Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2018 (previously circulated).

The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) on the status of actions agreed at the last meeting.

The Committee noted that the report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) giving an update on actions from the meeting held on 10 September 2018, all of which had been completed.

To note declarations of Members’ disclosable pecuniary interests, non-disclosable pecuniary interests and non-pecuniary interests in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillor L.Chesterman declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Member of Hertfordshire County Council.

Presentation from GLL summarising their summer activities, current and winter activities programme, new initiatives and investment, and customer feedback following the merger with Finesse Leisure.

Greenwich Leisure Limited’s (GLL) Head of Service for the Central Region presented an update on the Welwyn Hatfield and GLL partnership in this Borough which summarised the following.

•      Merger Re-cap

•      1 May 2018 - Commitments

•      Better Service

•      A Busy Summer

•      Better Communities

•      Welwyn Hatfield Community Fund

•      What Next?

Members welcomed a verbal report from the regional Head of Service that GLL’s commitment not to impose any staff losses during the first year of operation will be fulfilled; that there is confirmation of continued investment in facilities at the Hatfield Swim Centre; that the initial mobilisation issues following the merger with Finesse Leisure experienced in the summer had been resolved and further developments were being considered at King George V playing fields in 2019. 

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the update from Greenwich Leisure Limited be noted.

(2)     That the Head of Service and Greenwich Leisure Limited arrange a meeting with local ward Councillors to discuss the future developments of King George V playing fields when ready to proceed.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and accompanying presentation provides the Committee with performance indicator data collected for those services that fall within its remit for Quarter 2 along with comparative information where available.

Report of the Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) and accompanying presentation provided the Committee with performance indicator data collected for those services that fell within its remit for Quarter 2 along with comparative information where available.

RESOLVED:

That the performance indicator data report be noted.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provides Members with an update on the progress of the public health partnership “district offer” actions and details the work carried out to date and future work proposed.

Report of the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance) provided Members with an update on the progress of the public health partnership “district offer” actions and detailed the work carried out to date and future work proposed.  In addition, the report also provided Members with updates from the Community Partnerships Team on projects that had an impact on public health.

Members noted that when the changes in the healthcare system took place in 2013 Local Authorities once again became responsible for public health.  As Hertfordshire was a two tier authority Hertfordshire County Council took the decision to work directly with all ten District and Borough Councils in a whole-systems approach to delivering on the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF).  This formed the basis for the Public Health Partnership and the funding that came with the offer for an innovative mechanism to deliver public health initiatives between Hertfordshire County Council and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council.

Members requested that further enquiries regarding possible locations for the ‘Men’s Sheds’ initiative be made of the relevant departments within the Council.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the report on work carried out to date and future work proposed be noted.

(2)       That further enquiries regarding possible locations for the ‘Men’s Sheds’ initiative be made of the relevant departments within the Council.

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) seeks approval to initiate a public consultation exercise on the draft Housing Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy which has been produced following a recent review of homelessness in the Borough and engagement with all key stakeholders.

Report of the Corporate Director (Housing and Communities) sought approval to initiate a public consultation exercise on the draft Housing Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy which had been produced following a recent review of homelessness in the Borough and engagement with all key stakeholders.

The report sought approval to initiate a public consultation on the draft Housing Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy following the Homelessness Act 2002 which required all housing authorities to carry out a ‘Review of Homelessness’ in their area and to formulate a strategy based on the results of the review.

Members welcomed the short, medium and long term initiatives taken by the Council to address the homelessness and housing issues in the Borough, such as good quality modular housing together with increasing the type of offer available to residents.

Members also welcomed the verbal report from Officers that the number of homelessness households in the Borough, as at Friday 23 November 2018, was 100, a reduction of 20 households within a two month period.

RESOLVED:

That comments and amendments to the draft Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy as suggested by the Committee be incorporated in advance of consultation with the Council’s partners and other stakeholders.

The pro-forma which sets out the Committee’s overview work programme has been updated since the last meeting to enable forward planning of items to be considered to take place.  Items which the Committee agrees it would like to consider will be scheduled into the work programme.

The pro-forma setting out the Committee’s overview work programme had been updated since the last meeting to enable the forward planning of items to take place. Items which the Committee agreed it would like to consider would be scheduled into the work programme.

RESOLVED:

That the work programme, following the inclusion of an item to discuss the proposals on the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Integrated Risk Management Plan at the next meeting of the Committee, be noted.