Agenda and minutes

To receive and record any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Cheshire.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet held on 8 and 22 February 2017.

The minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 8 and 22 February 2017 were approved as a correct record.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

There were no matters arising from the last meetings of the Cabinet.

To receive and record any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no matters the Chairman wished to report.

Councillor Diana Patrick, as Scrutiny Lead, was invited to join the meeting to present the findings and recommendations of the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Panel following its review of independent sheltered housing in the Borough. 

Councillor Patrick gave an account of the extensive review undertaken by the Panel, focusing on a cross-section of accommodation providers operating within the Borough and providing accommodation for elderly residents.  Councillor Patrick also briefed the Cabinet on responses received from the accommodation providers in relation to concerns and issues highlighted by their residents and how the accommodation providers had sought to address these. 

Cabinet noted that changes to tenancy agreements had impacted some residents however these had arisen through changes to funding provision and all residents had been advised of the changes.  Officers further advised that, since the scrutiny review had been completed, no further complaints had been received by the Council.  Confirmation was given that monthly meetings with officers and accommodation providers as recommended in paragraph 2.12 of the report were now in place however the higher-level strategic meetings referred to in paragraph 2.11 were yet to happen.

Cabinet members were minded to support the recommendations put forward by the Scrutiny Board subject upon confirmation from Councillor Patrick that the scrutiny work would be revisiting the issue.

RESOLVED that the following recommendations from the Scrutiny Board be endorsed and approved by Cabinet:

(1)          six monthly liaison meetings be arranged with the Guinness Partnership and Portsmouth City Council for Councillors (Portfolio Holders) and officers (Heads Of Service) to discuss high-level strategic issues within housing schemes  and community issues in the Borough;

(2)          Monthly contact discussions be arranged between officers at the Council and Guinness Partnership / Portsmouth City Council housing teams to discuss housing related issues and concerns relating to residents the Borough;

(3)          A clear guideline on the process of raising issues concerning residents living within schemes provided by housing associations be circulated to all members;

(4)          Guinness Partnership be recommended to improve its communication and performance recording to overcome the clear disparity between the expectations of their customers and the service it provides;

(5)          Councillors be encouraged to regularly visit sheltered housing schemes within their ward e.g. attend coffee mornings to improve the profile of the Council and strengthened the link between councillors and their constituents;

(6)          Guinness Partnership and Portsmouth City Council be requested to supply the Council each year with a copy of their Housing Annual Report together with a breakdown of the performance statistics relating to this Borough;

(7)          The officers be requested to compile a list of sheltered housing schemes within the Borough and publish this on the Council’s website; and

(8)          A link to the definition of Sheltered Housing be included in the Home Choice website.

Councillor Tony Briggs presented a report and recommendation to Cabinet seeking authorisation for the delegation of certain litter enforcement functions to East Hampshire District Council in seeking to take forward the Council’s established position in relation to its zero tolerance approach to littering.

RESOLVED that the Executive Director (Operations), in consultation with the Cabinet Lead for the Environment and Neighbourhood Quality, be authorised to delegate the following enforcement functions to East Hampshire District Council:

·         Littering under section 87 Environmental Protection Act 1990 as amended by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005;

·         Failure to provide an authorised officer with correct details under section 88 Environment Protection Act 1990 as amended and

·         The Havant Dogs (Fouling of Land Act)1997; and

·         Orders made under the Antisocial Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Councillor Tony Briggs presented a report seeking a recommendation to Council to approve the use of the Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) – Dogs for the Borough of Havant.

In noting that the matter would be put to full Council for approval on 29 March, and in accepting additional wording to the recommendation to exclude dogs from gated children’s play areas, Cabinet members requested that a plan showing the location of the play areas in question be circulated to all members of the Council.

RECOMMENDED to full Council that it:

(1)          authorises the making of the proposed Public Space Protection Orders – Dogs (Havant Borough Council) 2017 in relation to

·         failing to dispose of dog faeces

·         the control of dogs in designated children’s play areas

·         the control of dogs within cemeteries

·         the exclusion of dogs from gated children’s play areas and fenced tennis courts

·         failing to put a dog on a lead when directed to do so

·         seasonal exclusion of dogs from blue flag beaches

(2)          agrees to the use of £80 fixed penalty notices to tackle offences disclosed; and

(3)          delegates authority to the Service Manager Neighbourhood Support in consultation with the Portfolio Holder to carry out all necessary publicity required by virtue of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Publication of Public Spaces Protection Orders) Regulations.

The Cabinet is asked to consider whether to pass a resolution excluding the public from the meeting during consideration of any of the items on the agenda.  If members wish to do so then this could be achieved by passing the following resolution.  Members are not required to pass the resolution but the Solicitor to the Council recommends this as to the item set out below.

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the item headed and numbered as below because:

(a)       it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information of the descriptions specified in paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 shown against the heading in question; and

(b)       in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Item 10 – Recommendation from the Scrutiny Board - Review of Shared Management Arrangements with EHDC (Paragraph 3)

Item 11 – Recommendation from the Scrutiny Board -  Review of Transfer of IT Services to the Five Councils (Paragraph 3)

Item 12  - Havant Lottery Proposal (Paragraph 3)

Item 13 – Hayling Seafront Masterplan (Paragraph 3)

RESOLVED that the press and the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items as:-

(i)         it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during that item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972; and

(ii)        in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The report to be considered was exempt under Paragraph 3 – Information relating to the financial affairs or business Affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information).

(this item was taken in camera)

Councillor Lance Quantrill was invited to join the meeting as Scrutiny Lead to present the findings and recommendations of the Marketing, Business Development and Five Councils Scrutiny Panel arising from its review of the shared senior management arrangements between Havant Borough and East Hampshire District Councils.

RESOLVED that consideration be given to offering consultancy services to aspiring Councils on successful partnership work.

(this item was taken in camera)

Councillor Lance Quantrill was invited to join the meeting as Scrutiny Lead to present the findings and recommendations of the Marketing, Business Development and Five Councils Scrutiny Panel arising from its review into the transfer of IT as part of the Five Councils Contract.

RESOLVED that the findings as set in the report be noted.

(This item was taken in camera)

Councillor Leah Turner presented a report and recommendation to Cabinet seeking authority to introduce a Havant Borough Council online lottery scheme (The Havant Lottery) the purpose of which was to raise funds for local charities, voluntary organisations and good causes in the Borough.

RESOLVED as set out in the restricted minute.

(This item was taken in camera)

Councillor Tim Pike presented a report setting out progress on the Hayling Seafront Masterplan and seeking funding approval to proceed with initial investigations as outlined in the report.

RESOLVED as set out in the restricted minute.