Council
RESOLVED That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder, be authorised to approve expenditure outside the budgetary provision, of up to £150,000, to meet the costs of any redundancies, early retirements and payment in lieu of notice brought about as a consequence of the restructuring proposals for the Property Service.
At the request of the Housing Portfolio Holder, this item was WITHDRAWN from the agenda, to allow further details to be provided about proposals to retain three extra staff to provide front-line sheltered housing services.
Cabinet AGREED that sympathetic consideration be given to those affected staff seeking redundancy before 31 March 2010, including pay in lieu of notice.
Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder, be authorised to approve expenditure outside the budgetary provision, to meet the costs of any redundancies, early retirements and payment in lieu of notice brought about as a consequence of the restructuring proposals for the Property Service set out in this report.
Council RESOLVED that the following Notice of Motion be approved:
‘Concern is mounting particularly amongst our sheltered housing residents and their families regarding our services provided for the vulnerable elderly. There is also rising public concern on this issue.
While many Council sheltered residents have found the emergency cover very satisfactory, there are many apprehensions being voiced about the prospect of more change and less staff on-site hours.
Council agrees to subject all services for sheltered housing residents, provided by us, to a review, with the objective of achieving the best possible standard of service provision,which will be conducted by a Task and Finish Group set up by the Portfolio Holder.’
The following proposal was DEFEATED by 25 votes to 22:
‘That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder, be authorised to approve expenditure, outside budgetary provision, to meet the costs of any redundancies and early retirements brought about as a consequence of the proposals in respect of exposing the district responsive repairs service to competitive tendering, the restructuring of the sheltered housing service from a site-based to a floating support model and the reduction in the grounds maintenance budget.’
Cabinet RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL, that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Finance and Staffing Portfolio Holder, be authorised to approve expenditure, outside budgetary provision, to meet the costs of any redundancies and early retirements brought about as a consequence of the proposals below.
Subject to Council agreement of the above for those matters where Council’s agreement is required, Cabinet AGREED:
(a) the district responsive repairs contract be exposed to competitive tendering;
(b) the sheltered housing service be restructured to move from a site based to a floating support model; and
(c) the grounds maintenance budget be reduced to £164,500 for 2010/11, incorporating the service reductions recommended by the Housing Portfolio Holder at his meeting held on 21 October 2009, as detailed in Appendix E attached to the report to Cabinet.
Council RESOLVED, in accordance with Standing Order 14.11(a)(iii), to adjourn to the next meeting, consideration of the following Notice of Motion standing in the names of Councillors Mrs EM Heazell and SGM Kindersley, amended with their authorisation (as marked below) following an amendment moved by Councillor Mrs SM Ellington and seconded by Councillor JA Hockney:
‘Concern is mounting particularly amongst our sheltered housing residents and their families regarding our services provided for the vulnerable elderly. There is also rising public concern on this issue.
While many Council sheltered residents have found the emergency cover very satisfactory, and realise that service charges are very much lower than in the private sheltered sector, there are many apprehensions being voiced about the prospect of more change, less staff on-site hours together with increased charges / rents.
Council agrees to subject all services for the vulnerable elderly, whether provided by us or partners across the district, to a review. Such a review could be conducted by our own Scrutiny and Overview Committee, or as a pilot study by the county-wide Joint Accountability Committee.
Council agrees to subject all services for sheltered housing residents, provided by us or by partners across the district, to a review, which will be conducted by a Task and Finish Group set up by the Portfolio Holder.