BOROUGH COUNCIL OF KING S LYNN AND WEST NORFOLK COMMUNITY AND CULTURE PANEL

Transcription

1 211 BOROUGH COUNCIL OF KING S LYNN AND WEST NORFOLK COMMUNITY AND CULTURE PANEL Minutes of a Meeting of the Panel held on Tuesday 14 September 2004 at 6.30pm in the Committee Suite, King s Court, Chapel Street, King s Lynn PRESENT: Councillor A M Lovett (Chairman) Councillors Mrs S A Clery-Fox, H A S Humphrey, D Rye, M A Shorting, Mrs G E Thorneywork and L V Wilkinson Other member present: Councillor D Harwood (Portfolio Holder for Community) An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs K Mellish. CC10: COUNCILLOR MRS C R TILBURY The Chairman paid tribute to Councillor Mrs C R Tilbury, who had died recently. He said that Councillor Mrs Tilbury had been a very able Vice- Chairman of the Panel and, previously, of the Housing, Health, Culture and Community Committee. She had been a great support to him, and he had particularly valued her depth of knowledge and common sense. She had worked very hard for other people, especially those who were disadvantaged. The Chairman reported that he had represented the Panel at Councillor Mrs Tilbury s funeral, on 13 September CC11: VICE-CHAIRMAN RESOLVED: That Councillor L V Wilkinson be elected Vice-Chairman of the Panel for the meeting. CC12: MINUTES The minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2004 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. CC13: DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. CC14: CABINET S FORWARD DECISIONS LIST The Panel considered the Cabinet s forward decisions list, as it related to Community and Culture.

2 212 RESOLVED: That the Cabinet s forward decisions list be noted. CC15: CORPORATE CHILD PROTECTION STATEMENT The Policy Manager presented a report which provided an update on the work towards the development of a corporate position statement that would coordinate the Council s approach to child protection. The Chairman reminded members that the Panel had previously considered this issue at its meeting on 6 April 2004 (minute number CC81 refers), when it had been decided to revisit the item in the autumn, at which point it had been hoped that the Department for Education and Skills would have published the next steps document for the Children Bill. However, the document had not yet been published. It would also be important to draw on work being undertaken by Norfolk County Council, but a member advised that this was on hold pending a restructuring that would result in the creation of a new department of Children s Services. Nevertheless, it was necessary for the Borough Council to proceed with the production of a Corporate Child Protection Statement, in order to ensure that the Council was discharging its legal requirements. It had also been highlighted in the Council s Comprehensive Performance Assessment as an area of weakness. In answer to a question, the Policy Manager stated that, to the best of his knowledge, all of the Borough Council s departments that dealt with children already had child protection policies of their own. The Corporate Child Protection Statement would consolidate this service-based work into a single coherent policy. In response to a question, the Policy Manager said that, as well as being responsible for child protection in its own dealings with children, the Borough Council might act as a consultee in the inspection of children s services run by other agencies. The Policy Manager undertook to present the draft Corporate Child Protection Statement to the Panel at a future meeting. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. CC16: REVISIONS TO THE COUNCIL S RACE EQUALITY SCHEME The Personnel Manager (Recruitment and Development) presented a report which set out revisions to the Council s Race Equality Scheme. The revisions resulted from the adoption of a new Corporate Strategy in late She stressed that there would be a fundamental review of the Scheme in June A copy of the full Scheme, including the proposed revisions, was appended to the report.

3 213 A member pointed out that White was listed in the Scheme under ethnic minorities and suggested that this should be reworded. In answer to questions, the Personnel Manager made the following points: The categories of ethnic minorities listed in the Scheme were stipulated by the Commission for Racial Equality. The Council was required to provide information to the Government based on these categories. Applicants for jobs at the Council were issued with an ethnic monitoring form. This was separate from the application form and, once returned, was kept confidentially within Personnel and used only for monitoring purposes. Completion of the form was voluntary. It was important to monitor recruitment in this way, to ensure that jobs were being promoted to the whole community. The Council monitored the use of the INTRAN translation service to establish in which foreign languages important documents should be made available. Currently, the five most commonly requested languages through INTRAN in West Norfolk were Russian, Portuguese, Kurdish, Spanish and Chinese Mandarin. The Council was also carrying out ongoing research into who was accessing its services and their level of understanding of written and spoken English. When the Council issued tender documents, questions on the contractors equal opportunities policies were always included. It was intended that any difficulties in this area with contractors would be picked up as part of the contract monitoring procedures. Section 17 training had been provided two years ago to all managers at Head of Service level and above. Since then, work had been carried out to incorporate training on racially motivated incidents to the general programme for other staff. A member stressed that opportunities to learn English should be widely available. The Acting Chief Executive responded that it was not the Borough Council s responsibility to provide classes. However, it had an enabling role to ensure that other agencies were providing classes and that funding was being accessed. An increased number of non-english speakers were using the Borough Council s services. Councillor Harwood said that he had recently obtained at a seminar information on free classes, which he would pass to the relevant Corporate Director. There was also a sub-group working on ways of making English classes more widely available, for instance through employers, local schools and village halls.

4 214 In answer to a question, Councillor Harwood advised that Norfolk County Council was taking the lead regarding the provision of sites for Gypsies and travellers. RESOLVED: That the Cabinet be recommended to approve the The Borough Council s Corporate Aims section of the Race Equality Scheme, as presented, pending a fundamental review of the Scheme in June CC17: BOROUGH WORKS VEHICLE TRACKING SYSTEM The Head of Housing Management presented a report which provided further information, as requested by the Panel at its meeting on 15 June 2004 (minute number CC5 refers), regarding the Automatic Vehicle Location System (AVLS) fitted to the vehicles used by Borough Works tradesmen. The Head of Housing Management referred to the trial currently being undertaken by the Careline Service of a computer based lone worker package, which made use of mobile telephone technology. The trial involved one worker only; however, since the report had been written, it had been decided to extend the trial to the 30 members of staff who would shortly be visiting, in pairs, all of the houses owned by the Council to discuss the housing stock transfer proposals. This would provide a far more rigorous test of the system, as well as some protection for the staff involved. Members welcomed this initiative. The Panel noted that Cambridge City Council s use of AVLS had not been as successful as had originally been understood. Indeed, the Head of Housing Management advised that Cambridge City Council had never used the System for lone worker security purposes. Members were of the view that, in light of the lack of usage of AVLS and the number of alternatives and new technologies that were becoming available, the lease arrangement should not be renewed when it expired, on 31 July It was also acknowledged that, should the proposed transfer of the Council s housing stock take place, continuation of the use of AVLS could represent a cost and ongoing liability issue for the new landlord. The Head of Housing Management undertook to keep himself informed of the developments in the market. He would stay in touch with Cambridge City Council, which was investigating alternatives, including the use of digital radio. It was stressed that any replacement system would have to be easy to use. The Panel noted that an audit had revealed that all of the AVLS equipment supplied as part of the lease agreement was still in place and in good working order. This should mean that, in the event of non-renewal when the lease agreement expired, the full residual value would be able to be redeemed. There would be a minimal expense to repair the vehicles following removal of the aerials. Members felt that it would be sensible to

5 215 remove the AVLS equipment from the vehicles as soon as possible, to avoid any chance of it being damaged or lost before the contract expired. In answer to a question, the Head of Housing Management said that all Borough Works operatives had been issued with a memorandum stipulating that mobile telephones supplied by the Council could only be used for work purposes, apart from very limited personal use. They should not be used by operatives on annual or sick leave. The Chairman thanked the Head of Housing Management for his very comprehensive reports, to this meeting and the meeting on 15 June RESOLVED: 1) That the Portfolio Holder for Community be recommended to give serious consideration to abandoning the AVLS system when the lease arrangement expires on 31 July ) That the Portfolio Holder for Community be recommended to arrange for the AVLS equipment to be removed from the Borough Works vehicles as soon as possible and stored securely until the expiry of the lease agreement. 3) That the Panel receive a report at a future meeting on the outcomes of the trial of the lone worker package by the Careline Service for the 30 home visitors. CC18: KING S LYNN ARTS CENTRE The General Manager Arts and Entertainment presented a report which: demonstrated the level of success of the King Lynn Arts Centre, taking into account the recent substantial investment and the reduced programme implemented from May 2004; summarised the work carried out as part of the ongoing redevelopment and noted the work yet to be done; and detailed changes to the performing arts and film programme and resulting attendance figures. In answer to questions, the General Manager Arts and Entertainment made the following points: Discussions had been held with a Curator from the National Trust (which owned the building) regarding improving the accessibility of the Arts Centre for people in wheelchairs. Initial suggestions had failed to meet with the approval of the Curator, but he appeared to be happy with a further proposal, which would involve creating an internal lift. The proposal would shortly be put before the National Trust Regional Board. If it went ahead, there would also need to be

6 216 some adjustments to the Arts Centre, such as the layout of the seating. Other work in line with the Disability Discrimination Act was being undertaken at the Arts Centre, such as improvements for people with hearing disabilities. Some foreign language films were shown at the Arts Centre. Consideration would be given to showing some films in the foreign languages most commonly spoken in West Norfolk. It was likely that the fall in attendances at film showings was the result of the recent lack of major films; it was expected that this would balance out over the year. The increased attendance level for performing arts was likely to be the result of a good marketing strategy and changes to the programme. It was difficult to judge whether some people had started attending in order to ensure that the Centre was not closed. A suggestion had been made to show films on Wednesdays and Thursdays, rather than on Thursdays and Fridays. This would shortly be the subject of extensive consultation with film-goers. The Chairman commented that he was pleased to learn that the Arts Centre was being well used. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. CC19: PANEL WORK PROGRAMME The Panel considered its current work programme. It was noted that the Race Equality Scheme item would not now come before the Panel on 19 October 2004, as programmed, as the necessary decision had been taken earlier in this meeting (minute number CC16 refers). The Chairman explained that it was proposed that a Task Group to consider Affordable Housing be formed jointly by the Resources and Performance Panel and this Panel. The suggested terms of reference were appended to the Panel s work programme, and the draft report to the first meeting of the Task Group was tabled. The Scrutiny Support Officer advised that the Resources and Performance Panel wanted the Task Group to look at issues surrounding the provision of land and assistance by the Council to registered social landlords. It also wished for progress following the work of the Housing Enabling Task Group to be considered and for a general review of policies to be undertaken in anticipation of the proposed housing stock transfer.

7 217 In answer to a question, the Scrutiny Support Officer said that the work of the Task Group would not impinge on the stock transfer process. It would simply review progress and look ahead to possible scenarios. The following suggestions were made as to areas which could be covered by the Task Group: the provision of affordable homes to local people in villages, including Norfolk County Council s commitment to make available parcels of land near villages for affordable housing; and the use of Section 106 agreements. With regard to the terms of reference, it was felt that the need for financial provision for affordable housing should be included. RESOLVED: 1) That the Panel s work programme, as submitted, be agreed, subject to the removal of the Race Equality Scheme item under 19 October ) That the Affordable Housing Task Group be established jointly with the Resources and Performance Panel. 3) That item 1 in the terms of reference for the Task Group be amended to read as follows: To review progress on measures agreed by Council to promote the building of affordable housing in the Borough, with an emphasis on financial provision, including the use and distribution of land (additional words in italics). CC20: DATE OF NEXT MEETING The Panel noted that its next meeting was scheduled for 19 October 2004 at 6.30pm. The meeting closed at 8.20pm.