Agenda and minutes

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 December 2011 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

The Committee noted an error in the published version of the minutes under item number 45.

The following wording be deleted

45.  Call In Of Executive Decision Cab 11/12 7331 - Southampton City Council's Change Programme

The Committee considered the report of Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing performance for the above quarter.  (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED  that following scrutiny of the Quarter 2 Council Plan performance at this meeting, the Committee requested briefing papers on the following issues to enable a discussion with the appropriate Cabinet Member:

(i)  Recycling - reasons why performance is not meeting target, impact of this and plans to address this.

(ii)  Affordable Homes - reasons why performance is not meeting target, impact of this (New Homes Bonus etc) and plans to address this.

and replaced with the following:

45.  Call In Of Executive Decision Cab 11/12 7331 - Southampton City Council's Change Programme

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the call-in of the Cabinet Decision. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED that the Leader of the Council be requested to reconsider the called-in decision at the next decision making meeting taking particular consideration of the following:

(i)  that the words ‘and implement’ are deleted from recommendation; and

(ii)  that before adoption of changes items are taken to the Leader’s Group meetings for consideration

RESOLVED: that the minutes for the Committee meeting on 15 December 2011  be approved and signed as amended.  (Copy of the minutes circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Report of the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement outlining the reasons behind the performance variances, and the actions planned to address the performance issues, attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement outlining the reasons behind the performance variances, and the actions planned to address the performance issues.

(Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED

(i)  That the committee noted the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport outlining a number of factors behind the reduction since 2008 in recycling performance.

(ii)  That the Committee noted the briefing paper providing an update on the performance against targets set for affordable homes and the results of the recent Housing Communities Agency bidding round.

(iii)  That the Chair of the Committee would meet with Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Housing to discuss Cabinet Member attendance at the meeting.

Report of the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement detailing actions and monitoring progress of the recommendations of the Panel, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement detailing actions and monitoring progress of the recommendations of the Committee, (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED that following the receipt of additional information from officers, setting out the present state of the Citizens Advice Bureau’s (CAB) race equability service, the Committee requested that the Chair write to the person requesting a petition for a race equality service in Southampton to confirm the officer’s decision not to allow the petition as the Committee was justified.

Report of the Director, Economic Development providing the Committee with a summary of the consultation carried out locally with key partners,, attached.

The Committee considered the report of Report of the Senior Manager – Customer and Business Improvement providing the Committee with an introduction to the Third Sector Research Centre. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

In addition the Committee received a presentation by Sally Lynskey, Chief Executive Officer of Business Solent, outlining a business perspective of the big society for the inquiry including:

• the supporting of key events like Music in the City and a Southampton Secondary Schools’ “Dance off” competition;
• the creation of the Volunteer Alliance which aims to match the business objects of local firms;
• the campaign encouraging business’s to champion the Solent Region;
• the progress and themes of Business Solent’s bid for funding from the Social Action Fund; and
• the future steps for Business Solent promotion of the volunteer agenda in the area. 

RESOLVED

(i)  that the report be noted;

(ii)  that the presentation made by Business Solent be noted and the information provided be entered into the Inquiry’s file of evidence

Report of the Director, Economic Development providing the Committee with an introduction to the Third Sector Research Centre, attached.

The Committee considered the report of Report of the Director, Economic Development providing the Committee with an introduction to the Third Sector Research Centre. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Professor John Mohan, Deputy Director of the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC), was in attendance and with the consent of the Chair briefed the Committee outlining:

• the trends relating to the numbers of people volunteering;
• the social economic break down of those volunteering ; and
• the percentage of organisations, trust or bodies that receive public funding.

RESOLVED that the presentation made by the Third Sector Research Centrebe noted and the information provided be entered into the Inquiry’s file of evidence