Agenda item

To consider the reports of the Cabinet dated:-

 

·        4 May 2022;

·        1 June 2022; and

·        6 July 2022 (to follow).

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council first presented the report of the Cabinet meeting held on 4 May 2022 and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr J Heron seconded the motion.

 

Paragraph 1 – Shaping a Vision and Plan for the Future of Totton

 

A local Member welcomed the focus on Totton, particularly in the context of the town centre.  It was requested that consideration was given to the role of the Town Council and Neighbourhood Plan team in this work.  An example of improved tree planting was cited as one of a number of lower cost initiatives to enhance the area.

 

In response to concerns on a town focused approach, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Investment and Corporate Services reassured Members that Totton was a sensible starting point.  However, many communities across the District would see the benefit of the Council’s initiatives in regeneration over time.

 

Paragraph 4 – Commercial Property Opportunity

 

In response to concerns on the risk to the Council of investing in uncertain times, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Investment and Corporate Services highlighted the long term strategy of the Council in this area.  With robust checks in the commercial sector, the strategy placed the Council in a strong position.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.

 

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council then presented the report of the Cabinet meeting held on 1 June 2022 and moved that it be received.  Cllr J Heron seconded the motion.

 

Paragraph 1 – Dibden Golf Club Rent Review and Lease Variation

 

The Chair of the Dibden Golf Club Working Group placed on record her thanks to Members and Officers for their work in reaching a sensible contract variation that protected both the Council and the delivery of services by the Council’s partner, Mytime Active.

 

A local Member encouraged Members to continue holding Mytime Active to account to ensure the promotion of golf to younger people in the District.

 

Paragraph 3 – New Forest National Park Partnership Plan 2022-2027

 

One Member highlighted the importance of working in partnership to encourage affordable and sustainable transport in the District and particularly in the National Park.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be received.

 

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council then presented the report of the Cabinet meeting held on 6 July 2022 and moved the adoption of the recommendations.  Cllr J Heron seconded the motion.

 

Paragraph 1 – Waste Strategy 2022-2027

 

Cllr Harrison moved an amendment to the recommendations, as follows:-

 

“This Council undertakes to hold a referendum, allowing local people to have a say before the method of household waste collection is changed from the plastic sack system to wheelie bins.”

 

Cllr J Davies seconded the amendment.

 

Those in favour of the amendment highlighted the significance of the service changes detailed in the Waste Strategy, and that local people should have a choice.  The detail on how support and education on the strategy would be provided was also sought.  Despite good responses to the consultation, it was suggested that this still fell short of the numbers required to ensure a wide understanding of the proposed service changes across the District.  The mandate for such changes was questioned.

 

Those against the amendment cited the extensive consultation undertaken on the strategy.  The costs of a referendum were also noted as significant.  The development of the strategy had been the subject of a cross-party Task and Finish Group that had studied the national, regional and local context in great detail since May 2021.  Some Members suggested it was duty of councillors to make policy decisions once elected, rather than defer to a referendum.

 

A request for a recorded vote on the amendment did not receive the required support of the Council.

 

Put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

Cllr Kangarani moved an amendment to the recommendations, as follows:-

 

“That NFDC implements a 65% recycling target, including food waste, with immediate effect and to reach that target within two years of instigating any new system.  NFDC would also look at extending that target to 70% recycled by 2030.”

 

Cllr Clark seconded the amendment.

 

Those in favour of the amendment cited authorities with much higher recycling rates and that the target could be adjusted accordingly.  It was suggested that increased targets could assist with the prevention of fly tipping.  An ambitious target was seen by some Members as a tool to ensure residents bought into the service changes, providing education on the benefits of both a reduction in waste and increased recycling rates.  This was also in support of the Council’s declaration of a Climate Change and Nature Emergency.

 

Those against the amendment highlighted the difficulty in comparing other local authority areas to the unique nature of the New Forest, with vast rural areas alongside villages and more urban town centres.  Additionally, the comparisons made with authorities in Wales were challenging given the different methodology to England in measuring rates of recycling.  The target was suggested to be an initial opportunity with a new service delivery model that would inevitably be reviewed over time. 

 

The Chairman of the Environment and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Panel referred to the Panel’s detailed consideration of the proposals, alongside the work of the Task and Finish Group.  Attention was drawn to the umbrella arrangements in Hampshire with the County Council as the disposal authority and the importance of working together on a strategy that supported the shared objectives of collection authorities in Hampshire.  An increase in recycling was also in part dependent on the materials that the County Council could process as the disposal authority.

 

Put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

Paragraph 2 – Annual Performance and Provisional Budget Outturn

 

In response to concerns on the surplus for 2021/22, the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Investment and Corporate Services confirmed that good financial planning would often result in the rescheduling of projects budgeted for within a financial year, to another more appropriate year, taking into account the individual circumstances of each project.

 

Paragraph 4 – Digital Strategy

 

One Member highlighted the debate at the Cabinet regarding the value placed on Information Offices for residents seeking non-digital contact with the Council.  The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Investment and Corporate Services reiterated the commitment to telephone or in person options for residents.  However, many residents sought to interact with the Council in digital manner and the Digital Strategy provided  a platform to improve in this area to the benefit of service users.  The Chairman of the Corporate Affairs and Local Economy Overview and Scrutiny Panel highlighted the significant reassurance given at the Panel Meeting on this issue.

 

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

Paragraph 6 – Deprivation within the New Forest

 

Cllr J Davies moved an amendment, to support the original motion put to the Council meeting of 16 May 2022, detailed in full as follows:-

 

“This Council notes:

 

·        The alarming news that 4 out of 114 neighbourhoods across the New Forest are in the top 20% most deprived neighbourhoods for income deprivation in England according to the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation.

 

This Council further notes:

 

·        The Cost of Living Crisis, which is expected to get worse, will push more local households into poverty.

·        That the cost of living crisis has a disproportionate effect on people in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

·        There are many different areas of deprivation included within the Index of Multiple Deprivation. These include: income deprivation; employment deprivation; education, skills, and training deprivation; health and disability deprivation; crime deprivation; income deprivation affecting children; income deprivation affecting older people; living environment deprivation; and housing deprivation.

·        There are two neighbourhoods within the New Forest which are in the top 20% most deprived neighbourhoods for income deprivation affecting children. These two neighbourhoods are contained within Butts Ash and Dibden Purlieu ward and Pennington ward respectively.

 

This Council recommends:

 

1.     A Task and Finish Group* be set up to form a plan to tackle deprivation across the New Forest with a particular emphasis on the 4 most deprived neighbourhoods for income deprivation.

*That this Task and Finish Group reports to the Community, Partnerships and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

 

2.     Overall Deprivation is included as a key priority within the Corporate Plan and include the responsibility for reducing overall deprivation within the priorities of the Portfolio Holder for Partnering and Wellbeing.”

 

Cllr A Wade seconded the amendment.

 

One Member expressed disappointment that the original motion was not accepted by the Cabinet and had been replaced by a proposed new motion.  It was suggested that a focus in the Corporate Plan would highlight the issue as a new priority.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Investment and Corporate Services highlighted the range of local organisations that provided support to residents, many of which worked very closely with the Council.  These included Citizens Advice New Forest, Community First Wessex, the local foodbanks and charities such as Youth and Families Matter.  Work was ongoing to ensure data was collected to drive a Poverty Action Plan, alongside the establishment of a Cost of Living Steering Group.

 

Cllr J Davies summed up his amendment, highlighting the importance of a plan and strategy for a long term solution to the cost of living.

 

The Deputy Leader, in summary, reiterated the actions taking place, including the Cost of Living Steering Group which would consider matters such as deprivation and socio-economic drivers.

 

A request for a recorded vote on the amendment did not receive the required support of the Council.

 

Put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

Paragraph 8 – Greener Housing Strategy 2022-2032

 

A number of Members welcomed this strategy.  The Chairman of the Greener Housing Task and Finish Group placed on record his thanks to Members and Officers for their work on the subject.

 

One Member highlighted the importance of communication and education to ensure that the Council, in getting its own housing stock in line, showed communities what they could do to meet greener standards in their homes.

 

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

Paragraph 9 – Scheme of Members’ Allowances – Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP)

 

The motion was put to the vote and carried.

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be received and the recommendations be adopted.