Agenda item

To consider recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board on items not otherwise included on the Cabinet Agenda.

Cabinet was advised that recommendations had been received from the Overview and Scrutiny Board on two items from their meeting held on 31 January 2022 not otherwise included on the Cabinet agenda for today’s meeting, the details for which are set out below.

The first recommendation was in relation to Agenda item 7 of the recent Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting – Climate Change Enquiry Round Up.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet setting out the recommendation as follows:

The Overview and Scrutiny Board resolved that Cabinet be recommended to note the Overview and Scrutiny Board’s:

1. appreciation and acknowledgement of the work carried out by officers for the period of the Annual Report particularly with regard to the reduction in Co2.
2. recognition that the Climate Team is not yet fully staffed, and that the resources available to date have limited the development of some aspects of the Climate Emergency Strategy, Plans and tasks.
3. welcome of the additional investment to expand the Climate Emergency Team, and in particular, the appointment of a Head of Climate.
4. recognition and understanding that it will take some time for the new Climate Team to be recruited and for it to become fully effective.
5. expectation that a BCP Climate Emergency Strategic Policy and Risk Assessment will be developed, from which an Implementation Plan is produced, that clearly details how the strategic policy is to be achieved. The plan should provide SMART objectives and describe the organisation and organisational responsibilities for achieving these. The Strategy, Risk Assessment and the Implementation Plan should cover both the 2030 Council Targets and the 2050 National Targets and should apply to aspects that are directly under the Control of the Council, and those within the greater BCP area where the Council can lead, facilitate, and promote the Climate Emergency, through its relationships with organisations, businesses, industry, other partnerships and local residents. It is also requested that the Head of Climate start a programme of member seminars and climate literacy training for all staff.
6. expectation that Climate actions are supported with local data where possible to ensure actions are not skewed by the use of misleading national data. Data should include an assessment of emissions of Council employees working from home and this should be included within the Council’s emissions footprint.
7. expectation that the existing Climate Action Plan i.e. the task list is further developed to include all requirements of the Implementation Plan.
8. intention to further consider the Council’s progress towards meeting its Climate Emergency aims at a meeting in September 2022

The Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Transport thanked the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board and thanked the Board for the work they had done and the recommendations.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that the notes and recommendations had been useful and that they would be noted, with the exception of recommendation (f).

With regards to recommendation (f) the Portfolio Holder advised that the industry standards do not currently include the requirement to gather data in respect of employees working from home, and that the council has been very careful to ensure that the reporting follows best practice and industry standards.

Further to this however the Portfolio Holder did advise that the council will very carefully watch these industry standards as they develop and will make sure the council complies with them and so if there is a change for this data to be included it will be done at the earliest opportunity.

RESOLVED that the above recommendations be noted, with the exception of recommendation (f).

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board then addressed the Cabinet to present the second recommendation from the Board which was in relation to Agenda Item 6 of the recent Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting – BCP Surface Water Runoff and Sewage Overflows. The Chairman of the Board advised that the following recommendation was made to the Portfolio Holder but had been included for information:

The Overview and Scrutiny Board resolved that the relevant Portfolio Holder be recommended to write to all BCP MPs and Ofwat expressing BCP Council’s concerns on the level of use of combined sewage overflows and the effect of this on both bathing water quality and the shell fishing industries, requesting that they lobby Government for legislation to be improved and action taken to address what are currently unacceptable water quality levels.

The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Place thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Board for their interest and recent debate.

In relation to this the Portfolio Holder advised that he had already written to MPs about this subject and arranged a meeting with MPs to discuss the issues and to discuss Ofwat. In addition the Portfolio Holder advised that he had also set up and chaired meetings with Wessex Water, the Environment Agency and a wide range of interested parties and had had discussions with the chairman of the catchment area on this.

On this basis the Portfolio Holder advised that he would not be accepting the recommendation from the Board as he had already carried out the requests within the recommendation.

RESOLVED that the recommendation be not accepted for the reasons set out by the Portfolio Holder detailed above.

In addition to the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board the Cabinet was advised that two recommendations had been received from the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 17 January 2022.

The Chairman of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee addressed the Cabinet setting out the recommendations as follows:

1)             The Committee agreed for the Chair to ask the Cabinet to write to the local MPs, asking them to review the informal carer’s allowance, which currently stands at £67.60 a week, with a view to increasing it.

2)             BCP have a large number of care workers who look after our many elderly and vulnerable residents. We need to promote care work as an attractive career including through apprenticeships with on-the-job skill training which offer real career progression. As valued workers they should be seen as key workers with a fair wage and all the benefits for the essential service they provide. Will Cabinet approve and help pursue this course of action?

The Lead Member for Wellbeing addressed the Cabinet and responded in respect of recommendation 1. The Lead Member advised that this was one of the top priorities of the council, and that the carers strategy was currently being worked on. In relation to this the Lead Member advised that a members seminar had been scheduled for the 22 February to brief all councillors on the strategy and to enable councillors to feed into the strategy and feedback comments to officers.

In addition the Lead Member advised that money had been allocated to this area, and that further measures were being taken to support carers in the community.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Homes addressed the Cabinet and responded in relation to recommendation 2. The Portfolio Holder advised of the measures in place to support care workers and the value placed on them.