Agenda item

To receive reports and any announcements 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 Business Support Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(c)        Report of the Contract and Technical Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(d)        Report of the Commercial and Regulatory Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(e)        Report of the Community and Partnership Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(f)        Report of the Customer Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(g)        Report of the Housing and Property Services Portfolio Holder (attached);

(i)         Report of the Planning Services Portfolio Holder (attached); and

(j)         Report of the Strategic Projects Portfolio Holder.

The Council received written reports from the Portfolio Holders. The Chairman invited the Leader of Council, to provide an oral report and the opportunity for other members of the Cabinet to give updates.

(a)          The Leader of Council

The Leader updated the Council on the modernisation agenda, which included stream lining the senior management structure and reorganised the service groupings, to drive efficiencies savings and improve the Councils response to customers. This also included realigning the Portfolio Holders responsibilities with the service groupings. 

The Council continued to be able to invest in new and improved services for the Districts residents, including providing a £10m leisure centre at Waltham Abbey and progressing the St John’s Road re-development, to potentially create a new leisure centre, cinema and retail space. Similarly, the relocation of the Council’s back office services to North Weald and redevelopment of the Civic Offices site, would be beneficial in creating a valuable community hub consisting of a number of public services and protecting the vitality of Epping High Street. Additionally, the Epping Forest Shopping Park was now fully let and trading well, generating additional revenue for the Council’s front line services.

The Council’s decision to fund three additional Police Officers and establishment of the police hub were unique across Essex, were having a positive impact on crime reduction. In conjunction with this, the Council had been working with the Epping Member of Parliament and the District Commander, to address residents concerns and return all night street lighting across the District. The Council had obtained agreement and costs from the Essex County Council Highways Portfolio Holder, K. Bentley and the Council would be writing to Town and Parish Councils shortly regarding initiatives to fund this, as public safety was the responsibility for all tiers of Local Government.

Finally, the examination in public  was due to start in February and once the Local Plan had been found sound and adopted, the Council would focus on delivering housing, new employment opportunities and improved infrastructure, to ensure that the special character of the District was protected.

The Leader thanked both members and officers for all their work they had contributed over 2018.

(b)          Contract and Technical Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor N. Avey advised that the Government had announced the Resource and Waste Strategy, which included packaging reforms and consistency of household collections across the country. The principles of reuse, reduce and recycle were to be reinforced and the effects of this on the Council would be monitored. There would be many consultations and members views would be sought for the formal responses.

(c)          Strategic Projects Portfolio Holder

Councillor A. Lion informed the members that his Portfolio would assist the Leader and work with a number of services areas for strategic projects across the Council.

He had recently deputised at the Leaders and Chief Executive meeting, where discussions were had regarding policing, transport and road upgrades. The Essex Authorities were also sending a letter to the Mayor of London, concerning the managing of homeless people from London into Essex. He would also represent the Council at the London, Stansted, Cambridge Corridor Board and Local Strategic Partnership.

He advised that some of priorities that he would be involved in included the Garden Town development, St John’s Road development, the Accommodation Strategy, the People’s Strategy and the ICT Strategy. Also there were a number of cross business projects to work on which included paperless agendas, street charging points for electric cars, parking enforcement on the Council’s housing estates and driving forward the digital initiation zone.

(d)          Community and Partnership Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor S. Kane updated members on a recent incident in Loughton involving a dozen youths and a taser. Following these two crimes had been reported and Essex Police had contacted and requested members of the public to formally report any crimes that had been suggested on social media. He advised that no prior intelligence had been received before the incident, although the Police were able to get 10 officers to vicinity and 8 additional officers would be patrolling the area surrounding the two schools that were still open. 

(e)          Business Support Services Portfolio Holder

The Local Government Settlement had been announced on 13 December 2018 and consultation responses were required by 10 January 2019.