Agenda item

To receive the Leader’s report on the work of the Executive since the Council meeting held on 20 April 2022.

Council is asked to resolve a recommendation in respect of:

• Climate Change Annual Report

The Executive will be meeting on 7 July 2022, 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 28 April 2022. The Executive had met four times on 24 May, 1 June, 21 June and 7 July 2022.

The Leader highlighted the following matters that had been considered:

The Climate Change Strategy, first published in January 2021, included the requirement to provide annual updates to Council. The action plan consists of 46 projects and key projects delivered in 2021/22 included:

•         Energy efficiency improvements

•         Implementation of kerbside food waste collection and residual waste change

•         Various highways initiatives improving active travel

•         CO2 emissions reduced from 6,178 tonnes in 2019 to 5,028 tonnes in 2021

The Climate Change Annual Progress Report was recommended to Council.

The Executive had been updated on the Greening Waste Collection which was an important part of Climate Change Strategy. Food recycling was first introduced 1 March 2021 with residual refuse collection frequency extended to 3 weeks. Over 6,000 tonnes of food waste had been collected. Overall recycling rate increased from 43% to 56% with landfill rate reducing from 16% to 7%. This has resulted in Bracknell Forest Council now being in the top 40 authorities for recycling.

The Health & Wellbeing Strategy produced by the Health & Wellbeing Board as a strategy for the whole Borough was endorsed by the Executive. The strategy included six priorities:

•         Give all children the best start in life

•         Provide mental health

•         Community connections

•         Safety from infectious diseases

•         Improve years lived in good health/happiness

•         Secure funds for Health & Wellbeing Board priorities

These were underpinned by cross cutting themes of:

•         Reducing health inequalities

•         Creating healthy environment

•         Enhancing seamless care

•         Community development for wellness

The strategy dovetailed with the Frimley Integrated Care System strategic ambitions and Council Plan.

The two storey, four x five-bedroom building to support adults with learning disabilities would be built for Bridgewell Supported Living and was an important step in modernising residential care services. The procurement of landlord and care/support provider and strategic procurement for design and build agreed

A Household Support Fund of £185k had been provided by Department for Work and Pensions but local schemes were needed within guidance framework

•         Supermarket vouchers  of £15/child/week to cover Summer/October holiday to children qualifying for free school meals

•         Qualifying pension age household (in receipt of housing benefit/Council Tax reduction): one off £100 supermarket voucher in June

•         Low income working age disabled and carer households: £50 supermarket voucher

•         Care Leavers: £50 supermarket voucher

A local extension to mandatory Council Tax Energy Rebate was agreed with a focus on care leavers and support to working age and pensioner households in Council Tax Band E – H who received Income Tax Council Tax support.

The Special Education Needs and Disability Written Statement of Action (WSOA) was submitted to Department for Education/Ofsted following the Special Executive meeting on 6 June 2022. The action plan was co-produced with partner organisations, schools and parents. The WSOA was signed off as ‘fit for purpose’ without modifications by DfE/Ofsted.

A one year extension to Look Ahead was awarded for accommodation based housing related support.

Design and construction support procurement plans were agreed.

Community Hub operator for Bucklers Park plan was agreed.

Coopers Hill Settled Development Plan would be developed by Bracknell Forest Cambian Partnership which is a joint venture between Bracknell Forest Council & Countryside. The settled plan allowed for 52 new homes including 25% affordable homes. This was recommended to Council.

The report contained recommendations that the Council was asked to resolve in respect of the following matter:

·        Climate Change Action Plan Annual Progress Report

·        Coopers Hill Settled Development Plan

Councillor Temperton asked when the first set of measurable SEND outcomes would be would be reported to Council to see the progress that had been made. Councillor Dr Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning responded that these would be available from September onwards and that the SEND Performance Board was currently scoping out what that would look like. Education, Health and Care Plan were now being delivered in a timely manner. He reported that it had been feedback that the plan had been co-produced. He stated that he was keen that performance measures related to tangible outcomes for the borough’s young people, that the Overview and Scrutiny review recommendations would be responded to in terms of what could be taken forward.

Councillor Temperton was disappointed that only 5% of the local borough’s businesses had set deadlines for their climate change commitment. She asked when the progress of discussions to encourage them would be reported. Councillor Bettison OBE, Leader confirmed that it would be reported as and when it was possible to do so and would not wait for the next annual report. He confirmed that he and Councillor Mrs Hayes would discuss with Councillor Brunel-Walker and James Sunderland, MP how they could promote engagement through their business contacts and in particular the MPs’ business breakfasts. 

Councillor Bidwell asked when the SEND action plan referred to would be shared. Councillor Dr Barnard explained that the action plan appended to the Written Statement of Action (WSOA) at the Executive meeting in June was available on the Council’s website as part of the papers, but that as new activities became available it would evolve and be updated.

Climate Change Action Plan Annual Progress Report

On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Hayes MBE, Executive Member for the Environment, seconded by Councillor Virgo it was

RESOLVED that the Climate Change Action Plan Annual Progress Report, as circulated with the supplementary report, be noted and approved.

Coopers Hill Settled Development Plan

Having declared an interest Councillors Heydon, Mrs Mattick and Ms Merry left the meeting before the item began.

On the proposition of Councillor Bettison OBE, Leader of the Council, seconded by Councillor Birch it was

RESOLVED that the Settled Site Development Plan for Coopers Hill as proposed by the Bracknell Forest Cambian Partnership as set out in Annex A (of the Executive Report), land drawdown when conditions have been met and the Council’s equal share of funding approved to undertake this development up to a peak requirement of £4.79m be approved.