Agenda item

To receive reports from the Leader and members of the Cabinet on matters falling within their area of responsibility:

(a)        Report of the Leader;

(b)        Report of the Assets and Economic Development Portfolio Holder; (attached)

(c)        Report of the Environment Portfolio Holder; (attached)

(d)        Report of the Finance Portfolio Holder; (attached)

(e)        Report of the Governance and Development Management Portfolio Holder; (attached)      

(f)         Report of the Housing Portfolio Holder; (attached)

(g)        Report of the Leisure and Community Services Portfolio Holder; (attached)

(h)        Report of the Planning Policy Portfolio Holder; (attached) 

(i)         Report of the Safer, Greener and Transport Portfolio Holder; (attached) and

(j)         Report of the Technology and Support Services Portfolio Holder (attached).

The Council received written reports from the Members of the Cabinet.

The Chairman invited the Leader to provide an oral report and other Members of the Cabinet to give an oral update.

(a)          The Leader of Council

The Leader of the Council advised that he had attended the first Essex Leaders and Chief Executive meeting of the municipal year, where devolution had been high on the agenda. Whilst scoping work was being carried out on what powers could be devolved from Central Government, he was concerned by a number of issues such as the governance arrangements and how it would benefit the Council.  The Leader stated that the Council, now needed to give careful consideration about what was required from the arrangement and what would provide best value for the residents in the future.

The Leader attended the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), where he was advised that on the 20 July 2015 the Chairman of the Greater Business Board had wrote to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government regarding a proposal for a Greater Essex Local Enterprise Partnership, which similarly the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership had also proposed. The proposals contained appropriate transitional arrangements which ensured that the funding already committed to SELEP was spent and that delivery would be secured for Essex.

The Council hosted the Locality Board on the 28 June 2015, which was attended by County Council Divisional Members, Cabinet and the local MP E Laing. Updates were received on the Local Plan; progression on the potential new Junction 7A on the M11, which was the subject of further public consultation; the North Essex Parking Partnership and a possible review of the future Council’s participation; and the Government’s Consultation on Gypsy and Traveller Sites.

The Leader advised that he had been heavily engaged with Councillor W Breare-Hall, Environment Portfolio Holder, in trying to ensure improvements to the immediate problems with the Waste and Recycling Collection arrangements which had included regular meetings with Biffa's Managing Director and Commercial Director about the Council’s feelings regarding the unacceptable performance. There had also been a push to get the contract stabilised and provide a better service than had been delivered since the 12 May 2015.

(b)          Environment Portfolio Holder

The Environment Portfolio Holder, W Breare-Hall advised that there had been continued improvement in the services delivered by the Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing contractor. On the 20 July 2015 he had met with the Biffa's Managing Director and Commercial Director and had raised the areas of main concern, namely that the collections had been repeatedly being missed and the need for better communication between Biffa personnel and the Council’s staff. Biffa accepted that further improvement were required and reconfirmed their commitment to resolving the issues. The Portfolio Holder reported that the daily average number of missed collections were currently 46, out of 27,000, which had been reduced from around 200 in June 2015. The number of telephone calls was now below 200 per day from a peak of 550 in late May and he accepted that this was still too high. Councillor W Breare Hall advised that he was acutely aware of the number of collections still being missed and pressure would be applied to Biffa, whilst hoping that residents could see the notable improvement and that the service was closer to being stabilised. He apologised to all the residents who had been inconvenienced and gave his sincere thanks to staff that had put the service back on track.

(c)          Governance and Development Management Portfolio Holder

The Governance and Development Management Portfolio Holder, J Philip advised that 55% of households had responded to the Individual Electoral Registration (IER) with 50% of those responses being via the automated services. This had translated into around 25,000 households that were still to respond. He advised that the reminder process would be starting shortly, and asked Members to encourage residents to reply.

(d)          Planning Policy Portfolio Holder

The Planning Portfolio Holder, R Bassett advised that on 8 July 2015 the Chancellor had signalled a fresh focus for planning performance with a proposal for new scrutiny on the pace of local plan production and a tightening of the special measures regime that would penalised councils for being too slow in determining major applications. The Productivity Plan Fixing the Foundations, set out a number of proposed planning changes to ensure that more houses were built which had included releasing land for the homes people needed, a zonal system for brownfield land, improving the planning process – ensuring planning decisions were made on time, more devolved planning powers, starter homes and right to buys.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the Secretary of State for Housing and Planning had stated that authorities were also required to produce a Local Plan by early 2017. The Council was currently aiming to compile a full and total Local Plan with the requirement of ‘duty to co-operate’ with adjoining authorities and partners, although delays had occurred because of inspectors decisions on other authority’s plans.