Agenda item

The draft Regeneration, Skills and Major Projects (RS&MP) Medium Term Service & Resource Plan (MTSRP) together with the plan for Adult Social Care & Housing is presented for consideration by the Panel:

(1)  To ensure all members of the Panel are aware of the context for Service Action Planning and budget setting

(2)  To enable comment on the choices inherent in the medium term plan

(3)  To enable issues to be referred to the relevant Portfolio

The Chair introduced this item to the Panel. She reminded them of the need to focus on the Housing & Major Projects elements of the plan and to not discuss Health matters as they had already been debated at the Wellbeing Panel. She asked the Divisional Director for Project Management and the Associate Director for Housing to highlight the key points from within their plan.

The Divisional Director for Project Management addressed the Panel. He stated that the department would see its main savings realised in 2013 / 14 when the five directorates of the Council are to be fully reduced to three. He added that there would be no reduction in key support staff.

He explained that Major Projects and Regeneration were very much inter-linked and hoped that the department would continue to bring forward key sites across the Council through their proven framework of operation.

Councillor Brian Simmons commented that the Council should all it could to increase the number of businesses within B&NES so that an extra income could be gained. He also questioned why there was no figure attributed to the Public Realm after 2013 / 14.

The Strategic Director for Resources replied that the level of investment was under review.

The Chair asked where the £500,000 that had been earmarked in the previous budget for work within Radstock could be found within the plan.

The Divisional Director for Project Management replied that a request could be made for Capital to be carried forward for future years.

The Associate Director for Housing addressed the Panel. He explained that most of the ‘easy wins’ had already been done within this department in previous years. He informed them that an additional income of £20,000 would be gained from the administration of Homesearch and that a saving of £51,000 would be made by ceasing the voluntary Accreditation Scheme for private rented accommodation (£25,000) and a reduction in staffing capacity in Housing Services (£26,000).

Councillor Gerry Curran asked if the loss of the voluntary Accreditation Scheme would be seen as a loss of service to good landlords.

The Associate Director for Housing replied that it could be seen as a window of opportunity as not all schemes are run by a Council. He added that there is now a scheme run by the National Landlords Association and by the Universities.

He informed the Panel that a new software was to be launched to take some of the brunt of these losses as it will allow staff to concentrate on more detailed cases.

The Chair proposed the following recommendation;

The Panel asks the Cabinet to consider whether investment in the Public Realm and Affordable Housing should be shown within the Medium Term Service & Resource Plan for future years, following 2013 / 14.

All Panel Members agreed with this proposal.