Brighton & Hove City Council
Policy & Resources Committee
4.00pm3 December 2020
Virtual
MINUTES
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Present: Councillor Mac Cafferty (Chair) Druitt (Joint Deputy Chair), Gibson (Joint Deputy Chair), Platts (Opposition Spokesperson), Bell (Group Spokesperson), Allcock, Clare, Miller, Yates and Williams |
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Also present: Standing Invitee – Dr A Sasidharan
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PART ONE
86 Procedural Business
(a) Declarations of Substitutes
86.1 Councillor Williams was present in substitution for Councillor Moonan.
(b) Declarations of Interest
86.2 Councillor Williams stated that she was a member of the Community Land Trust.
(c) Exclusion of Press and Public
86.3 The Committee considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any of the items listed on the agenda.
86.4 RESOLVED: That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the items contained in part two of the agenda.
87 Minutes
87.1 The minutes of the Policy & Resources Committee held on the 8th October 2020, the joint meeting of the Policy & Resources and Housing Committee held on 21st October 2020 and the Policy & Resources Urgency Sub-Committee held on the 13th November 2020 were approved as a correct record of the proceedings.
88 Chair's Communications
88.1 The Chair gave the following communication:
Firstly, as leader of the council I continue to ask that we maintain our focus on driving down the Covid-19 pandemic affecting everyone in our city. In a week that we emerge from the latest national lockdown and into Tier 2, the figures show some real improvement and tell us the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases locally has recently gone down. Context is important, as like everywhere in the country, the rate of infections in our city can change week to week. But I thank our city for the sacrifices they continue to make as it is having an effect. We all still have a part to play in driving down transmission - and protecting the vulnerable. Whatever happens in the run up to the holiday season, a focus on our individual actions will be absolutely vital. So that when we do have the vaccine, we can ensure our city puts its best foot forward.
Our efforts to
drive down Covid are essential so our city can get back to doing
what it does best. Our small businesses, hospitality, leisure and
cultural sectors are still facing an uncertain future next year.
The council is now moving swiftly to distribute business grants,
against a backdrop that means government initiatives – like a
pause on evictions from business premises – will soon come to
an end. We urge businesses to check if they can claim the latest
support grants and to apply.
Members of today’s committee will be asked to look at a
number of other ways that the council is being instructed to
respond and deal with the impact of Covid-19. While national news
focuses on a vaccine, I am clear that we cannot be complacent about
efforts still needed to drive down infections as we await more
detail on how this will work. The government’s proposed
response to the latest Covid-19 restrictions also includes an
expectation of additional enforcement. Councils are now being asked
to manage and deliver this enforcement, and though we only recently
received the legislation underpinning this new service, we
have moved quickly to ensure the detail that we do have can go
before committee today.
However I am under no illusion about the challenges Covid-19 poses
to every aspect of life in our city and to our local economy. The
council is now beginning the process of preparing the budget for
the next financial year. Like councils up and down the country our
own budget will not be immune from the pressures of this year and
against the backdrop of a loss in government grant funding over the
past ten years. The National Audit Office report that in Brighton
and Hove, the amount of government funding has fallen by a
staggering 53% in real terms since 2010. We operate our budget in
an increasingly difficult context.
We know too that residents will need more support, not less; the
number of people needing urgent mental health care is expected to
rise; and the LGA has warned that demand for council homes will
double as incomes are hit hard by the pandemic. The spending review
offered some welcome news and was long awaited, in order that it
could be reflected in today’s budget report. Yes, there is
some welcome news: much needed funding for social care and extra
support for housing and homelessness, for instance, but it
won’t tackle the housing crisis or support the rapidly rising
need for care for our vulnerable adults. There are huge challenges
ahead and we are looking hard at how the council’s budget can
still support our communities. As the pandemic stays with us, we
are pushing hard to support those in need, support our local
economy and bring down infections.
Members will also note that a report on the city’s resilience
to another uncertainty – Brexit – is also on the agenda
for discussion today. I want to thank all officers and partners for
their diligent work to prepare our city given repeatedly changing
information, and in light of the fact that the end of the
transition period is now just weeks away. Residents from the EU are
being encouraged to apply for settled status and I would urge all
councillors to reach out to those in their communities to remind
them we want them to stay and keep being a key part of our city. In
the same week that a Covid-19 vaccine has been developed, by German
owned, Turkish researchers, produced in Belgium, and procured by
the UK, we are truly reminded of the value and strength of our
European partnerships.
Finally I’m sure committee join me in celebrating that
Brighton and Hove has become the first UK city to achieve
‘Gold’ sustainable food city award.
This award recognises the city's pioneering approach to improving
the food system. It is the culmination of many years of work by
dozens of organisations, hundreds of groups and thousands of people
from all walks of life and every part of the food system.
With an environment of rising unemployment, winter fuel bills and
economic uncertainty, we know that we need to prepare for an
ongoing need for food & other support. The council and Brighton
& Hove Food Partnership has coordinated the city’s
emergency food response since lockdown, and there have been many
successes and challenges along the way. This year has also seen
child hunger at the forefront of the national news once again
– and we continue to support the food partnership. On top of
existing work, today members will also discuss how we can continue
to ensure no child goes hungry in the city. The winter grant money
received after the lobbying of Marcus Rashford on the travesty of
child hunger has been handed to councils with the intention that it
be used to address not just food poverty but also financial
hardship, and we want to ensure this funding also means people
struggling to make ends meet are given reprieve through support
with their fuel bills and other costs. We also know it will be
essential to reach more people than only those defined by the
government’s eligbility, such as migrants and
refugees.
We are reminded by the harsh consequences of Covid-19 of the role
food plays in our lives, and in our health, community and
wellbeing. The news of the city’s gold food award holds a
candle in the dark in an otherwise difficult year and reminds us
once again of the strength of communities in Brighton and
Hove.
89 Call Over
89.1 The following items on the agenda were reserved for discussion:
Item 93 - Recovery and Renewal Programme
Item 94 - Next Steps – Rough Sleeping and Accommodation during Covid 19 Pandemic and Recovery
Item 95 - Covid Winter Grant Scheme
Item 98 - Targeted Budget Management 202/21 - Month 7
Item 99 - Draft Budget and Resource Update 2021/22
Item 100 - Circular Economy Routemap
Item 101 - Waterfront Project Conditional Land Acquisition Agreement Standstill
Item 104 - Brighton Bikeshare Reorganisation
Item 105 - BAME Pay Gap Reporting
Item 106 - Brexit Resilience & Planning
Item 109 - Provision of Home Improvement Agency Services
Item 111 - Additional Condition Funding Allocation
Item 112 - Youth Employment Hub
89.2 The following items on the agenda were agreed without discussion:
Item 93A - Vaccination – Brighton Centre
Item 95A - Covid 19 – Update on Legislation
Item 96 - Progress Update Corporate Key Performance Indicators Q2 202-2021
Item 97 - Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2020/21 Mid-Year Review
Item 102 - Disposal By Lease of Ex Garage Site at Hinton Close, Hollingdean
Item 103 - Disposal By Lease of Small Site at Natal Road, Moulsecoomb
Item 107 - An Update on the Economic Strategy for Brighton & Hove
Item 108 - Brilliant Brighton Business Improvement District New Ballot
Item 110 - New Homes for Neighbourhoods Eastergate Road – Modular Pilot
Item 113 - Appointment of Cllr Deane as the Council’s Anti-Slavery Champion
90 Public Involvement
90(a) Petitions
90.1 There were no petitions.
90(b) Written Questions
90.2 There were no Written Questions
90(c) Deputations
90.3 The Committee considered a Deputation relating to the Ban on Game Brid Releases on Council Land. The Deputation was presented by Mr K Greaves.
90.4 The Chair provided the following response
Thank you for your Deputation regarding a ban on game bird releases.
We are making enquiries with our farming tenants with regards to the information you are seeking, namely details of locations, stocking figures (past and present) of game birds released on shoots across the Brighton and Hove Downland Estate. We will share what information we can successfully obtain but would advise that those parties undertaking these activities are within their legal rights to withhold sharing this information from the Council. With regard to options and mechanisms for controlling the release of game birds with the specific intention of ending this practice we have sought advice from both our solicitors and managing agents on this matter. For the avoidance of doubt the Council have reserved all shooting rights from their leases for some considerable period of time. We can with confidence confirm that no shooting rights have been let since 2005 and as far as we are aware no shooting rights have been let since the late 1970’s. We do have two historical Agricultural Holdings Act leases where shooting rights were not reserved by the Council. The Council has sought a legal opinion specifically in relation to Waterhall Farm and were advised that should the matter be referred to arbitration in all likelihood any Tribunal would find in favour of the tenant. We are aware of the supporting evidence you have kindly provided. We recognise the potential for affects on biodiversity and possibly climate change on our important chalk downland and habitats and through our current City Downland Estate Plan consultation/engagement process are looking to find how we can best contribute to these emergencies. In addition to this we have also been following DEFRAs(Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) review of game bird releases and all the evidence that has been submitted and considered as part of their review. The Secretary of State has proposed a number of measures as a result of the review including:-
· A new interim licensing regime for the 2021 releases of common pheasant and red-legged partridge within European protected sites and within a 500m buffer zone around these sites.
· Improvements to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) poultry register.
· Review and improve the existing consenting regime.
· Improve monitoring of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas.
Where a ban cannot be legally enforced by the Council we would of course support the measures being proposed by the Secretary of State. Other possible measures that we could consider in an attempt to end this practice are:-
· Purchasing the shooting rights from the tenant(s) assuming of course the tenant(s) were willing to sell them.
· Breaking the farm tenancy(s) that permit game shooting by offering a surrender premium. The level of premium would be substantial given the extent of the area in question.
Given the short time available since receiving your deputation we have not been able to establish what the likely cost of these two options might be. Our Agents have however indicated that the Council would have to acquire or lease the sporting rights across the two holdings at full market value and the costs would be significant and well into the £100,000s against the backdrop of the council’s challenged budgetary position. The first stage is to establish whether the tenants are willing to surrender their rights.
90.5 RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to call for an officer report.
91 Items Referred from Council
91.1 To consider the following items referred from the Council meeting held on the 22 October 2020:
Petitions
(i) BAME Pay Gap
91.2 The Committee considered the petition referred from Full Council held on 22 October 2020 signed by 84 people.
91.3 The Chair provided the following response:
I note that we have a report on this matter - Item 105 on the agenda is BAME Pay Gap Reporting and so I propose noting this petition.
91.4 RESOLVED: That the petition be noted.
(ii) Basic Income Trial for Brighton and Hove
91.5 The Committee considered the petition referred from Full Council held on 22 October 2020 signed by 2308 people.
91.6 The Chair provided the following response:
Universal Basic Income systems have been trialled in a number of countries and may offer some potential advantages over the current welfare benefits system. It would be interesting to understand how such a scheme could be designed to help to avoid current benefit poverty traps and help to address the growing inequality of earnings across the country.
In supporting any trial, the council would wish to be assured that no-one would end up receiving less financial support than through the current benefit system, particularly disabled people. The system is also likely to require additional staffing resources and new systems in order to implement the scheme and process payments. Keeping the system simple for both people and administrators will be important to minimise costs. Given the Council’s challenging financial situation, the Council would wish to be assured that any Government trial provides funding for the additional administrative burden placed on the Council or partner authorities involved in any pilot. I would suggest calling for an Officer Report.
91.7 RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to call for an Officer Report.
(iii) Homeless Shelter Morley Street
91.8 The Committee considered the petition referred from Full Council held on 22 October 2020 signed by 4,519 people.
91.9 The Chair provided the following response:
At the present time Brighton & Hove City Council are not looking at the acquisition of permanent shelter style accommodation for homeless people as it is contrary to Public Health England and Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) guidance on the delivery of safe services to people who are at risk of or have been rough sleeping.
Brighton & Hove City Council has worked hard during the Covid-19 pandemic to meet the government target to bring ‘Everyone In’ and has been successful in an initial bid for transition funding to enable both those housed during the lockdown and those found rough sleeping subsequently to move into sustainable forms of suitable accommodation receiving the largest single award outside the combined London authorities. We are continuing to work with the MHCLG on longer term projects to meet the accommodation and support needs of this group and were successful in a revenue and capital award to deliver sustainable long term accommodation in self-contained units of housing. However it should be noted that the council is still facing substantial pressures on budgets to meet the needs of homeless people in the city.
In line with MHCLG and Public Health England guidance none of this accommodation will include the provision of shelters. We know, thanks to research completed by Crisis and other organisations that put homeless people at the centre of their work, that shelters have poor outcomes and that, particularly due to the pandemic but also more generally, they do not offer a safe environment for people to address the often complex needs that led to them becoming homeless.
As a city we are working with the MHCLG, partners and stakeholders on improving our offer to people who are at risk of or have been rough sleeping by offering self-contained accommodation in short stay assessment hubs with rapid move on to long term accommodation options including Housing First. We believe that this will enable us to best meet the needs of people who become homeless in Brighton & Hove.
Does the Committee agree to note the petition?
91.10 RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to note the petition.
Deputation
(i) Gasworks Site, East Brighton
91.11 The Committee considered the Deputation referred from Full Council held on 22 October 2020.
91.12 The Chair provided the following response:
In my response to Council I outlined the measures in place through legislation and planning to ensure that public health is safeguarded when sites such as this are decontaminated. This is a highly technical and regulated process; and is licensed and overseen by the Health and Safety Executive. I am assured that this will be carefully and thoroughly considered as part of the planning process and that if these standards are not met, then works on the site cannot proceed. By way of an update, the applicants submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report during the summer. Key internal and external consultees have been consulted and have provided a Scoping Opinion. Both documents are now available on the council website.
I therefore recommend that this deputation is noted and passed to the Planning Service to be noted and dealt with as a representation on a future planning application. Does the Committee agree to Note the Deputation?
91.13 RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to note the Deputation.
92 Member Involvement
92.1 Councillor Miller put the following question:
After the Conservative Group amendment at Budget Council 2019 was agreed to increase environmental protection fines to their maximum allowable raising an estimated extra £40,000 per annum for graffiti removal, please may I ask what these funds have been used for and how many additional pieces of graffiti have been removed? Including the percentage increase in removal of pieces graffiti under the old budget compared to this new budget.
92.2 The Chair gave the following response:
The Environmental Enforcement Services has been significantly affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. The issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices was suspended from 14th March to 9th June and continues to be affected by the current lockdown arrangements. This has meant it has not been possible to issue the same volume of fines as last year. Last year, in the equivalent time period (once the service was running after it had been brought in-house), 255 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued. £27,250 was received from these fines and 21 are at the prosecution stage. It is important to remember that the Environmental Enforcement team is self-funding; they must cover their costs first before the surplus money can be spent on other initiatives. 1233 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued since 1 April 2020. Nevertheless, Cityclean continues to tackle graffiti via the Graffiti Reduction Strategy. At the September Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee, Members approved a new enforcement framework to tackle the scourge of graffiti on private property.
Other activities delivered since the update to September ETS Committee include:
· Starting the implementation of the private property enforcement process
· Developing signage to install in graffiti hotspot areas, warning people that graffiti is criminal damage, that mobile CCTV operates in the area and that offenders will be prosecuted
· Meeting with the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Probation Service to discuss how community payback activities can support us in removing graffiti from across the city
Between 1st April 2019 and 30th November 2019, 175 pieces of graffiti were removed. Between 1st April this year and 26th November, 163 bits of graffiti have been removed. Caution does need to be used with these figures as often graffiti will be removed as a result of word of mouth or the operatives driving passed. These figures relate to instances recorded on Cityclean’s system. Work is underway to improve data capture. The council cannot remove graffiti from across the city on its own – property owners must play their part too. We saw during the Keep Brighton & Hove Tidy activities in September the difference that can be made when we all work together. That’s why I continue to call on businesses and property owners to clear graffiti from their property.
92.3 Councillor Miller asked the following supplementary question:
What more can be done to prevent this apart from increasing the budget?
92.4 The Chair provided the following response:
The level at which a fixed penalty notice was issued could be reviewed, and I would welcome a cross-party review of that. I will ask the Assistant Director City Environmental Management to provide a written response with the current initiatives in place to address the level of graffiti.
93 Covid-19 Recovery & Renewal Programme Update
93.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture which provided an update on the progress of the Covid-19 Recovery & Renewal Programme.
93.2 Dr Sasidharan referred to the citywide recovery for children and young people and asked what the preliminary lessons learned were, she noted that medically appropriate food would be provided and asked if that would be culturally appropriate food, she asked if the communications would be provided in an easy to read format which could be particularly beneficial for those whose first language was not English, and asked why staff were encouraged to wear face masks rather than it being mandatory. In response the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture said that work was being done with the Food Partnership to look at how we think about food as a whole system for the City, but it was early days and staff would be recruited to do that, and work was also being done with the Greater Brighton Economic Board as a lot of the food economy covered the wider region, as far as he was aware culturally appropriate food was available but there were different providers such as the food provided by national government and some provided from local community food hubs etc and so would provide a more detailed answer after the meeting, with regard to communications he would consult with the Communications Team and provide a written response, and with regard to the preliminary lessons learned he would consult with colleagues and provide a written response; with regard to face coverings the majority of staff were working from home but those who weren’t would be required to wear them.
93.3 Councillor Platts referred to paragraph 3.3 and asked what the governance arrangements were for the working groups and if there were member involvement; noted that there was funding for individuals who were self-isolating and in poverty to buy food and essentials and asked how that was publicised, and if a breakdown could be provided of Wards where claims were made and subsequently paid out and how the £300k was allocated; and noted that the University of Sussex had attended the Food Working Group to share intelligence and asked what that was. The Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture said that the working groups were working at different levels depending on what was required with some dealing with more reactive issues and were meeting weekly and some looking at longer-term issues but there was no member involvement. With regard to the funding available for food the Revenues and Benefits Team would provide a report on the payments made. With regard to the £300k grant, a report had come to this committee and a copy would be provided. With regard to the University of Sussex he did not have that information but would find out and provide a written response.
93.4 Councillor Platts proposed the following amendment to the recommendations (changes bold):
2.1 That the committee notes this progress update report
2.2 That the committee also calls for a further report that gives due consideration to paid positions at key food hubs around the city, that are currently reliant on volunteers alone;
2.3 That the committee further calls for more detailed reports on the recovery areas covered by the working groups, to the next meeting of the P&R Recovery (Sub) Committee due to take place on 6th January.
93.5 Councillor Williams seconded the proposed amendment.
93.6 The Committee voted and agreed the amendment.
93.7 RESOLVED: That the Committee -
(i) Noted this progress update report
(ii) Called for a further report that gives due consideration to paid positions at key food hubs around the city, that are currently reliant on volunteers alone
(iii) Called for more detailed reports on the recovery areas covered by the working groups, to the next meeting of the P&R Recovery (Sub) Committee due to take place on 6th January.
93A
aMass Vaccination Centre - Brighton Centre
93A.1 The Item was agreed without discussion.
93A.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Noted the Urgency Decision made by the Executive Director Economy, Environment and Culture to grant a licence for occupation of the Brighton Centre as a COVID19 Mass vaccination centre.
(ii) Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture to extend the licence arrangements if required.
94 Next steps - Rough Sleeping and Accommodation during Covid 19 Pandemic and recovery
94.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Housing Neighbourhoods & Communities and Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care which informed Members that in response to the Covid-19 emergency and in line with Government guidance the Council made an accommodation offer during the first lockdown available to all rough sleepers and those assessed as at risk of rough sleeping in the city. The Council have worked with Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England (HE) to secure funding to cover the cost of this accommodation and provide for move on options through our Next Steps Accommodation Programme (NSAP) bid.
94.2 Councillor Miller asked for clarity on Recommendation 2.15. The Executive Director Housing Neighbourhoods & Communities said that it was thought that the cost of continuing the offer of accommodation to the end of the financial year would be just under £1m, but if those people were still in the emergency accommodation at the end of the financial year there would be further cost pressures which would impact on future years.
94.5 Dr Sasidharan suggested the report could have benefited from an Equality Impact Assessment although she accepted one would be carried out later. The Executive Director Housing Neighbourhoods & Communities agreed that it was important to be clear about equality implications and that would be provided when the offer and the financial implications were reviewed.
94.6 RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed -
(i) That the Executive Director of Housing Neighbourhoods & Communities and the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care be granted delegated authority to secure accommodation up to the end of March 2021, by entering into contracts to extend existing arrangements or alternative arrangements where necessary to extend the provision of shorter-term/interim accommodation acquired in response to the Covid 19 pandemic to 31st March 2021;
(ii) That funding be agreed until 31st March 2021 for the floating support required to enable people to move on to private rented accommodation who are in need of support to sustain and manage a tenancy so it is a viable option at an estimated cost of £0.086m, as detailed in paragraph 3.14 of the report. If agreed, this financial pressure will be reflected in future Targeted Budget Management (TBM) reports to P&R committee;
(iii) That in line with the NSAP funding allocation, the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care be granted delegated authority to enter into a contract with St Mungo’s as a partner to the bid and as set out in the bid to deliver 20 units of high support accommodation as set out in paragraph 3.14 of the report;
(iv) That the NSAP funding allocation be noted and the spend in line with grant conditions be agreed;
(v) That consideration be given to continuing to accommodate those assessed as at risk of rough sleeping who do not who do not fall within NSAP funding conditions beyond 30 September 2020 or statutory provisions (excluding those who have NRPFs except those to whom we have a statutory duty as outlined elsewhere in the report) during the on-going pandemic at a maximum cost of £0.986m for 2020/21, as outlined in in paragraphs 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5 of the report;
(vi) That it be noted that if recommendation (5) above is approved, this could create a potential commitment in 2021/22 of between £1.4m and £1.9m. This will need to be reflected in the budget process for 2021/22;
(vii) That the MHCLG contribution of £1.752m in capital funding towards the purchase of 30 new homes for rough sleepers and that approval of the new HRA capital budget for this purchase will be brought as part of the TBM 7 report to the December P&R Committee be noted.
95 COVID Winter Grant Scheme
95.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which sought approval for the partial use of the Covid Winter Grant Scheme to ensure the provision of meals during school holiday times for pupils entitled to free school meals and others identified as possibly in need including those under 5 years old.
95.2 The Chair noted that two amendments to the report had been submitted by Councillor Allcock (Labour Group) and Councillor Miller (Conservative Group). However, both Councillor Allcock and Councillor Miller asked to withdraw their amendments and to submit a composite one. The Committee agreed to the withdrawal of the amendments to be replaced by a composite amendment.
95.3 Councillor Allcock proposed the following amendment (changes in bold)
2.1
That the Committee agrees
to allocate approximately £0.320m
£0.533m of grant funding to ensure the
provision of a £15
£25supermarket food voucher per week over the
winter 2020 and February 2021 half term holiday periods for
families whose children are entitled to free school meals or
similar circumstances.
2.2
That the Committee agrees to
allocate approximately £0.060m
£0.100m of grant funding to ensure the
provision of a £15
£25supermarket food voucher per week over the
winter 2020 and February 2021 half term holiday periods for
families whose children qualify for free childcare places for two
year olds, Early Years Pupil Premium and using the children
centres’ food bank.
2.3 That the Committee note the proposal to explore how families who do not meet the above eligibility criteria but need support can be supported via existing mechanisms and the use of targeted services in the city such as Amaze, Allsorts and Voices in Exile.
2.4 That the Committee note the proposal to explore how the grant can support specific initiatives over the 2020 festive period such as gifts.
2.5 That the Committee receives an update on progress in rolling out the grant on 21 January with specific emphasis on how families who do not meet the above eligibility criteria are being supported.
95.4 Councillor Miller seconded the amendment.
95.5 Councillor Miller asked for confirmation that any supermarket voucher was per child rather than per family and was advised it was per child.
95.6 Councillor Druitt asked if the possibility of including local businesses and shops in the scheme could be considered. The Executive Director Families Children & Learning said that due to the tight timescale before the Christmas holidays it wouldn’t be possible now but could be considered for the vouchers for the February half-term.
95.7 Councillor Gibson referred to the amendment and the possible increase of the value of the voucher and asked how that would impact on other things the grant may have been used for. The Executive Director Families Children & Learning that there was a finite amount of money and if the value of the vouchers for those eligible for free school meals was higher than £15 there would be less money available to support those families who maybe in food poverty but were not entitled to the vouchers.
95.8 Councillor Clare noted that the funding was expected to be split 80:20 to support families with children and others and asked if the proposed amendment to the vouchers would mean that that split was adhered to. The Executive Director Families Children & Learning said it would.
95.9 The Committee voted on the proposed amendment and it was agreed.
95.10 RESOLVED: That the Committee -
(i) Agreed to allocate approximately £0.533m of grant funding to ensure the provision of a £25 supermarket food voucher per week over the winter 2020 and February 2021 half term holiday periods for families whose children are entitled to free school meals or similar circumstances;
(ii) Agreed to allocate approximately £0.100m of grant funding to ensure the provision of a £25 supermarket food voucher per week over the winter 2020 and February 2021 half term holiday periods for families whose children qualify for free childcare places for two year olds, Early Years Pupil Premium and using the children centres’ food bank;
(iii) Noted the proposal to explore how families who do not meet the above eligibility criteria but need support can be supported via existing mechanisms and the use of targeted services in the city such as Amaze, Allsorts and Voices in Exile;
(iv) Noted the proposal to explore how the grant can support specific initiatives over the 2020 festive period such as gifts;
(v) Receives an update on progress in rolling out the grant on 21 January with specific emphasis on how families who do not meet the above eligibility criteria are being supported.
95A
aCovid 19: Udate on new legislation
95A.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
95A.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Approved the amended delegations to the Executive Director of Health and Adult Social Care as set out at Appendix 1 to the report (the new section inserted is in paragraph 6 and shown in bold italics);
(ii) Noted the updated information relating to the role of temporary Covid Information Officers as set out in the report.
96 Progress update Corporate Key Performance Indicators Q2 2020-21
96.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
96.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the progress made in relation to Corporate KPIs, particularly the corrective measures outlined for ‘red’ and ‘amber’ indicators and provides support and challenge to lead officers to bring performance back on track.
97 Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2020/21 - Mid Year Review
97.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
97.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Noted the key actions taken during the first half of 2020/21 to meet the TMSS and the investment strategy as set out in this report;
(ii) Noted the reported compliance with the AIS for the period under review;
(iii) Noted that the approved maximum indicator for investment risk of 0.05% has been adhered to and the authorised borrowing limit and operational boundary have not been exceeded.
98 Targeted Budget Management (TBM) 2020/21:Month 7
98.1 The Committee considered the report of the Acting Chief Finance Officer which set out the forecast risks as at Month 7 (October) on the Council’s revenue and capital budgets for the financial year 2020/21.
98.2 Councillor Druitt noted that the report showed that the impact of Covid on the Council was £33m and the Government grant received was £23m, which meant that £10m has had to be covered by the Council and asked what the implications would be for the next budget. The Acting Chief Finance Officer said that the Council had tried to recoup as much money as possible and there would be some reductions in spend such as casual staff, some staff had been furloughed and the Council were looking at suppliers and if they hadn’t provided the full range of services they were contracted for there would be negotiations on what they would be paid.
98.3 Councillor Miller asked if the £23m included the 75% the Government was likely to pay for the fees and charges losses and the business connection fund deficit, and was advised that it would. He noted that there was an underspend on corporate budgets of 51%, and was advised that the main reason for that was within that budget was the grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government for next steps homelessness, and as that would cover both rough sleeping and aspects of homelessness it would be split between two Directorates in due course.
98.4 Councillor Yates noted there was a big budget pressure on providing temporary accommodation and asked how that would be addressed in future budgets, and was advised that the budget only supported 36 placements but there currently over 100 placements and there would be a pressure on the budget if people couldn’t be moved on to sustainable settings as quickly as hoped. The situation did need to be closely monitored and may need some one-off costs to be met.
98.5 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Noted the forecast risk position for the General Fund, which indicates an overspend of £0.030m. This includes an overspend of £0.313m on the council’s share of the NHS managed Section 75 services.
(ii) Noted the forecast net Collection Fund deficit of £11.818m;
(iii) Noted the forecast for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) which is currently an underspend of £0.860m;
(iv) Noted the forecast risk position for the Dedicated Schools Grant which is an overspend of £0.348m;
(v) Noted the forecast outturn position on the capital programme which is a forecast underspend of £3.171m;
(vi) Approved a transfer of £0.440m from the current HRA underspend to create an earmarked reserve for the catch-up of responsive repairs works in 2021/22 as set out in Appendix 4.
99 Draft Budget and Resource Update 2021/22
99.1 The Committee considered the report of the Acting Chief Finance Officer which provided an update on the draft budget.
99.2 In response to questions from Councillor Miller, the Acting Chief Finance Officer confirmed that in Table 3 there was no funding shown for the ‘revolving door fund for community wealth building via an on-lending pilot’ as it was expected to be self-funding and whilst there would be some start-up costs they hadn’t yet been estimated; Table 5 showed how the budget gap had moved and there was an assumed funding of £4m for ACS SR, but what was received was £4.4m so was £400k more; and Table 6 did assume future Covid grants.
99.3 In response to questions from Councillor Yates it was confirmed that as the Madeira Terraces Arches had been put on the ‘at risk’ register there could be additional funding available: in Table 3 the SCRIF and other funding had been listed separately but that could be covered in one programme heading and would be looked at going forward; the investment in the Environmental Education Strategy would be a programme across more than one year; and in Table 10 there was an assumption of a 1% increase of fees and charges but that had been made before the pandemic and services could suggest other increases.
99.4 Councillor Miller proposed the following amendment (changes in bold):
2.1 Notes the updated forecasts and latest resource information set out in the report.
2.2 Notes the Draft Budget Strategies at Appendix 1 including the areas of focus for potential savings.
2.3 Notes the early draft budget savings proposals at Appendix 2.
2.4 Notes that the full set of draft budget proposals and Equality Impact Assessments will be brought the January Policy & Resources Committee together with an update on the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement.
2.5 Notes the revised timetable including the impact on proposed consultation timelines set out in Section 7.
2.6 Notes that subsequent decisions, updated financial data and information from central government regarding the Local Government Financial Settlement (LGFS) are likely to impact further on the development of budget proposals for 2021/22.
2.7 Agrees to the un-pausing un-pause and continued pausing of the all capital schemes as set out in paragraph 5.18 table 8.
99.5 Councillor Bell seconded the proposed amendment.
99.6 In response to Councillor Yates’s question on the Acting Chief Finance Officers comments on the proposed amendment, he was advised that the Council’s Capital Programme had known commercial yield schemes in it in order to attract both the certainty rate but also to be able to access any PWLB, so the real trigger for a problem would be if the Council tried to access any borrowing in relation to this scheme and for next year the Council would need to be able to demonstrate that it had replaced that scheme with something different. It would not be possible to access PWLB loans and would therefore need to look at commercial loans but the rates for those were likely to be higher. It would not be possible to provide a figure for the additional costs but could be supplied after the meeting.
99.7 Councillor Gibson said that the PWLB had favourable rates and it would irresponsible to lose that.
99.8 Councillor Miller said that the un-pausing of such a capital programme would not jeopardise access to PLWB borrowing.
99.9 The Committee voted on the amendment and it was not agreed.
99.10 RESOLVED: That the Committee
(i) Noted the updated forecasts and latest resource information set out in the report;
(ii) Noted the Draft Budget Strategies at Appendix 1 including the areas of focus for potential savings;
(iii) Noted the early draft budget savings proposals at Appendix 2;
(iv) Noted that the full set of draft budget proposals and Equality Impact Assessments will be brought the January Policy & Resources Committee together with an update on the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement;
(v) Noted the revised timetable including the impact on proposed consultation timelines set out in Section 7;
(vi) Noted that subsequent decisions, updated financial data and information from central government regarding the Local Government Financial Settlement (LGFS) are likely to impact further on the development of budget proposals for 2021/22;
(vii) Agreed to the un-pausing and continued pausing of the capital schemes as set out in paragraph 5.18.
100 Circular Economy Routemap
100.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture which outlined the progress to date, of development of the Circular Economy Routemap; the key areas of focus and asked Committee to agree the recommendations for moving forward.
100.2 In response to questions from Councillor Platts the Executive Director Economy Environment & Culture said that the Carbon Neutral Working Group could potentially also have oversight of the progress delivery of the Circular Economy Programme rather than creating another working group and would be happy to discuss that further; he was not aware of public sector institutions such as the NHS were stakeholders as set out in paragraph 3.16 of the report; and the Communications Team were looking at how the initiative of a Circular Economy Routemap would be explained to residents of the City.
100.3 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Agreed the Mission and Vision in the Circular Economy Routemap;
(ii) Agreed that a Circular Economy Programme is developed;
(iii) Agreed that a circular economy online platform is developed to engage external stakeholders to support the development of a circular economy;
(iv) Agreed that a Members Working Group is set up to provide cross-party support and maintain close member involvement in and oversight of progress delivery of the Circular Economy Programme, the development of a Circular Economy Action Plan, and approves the Terms of Reference at Appendix 2.
101 Waterfront Project Conditional Land Acquisition Agreement: Standstill Agreement Extension
101.1 The Committee considered the report of The Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture which sought Members agreement to extend the Standstill Agreement as approved by the Policy & Resources Committee on 5 December 2019, in relation to the Conditional Land Acquisition Agreement (CLAA) signed in April 2019 with Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI).
101.2 Councillor Miller proposed the following amendment (changes in bold)
2.1 That the Committee authorises the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture to extend the current Standstill Agreement for the period of one year from 16 December 2020 to 15 December 2021 and indicates that no further extension will be agreed;
2.2 That the Committee notes that steps will be taken to develop a project brief which sets out the key principles necessary to enable the preparation of a revised masterplan for the Central site, as set out at 3.4, and note that a report and recommendations will be presented to this Committee for approval in Spring 2021.
101.3 Councillor Bell seconded the proposed amendment.
101.4 In response to a question from Councillor Platts the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that there were a number of reasons for the delay, the pandemic had impacted on both officers and Aberdeen Standard Investments but also the economy and the world was changing and so extra time was needed to think what the future for the City and that of the retail sector would be.
101.5 The Committee voted on the amendment and it was agreed.
101.6 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Authorised the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture to extend the current Standstill Agreement for the period of one year from 16 December 2020 to 15 December 2021 and indicates that no further extension will be agreed;
(ii) Noted that steps will be taken to develop a project brief which sets out the key principles necessary to enable the preparation of a revised masterplan for the Central site, as set out at 3.4, and note that a report and recommendations will be presented to this Committee for approval in Spring 2021.
102 Disposal by lease of ex garage site at Hinton Close, Hollingdean, BN1 7BS
102.2 The report was agreed without discussion.
102.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee agree that the disposal by lease of the area of land identified at Hinton Close to Bunker Housing Co-operative Limited for a 125 year period with the freehold retained by the council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) be approved. Such disposal to be subject to achieving planning permission and signing a nominations agreement.
103 Disposal by lease of small site at Natal Road, Moulsecoomb, BN2 4BN
103.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
103.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed the disposal by lease of the area of land identified at Natal Road to Bunker Housing Co-operative Limited for a 125 year period with the freehold retained by the council’s Housing Revenue Account (HRA) be approved. Such disposal to be subject to achieving planning permission and signing a nominations agreement.
104 BTN Bikeshare Reorganisation
104.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture which considered the findings of the independent specialist review of the Brighton Bikeshare (BTN Bikeshare) scheme that had been undertaken by Steer (a specialist transport consultancy), the options for the sustainable future of the BTN Bikeshare Scheme in terms of the business case and a preferred procurement model, and included options for expansion to a city-wide scheme and for a scheme that could in the future expand across the Greater Brighton city region.
104.2 In response to questions from Councillor Bell it was confirmed that some capital would be paid back, and that it was usual for transport to be subsidised and this was being done for some bus routes. With regard to procurement, the Council would ensure that the principles of a circular economy were embedded into the requirements for the specification of the tender for the new operator and for them to show that they could be carbon neutral. This was not a mature business and so the funding may change, and there was the possibility of advertising which could also impact on the funding.
104.3 In response to a question from Councillor Druitt the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture said that there were a significant number of people who travelled in and out of the City each day for work, education etc. With regard to the cycling infrastructure, good investment did make cycling safer and through the ETS Committee a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan was being developed.
104.4 In response to a question from Councillor Miller, officers confirmed that if the scheme were expanded across the Greater Brighton City region there were no proposals to subsidise other local authorities.
104.5 RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed to invest £1,170,000 of capital borrowing to finance the recommended fleet changes to the Brighton & Hove only scheme, adding e-bikes and replacing some of the pedal bikes at the end of their street life.
105 BAME Pay Gap Reporting
105.1 The Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director HR & OD which updated Members on actions within the Fair & Inclusive Action Plan to address factors likely to contribute to any pay disparity for BAME staff, and to provide the rationale for using the current data to drive action and undertaking ethnicity pay gap reporting when it is mandated by government.
105.2 Dr Sasidharan said that in principle she supported the need for BAME pay gap reporting but would prefer resources to be spent on improving data so that it was clearer, more accessible and with any inequalities clearly identified as the current data did not identify where in the recruitment chain people were facing barriers. She suggested that the Fair and Inclusive Action Plan included performance management targets to ensure that actions were implemented. The Assistant Director HR & OD said that there was already a performance management process for the top 100 managers in the organisation on equalities data but would be happy to discuss how those measures could be reviewed.
105.3 Councillor Platts said that BAME staff were very unhappy and felt that there needed to be a culture change by managers. The Assistant Director HR & OD said that the report outlined the actions which were being taken, listening workshops were being held and which 25% of BAME staff had attended and their comments were fed into the Fair & Inclusive Action Plan, and data showed that there had been an improvement in progression within the organisation for BAME staff.
105.4 Councillor Miller said that it was important that the Council publish the relevant data on pay.
105.5 Councillor Bell echoed Councillor Platts concerns on BAME being rightly unhappy and felt that the report did not address their concerns and asked that another report come to the committee setting out what was being done to do that.
105.6 Dr Sasidharan said that she would prefer for action to be taken now rather than calling for another report as the problems were already known. Councillor Clare said that regular reports were important so Councillors could ensure that the Fair & Inclusive Action Plan was being adhered to. Councillor Miller agreed and said that reports would set out the scale of the problems.
105.7 Councillor Miller proposed an amendment to recommendation 2.3 in the report to read (changes in bold):
2.3 Instructs officers to review ethnicity pay gap reporting
in response to any future government mandate. That
the Committee agree that bi-annually information on the ethnic
minority pay gap within Brighton & Hove City Council’s
employees be released, the median pay gap to be calculated by
comparing the difference in pay between the median pay of White
British employees of all genders and the median pay of BAME
employees of all genders. The first publication to be within six
months of the date of this meeting.
105.8 Councillor Platts seconded the amendment.
105.9 The Chair of the Committee agreed to accept the late amendment.
105.10 Councillor Yates agreed that future reports were needed to establish a baseline and then it would be possible to assess the effectiveness of the action plan. The Assistant Director HR & OD said that the data was already available and there had been sustained efforts over the last two years to address the issues, but would be happy to provide further reports to set out what actions were being taken and how effective they were.
105.11 The Committee voted on the amendment and it was agreed.
105.12 RESOLVED: That the Committee -
(i) Noted the existing workforce profile data and other reporting measures in place to monitor progress of employment outcomes for BAME staff;
(ii) Committed to supporting and championing the actions within the Fair & Inclusive Action Plan to diversify our workforce and increase representation of BAME staff across all grades, with regular updates on actions to the TECC and P&R committees, the latter having oversight of employment outcomes;
(iii) Agreed that bi-annually information on the ethnic minority pay gap within Brighton & Hove City Council’s employees be released, the median pay gap to be calculated by comparing the difference in pay between the median pay of White British employees of all genders and the median pay of BAME employees of all genders. The first publication to be within six months of the date of this meeting.
106 Brexit Resilience & Planning
106.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Lead Strategy Governance & Law which provided an overview of Brighton & Hove City Council’s preparations for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and related issues as overseen by the Brexit Working Group. The report was introduced by the Brexit Coordination Officer.
106.2 Councillor Clare thanked the Communications Team for their work and the video and postcard that had been produced and which had been shared with other external groups. As the Government were still in negotiations there was still a huge amount of uncertainty on what would happen with Brexit.
106.3 Dr Sasidharan said that there was nervousness expressed by community members on the rise of hate crime and they were looking for reassurance and asked how many BAME groups had been contacted about community tensions. The Brexit Coordination Officer said that the Communities Team had been engaging with groups on how Brexit may impact on BAME communities.
106.4 Councillor Miller referred to recommendation 2.2 and was concerned that broad power would be given to the Chief Executive and presumed that any decision would be made with the Leader of the Council to ensure there was a democratic oversight. He noted that longer-term opportunities for businesses were only briefly mentioned in the report and thought that it would be useful to provide information on how businesses could benefit after Brexit. The Executive Lead Strategy Governance & Law said that recommendation 2.2 came from the Cross Party Brexit Working Group who were concerned that there were so many unknown issues such as problems with the supply of medicines, food etc and if the current scheme of delegation to officers were used it could become fragmented and it would be better to have one person who could make decisions quickly in response to events. If the decision involved significant financial expenditure the Chief Executive would of course discuss the matter with Group Leaders.
106.5 RESOLVED: That the Committee -
(i) Noted the contents of this report and appendix, which provide an overview of the preparations made by the Council across its areas for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU;
(ii) Authorised the Chief Executive to take any steps necessary or incidental to protecting the interests of the Council and the city in response to emerging issues connected with Brexit.
107 An Update on the Economic Strategy for Brighton & Hove
107.1 The recommendations in the report were agreed without discussion.
107.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Noted the progress to date on delivery of the of the priority actions in the Economic Strategy for Brighton & Hove;
(ii) Recommends to Full Council that the Economic Strategy is amended to remove the Productivity Commission as a priority action and notes that the objectives of the Commission will be pursued in other ways, as set out in Priority Action PA4 in Appendix 1.
108 Brilliant Brighton Business Improvement District New Ballot
108.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
108.2 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Supports the renewal of the City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) for the period 1July 2021 to 31 June 2026;
(ii) Grant delegated authority to the Executive Director for Economy, Environment and Culture to oversee the BID process and the approval of the Renewal Operating Agreement;
(iii) That the Council agrees to post a Notice of Ballot by 19 February 2021 pursuant to the Business Improvement District (England) regulations 2004;
(iv) Noted the work being done to assess the feasibility and support for a Seafront Business Improvement District among seafront businesses.
109 Provision of Home Improvement Agency Services
109.1 The Committee considered the report of the Interim Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods & Communities which provided context and background to the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) service and outlined the options for future provision and the bringing of the service inhouse.
109.2 Councillor Bell said that it was important to ensure that if a service was brought in-house that everything had been fully assessed and that the guidelines were being adhered to, and proposed the following amendment to recommendation 2.2 (changes in bold):
2.2 That the Interim Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods & communities be granted delegated authority to take all steps necessary to implement the recommendations in (1) above to bring the service in-house; a further report be brought back to Housing and P&R Committees for final sign-off before the service is brought in house.
109.3 Councillor Miller seconded the proposed amendment.
109.4 The Interim Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods & Communities said that this service was to organise the work rather than carrying it out. Councillor Gibson said that bringing the service in house would provide a saving of £67k and had already been agreed by the Procurement Advisory Board, the Housing Committee and now this committee and a decision needed to be made now and so could not support it coming back again to this committee before a decision was made.
109.5 The Committee voted on the amendment and it was not agreed.
109.6 RESOLVED: That the Committee agree -
(i) That the service is brought in-house be agreed;
(ii) That the Interim Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods & Communities be granted delegated authority to take all steps necessary to implement the recommendations in (i) above to bring the service in-house.
110 New Homes for Neighbourhoods Eastergate Road - Modular Pilot Scheme Update
110.1 The report was agreed without discussion.
110.1 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Noted the progress made for this project;
(ii) Agreed that the project, having achieved the aims of a modular pilot scheme, may proceed using traditional building methods with elements of offsite construction, rather than using a volumetric, modular method.
111 Additional Condition Funding Allocation
111.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning which informed the Committee of an additional allocation of School Condition Allocation funding that has been made by the Department for Education.
111.2 Councillor Miller welcomed the additional funding for schools.
111.3 Councillor Clare was pleased that there was a commitment to sustainability which would support the Council’s intention for the City to become carbon neutral by 2030.
111.4 Councillor Allcock asked if there were capacity issues to moving this forward. The Executive Director Families Children & Learning said that as far as she was aware there wasn’t but would check with the Assistant Director Property & Design and provide written confirmation.
111.5 RESOLVED: That the Committee granted delegated authority to the Assistant Director of Property & Design to procure the capital maintenance and basic need works and enter into contracts within these budgets, as required, in accordance with Contract Standing Orders in respect of the entire Education Capital Programme. With a focus upon the additional funding securing works which are, wherever possible, sustainable in their use of materials and method of delivery.
112 Youth Employment Hub
112.1 The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families Children & Learning regarding the Youth Employment Hub.
112.2 In response to a question from Councillor Miller the Committee were advised that if the application were approved the Hub should be up and running by February 2021.
112.3 RESOLVED: That the Committee –
(i) Agreed that the council should proceed with an application to the Flexible Support Fund to create a Youth Employment Hub (Hub) utilising match funding of £42,402 (for one year) from existing posts in the Employment and Skills Team, within the Families Children and Learning Directorate;
(ii) Noted the proposed use of ground floor space at Montague House which is available for occupation from 1st February 2021.
113 Appointment of an Anti-Slavery Champion
113.1 RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed to appoint Councillor Deane as the Council’s Anti-Slavery Champion following the approval of the Anti-Slavery Strategy.
114 Items Referred For Council
114.1 RESOLVED: That the following items be referred to Council being held on 17 December 2020:
(i) Item 93: Covid 19 Recovery & Renewal Programme Update –referred by the Labour Group
(ii) Item 106: Brexit Resilience & Planning – referred by the Green Group
115 BTN Bikeshare reorganisation - Exempt Category 3
115.1 RESOLVED: That the Committee agreed the Recommendations as set out in Item 104.
116 Part Two Minutes - Exempt Category 3
116.1 RESOLVED: That the Part Two Minutes of the Policy & Resources Committee held on the 8th October 2020 were approved as a correct record of the proceedings
117 Part Two Proceedings
117.1 RESOLVED: That the items listed in Part 2 of the agenda and decisions thereon remain exempt from disclosure to the press and public.
The meeting concluded at 10.20pm
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