VB is reporting live from the March Cabinet Meeting.
Please refresh / reload your browser to see the latest updates. We will endeavour to report presentations and discussions as accurately as possible. Text surrounded by () signifies VB’s comments. [18:00] Moved into the chamber. Committee meeting room too small.
Just over heard Cllr Bingham saying to one of the other councillors, “We’re keeping our powder dry on this one.” Didn’t hear the rest of it, so no idea what it related to. [18:04] – Start. Three cabinet members declare personal interest
Public questions
Mr Miller, Cowes: 70 redeployment position for teachers. 110 people. This is different to what has been said previously.
110 middle school teacher have opted to move. 70 positions is the minimum. Primary schools have been asked for updated numbers now. Further positions next year.
Mark Chiverton (Unison): People at Westminster House concerned about their future as they’re not being spoken to.
Cllr Cousins: Senior managers have held meeting with staff, one which you’ve been at. I’ll be chairing a party to look at whole life needs 15 April – 6 months.
13 April Council meeting about it. Last year’s budget report was clear of upcoming changes.
Chiverton: Asking for a staff member to be on the group.
Cllr Cousins: Yes, happy to agree to that.
Naomi Sommerville (supporting people forum): £750k put aside – where will it go? When will workers get contracts extended or cut.
Cllr Cousins: Cabinet are at final stages for deciding on the £750k. Week commencing 12 April there will be an announcement. Views of service users has been made to the cabinet.
Last question – Before end of June 2010.
Verbal question: Chris Bonney – Military Road: World class expert on the Island – Dr Bruce Denness. Low cost, low impact solution.
Cllr Giles: We’re aware of him. Happy to have them. Not sure if he’s of use.
Jill Wareham: Military Road. Consider deferring decision? No public consultation as yet – although you’re supposed to. 2,500 people on Facebook.
Cllr Giles: Well loved. We’d like to see it retained.
–End of public questions —
[18:50]Update 1
Angie is here from Audit Commission – bring forward item. Paper H
Cllr Hunter-Henderson: We must acknowledge our achievements, but looks for improvements were there are problems.Cabinet members to comment on their areas.
Cllr Pugh: Challenges with schools. High demand for places. 16-18 year olds not in education or training. Asking officers to prepare an action plan into this.
Cllr Brown: Congrats to making a clearer method to understand.
Good to see planning improving so much. “We’re at the qualifying end of our aims”
Cllr Giles: Very successful day last week with the potential bidders. They were very impressed with the way our business case has been prepared.
Bit about the Waste plan
Cllr Bingham: Revenue has been outstanding. Lowest costs + highest efficiency.
Payment of invoices shouldn’t be so slack.
Cllr Abraham: Fireservice modernisation – now delivering better and quicker than anticipated.
Cllr Cousins: Placed children has improved. People in temp accommodation has dropped. Homelessness 28, against 93 as previously.
–Audit Comm: Here as we’re looking at how the council manages its performance.
Cllr Hunter-Henderson: We’re focusing in on what needs to be done. Next forward plan in a couple of weeks.
Vote (7) accepted
Cabinet member – Economy. Cllr Brown. Creation of jobs is underlining this complete plan. Before recession we were growing well. We outperformed SE. Now 17 out of 19.
GVA and wage levels are also in the lowest groups. Island benefit from unique biz, like man-made fibres and composites. We have a particular focus on R+D in renewable energies. Super-fast broadband is included.
Vote (7) accepted
Cllr Cousins: Paper C presentation. Concern around looked after children
(Lots of reference to the paper)
Move to vote to accept Condition on para 10.
Cllr Bingham: I welcome this report. An area we need to bring up to date.
Vote (7) accepted
[19:00] Update 2
Cllr Bingham: Finances. Q 2. Highlights: Slight improvement on last quarter. £3.37m over spend. Figure should come under this.
Ryde £940k over spend a concern (School). £3.9m will come from reserves
Do not have the cushion anymore – we should all bear this in mind.
Cllr Pugh: I’ve been working with them on overspend. Entrance figures are increasing. School will now stay open for another year
Vote (7) accepted
[19:10] Update 3
Cllr Bingham: Paper E: Internal transformation: (external will come later in year): Saving target was £95k – achieved £118k. Next year target £3.5m saving (including external). Bringing in printing-on-demand. 50-60 job loses (natural wastage mostly) out of 200ish already mentioned
There will be silver and gold phone numbers (not completely sure what this is)
More eco-cars to be bought.
Five council buildings have been sold
The plan to refurb County Hall will be looked at tomorrow.
ICT: 12 year old phone system. It will be smart. Data will be centralised on servers, giving access from any machines. Secure wireless all over the place
Major risk: The cultural shift in a different way of working (There’s a plan to make the council chamber more accessible)
_Disposal of stag lane site
The old council landfill site. It’s still the tip, so hazardous. Number of parties have expressed interest – renewable energies usage.
Three firm proposals provided (currently confidential who they are from). 50Mw – 2/3 of the Islands powers requirements for a year.
IWC asked for an external consultant to compare the applications. Also another energy advisors for score it.
Recommendation to discuss with Party B. 12 months time limit
[19:20] Update 4
Cllr Brown: I do endorse this from economic stand point. It’s one of the few remaining sites with good access to the water. Employment should be significant. Good training. (The energy generated by this – renewable energy is many times the eco-Island targets)
Cllr Welsford: Support renewables, but not sure what it is, as so much confidential. If it’s bio-mass conversion, it will be a pretty heavy industry.
Can we have more details and bring it to the full council ?
Cllr Pugh: Could be called in to scrutiny – not encouraging it. The member on the panel have access to the Confidential info. Could be a way forward.
Cllr Bingham: Heat loss is something like 1.5 degrees per Km.
Cllr Brown: If accepted, this would come to planning approval.
Cllr Jones-Evans: Heartening to see three strong bids.
Option 2 recommended.
[19:35] Update 5
Paper B – East Cowes. Arable farming. GKN next door. GKN will need additional space. They’ll need to build over current car park.
Need new car parking. SEEDA involved with expansion. Suggested price £3k / year for 10 years. IWC can get the land back.
Cllr Brown: GKN winning these contracts is very good news. Trickle down of income across the Island.
Cllr Giles (local member): Parish supportive
Cllr Barry: This is perfect use of the land.
__Military Road
Cllr Giles: I’ve know this area all my life. My family had a beach hut at Compton – now long gone. 25 March 1936 road opened
Reworked by the sound of it. Southern coast line is constantly changing. Brook to Freshwater 3 sites of problems. Segwich down – unpinned. Section of road will need to close in 43 years time – planning condition by the sound of it. Cracking at high level on the downs. Might not make 43 years.
Brook area has thought to be stable until recently. Area now is 1m away. It has lots of special designations over it. 1997 plan said the road might have to move inland, but called it unacceptable. Short cut: It’s a difficult area. There’s not funding source Euro wide. After discussion we’ve decided on further consultations.
(Shouts of YES! from audience)
Speak to landowners too. Then discuss again. Don’t want to raise false hopes.
Cllr Pugh: Clearly there’s more that can be done. Serious difficulties in possible solution.
Cllr Bingham: I’d like to second this. I’ve been almost boring pushing this at the Cabinet. Freshwater needs to be brought into discussions – as will the West Wight. Twice been to seen MP to purse funding. Also with MEP, possible routes.
[19:55] Update 6
Cllr Abraham: The road is Iconic. The thought of losing it is so awful, we must go that extra step to try and save it. I know it’s not large number of vehicles. Brook isn’t fit for purpose to take the traffic.
Cllr Brown: Tourism is at the heart of the Island profile. PFI bidders say they used photos of this road.
(Interesting)
Road was born the same year as me – and I’ve eroded over the time.
Cllr Downer: Thanks for comments. I was born and brought up in Withall.
Cllr Welsford: Well done. I would like that Ventnor is part of the consultations. If we lost the through road, it would be a horrible mess as Compton is so busy.
Cllr Barry: My dad built the road.
Question why PFI money can’t be spent on it.
Cllr Giles: Re-aligning the road would be an uphill battle. Don’t think we could expect the PFI contractor to maintain it if it’s on the beach
Cllr Hobart: Would cyclists + walker and horse riders continue to have access, if the road was lost?
Yes
Vote (7) accepted
— END OF MEETING —
