VB are reporting live from the December 2011 Cabinet meeting at County Hall.
We will endeavour to report presentations and discussions as accurately as possible. Often comments are paraphrased if not enough time to take full statement. Text surrounded by () signifies VB’s comments.
Please refresh / reload your browser to see the latest updates. [18:00] Full house at County Hall
Steve Beynon not here.
Statement on Newport Harbour. Not about the sale of the harbour. Will
return to Cabinet asap. No response in coming weeks.
About 7 people had questions lined up about Harbour.
[18.10] Update 1
Cllr Blezzard: Why is grassroots money being delivered on council tax rate values, not number of people in district?
Cllr Pugh: This method commonly used. Reflects ability of parish council to match fund too. Analysis shows there’s no absolutely ‘fair’ method. Some people aren’t nit picking, just making the most of it. Our view is the most reasonable.
[18.35] Update 2
Q – Mark Chiverton: Social care services – Beaulieu in particular. When will consultation take place?
Cllr Cousins: We’re determined to do it properly.
Chiverton: That is helpful. Isn’t it be better that staff hear about question marks over their job directly, rather than through the press?
Q – John Luckett (Care worker): Email sent yesterday. Concerns about budget for health and social care. Asking for them to do a shift at a care home. Do appreciate financies are tough? How many up for the challenge?
Cllr Pugh: We all vote after strong consideration, not how people are told (laughter from public). Happy to do visits, but it’s not our role to replace adult care professionals. If you can evidence your claim about people being told how to vote, I’d be delighted.
End of public questions
[18.50] Update 3
Agenda item 4: Report of the Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources.
We’ve reduced the council spend. Uncertainty of future of local biz rates. We can now focus on Jobs and business. Final assessment will be announced in January. Pledge in 2009 for council tax freeze for two years.
Council tax will be frozen for another year – thanks to another grant. Might not get it the following year.
Still have 11 libraries in place – five of them differently arranged management. Shanklin library is better than ever.
Community bus services – better than ever.
Cuts next year £3.835m. Following year cuts £5.635m. Responsible approach. Future demographic pressures.
Use of surplus to pay for things now is unwise.
(It’s Buzzword Bingo here with Cllr Pugh tonight: Pump Prime our local
economy; Robust action; Watching Brief; Stimulation Packages>
Schools capital programme will help with this. Local businesses benefiting.
Para 63 – Waste contract. Need to cut land fill fines.
Cllr Pugh asking Cllr Brown to speak on economy.
Super fast broadband – match funded by council. Welcome. Rural also important. IWC invest £3m. Total investment will be £15m when including Gov and BT Investment. Start first half of 2013. Try to sync broadband install with roads PFI. Support by the public will be needed – condition of funding that people respond.
Member Questions
Cllr Pugh: Cabinet takes place after Overview and Scrutiny Committee, so members question should take place there mostly.
Cllr Lumley: Supremely disappointed that Overview and Scrutiny Committee didn’t have any recommendations for Cabinet. £1.8m underspend – prob will be higher by the end of this year. Been spending time with Chief Executive – totally wasted. Wouldn’t it be better to spend some of that money this year – eg. Youth services.
Cllr Pugh: Council is facing a funding gap next year. Underspend can’t be the basis for budget control.
Cllr Lumley: All very well to welcome info from other councillors, but you do so when it’s pretty concluded already.
[19.15] Update 4
Cllr Stephens: Projected underspend – £250k for social care. When I was on Overview and Scrutiny Committee it was £750k. Where has the £500k gone?
Rural broadband comes at a price – can we offer residents there financial help.
Cllr Pugh: Adult budget is £45m, so £500k is a small variance. This is to be expected. Ask Cllr Mazillius.
Cllr Mazillius: This is a huge budget, in %age terms, it’s a small variance.
Cllr Brown: Need to view as whole Island picture. More remote, more cost. We putting our money into the central network, not the distribution to remote areas. Once we’ve done that, we can look at poss helping remote locations, but it’s worth noting there’s none spare in the budget.
Cllr Stephens: Island business need all of the help they can get.
Cllr Warlow: Following John Luckett. Adult rise is below inflation rate.
Cllr Mazillius: Many different factors in play in this area. Very skilled and experienced officers working in this area.
Cllr Welsford: Point is, you (Cllr Pugh) said we’re spending more than ever before, but in fact it’s below inflation.
Cllr Pugh: I can stand by my previous statement
Vote – 6 in favour of budget.
[19.30] Update 5
Quarter finance report
Cllr Pugh: We’re relying on our colleagues in scrutiny to bring us up to account on these matters – these things have been with Overview & Scrutiny already.
Cllr Cousins: More info shortly. Children service – had a conference last week – very promising info to come (Ian Anderson nodding).
Cllr Abraham: Contact centre – more money going into it.
Members Questions
Cllr Stephens: Adult social care – What are preventive service? Who are providers? Where is independent arbitration?
Contract – prices
Cllr Mazillius: Personal budget given to residents, IWC will set a rate. Providers will then decide if they want to prove services at that rate. We feel there’s no need to independent arbitration.
Cllr Stephens – we might not feel independent arbitration is needed, but some people will. We need to pay a sustainable price to provide a sustainable service.
Vote 6 for
[19.45] Update 6
School transport
Welcome being able to completely review this. Had meeting with CtK. They brought up people in Bembridge (para 19). 3 mile rule. We do not wish to have different rules for religious schools.
There would be a considerable additional cost for Bembridge pupils. Not reasonable.
Parents might want to take the possibility of paying for their children to go to schools in their choice of school.
Recommendation is clear – to adopt.
Cllr Cousins: This has taken a lot of work by ‘the two Janets’. CtK discussion had differences of opinions, but it was all very pleasant – we’ve got a forward now.
Member Questions
Cllr Webster: “I have to ask this” representing young people in catchment for Cowes enterprise college. Floating bridge is a road? If not, should be measured via Newport.
They have to go through park. Felt they’re being discriminated against.
Cllr Pugh: Catchment for Cowes is East Cowes, as the floating bridge exists. Routes are walked by council employee, to deem if they are safe – it has been.
(Question on Floating bridge/road not answered)
Intend to take policy as it is now.
Cllr Cousins – there’s been a written response to this already. We can give this.
Cllr Brown: Cycle routes in Cowes are a nightmare. Sensible due use of Cowes High Street could be considered.
Vote – 6 for
[19.59] Update 7
Schools Capital Programme
£30m spend on school buildings. Funding found from a number of sources. ‘Funding envelope’ from the council £12.93m. Will not exceed.
Cllr Abraham: what %age of work forces is local?
Over 90% of those carrying out work are Islanders companies.
Members Questions
Cllr Welsford: Considerable evidence – possible detrimental to have too many people at schools. Funding to segregate years 7 to 8.
Cllr Cousins: If you’d like to give me details, I’ll look at that.
Cllr Pugh: The structure of the school is up to those running the schools.
Cllr Welsford: Original idea was to build an additional high school. We know there’s no budget now.
Cllr Stephens: Funding – Says a number of sources. Is all of the money with us?
Cllr Cousins: Yes, we have all of the money and no there will be no deed for loans.
Vote – 6 for
Future of social care services paid for by IWC
Cllr Mazillius: Strategic challenges. Personal budgets. Availablitiy of services. Business planning process. Full consultation. Projected savings. Totally superior service.
Within Wightcare, there are ‘strains’ as looking after so many people. Need to look to the commercial market place.
We will be taking eight services IWC provides currently and taking them out of IWC to external companies (outsourcing to ‘New trading enterprises’)
Considered view is that we need to employ external consultant to help us. Initial Scoping doc costs £30k (external) + £13 (internal). A further £100k for next stage. Agree to options 3 + 4.
Firmly believe in changing economic and demographic times – this is the best way forward.
[20.16] Update 8
Cllr Pugh: ‘Conflict between Local Authority being provider and comissioner’
Members Questions
Cllr Churchman: Can we ensure services are provided on Island?
Cllr Mazillius: There’ll be strict criteria – one reason we need consultants. It’s impossible for me to say that the best provider will be Island based, but we could say that people working for them would be from the Island.
Cllr Brown: Would you agree that the interests of the Clients come first?
Cllr Mazillius: Yes
Cllr Warlow: Commendable report Roger.
Members questions
Cllr Bacon (absent) Inquiry on Libraries has been launched.
Given its recent experience of closing libraries, will the council make a submission.
Cllr Abraham: Yes
END
