Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Robinson)

Report of the Chief Executive (to follow).

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Robinson)

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Executive which provided a position statement on the review of all statutory services.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Governance Services (which includes democratic, legal, licensing and human resources)

It is necessary to have in place the legal advice to ensure that the Council acts lawfully.  This service could be provided in different ways and the level of service is not prescribed.  The Council is required to support its members and ensure it employs people in accordance with legislation.  How this is achieved is not set out in statute.  Licensing operates on the basis of income and expenditure balancing, so there is no scope to make savings or increase income.

Property Services

As the council owns land and property and it lets some of that property, the council must comply with statutes as they affect the council in its capacity as landlord and/or tenant. This includes, for example, health and safety requiring appropriate levels of both management and the need to undertake repairs and maintenance. The council is also required to purchase, sell, lease and let property at market value which requires professional advice to authorise individual transactions.

All services could be provided in different ways and the council is currently reviewing its approach to facilities management and other property services in a report to the December meeting of cabinet.

Environmental Services – General

The council is required to provide boundary signs for which there is a budget of £1,500.

The Council is required to provide a Bulky Waste Service. The present arrangements were developed five years ago and as the method of provision is successful the service is extending into other Council areas. This may provide extra income.

The council has a statutory duty to repair, maintain and provide street nameplates.  The budget is £12,600 and is almost at the minimum level.

Tree maintenance is a safety requirement, but this is based on the number of trees on land owned by the Council.  The Council has recently agreed a new policy in respect of tree management with the intention of managing its trees as efficiently as possible.

Refuse Collection and Street Cleansing

It is a statutory requirement to provide a Trade Refuse Collection Service. This is based on demand and the ability of the Council to provide the service at a competitive price.

Waste collection and recycling are statutory services. New arrangements are being brought into place which will continue to meet statutory requirements but at a reduced cost.

The provision of street cleansing is statutory, but only at the most basic level.  The budget is £1.65m which provides for a mixture of planned and reactive services.  It would be possible to provide a minimal service and still meet statutory requirements.

Planning Services – Development Control

Development Control is a statutory function. The level of service provided is driven by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 66