Agenda item

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 13 September 2017.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

·         Provision of capital funding as Bracknell Forest’s contribution to the Heathlands EMI scheme

·         Approval of the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2017-19

The Executive will be meeting on 21 November 2017, if any matters arise at that meeting which require a decision by Council, a supplementary report will be circulated.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bettison OBE, presented his report on the work of the Executive since that reported at the Council meeting on 13 September 2017. The Executive had met three times on 26 September, 17 October and 21 November 2017.

The Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bettison OBE, presented his report on the work of the Executive since that reported at the Council meeting on 13 September 2017. The Executive had met three times on 26 September, 17 October and 21 November 2017.

The Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

• Commercial Investment Strategy had been considered which set out the long term investment in business properties in the Borough. The recent expansion of the strategy was delivering £2m income per annum and £50m had been invested to date. The clear investment criteria covered: property condition, quality and strength of tenant, length of lease and the exit strategy. An additional £30m investment was recommended to Council to increase the net revenue return to £3m per annum.

• The Procurement plans for property and motor insurance had been agreed.

• The contract for leisure management was a key transformation project in 2017 and covered the management (not ownership) of: Bracknell Sports and Leisure Centre, Coral Reef and Downshire Golf Course. The contract would result in capital investment of >£1m and also revenue savings of around £600k per annum.

• The Residential Nursing Care contract was considered with a reduction of 205 residential and nursing beds since 2013/14 resulting in a significant increase in placement costs. The agreement was to enter into up to 4 contracts for 22 beds to limit costs.

·         Funding for the Heathlands Elderly Mental Infirm (EMI) scheme was discussed. The scheme and funding was agreed in February and the budget included health funding via Sustainable Transformation Partnership (STP) however the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead position remained uncertain. Funding of up to £7m needed to guarantee schemes viability and £3.1m would be funded by CCG. This investment was recommended to Council.

• Safeguarding Annual report was noted.

• The phased approach to restructuring the Children, Young People & Learning and Adult Social Care, Health & Housing  Directorates into a new “People” Directorate was noted.

• A pan Berkshire National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) Pilot bid was coordinated and submitted by Bracknell Forest which could generate £35m of additional funding. 70% of the funding would be allocated to Local Enterprise Partnership to implement agreed infrastructure projects.

• Tree strategy was agreed.

• The Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2017-2019 was agreed and recommended to Council.

• Following services being rated as good by Ofsted, with important areas of outstanding practice, five areas for further improvement were included in the agreed Post Ofsted Action Plan.

• LSCB Annual Report was noted.

• Special Education Needs and Disability Improvement Strategy was agreed and five priorities were agreed by all stakeholders.

In relation to the Elderly Mental Infirm funding Councillor Mrs Temperton queried why Bracknell Forest was contributing more than the other partners. In reply Councillor D Birch explained that the final split had not yet been finalised but would be dependant upon the division of the use of beds available as Bracknell Forest was keep to have a larger proportion in order to support people with learning disabilities.

Councillor Mrs Temperton asked whether the closure of two Council-run residential nursing care homes had added to the reduction in residential and nursing beds quoted in the report. Councillor D Birch acknowledged that they had but a fall in demand had made those particular sites untenable. The sites were no longer fit for purpose so had been recycled and better buildings were being built based on consultation feedback on what people want.

On the proposition of Councillor D Birch, Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing, seconded by Councillor Dr Barnard, it was

RESOLVED that the provision of up to £7m of capital funding as Bracknell Forest’s contribution to the Heathlands EMI scheme, noting that £3m of this will be met by the CCG in some way so will not fall as a cost to the Council as detailed in section 4 of Appendix B, be approved

On the proposition of Councillor McCracken, Executive Member for Culture, Corporate Services and Public Protection, seconded by Councillor Dr Barnard, it was

RESOLVED that the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2017-19 be approved.

On the proposition of Councillor Heydon, Executive Member for Transformation and Finance, seconded by Councillor McCracken, it was

RESOLVED that further capital sums of up to £30m are made available to support the Commercial Property Investment Strategy achieving its target level of £3m on-going additional revenue income as detailed in Appendix E of the agenda supplementary report.