MINUTES

OF THE MEETING OF THE

Executive

Tuesday 11th March 2003

HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, SOMERSET.

Meeting Commenced: 10.00 a.m. Meeting Concluded: 11.45 a.m.

PRESENT: Councillors Michael Roe (Chairman), Peter Fisher (Vice-Chairman), Elfan Ap Rees, Nigel Ashton, Peter Burden, Peter Crew, John Morris, Arthur Terry.

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillors Peter Bryant, Bob Cook, Isabel Cummings, Alan Hockridge, Peter Kehoe, Ken Lacey, and Ian Peddlesden.

EXE

175

Minutes – 11th February 2003 (Agenda Item 3)

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting be approved as a correct record.

EXE

176

Review of Scrutiny Activity (Reference from the Financial Accountability Select Committee) (Agenda Item 5)

The Executive received minute FIN 72 of the Financial Accountability Select Committee.

RESOLVED: that the Committee’s conclusion be noted and the matter also be referred to the Standards Committee.

EXE

177

Forward Plan Dated 14/02/03 (Agenda Item 6)

RESOLVED: that the Plan be received subject to the deletion of Yatton Library and the Youth Work Plan in the March 2003 section.

EXE

178

Annual External Audit Letter (Agenda Item 7)

The Director of Finance and Resources presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the Annual Audit Letter be noted and the Draft Action Plan be approved.

EXE

179

Treasury Management Strategy for 2003/04 (Agenda Item 8)

Councillor Roe and the Director of Finance and Resources presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the proposed Treasury Management Strategy for 2003/04 be noted.

EXE

180

Grant of Renewal Leases – Shop Premises in Weston-super-Mare (Agenda Item 9)

Councillor Ashton presented a report.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that the Solicitor to the Council complete the respective leases on the terms set out in the report.

EXE

181

2003-2004 Draft Update on the Youth Justice Plan 2002-2005 (Agenda Item 10)

Councillor Ashton presented a report and also submitted details of amendments and additional information and the performance measures.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that the Youth Justice Plan Update, as amended by the details contained in Appendix 1 of these minutes, be approved for submission to the Youth Justice Board by 31st March 2003 subject to any comments of the Health and Wellbeing Select Committee and the Children and Young People Select Committee.

EXE

182

Housing Option Appraisal (Agenda Item 11)

Councillor Ashton presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the report be noted.

EXE

183

Housing Association Development Programme 2003/4 (Agenda Item 12)

Councillor Ashton presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the report be noted and that further reports be submitted detailing the Housing Association Development Plan and the impact of the Sustainable Communities Plan on Housing Finance.

EXE

184

Locking Castle Learning and Resource Centre (Agenda Item 13) (URGENT ITEM)

The Chairman ruled that a further report on this matter be considered as urgent because it was necessary for the Council to consider it in order to meet contracted dates.

Councillor Ap Rees presented the reports.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that Contractor C, Kier Construction, be approved as the main contractor and that the procurement of the Stage 2 contract packages for the Locking Castle Project be approved.

EXE

185

The Re-Designation of Secondary Schools in Weston-super-Mare, Operating as the Weston Federation, from 11 – 16 to 11 – 19 (Agenda Item 14)

Councillor Terry presented a report.

RESOLVED:

(1) that informal consultations be initiated with governors, students, parents and staff of Broadoak, Priory, Worle and Wyvern Community Schools;

(2) that further discussions be initiated with the Department for Education and Skills, West of England Learning and Skills Council, Weston College and Connexions West of England; and

(3) that the outcomes of the informal consultations and further discussions be considered at a future meeting with a view to issuing statutory proposals if the outcomes demonstrate support for the proposals and indicate their overall viability.

EXE

186

Provision of Scientific Services for the Council (Agenda Item 15)

Councillor Crew presented a report.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that the Council enter into a new joint agreement with South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset Councils for Bristol City Council to supply scientific services to all four unitary authorities for a period of five years subject to the finalisation and approval of the legal agreement and the agreement of the proposals by the other authorities.

EXE

187

Priory Community Sports Project, Provision of All Weather Pitch and Playing Fields (Agenda Item 16) (EXEMPT ITEM IN PART)

Councillor Terry presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the contract for the provision of the playing fields and associated landscaping be awarded to D.W. Clark (Drainage) Ltd. for the sum of £445,767.37.

EXE

188

Residential and Nursing Fee Price Negotiations (Agenda Item 21) (URGENT ITEM)

The Chairman ruled that a report on this matter be considered as urgent because it was necessary for the Council to approve fees for April 2003.

Councillor Ashton presented a report.

RESOLVED: that the recommended fee increase of 4.6%, as offered by the Council and being consistent with the application of the Price Waterhouse Cooper’s model for North Somerset, be approved.

EXE

189

Proposed Healthy Living Centre, Lonsdale Avenue, Weston-super-Mare (Agenda Item 17) (EXEMPT REPORT CONSIDERED IN OPEN SESSION)

The Chairman ruled that a supplementary exempt report be considered as urgent because it was necessary for the Council to consider the matter in order to adhere to its contract requirements.

Councillor Ashton presented a report, the contents of which was not referred to.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that the award of the contract for the Healthy Living Centre be made to Henry W. Pollard Ltd. in the sum of £2,293,873.00.

EXE

190

Exclusion of Press and Public

RESOLVED:

(1) that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business on the ground that their consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972; and

(2) that Members of the Council who are not Members of the Executive be invited to remain.

Item Reason for Exemption

Minute No.191 Paragraphs 7 and 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of

the Local Government Act 1972.

Minute No. 192 Paragraph 9 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

EXE

191

Albert Road Depot, Portishead (Agenda Item 18) (EXEMPT ITEM)

Councillor Fisher presented a report.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL: that a lease surrender agreement with Quadron Services Ltd. be completed and that the site be disposed of by tender for the best consideration on the basis as set out in the report.

EXE

192

Catering Outlets, Weston-super-Mare Seafront and Grant of Leases in respect of Carlton Kiosk, the Rozel Café and the Victorian Café (Agenda Item 19) (EXEMPT ITEM)

Councillor Ap Rees presented a report.

RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL:

(1) that the following leases be awarded on the terms and conditions set out in the report -

Carlton Kiosk (9 years) – R.W. Whittington and Grandsons

Victorian Café (3 years) – Mr. K.J. Widdows

Rozel Café (initial 10 years with the possibility of extending to a maximum 25 years) R.W. Whittington and Grandsons; and

(2) that the Solicitor to the Council be authorised to complete the necessary leases on the terms set out in the report.

EXE

193

Oral Report of an Executive Councillor

Councillor Crew: Waste Management Contract and Recycling (Agenda Item 20)

Councillor Crew reported that the operation of the first week of the Waste Management Contract had been successful and the minor problems that had occurred had been quickly dealt with. Leaflets concerning the Council’s “green box recycling scheme” had been distributed. In respect of the DEFRA recycling bid, it had now been ascertained that the Council would have to purchase its own vehicles and a report would be submitted in due course on a funding shortfall in this matter.

EXE

194

Oral Report of an Executive Councillor

Councillor Ap Rees: Churchill Sports Centre (Agenda Item 20)

Councillor Ap Rees reported that improvements would be carried out at the Churchill Sports Centre.

________________________________

Chairman

________________________________

APPENDIX 1

2003-2004 DRAFT UPDATE ON THE YOUTH JUSTICE PLAN 2002-2005

AMENDMENTS MADE

13.1 &

Summary

The figures of 4 & 16, have been transposed and ‘in prelude’ deleted.

Measure 1

Data: By Young Offenders

Offence

2001 Baseline

2002 Target

2002 Outturn

2003

Target

2004 Target

2005 Target

Burglary

Not fixed

Vehicle crime

Not fixed

Robbery

n/a

Constraints

Added:

v Population growth, new targets on the Police to increase detection and conviction rates, under the ‘Narrowing the Justice Gap’ initiative; and significant numbers of young people not coming to the YOT’s notice prior to these offences mean the results are more about enhanced police practice and logistics rather than the impact of YOT intervention practices.

v Low numbers may evidence disproportionate statistical effect e.g. there were 17 burglaries by young people in April-December 2000, 4 in 2001 and 13 in 2002.

Links to agency partners

Added:

v This measure was essentially a Police target with which YOTs have been required to assist in achieving.

Measure 2

Data:

Col 1	Col 2			Col 3		Col 4			Col 5
Outcome Band	No. in Cohort 1(2000)	2000 Cohort % re-offending after 12 months		2000 cohort % re-offending after 24 months		No in cohort 2 (2001)	2001 cohort % re-offending after 12 months		2002 cohort (Number Oct/Dec)
		%	No of young people				%	No of young people	No of young people
Pre-Court	41	19.5	8	48.8	20	48	31.3	15	52
First tier penalties	17	41.2	7	52.9	9	17	17.6	3	14
Community penalties	14	50.0	7	69.2	9	10	50.0	5	8
Custody (ON Release)	4	75	3	75	3	0	0	0	0

Constraints

Added:

v The level of offending in North Somerset is relatively low with 1.45% of young people offending. Maintaining this low offending rate is an aim in itself.

v Difficulty in recruitment i.e. 0.5/1 Social worker, 1 Restorative Justice Worker and 1 Drugs Worker vacancies.

THE THIRTEEN NATIONAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Measure One - Prevention and Reduction of Vehicle Crime and Domestic Burglary

Reduce the involvement of young people in the recorded crime categories of:

§ Vehicle crime by 30% by 2004;
Domestic burglary by 25% with no YOT area having s rate more than three times the national average by 2005; and
Robbery in the YOT areas within the principal cities, by 14% by 2005

Measure Two - Reduction in Recidivism Rates of identified cohorts

Achieve a 5% reduction in re-offending rates of subsequent cohorts compared to the first cohort (reported on, after 12 months, in January 2002) by 2004 with respect to each of he four populations.

§ Pre Court;
First Tier Penalties (Discharges, Fines, Bind Over, Compensation Orders, Referral Orders, and Reparation Orders);
Community Penalties;
Custodial Penalties

Measure Three - Completion of Final Warning/Intervention Programmes

Ensure that 80% of Final Warnings are supported by interventions by 2003/2004.
Measure Four - Use of Bail Support as against secure facilities

Reduce the use of the secure estate for: