Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 October 2020 as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 6 October 2020 were confirmed as a correct record.

To receive from members, declarations of interest in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, in accordance with the Waverley Code of Local Government Conduct.

There were no declarations of interests in relation to matters on the agenda.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from members of the public for which notice has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

The deadline for receipt of questions is 5pm on Tuesday 27 October 2020.

There were no questions from members of the public.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

The deadline for receipt of questions is 5pm on Tuesday 27 October 2020.

48.1    Cllr David Beaman asked the following question:

"Does Waverley Borough Council, like several other local authorities including a number of Conservative controlled councils like Kensington & Chelsea, have any intention to provide free school meal vouchers over the Christmas and New Year holiday period to children who are entitled to receive free school meals during term time?" 

48.2    The Leader responded, as follows: “I understand the Local Resilience Forum has been working over half term to provide meals for children over that period. I have been in contact with the County Council and they have assured me that they will be planning in earnest with school leaders and Local Resilience partners, as well as with us, to see what sustainable arrangements can be made over Christmas to see that no child goes hungry. What form this will take we are not yet sure, but they will be working with the schools who know the children best to find out how this can be done. Therefore, we haven't made any firm arrangements yet but we are committed to do something to see that children are not going hungry over this particular period.”

The Leader and Portfolio Holders to report on current issues.

49.1     The Leader and Portfolio Holders gave brief updates on current issues not reported elsewhere on the agenda:

·         The council would be responding to the government’s announcement of a national lockdown, although details had yet to be published. Whilst there was no mandatory shielding for vulnerable residents, the council would be gearing up resources to provide support for those who needed it. The need to act support homelessness and rough sleepers was being anticipated, although there had been no guidance on this as yet; and the council would once again be administering the latest round of grants for businesses.

·         The Leader urged everyone to observe the government guidelines on meeting with others, maintaining social distance and wearing a mask in public places.

·         The threat of enforced local government reorganisation had receded for the time being, but KPMG were continuing to work on finalising their report with a focus on how the Districts and Boroughs could best cooperate and work together.

·         Cllr Merryweather reported that the financial impact of the new lockdown was still being assessed, but it was likely that it would remain within the parameters of the contingency revised budget agreed by Full Council in August. The Executive had committed to review the Medium Term Financial Plan and report for Full Council by December, and this work was underway. The impact of Covid-19 would impact the Council next year, and in subsequent years, and much depended on the additional financial impacts of Covid and the amount of support provided by the government to support councils.

·         Cllr Williams advised that the latest draft of the council’s response to the climate emergency, the Carbon Neutrality Action Plan 2020-2030, would be going to the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee later in the month, and then to the Executive and Full Council in December. The response to the public consultation on climate change had also been published: 93% of respondents believed climate change was an important issue; and 89% believed that Waverley Borough Council should tackle its own emissions as a priority and lead by example.

·         Cllr Rosoman advised that further guidance was being sought from the government on supporting rough sleepers during the Covid lockdown, and there was pressure to reintroduce the ‘Everyone in’ scheme. The redevelopment work at Ockford Ridge was progressing well, and Community Safety Partnership continued to meet regularly to monitor reports of anti-social behaviour and other community issues.

·         Cllr MacLeod reported that the council’s responses to the government’s consultations on the future of the planning system had now been submitted. The consultation on the pre-submission Draft Local Plan Part 2 would be starting shortly. This had been extended from six to eight weeks and options were being explored to overcome the restrictions of Covid and the lockdown to make hard copies available to the public. As construction work was able to continue through the new lockdown, it was hoped that the impact on the Brightwells development would not be too severe, and there would be an update following the  ...  view the full minutes text for item EXE 49/20

There were no matters falling within this category.

The Council is delivering a programme of new and refurbished affordable housing on its Ockford Ridge estate in Godalming. This scheme includes the redevelopment of 6 sites and refurbishment of the remaining stock, to provide modernised and new build affordable homes for local people.

The purpose of this report is to seek Executive approval to bring forward capital budget from estimated 2021/2022 budgets for Sites C and F by re-phasing of the use of reserves.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive approve the following budgets to be brought forward for Sites C and F from the estimated budget for 2021/2022:

Executive RESOLVED to approve the following budgets to be brought forward for Sites C and F from the estimated budget for 2021/22:

Scheme/site   Total budget

Site C              £336,000

Site F               £150,000

[Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee]

50.1     Cllr Anne-Marie Rosoman, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Safety, introduced the proposal to bring forward capital budgets from 2021/22 to the current year to enable the delivery of the work on Sites C and F at Ockford Ridge to progress without delay.

50.2     Cllr Richard Seaborne spoke in his capacity as Chairman of the Housing Overview & Scrutiny Committee: he was pleased to see the acceleration of the Ockford Ridge redevelopment programme, as this would reduce the period of disruption for the residents living on the estate that the works inevitably caused. Cllr Seaborne outlined the work that the Housing O&S Committee would be doing in the new year to review the Waverley Housing Design Standards, focusing not just on the climate change aspects of the design standards but also the recommendations of the Hackett Report, the outcomes of the recent consultation on accessibility standards, and potential for improved arrangements for home working. The intention was to begin this work early in the new year, and for the Housing O&S Committee to bring forward recommendations to the Executive in summer 2021.

50.3     The Executive RESOLVED to approve the following budgets to be brought forward for Sites C and F from the estimated budget for 2021/22:

Scheme/site    Total budget

Site C               £336,000

Site F               £150,000