27/10/08 Key decisions from Cabinet

Here are the decisions made by Southampton City Council’s Cabinet at its meeting on Monday, October 27:

Two council residential homes closed due to changing need

After a careful review and consultation of adult social care, the Cabinet approved the closure of two council residential homes, Whitehaven Lodge and Birch Lawn. Research shows that more people wish to stay in their home than move into residential care.

Overall, there is a 10 percent drop in residency in the last two years and it appears that this trend will continue into the future. The cost of maintaining residents in council accommodation is more expensive than in the private sector, which also provided better facilities. In order to ensure high levels of care for residents today and in the future, Cabinet decided Whitehaven Lodge and Birch Lawn should close. Cabinet said that this will be gradual, to ensure that residents, families and staff are treated with sensitivity at this difficult time.

Funding given back to city school

Money originally put aside by Cabinet in July 2007 to invest in the New Deals for School Scheme to help build a new Skills Centre at Bitterne Park School was no longer required as City College had agreed to pick up 100 percent of the funding.

The Skills Centre has been built - as an extension to the schools sports hall and work is due to finish in October 2008.

Cabinet therefore decided that the money originally put aside for this project should be now used to provide additional facilities for the school.

Cash for nurseries, Children’s Centres and playgroups

Funding to the tune of £4.3m has been awarded to early years settings, such as pre-schools and nurseries, to help them improve their learning environments. In addition, the Cabinet has approved £15m to be spent on dedicated Children’s Centres to support families with child care, health and parental advice across the city.

Building Schools for Future scheme gets the go ahead

A report looking at the Governments scheme Building Schools for the Future, which seeks to improve standards by rebuilding and renewing secondary schools and computer access (Information Technology Services), was given the green light.

The purpose of the report was to set out what the council expects to achieve by becoming involved in this project and how it would manage it. Therefore in order to deliver this project properly a Project Director and a team will need to be taken on. This will then ensure that the council is eligible to become involved in the Building Schools for Future Scheme.

Extra million pounds plus to help towards making safer communities

Cabinet gave the go ahead to accept £250,000 from the Department of Children Schools and Families, to set up a Challenge and Support programme to manage anti-social behaviour. This programme will be rolled out of over three years in partnership with the Wessex Youth Offending Team, providing funding for staff. A further £780,000 is for the Think Family Pathfinder Project, which is to work with difficult families in the city.

City Centre Management to become a not for profit company

Cabinet approved recommendations that The City Centre Management should become ‘a not for profit’ company, which will enable it to become more efficient. By becoming an independent company, City Centre Management will be able to break away local authority restrictions and it will be able to focus more firmly on the priorities of local businesses and will be able to increase it business investment through additional commercial activities.

Third stage of City Centre Strategy approved

The third stage of the city of Southampton strategy, which sets out the guidelines to ensure that Southampton gets the right developments in the right place at the right time and to the right quality - gained Cabinet approval. This was a revised version of the strategy that originally approved on September 27, 2007, that now include comments from the Government Office for the South East, for public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State. The main (core) strategy does not commit the council to capital spending but sets out general programme of action and delivery plan to guide developments for the future.

Planning Enforcement Policy goes ahead

This Enforcement Policy is aimed at giving residents simple guidelines to the planning rules, and council officers advice about how to manage expectations of people who complain, as well as dealing with those who have carried out unlawful development. This will lead to better understanding of any greater confidence in the planning enforcement system.

New rules to control commercial bins blocking roads

Cabinet has agreed new rules to control bins on the street that could cause problems. The new enforcement rules will provide a means of dealing with complaints fairly and in a timely way. The rules for household bins were changed in light of experience and to ensure that these rules are now similar to the commercial ones.

More funding to improve city flyovers

Three million pounds is set to be invested in the Redbridge and Millbrook Flyovers to keep traffic flowing on one of the most important container routes in the country.

Cabinet has approved the funding to replace bearings on the two flyovers which need to be renewed every 30 years. The work will get underway in Spring 2009.

Money to keep the city moving

Cabinet has approved a £400,000 project to refurbish hundreds of traffic lights and signs across Southampton. The work is essential to help the road network keep moving as some lights and signs are now more than 25 years old and in need of improvement.

Green Space Strategy approved

The Cabinet has approved a Green Space Strategy which will be implemented over the next five years. The strategy, which has taken into account feedback from the public, aims to provide a network of high quality green spaces in the city, encourage people to get involved in the parks, improve access to these areas for citizens and visitors, and to establish ways that parks can help develop the city’s economy and cultural opportunities.

Approval of funding for council housing improvements

The Cabinet has approved the allocation of funds from the Housing Revenue Account Capital Programme to pay for improvements in council housing areas. Funding for additional car parking, lift refurbishments, property adaptations for disabled people and other aspects to deliver the decent homes and decent neighbourhoods agenda are included.

New system approved to enable improvements in the library service

The Cabinet has given its approval to introduce the Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) system in the council’s libraries. The system, which replaces the need for barcodes, will offer a self-service system where customers can borrow, return and pay for all types of library items rather than wait for assistance in front of the large counters. By bringing in this change, customers will benefit from shorter queues and a better library design and environment. Staff time will also be better used to deliver services which are of greater value to residents.

Council support Spitfire tribute plans

The Cabinet has given its backing to plans to create a tribute to the Spitfire, which was designed, built and first flew in the city. The Spitfire Tribute Foundation has been formed to spearhead a fund-raising campaign and will be supported by officers of the council in its efforts.

Budget consultation launched

Residents are being asked for their views on how Southampton City Council should spend their council tax next year. The consultation will feed into the council’s budget setting process which is finalised in February. The proposals are being published in the next issue of City View that will be delivered to every home in the city at the start of November.

Capital Building Maintenance

Cabinet approved spending of £2m for the third portion of the non-housing maintenance project. A £4million approved spending programme was approved by cabinet on 30th July 2007 but half of the projects has been delayed due to a review of Health and Adult Care services, the proposals for a new Heritage Centre, a study for a combined heat and power system at Bitterne Leisure Centre and the scale of the heating systems at Bitterne Park Secondary School. As a result of these delays it was agreed to changes the spending amounts and times for 2008/9 to £3 million and another £3 million for 2009/10. The Head of Property will also be allowed to add or remove projects, change repair times and cost from the approved programme of work.

Improvements to the Chief Executives Department

Cabinet approved a review of the Chief Executives Department to highlight a number of possible improvements to the way it is made up, its resources and the way it works with other departments. The review will look at how the structure of the Chief Executives Department can change to improve the council’s ability to respond to planned economic development growth within the city. It will also look at how the communications and media departments might be improved.

Changes of funding in nursery and childminding rates

Cabinet approved recommendations to change the way that early years funding is calculated. This is to meet the Governments requirements that by 2010/11 everyone involved in providing this service calculates the cost of nursery and childminding care in the same way. The report recommends the way in which nurseries, child minders both in the voluntary and private sectors, can work out their hourly rate according to the type of service and quality offered and the needs of the community they live in.