Agenda item
Improvement Plan 2016-18 Update - Quarter 3
Minutes:
Improvement Plan Objective 3 – Ensuring People Have Access to Suitable Accommodation
Attendees:
· Head of Regeneration, Housing and Investment
· Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing
The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing provided a brief overview of performance and advised Members of the positive of PAM/014 – Number of new homes created as a result of bringing empty properties back in to use, improving from Amber to Green since Quarter 2.
The Head of Regeneration, Housing and Investment advised the Committee that:
- PAM014 - Number of new homes created as a result of bringing empty properties back in to use, was previously raised as a concern but now Green, although it was showing Amber in the MI report due to a system administration error;
- PSR/006 - Average Days non-DFG minor adaptions - was no longer being reviewed by Welsh Government;
- PAM/015 - Adaptions DFG days delivery average – was Green and in the top quartile in Wales;
- PAM/012 - The percentage of households for whom homelessness was prevented - despite Universal Credit having had a higher impact on delivery this has been managed to remain Green.
- RIH/043 - Number of people approaching authority for housing advice and assistance -
had remained green.
Members asked the following:
·
Given rapid changes expected due to the removal of the Severn
Crossing Tolls and resultant movements in the housing market, what
contingencies are in place to cope with private rented properties
being sold and private tenants given notice, thereby creating an
increase for rented properties? It was
explained that NCC holds a 5 year supply of housing with expansions
and sites in place, while other LA’s can’t meet that
target for the supply of new build housing and developments through
planning. In addition NCC has been able
to bring forward Affordable Housing Schemes from Welsh Government
funding and also has reserve schemes in place, so when the funding
becomes available the schemes can commence. It is quite right to highlight the advice issue
and a review of the service was underway.
·
Is there confidence that the need for social rented housing can be
met with the changes coming? It was clarified that while not
everyone on the list will be able to access social rented housing,
they can be assisted to access other options. It was clarified that the 7830 applications were
for households not individuals, the total number of live
applications.
·
Is there confidence that plans are in place for the impact of
Private Landlords looking to sell their rental properties and make
a significant profit in certain Wards of the City? Arrangements were in place to meet all social
landlords to develop a protocol as the community housing protocol
needed reviewing. As part of that
meeting, there would be consideration of some schemes Welsh
Government are offering and discussion of every element of the
Authority’s relationship with Social Landlords starting with
the Common Housing Register.
·
Given that private landlords are selling their rental properties
while giving 2 months’ notice to sitting tenants, 415 people
were seeking advice or assistance from Housing currently and 105
people waiting for special accommodation, could Members be provided
with an explanation of the different types of Landlord and
Housing? It was advised that 2 tenancy
agreements were being introduced to provide greater security to
tenants, lessons could also be learned
from the housing market cycle and the Welsh government Housing
Minister had reported a 95% take up of the Rent Smart
Scheme. The
Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing offered that a Briefing
Session for Elected Members to provide assistance, which was
welcomed by Members of the Committee.
· Is there assurance that securing residual affordable housing can be provided, funded and inroads made to what is needed? It was advised that Newport is very good at taking up slippage that other Local Authorities were unable to, as we have the schemes in place ready and excellent Housing professionals.
Improvement Plan Objective 4 – City Regeneration and Development
Attendees:
· Head of Regeneration, Housing and Investment
· Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing
The Head of Regeneration, Housing and Investment advised the Committee that:
- RIH/L/053 – Value of business support grants awarded - from an operational view, the number and variety of operators approaching the Authority with schemes was the highest and alongside this the Business Support tam had provided more grants and was being asked for more advice and input each year.
- RIH/L/054 – Number of businesses supported – had grown to 360 and was Green.
- RIH/L055 – Number of new business start-ups – the narrative for this measure was from Quarter 2 and displayed in error, as the measure had now become Green from Red in Quarter 2.
- IP 4.1 Secure funding for VVP2 – Cardiff Capital Region had been formed and a Draft Regional Regeneration Plan produced and a first draft project list for the whole region generated.
Members asked the following:
·
What were the 24 responses to the City Master Plan
saying? The consultation responses were
not fully collated and would be soon.
·
What plans were there to address the number of empty commercial
premises? – It was explained that most are in private
ownership but lots of them have planning applications for
residential accommodation in these beautiful buildings and as the
properties are developed and people move in, so the footfall in the
city would increase and the confidence to come to the city
centre.
·
What is in the City Region Plan approved by Council in terms of the
employment offer? – It was explained that Newport has the
lowest unemployment for a number of years and clearly jobs are
available here, and the processes and people in place to connect
unemployed people with those jobs.
Learning from the 2008 downturn in employment, the key challenges
were connectivity, enabling those unemployed and furthest from the
labour market to move into jobs and become employed people move up
overall using the Work Based Learning Academy. Other Local Authorities have learned from what
Newport has done, to implement similar.
·
With regard to the empty shops and need to increase footfall at the
bottom of Commercial Street, can confirmation be given that there
would be a monthly street market in this area? The street market would commence on 29 April and
the indoor market traders had been offered space to engage and
promote what is in the indoor market to encourage people to visit
and increase footfall there.
It was queried whether street market stallholders could be offered
indoor market stalls if interested?
Members were advised that this was not in the remit of this Cabinet
Member, but asked that it be passed to the relevant Cabinet
Member.
·
A Member queried whether busses were dropping off in Commercial
Street? Members were advised that this was not in the remit of the
Cabinet Member’s portfolio.
·
While the number of new small businesses created was good, could
the number of new jobs be reported in future to add to the positive
news? It was clarified that one of the grants NCC offers is about
business expansion.
·
While Newport had previously been very successful with VVP bids of
£50M, concern was expressed about whether collectively
bidding as City Regional Deal may potentially mean Newport is less
successful with bids for this area? It was explained that Newport
had been the most successful in bidding for VVP and had schemes
ready when further money became available. Under the new arrangements, the City Region will
decide upon the bids and recommend to the WG Minister. WG will be looking for regional significance and
we have a skilled and experienced team in Newport with success in
the past so confident as possible to be
that Newport can make its best case.
·
Concern was expressed that the restoration and reopening of the
Market Arcade would not result in more empty shops in Newport and
would there be incentives offered to occupy shops in the
Arcade? It was clarified that there was
a wider discussion with a set of stakeholders all invited to engage
for a successful outcome and that further investment would be
encouraged from other avenues.
·
With regard to IP4.5 - Develop and Invest
in Newport Website, it was clarified that this was the
existing NCC website but to make it clearer and more accessible to
those wishing to develop and invest what opportunities are on offer
in the area.
·
What is the updated position of the BID at the moment? It was
clarified that it had stability and was forward planning
well, ambassadors were still continuing
and working more collaboratively with the City Council, Friars Walk
and the Market Traders. Forthcoming
events and collaborations included: Record Store Day; South Wales
Argus Business Awards and some support for the Food Festival as
well as looking to work with the Wallich on a donation system. The BID would be coming up for re-ballot soon and
the Members would decide.
Improvement Plan Objective 5 – Supporting Young People into Education, Employment or Training
Attendees:
· Head of Regeneration, Investment and Housing
· The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills sent their apologies as she was unable to attend.
The Head of Regeneration, Housing and Investment advised the Committee that all of the measures were Green except for NEET/01 - Number of Young People accessing children and YP skills project which was Amber but would turn Green in Quarter 4 and should have further improvement by the year end.
Members asked the following:
·
Whether training placements are offered? It was clarified that placements are already
offered via the Work Based Learning Academy.
· What can be done to improve the perception that work based learning and apprenticeships are not as good an option as pursuing a University education? – This is being examined through the Public Services Board to make the option more attractive.
Improvement Plan Objective 7 – Increasing Recycling
Attendees:
· Waste Recycling Strategy Manager
· Cabinet Member for Streetscene
The Cabinet Member gave an overview of the current performance towards this objective, outlining that the recycling rate within the HWRC remains an area of concern, but that performance had been consistently increasing throughout the year.
In relation to PAM 30 – Municipal waste reused, recycled and composted, the Committee were advised that the Council was awaiting final figures on this matter to report back. It was noted that there would be a need to target collections within flats, and how the bags were collected.
Members asked the following:
· There had been an issue within the year for landfill, where there had been a dip in performance. This had been as a result of an issue in collections in the Christmas period and increased recycling in the following quarter.
· Collection of food waste was discussed, and an emphasis on ensuring that the Council was maximising that food waste collection. The current bins used were discussed, and it was asked if more robust bins with handles could be introduced. It was advised that there would be a cost implication for this, but it could be considered in the future as a piolet scheme if it was agreed that this would have a positive increase in food waste collection.
· Members were advised that the Council was had switched providers for provision of the bins.
Conclusions:
The Committee noted the progress towards the improvement Objectives to date and made the following comments to the Cabinet:
· Following on from the discussion on IP5 relating to Vibrant and Viable Places, the Committee raised concerns regarding Scrutiny of the Regional City Deal. The City Deal had been discussed at a recent Council meeting, and effective scrutiny of the City Deal was considered essential to ensuring its success. Members asked for clarification on the process and arrangements for scrutiny of the City Deal.
· Members noted that the font size used in the Improvement Plan update was too small, making it difficult to read, and not accessible to the public. Members requested that for all performance reports that go to Cabinet, that the size of the font be increased to the standard used for other reports.
· During the course of the meeting, there were instances where the information within the MI Hub (the performance management system) was not accurate. For example, there was an amber measure that should have been marked as green and a comment on a measure that related to quarter 2, not quarter 3 that had been included in error:
- RIH/L055 – Number of new business start-ups – the narrative for this measure was from Quarter 2 and displayed in error, as the measure had now become Green from Red in Quarter 2.
- PAM014 - Number of new homes created as a result of bringing empty properties back in to use, was previously raised as a concern but now Green, although it was showing Amber in the MI report due to a system administration error;
Members asked that it is ensured that the system is updated with the most up to date information to ensure accuracy within the reports.
Supporting documents:
- Item 5 - Cover Report - Improvement Plan Update Q3, item 3. PDF 268 KB
- Item 5A - Appendix - Scrutiny Report IP Q3 Place v2, item 3. PDF 860 KB