17/09/08 Key decisions from Council

17/09/08 Key decisions from Council
The following decisions were made at the full Council meeting on Wednesday, September 17:

Helping to keep your community thriving

The council agreed to look at using a Government Act designed to tackle community decline and promote sustainable communities.

The Sustainable Communities Act will allow local authorities to team up when making proposals – making it much harder for the Government to refuse suggestions.

The council agreed to look further at the act - however councillors stressed that they would only sign up to initiatives if they were in the best interest of the city.

Looking after our youth

Council approved the Wessex Youth Offending Team (YOT) Annual Youth Justice Plan 2008/9 as part of the council’s Policy Framework.

As a result of an inspection report and the findings of the Children’s Services Annual Performance Assessment (APA), it was reported that the YOT was significantly underfunded. Southampton City Council has topped its funding for the scheme by a further £60,000 a year for the next three years

Boosting day services across the city

Efforts to provide better services to adults with learning disabilities in the city were boosted after the council agreed to fund further improvements to community centres in the city.

The extra money comes after £749,000 was granted to the council by the Learning Skills Council to pay for learning improvements at Woolston and Freemantle Community Centres.

The centres provide a range of crucial services to adults with learning disabilities. The funds will help realise the council’s objectives as set out in the Government white paper ‘Valuing People’.

Looking at licensing

The police have flagged up three areas in the city where they believe the night time economy is helping to fuel crime in those areas.

The council has decided to consider the police evidence for London Road/Bedford Place, Above Bar and Bevois Valley Road as well as consult about the possibility of introducing a Cumulative Impact Policy for those areas.

This policy allows councils to consider how many bars, clubs and other businesses are in a certain area before granting a licence to any new premises.

A consultation process will now begin.

Making your homes decent

The council’s vision to improve all council homes in the city to the “decent homes” standard set out by Government, was given a boost.

The Housing Revenue Account, which pays for improvements to council homes in the city, as well as improving neighbourhoods, was backed by the council.

Paying to improve the city

Council approved changes to the General Fund Capital Programme.
An extra £23.8million was backed by the council to be spent on a host of essential projects and schemes for the city.
These include extra money to pay for community centres, highway improvements and museum refurbishments.

Weekend Voting

The Government is talking to local authorities about the possibility of moving the voting day for general and local elections from a Thursday to the weekend.
The council backed a response to the Government which recommended that the current voting day should remain as it is to avoid a drop in turnout.