BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

(COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (COMMUNITY SERVICES) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY 25 JULY 2006

PRESENT: Mr C J Hunt – Chairman

Mr K Grimsey was unable to be present at the meeting.

Mr N A Bennett was present at the meeting and, with the consent of the Chairman, spoke on the matter referred to in Minute No 15 below.

11     SUBSTITUTES

It was noted that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 5 substitutes were in attendance as follows:-

Mrs E F Bates (substituting for Mr D L Wood)

Mr J C Brand (substituting for Mr R E Kemp)

Ms J A Jenkins (substituting for Mr J W Roberts)

Mrs W J Sadler (substituting for Mr D G Grutchfield)

12     DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Mr J A B Long declared a personal interest in Minute No 15 below, relating to the School Organisation Review, by virtue of the fact that his wife is a teacher in Sudbury.

Subsequently, Mr N A Bennett declared a personal interest in Minute No 15 below, relating to the School Organisation Review, by virtue of the fact that he is a member of the Strategy Committee and teaches in Suffolk.

13     PETITIONS

None received.

14     QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS

None received.

15     REVIEW INTO THE WAY SCHOOLS IN SUFFOLK ARE ORGANISED

Mike Hammond, Corporate Director, submitted a report (Paper F57) concerning a consultation exercise being undertaken by Suffolk County Council as part of a review by a Policy Development Panel (PDP) into how schools are organised in Suffolk. The District Council had been invited to submit its views on the matter.

Presentations were made to the meeting as follows:-

Mr A Cadzow, Suffolk County Council Area Director for Children and Young People made a presentation in which he described the rationale for the review. Currently some schools in Babergh were part of a two-tier system and others were part of a three-tier system. Mr Cadzow outlined the options for change. It was noted that the consultation period had been extended beyond the original deadline of 4 August 2006, and that the County Council’s Cabinet would consider the PDP’s recommendations in January 2007. He responded to a number of questions raised by Councillors. It was noted that the results of research into pupil performance in Suffolk had been externally validated and was available on the County Council’s website. Mr Cadzow acknowledged that there might be some school closures as a result of the review.

Simon Pitts, Corporate Policy Advisor, presented views expressed at meetings held with staff and pupils of Great Cornard Upper School and Hadleigh and East Bergholt High Schools and reported comments submitted to him by the Governors of Lavenham Community Primary School.

Mrs P King, Vice Chairman of Governors at Upland Middle School, Sudbury spoke in favour of the three-tier system where she believed middle schools excelled in their social and pastoral role. She believed that academic standards could be improved without the need for a schools re-organisation.

Mr D Chartris, Chairman of Governors at Stutton CEVC Primary School spoke in favour of the retention of small Primary Schools. He believed the success of such schools lay in the fact that the teachers were able to get to know all the pupils.

Mr N Bennett addressed the meeting with the Chairman’s consent. He referred to his experience as a teacher in both two- and three-tier systems. He raised a number of points including questions relating to the County Council’s research into pupils’ standards of achievement, the Building Schools for the Future initiative, the current state of the County’s school stock and the impact on villages if schools were to be closed. Mr Cadzow undertook to answer these questions by e-mail.

In the ensuing discussion it was agreed that Babergh’s response to the consultation should emphasise the importance of retaining village schools because they were central to the viability of village communities.

RESOLVED

(1) That the information set out in Paper F57 relating to Suffolk County Council’s School Organisation Review be noted.

(2) That Helen Style, Corporate Director, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny (Community Services) Committee prepare for consideration by the Strategy Committee a response to Suffolk County Council reflecting the views expressed by Members and making reference to the County Council’s response to the questions raised by Mr Bennett.

RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE

That a submission be made to Suffolk County Council based on the response referred to in Resolution (2) above.

Note:- a draft response will be available at the Strategy Committee meeting on 17 August 2006.

16     WORK PLAN

The Head of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper F58) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for the remainder of 2006/07, including items that may be the subject of call in procedures. It was agreed that the following items should be added to the Plan:-

17 October – A verbal update on the audit of Babergh’s sustainability referred to on page 3 of Paper F58 and also in relation to comments of local villages made on Paper F57 (Review into the Way Schools in Suffolk are organised).

5 December – To consider the report to the Directors of the Quay Theatre, which the Manager had undertaken to copy to Committee Members.

RESOLVED

That the Work Plan submitted as Paper F58 be noted.

17     THE HOUSING PANEL’S 2006 HOUSING REVIEW

Mrs S Wigglesworth, the Chairman of the Housing Panel, presented a report (Paper F59) concerning the 2006 Housing Review.

She explained that the Panel had reviewed the following strategies and policy documents

• Babergh’s Housing Strategy 2004–2009 (including the Affordable Housing Programme)
• Babergh’s Homelessness Strategy
• The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan
• The Housing Stock Options Appraisal
• The Sheltered Housing Review

No major policy changes were considered necessary, but ten of the conclusions reached by the Panel required Council approval. Mrs Wigglesworth explained the background to these recommendations. In the ensuing discussion questions were asked about the current situation regarding the Great Cornard Poplar Road development and officers were asked to up-date the Parish Council periodically on this. It was agreed that up-to-date information on homelessness in the District would be made available in the Members’ Room.

RECOMMENDED TO STRATEGY COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL

(1) That the updated Affordable Housing Programme, as detailed in Appendix 1 to Paper F59 be approved.

(2) That delegated authority be given to the Head of Contract and Asset Management in consultation with the Head of Community Development to sell the land adjoining No. 2 The Street, Monks Eleigh and for the proceeds of sale to be used, in the first instance, for the delivery of affordable housing in Monks Eleigh, then, failing that, for affordable housing elsewhere in the Babergh District.

(3) That delegated authority be given to the Head of Contract and Asset Management in consultation with the Head of Community Development to transfer the land adjoining No. 5 Bury Road, Alpheton to a Registered Social Landlord partner at a discount of up to 100% for the delivery of affordable housing.

(4) That delegated authority be given to the Head of Contract and Asset Management in consultation with the Head of Community Development to transfer Nos. 25 and 26 Harpers Estate Nayland to Flagship Housing Group at a discount of up to 100% for the delivery of higher density new affordable housing to meet local housing needs.

(5) That, when submitting ‘Growth’ theme bids for Social Housing Grant, the Head of Community Development be authorised to offer a proportion of any subsequent properties funded through this route to out-of-area nominations; the percentage of such nominations to be agreed with the Housing Corporation.

(6) That the Housing Panel undertakes a feasibility study into all available options for the future use of the Council’s Homelessness Reception Centre at Stour House in Sudbury when it is decommissioned as a hostel later in 2006, in consultation with Sudbury and Great Cornard Members, and reports back to Strategy Committee with its conclusions.

(7) That the Head of Community Development, in conjunction with the Human Resources Manager, be authorised to make all appropriate changes to the sheltered housing structure and the terms and conditions of sheltered housing staff, which become necessary as a result of the 2006 Sheltered Housing Review, as detailed in Para 11 in Paper F59, the Supporting People Review and the need to meet the requirements of the Single Status Agreement.

(8) That the current annual ‘mini’ Housing Stock Options Appraisal be discontinued and, instead, a full Housing Stock Option Appraisal be commissioned in 2009/10; the Terms of Reference of which to be determined by Council nearer the time.

(9) That the Housing Panel submit a report to Strategy Committee in 2007 with proposals for Babergh`s response to the Gypsy and Travellers Needs Assessment, which is currently underway.

(10) That the Council’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme (CBL) be based on Colchester Borough Council’s scheme and a report be prepared for Strategy Committee in 2007 detailing an implementation plan for Babergh`s CBL Scheme.

Note:- The Committee adjourned for refreshments between 10.55am and 11.15am.

The business of the meeting was concluded at 11.45am


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Chairman