Agenda and decisions

Members are asked to declare any interests in the items under consideration and in doing so state:

(1) the type of interest concerned either a

(a)   personal interest

(b)   prejudicial interest

(c)    disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI)

and

(2) the nature of the interest concerned

If any member requires advice on declarations of interests, they are advised to contact the Head of Democratic Governance in advance of the meeting.

To consider the Housing and Homelessness Scrutiny Review Final Report.

The Executive resolved as follows:

To approve the final report and recommendations resulting from the scrutiny review of the Housing and Homelessness subject to the Cabinet Member’s comments in the report and the additional observations made at the meeting listed below in response to the comments made by the Lead Councillor:

1. In respect of recommendation 3 that a named independent person had already been identified namely Ian Treasure of Fulfilling Lives to lead the Homelessness Support Group. A key aim though remained to avoid the duplication of meetings.
2. In respect of recommendation 6 that it should be noted that the Council adopted the “Everybody In” process rather than utilising the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol. It needed to acknowledge that this would be dependent on funding but an undertaking would be given to bring a report to the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee as early as possible.
3. In respect of recommendation 9 the Cabinet Member supported the possible use of a mystery shopping exercise and that it could be useful. The Cabinet Member emphasised though that it would form part of a range of monitoring tools. 

The report provides the Executive with an update on the delivery of the Town Deal Programme

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To note the report for information.

To consider the future development of the Council’s wholly owned waste company, Blackpool Waste Services Limited, which trades as ENVECO, through the potential to expand its operational base by further incorporating additional frontline waste and other associated operational services delivered from Layton Depot. 

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

1. To authorise and approve the integration of the depot-delivered Waste and Street  Cleansing services (see scope of services below) in to the Council’s wholly owned waste company, Blackpool Waste Services Limited, in delivering additional related services currently managed by the Council. This will provide the opportunity for a more integrated, joined up and coordinated delivery, with improved levels of services and better environmental outcomes for the residents of Blackpool, in addition allowing the opportunity to create efficiencies with a target saving of £350,000 to contribute to the Council’s ongoing financial position. (See the Strategic Environmental Assessment Plan (SEAP) attached at Appendix 4a, to the Executive report).

2. To authorise and delegate to the Director of Community and Environmental Services responsibility for the smooth transfer of the services identified in this report by 1 September 2021 to Blackpool Waste Services Ltd.  He will work with the existing Project Board and the Blackpool Waste Services Board in facilitating the transfer.  Council department specialists will provide support to ensure all appropriate legal and financial due diligence is undertaken prior to the transfer of services. Particular regard will be given to ensuring staff terms and conditions are protected.

To consider whether to fund essential tramway works through Prudential Borrowing.

The Executive agreed the recommendation as outlined above namely:

To approve Prudential Borrowing up to £900,000 to fund the capital works to the tramway, as outlined in paragraph 6.6, to be repayable up to five years.

To report the level of spending and exposure against the Council’s Revenue budgets and reserves and balances for the first 10 months to 31 January 2021.

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1.         To note the report.

2.         To continue to lobby central government (HM Treasury, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Transport, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department for Education in particular) along with local authority peers and networks and the Local Government Association for the funding necessary to cope with the demands and new burdens presenting as a result of both Covid and within Children’s Services.

3.         To require the respective directors and Director of Resources to continue to closely monitor and manage service financial and operational performances, specifically Growth and Prosperity, Strategic Leisure Assets and Children’s Services and also the 3 Wholly Owned Companies that are facing the biggest impact from the Covid pandemic these being Blackpool Transport Services (BTS), Blackpool Entertainment Company Limited (BECL) and Blackpool Operating Company Limited (BOCL).