Agenda and minutes

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda would be considered in public.

Agreed as an accurate record.

The Operational Finance Manager introduced the report.

The Committee was informed that Budget proposals had been developed to support a ninth successive Council Tax Freeze for all residents and an eleventh year for over 65s, whilst avoiding implementation of the Social Care precept and maintaining frontline services.

This represented a significant achievement in light of continuing cuts to government funding for local government, estimated at 17% in 2017/18 alone, alongside a growing population, driving an ever increasing demand for locally provided services.

The Committee was informed that savings had been developed under five broad themes, which focused on maintaining the existing service offer. These were Zero-Based Reviews; Preventing Demand; Service Transformation; Effective Procurement; and Maximising Income.

The Committee was informed that the draft budget report did not include the impact of the recent Local Government Provisional Settlement, which would be addressed in the budget report to February Cabinet.

Corporate Position

Members were informed that the principal challenge in delivering a balanced budget for 2017/18 was the development of significant savings, with the savings requirement for 2016/17 originally being estimated at £18,464k.

The budget proposals presented to Cabinet in December showed a £11,314k projected reduction in Government funding which would be off-set by increased Council Tax and Business Rates receipts of £4,638k which would reduce the net reduction in resources to £6,162k.

Reference was made to inflationary pressures and growth in demand, which continued to drive up the savings requirement. There were savings proposals of £14,388k presented in this draft budget.

Savings

Savings proposals currently developed totalled £14,388k across the Council for 2017/18, which included £1,669k of full year effects of prior year savings.

Members were informed that the total savings included in the draft budget for Residents Services/Group totalled £4,094k and covered the following areas.

Residents

Transformation - £1,997k

Zero Based Reviews - £1,615k

Effective procurement - £95k

Income generation - £387k

Fees & Charges

In relation to Fees and charges, the Council continued to benchmark fees & charges against neighbouring boroughs with charges being set at a maximum of 90% of the relevant benchmark. Details of proposed amendments included:

Highways / Crossovers & Skip Licensing

Golf Courses

Bereavement Services

Riding Establishments

Capital Programme

Members were provided with the key items contained within the draft capital programme:

Highways Structural Works - an additional £2,000k growth was included within this draft capital programme to support up to £3,000k investment in local highways infrastructure during 2017/18, with a further £1,000k per annum thereafter.

Battle of Britain Heritage Project - The budget reflected the latest total project cost, which including prior years, would be £5,987k.

Bessingby Football and Boxing Clubhouse - latest cost estimates for the planned development had resulted in project funding being increased by £420k to £1,370k which included prior years in this draft capital programme.

Environmental & Cultural Projects - growth of £600k was included to replenish the £1,000k fund for investment in a range of Environmental & Cultural projects within the Borough during 2017/18.

Ruislip Lido Railway Society Workshop - Replacement of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

To follow.

The Committee was provided with a draft scoping report to consider which informed Members that the aim of the review would be to look at the controls the Council and its partners had in relation to the regulation of Shisha Bars, Lounges and Cafes in the Borough.

The Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Investigation Team Manager attended the meeting and informed the Committee that established Shisha Bars which were contained on existing licensed premises could be regulated. However, there were "stand alone" Shisha Bars in the Borough which were much more difficult to identify regulate.

The Committee was informed that there were seven established Shisha Bars, Cafes and Lounges in the Borough. However, there were probably others which the Council were unaware of. The importance of the local knowledge of Ward Councillors and of the Council's Out of Hours Team could provide information on other unregulated Shisha Lounges within the Borough. 

A case study was given on a Shisha Lounge in the Borough, where the Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Investigation Team had received a number of out of hours complaints. The nuisance had been emanating from a new structure in the grounds of the licensed premises which Council officers had no knowledge of.

This structure was open in parts and had no sound insulation. Various Council services were involved in investigating the structure; planning enforcement, Food, Health and Safety, Licensing, Environmental Protection etc. The result was that it was found that the Shisha Lounge was an unauthorised structure, there were dangerous electrical installations, and as a result the structure was closed down.

Reference was also made to other Shisha Bars which operated in cramped conditions which could cause a health and safety risk due to the wood, coal, or charcoal which was burned in the shisha pipe to heat the tobacco and create the smoke.

Discussion also took place on the public health risks associated with using Shisha pipes and the Committee was informed that this would be explored further with the Director of Public Health in one of the witness sessions.

The Committee was informed that the development of a strategy / policy to enable a One-Council approach, would benefit officers in terms of dealing with unregulated Shisha Bars, and the resultant anti-social behaviour which could result from them.

Information from other local authorities on the strategies they had in place, would be useful to enable the Committee to look at best practise elsewhere.

RESOLVED –

1. That approval be given to the draft scoping report and officers be asked to organise a witness session for the next meeting of the Committee. 

To follow.

The Committee was provided with a draft final report of the review into the disposal of charity shop waste through New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity Site.

Details were provided on the proposed recommendation that charities would be given an annual free waste allowance of 10 tonnes, and that anything above this amount would be charged at trade waste costs.

The Committee was informed that the proposals would not impact on the majority of charities, including the "unformed charities" such as Boy Scouts and Girl Guides as these charities deposited waste well below the proposed 10 tonnes.

Reference was made to other local authorities and Members were informed that generally there were no standard charging regime for charities, therefore Hillingdon would be one of the first waste authorities to put in place such proposals.

The Committee was informed that the proposals would give charities an opportunity to re-think their waste strategies, which could result in greater recycling of waste. Charities would also have to be more selective in terms of what they accepted at charity shops from people.

It was noted that there would still be regular waste collections for charities and that this would not change.

Officers were asked to ensure that guidance was passed onto charities on how they should deal with waste, and the options which were available.

The Committee thanked officers for their support during the review, and particular thanks was given to the staff at New Years Green Lane Civic Amenity Site who had been monitoring the charity waste at the site to help Members during the review.

RESOLVED –

1.    That the suggested recommendations, and the details contained in  the final report he approved. 

Noted.

The Committee noted the report and asked that an update on Cemeteries be given at the Committee's meeting in April.

Noted.