutiny Panel for his absence at the previous meeting where this item was due to be considered.

Councillor Miscandlon thanked Councillor Boden for his apology.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows;

1.    Councillor Hay asked if the Council had approached Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) again as per point 4.5 of the report (page 52 of the agenda pack). Councillor Mrs French explained that she believed CCC would not be contributing as no business case had been presented to them. She confirmed that she had raised this with the Leader of CCC and discussions were ongoing.

2.    Councillor Boden confirmed that CCC are willing to consider this, if a suitable business case is presented to them on this and other elements of the Council Tax system. However, he added that this would not happen this financial year.

3.    Councillor Cornwell agreed and asked that members support the undertaking of a detailed business case modelling of a future scheme. He explained that there would be no detrimental effect to residents this financial year and a business case detailing improvements that could be made to the Council Tax System, will be considered the following year.

4.    Councillor Boden asked members of the Overview & Scrutiny Panel to support the recommendation to introduce a fluctuating earnings rule to the treatment of Universal Credit (UC) as variable incomes can cause unfortunate consequences to those affected individuals as they receive repetitive and revised estimates and demands.

5.    Councillor Wicks asked if claimants ‘pay rotas’ will be considered. Councillor Boden confirmed that this is covered by legislation. He stated that whilst legally there are provisions, putting them into practice can be difficult. He explained that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are currently trialling the practical application of moving existing claimants on to UC and are looking to move all existing claimants on to UC by 2024.

6.    Councillor Hay raised concern from an equalities perspective about the treatment of a new UC claimant and an existing claimant with a change in circumstances, as different assessments are carried out and could result in different claim amount. Councillor Boden assured members that this cannot be challenged from an equality perspective as the administration of UC is being carried out as per legislation.

7.    Councillor Mason asked if consideration should be given to a tolerance level of £20 following the rise of the National Wage. Councillor Boden explained that it is a balancing act between incentivising people and unreasonable variations. Peter Catchpole explained that this has been considered and both ARP and other Local Authorities have decided that £15 is an appropriate tolerance level of fluctuation in earnings.

8.    Mark Saunders confirmed that a tolerance of £15 will be cost neutral to the Council. If the tolerance limit is increased further, the cost to the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC15/19

Report - To update Members on the annual statistics in relation to the Local Government and Health and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) and the Council's corporate '3Cs' procedure. This explains how we deal with the comments, compliments, correspondence and complaints we receive.

CONFIDENTIAL - ITEMS COMPRISING EXEMPT INFORMATION

To exclude the public (including the press) from a meeting of a committee it is

necessary for the following proposition to be moved and adopted: "that the public be excluded from the meeting for Items which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph 2 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) as indicated.

Letter - CONFIDENTIAL

Members considered the Annual Ombudsman Letter and 3Cs process report, presented by Councillor Boden (on behalf of Councillor Tierney).

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows;

1.    Councillor Miscandlon said he was impressed at the speed in which the Council had responded to the upheld complaint.

2.    Councillor Mason informed members that the Staff Committee are due to consider ‘3Cs Policy and Procedure on the Management of Unreasonable Complaint Behaviour’ report at the meeting on Monday 9 September 2019.

3.    Councillor Wicks highlighted that the upheld complaint was in relation to the leisure service. He asked if the ‘lessons learnt’ by the Council in relation to this complaint have been passed on to the new Leisure provider, Freedom Leisure. Councillor Boden confirmed that they had and the system, implemented as a result of the complaint, has been inherited by Freedom Leisure.

4.    Councillor Wicks asked if the ‘lessons learnt’ by the Council in relation to this complaint had been circulated to all public-facing officers. Councillor Boden explained that this was not necessary as the ‘lessons learnt’ were specific to the leisure service.

5.    Councillor Boden said the actions taken to mitigate the complaint should provide members with a great deal of confidence on how complaints are handled.

6.    Councillor Wicks asked if the Local Government Ombudsman’s (LGO) findings should be shared with other Local Authorities. Councillor Boden confirmed that this was not necessary however the results of the LGO review are available to view online.

7.    Councillor Miscandlon praised officers for their handling of the complaint.

8.    Councillor Boden suggested that when this item is considered by the Overview & Scrutiny Panel as part of the Future Work Programme, that a link is included in the report to the LGO website so members are able to view any complaints directly.

To consider the Draft Work Programme for Overview & Scrutiny Panel 2019/20.

Members agreed the Future Work Programme subject to the following comments;

Anna Goodall asked for clarification from members on their proposed approach to the forthcoming meeting with the Leader and Chief Executive (Overview & Scrutiny Panel meeting on 14 October 2019). Members agreed that they would like to receive the following;

·         A presentation delivered by the Leader and Chief Executive regarding key achievements and performance during the previous twelve months, how the organisation intends to move forward, hopes and vision for the future including an outline of the projects and programmes anticipated to deliver that vision.

·         The presentation should include how the Leader intends to address the budget deficit.

·         The presentation should include an outline of the major obstacles and pitfalls which the Chief Executive and the Leader foresee in relation to delivering against the vision and how they are being mitigated against (including information on the potential impact of Brexit on the Council).

Members asked that consideration is given to the format of future ‘Progress of Corporate Priority’ reports. It was agreed that officers would liaise with Councillor Miscandlon in relation to this.