VB are reporting live from the Cabinet meeting at County Hall.
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[18:00] Start of meeting
Never seen it so busy in a Cabinet meeting
Point of order – Robert Izzard. Local Statutory – 3 clear working days needed to be given. On the notice board outside the building. Unlawful meeting. No decisions will be valid.
Challenged it three times – only option is to adjourn the meeting.
Cllr Pugh: Take advice
Davina Fiore: You are correct. It’s actually five working days.
Notice was made available to be placed on the board – have been asking for an update to check on board. It’s been in the Library and on the Internet.
“My advice would be to not abandon. Could call another meeting to
validate it after.”
Mr Izzard: “Can not re validate it afterwards. Will be acting invalid.”
Ms Fiore: “Notice isn’t outside building.” As there a number of people here. Would be unfair to cancel it. As it was raised a few mins before 6pm.
Mr Izzard: “The view enshrined in law is that you cannot go ahead with this meeting.”
Pugh: “It’s your view that we cannot, but we will press ahead with that.”
[18.23] Public questions
Appendix – £60k cut on buses. I use buses every day. Elderly also dependent. Quoted from IW bus users. Why is there no discussions with interested parties in this?
Implication – Winter walking festival will be affected.
Ask you to postpone decision until consultation.
Cllr Giles – consulted local councils. Hope to announce what will
happen with tender in next few days.
Cllr Pugh to leave (discussion of fire service). Cllr Brown to take over.
David Wood (Woods trade supplies). Was Shanklin fire service. Worried about cover. Blue light runs worry me – 4:30 runs from Sandown to Heath Road. Blue light runs are 13m 26s now – how can it be done in 8mins by the day crew?
Cllr Abrahams – I’m confident info in the report is accurate
Q: How can you make a decision if the numbers don’t add up?
Cllr Brown: We will debate it tonight. Had two questions.
–End of public questions
Cllr Abrahams : Fire service. Funding for new Lake station isn’t available. New equipment for efficient. Confident that these are appropriate. Any downsides to closing Shanklin are out-weighed by benefits to all. Sometime retained firefighters are available because of their jobs
Cllr Bingham: We challenged hard and I’ve been convinced.
Cllr Cousins: I support Cllr Abrahams.
Cllr Mazillius: I agree, but would like to add – members have agonised over this. We received representations from Fire officer in the field. They have all been answered. I feel happy to support this.
Cllr Brown: A serious issue. Looked at this letter in seriousness. Going to invite the Director of service.
Stuart Love: 2.5 year process to get us to here. Satisfied in the data and the results. Short answer – yes
[18:31] Update 1
Written Q: Cllr Down: If Shanklin is close, what happens if Sandown is on a call.
Cllr Abrahams: Newport or Ventnor
Cllr Williams: Speaking as a councillor in Shanklin – Everyone in this room wants a new station. Bay station was supposed to be built before closing. How far have we gone to getting the money for Lake? Shanklin is hard to get through because it’s so narrow.
Shanklin for night only?
Cllr Abraham: A: Nothing would please me more to say we have the money. This isn’t about saving money.
I shouldn’t have said ‘underpinned’ as I did in the CP.
[18:40] Update 2
Cllr Wright: we have spoken to the police about ‘their property portfolio’. Might be of use in the future, but no promises.
Cllr Barry: Q: Wouldn’t have been better to spend the Millions wasted on the Undercliff enquiry?
(Here, here from audience)
Cllr Abrahams: Undercliff useful in terms of how we spend money in the future
Vote: 7 (approved)
(More than half the office has gone)
Cllr Bingham – I’ve been on holiday. We plan to have a mid-term budget in Sept. Funding is being cut. We are going through a very difficult time. The pain will have to be spread equally among every one.
22 Oct – National Spending Review. 25% £5.5m savings needed every year. A huge challenge
(Pugh back in chair)
We must start a serious look at the structure of the council and staffing levels.
Department by dept, line by line. A serious rank and file examination. Ask you to agree additional savings in Appendix 5.
[18:51] Update 3
Cllr Pugh: Have asked for a summary of what it’s about
Need to see this in a wider national context
Paper C to be read with appendix 5
Asking officer to look into charging for home care, increasing meals on wheels costs, review of free personal home care
Post-16 transport should be reviewed.
Discretionary faith transfer(?)
Buses reductions should only be £60k
Student rider – can’t be sustained.
Awaiting for first quarter car parking figures before making decisions.
Need to decide where the fire call centre sits – on Island or off.
Section 7 has the ‘more radical’ changes – eg external companies providing services.
Cllr Giles: Student Rider has fall “significantly” in previous years. Southern Vectis (SV) have chosen to appeal the decision, could be up to £1/2m for us to pay out – unbudgeted. SV provides cheaper alternative to Student Riders.
Reports in the press have over-egged the pudding. Not wholesale cutting of routes.
Cllr Brown: We pay SV lots of money. How much do we pay?
Cllr Giles: £7.9m public funding to SV? Wight bus – £1-1.5m year. Electorate of 110k
Cllr Brown: It’s a number that has to be compared against others.
[19:09] Update 4
Cllr Bingham: Business subsidy – £80-90 for every council tax.
Cllr Mazillius: 11% of council tax.
(Amazing that all of these figures have been whipped up!)
Cllr Barry: Funny to be lectured by Cllr Mazillius – he’s been in and out of bed with every party on the Island!
Cllr Bacon’s question by Cllr Welsford: “What efforts are being made and what specific steps are being taken to protect and retain rural bus services running with appropriate frequency particularly in those areas where, in addition to providing a basic service, the routes also support areas with a large proportion of elderly residents, they allow children to attend after hours activities …. a car when on holiday. Is not any reduction
in services which generate such benefits a false economy?”
Cllr Giles: £550K funds from IWC Mostly lifeline services. Limited financial services for evening. £2.5m for schools. IWC has no duty to do this. Discretionary spend will be reviewed later in the year and may be cut.
Cllr Pugh: To have the flexibility to offer students bus services for after-school clubs
Cllr Welsford: Is this down to a failure to respond?
Stuart Love: I’m not aware of this. I will take it away and give a detailed response.
[19:19] Update 5
Cllr Lumley: Cllr Pugh, you have a financial illiteracy about the Government figures.
Q: Now you have your government in place – what representation are you making to them? What pressure are you putting on? Or are you happy with the sadness will be inflicting?
Cllr Pugh: Of course we don’t want to be giving cuts. We will continue of support the older and more vulnerable members of the Island.
We are lobbying the government. There’s no point in doing every one.
Cllr Brown: I hope the work on this cabinet is not viewed as being carried on behind closed doors. Our decisions are not made without difficulties.
Robert Jackson (Youth council): Worried about cavalier statements about getting rid of Student Rider. Will hit the most vulnerable the hardest. I don’t know anyone who has £90 to spend on a bus pass
Cllr Giles: Other schemes are available. If we carry on with Student Rider, we may have to pay SV £500k. There’s always the possibility of using you bike.
Jack Bell: Youth MP: I’ve not met one person using Student Rider school. Freedom tickets is £20/week – more than bus as it is. I’ve seven siblings – difference adds up to £57/week extra for the family. Why didn’t you come to the youth council first? How did you consider us at all?
There could be an adverse action on anti-social behaviour, because people can’t get around.
Cllr Pugh: On Student Rider scheme, we are one of the very few who offer this in the UK. We know this will have an adverse impact.
I’d be happy to meet with you next week. This is a recommendation from Cabinet, not a decision
Vote – 7 (passed)
_Next item
(Cllr Pugh leaving – a board meeting?)
(Not many people left in public gallery now)
[19:38] Update 6
Cllr Mazillius: Transforming social care. At it’s core is Personalisation from Institutionalised services to personal – A sea-change in care. Your Care Website – new branding too
Working the advocacy. One of only 12 sites across country. Directorate have issued a DVD.
Target will be off 5% by July. Easily hit target by next year. Consultation is very important. A wide range of people. Have set up a user ref group. Set up a user care conference – very successful. 100 provider or reps attended. Key stakeholders board also connect. £1.7m to be spent over 3 years (details in paper). Capital budget £120k. (Appendix D)
Review is on track (due end of the month).
_Cabinet Questions
Cllr Bingham: Why are services closing?
Cllr Mazillius: Wording is inappropriate. It’s people who are not eligible for it.
Cllr Brown: If providers buy into it, it’s a strong foot forward. Delighted that conference worked well. This report is to note, not to vote on.
Cllr Welsford: Q: Any idea of day care centre’s impact?
Cllr Mazillius: there is an issue over day care centers. Personalised budget is statutory. Officers are working hard – discussion are still on-going. We’re working hard that there isn’t a diminution of services.
Cllr Welsford: Do you recognise that people with metal issues find change very hard? How can we demonstrate this has been taken on board?
Cllr M: We’re doing all we can to ensure that as little disruption is made. There will be some. It’s impossible to review this many cases quickly. If you do have specific concerns, please email me.
Cllr Brown: Feedback from Ward councillors is important.
Mr Howell (director): Paragraph 10 – support is available – advocates and brokers available across the Island. Very happy to give any further assistance for Personalised budget.
Cllr Cousins: I’m getting less and less enquiries – people appearing happier.
_Next
Cllr Mazillius: Sustainable housing. We’ve taken the view that there isn’t sufficient affordable housing in Rural areas. Only 21 houses been built withing requirements.
(To be frank – this section has all been a bit of a blur to me. I guess I’m bedazzled by Cllr Mazillius)
He recommends option 2 for a vote.
[20:05] Update 7
(A demo of some sort outside County Hall – not clear from up here what it is. Someone on a megaphone)
Cllr Downer Q: The affordable house, with green belt and brown belt. How’s it going to be distinguished?
Cllr Mazillius: homes will be built in accordance with proper planning law.
Vote – 7 (passed)
Forward Plan – new one coming out on Monday.
–END
