Agenda, decisions and minutes

None were received.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2018 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 April 2018 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item.  The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made by any member in connection with an agenda item.

To note any issues raised during the public participation period.

No issues were raised in the public participation period.

To consider a revised structure for the overview and scrutiny panels, to align them with the new portfolios.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)         That an additional overview and scrutiny panel be introduced;

(b)        That the panels be named as set out below; and that they have particular responsibility for the overview and scrutiny of the service areas attaching to the Portfolios shown:

(c)     That each Panel continues to comprise 10 members;

(d)     That the political proportionality be as set out in paragraph 4 of Report Item 4 to the Cabinet;

(e)     That each Panel meets four times per year, in January, March, June and September, with

·        an additional annual meeting to appoint the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Panel, and

·        special meetings as may be deemed necessary by the Chairman of that Panel.

RESOLVED:

That each Overview and Scrutiny Panel be recommended to meet on the following dates and times during 2018/19:

The Cabinet considered revisions to the structure and terms of reference of the overview and scrutiny panels to align them with the new portfolio structure and also ensure that each portfolio holder was only scrutinised by a single panel.  In addition, as a result of new legislation, there would be a significant increase in workload on housing and homelessness and a new panel was proposed that was dedicated to that function.  It was proposed that this panel would meet in the evening to give further opportunities for participation to those Members that found it difficult to attend daytime meetings.

It was also proposed that each Panel would, in future, meet 4 times a year, plus the annual meeting; instead of 5 times per annum as present.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)         That an additional overview and scrutiny panel be introduced;

(b)        That the panels be named as set out below; and that they have particular responsibility for the overview and scrutiny of the service areas attaching to the Portfolios shown:

(c)     That each Panel continues to comprise 10 members;

(d)     That the political proportionality be as set out in paragraph 4 of Report Item 4 to the Cabinet;

(e)     That each Panel meets four times per year, in January, March, June and September, with

·        an additional annual meeting to appoint the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Panel, and

·        special meetings as may be deemed necessary by the Chairman of that Panel.

RESOLVED:

That each Overview and Scrutiny Panel be recommended to meet on the following dates and times during 2018/19:

To consider revisions to the Council’s policy on Discretionary Housing Payments.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the Discretionary Housing Payments policy, as attached as Appendix 1 to Report Item 5 to the Cabinet, be approved and adopted;

(b)     That the Service Manager Revenues and Benefits, Benefits Manager and Senior Benefits Officer be given delegated authority to make decisions under the above policy; and

(c)     That an annual report be submitted to the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Panel on funding allocations, policy delivery and appeals.

The Cabinet considered changes to the Discretionary Housing Payments Policy to reflect the introduction of Universal Credit.  The Discretionary Housing Payments Scheme was locally administered and was designed to help claimants on low incomes who had a shortfall between the amount of support they received through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit and their actual rent, with that shortfall causing hardship.  Government funding for the scheme had been reduced from £324,613 in 2017/18 to £278,541 in 2018/19.  In 2017/18 all the funding had been used, through 765 awards.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the Discretionary Housing Payments policy, as attached as Appendix 1 to Report Item 5 to the Cabinet, be approved and adopted;

(b)     That the Service Manager Revenues and Benefits, Benefits Manager and Senior Benefits Officer be given delegated authority to make decisions under the above policy; and

(c)     That an annual report be submitted to the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Panel on funding allocations, policy delivery and appeals.

To consider whether to allow the Council’s buildings to be used for siting stations for developing the “Internet of Things”.

RESOLVED:

(a)     That the proposal set out in Report Item 6 to the Cabinet be supported in principle; and

(b)     That, subject to the satisfactory outcome of further investigations to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the Council’s interests, the Service Manager, Estates and Valuation be authorised to agree the suitability and location of the proposed sites, to secure all necessary authorisations and assessments, and to agree a 5 year licence to permit the installations in accordance with the terms set out in Report Item 6 to the Cabinet.

(c)     That a progress report be submitted to the Cabinet after 6 months.

The Cabinet considered whether to allow aerials to be placed on the Council’s buildings to allow a local company to establish an “Internet of Things”.  The aerials would be 60 cm tall, of narrow diameter, pole mounted with a base station.  The aerials supported a Low-Power Wide-Area Network for functions such as asset tracking, remote monitoring of utilities; and monitoring of equipment used to support elderly or vulnerable adults in their homes.  In addition to offering potential applications for the Council’s business, this would be an additional income stream.  The Cabinet considered that all town and parish councils in the area should be made aware of this initiative, so they could take advantage of it if they chose.

RESOLVED:

(a)     That the proposal set out in Report Item 6 to the Cabinet be supported in principle; and

(b)     That, subject to the satisfactory outcome of further investigations to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the Council’s interests, the Service Manager, Estates and Valuation be authorised to agree the suitability and location of the proposed sites, to secure all necessary authorisations and assessments, and to agree a 5 year licence to permit the installations in accordance with the terms set out in Report Item 6 to the Cabinet.

(c)     That a progress report be submitted to the Cabinet after 6 months.

RECOMMENDED:

That Cllr Penson be appointed to serve as this Council’s deputy representative on the New Forest Citizens’ Advice Bureau; and that Cllr Clarke be appointed to serve as this Council’s Representative on the Hampshire Archives Trust.

RESOLVED:

That Cllr Penson be appointed to serve as this Council’s deputy representative on the New Forest Citizens’ Advice Bureau; and that Cllr Clarke be appointed to serve as this Council’s Representative on the Hampshire Archives Trust.