Agenda, decisions and minutes

No apologies were received for this meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2023.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2023 were confirmed and authorised to be signed by the chair.

Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest advised for this committee.

·         Scrutiny Feedback on CCTV Post Implementation Review

·         Scrutiny Feedback on Community Health and Well-being Plan

In accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this item had been referred from the Scrutiny Committee:

·       Scrutiny feedback on the CCTV post implementation review.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Mike Brown, introduced the report advising members that the Scrutiny Committee had met on 25 July 2023 and considered the CCTV post implementation review report.

The Portfolio Holder for Customers, Communities and Neighbourhoods thanked officers for the report and the Scrutiny Committee for their comments and acknowledged that the new system recently implemented is working well and is already preventing crime and should lead to a reduction in Anti-Social Behaviour.

·       Cabinet AGREED to have regard for Scrutiny Committee’s feedback.

**

In accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this item had been referred from the Scrutiny Committee:

·       Scrutiny feedback on Community Health & Wellbeing Plan.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Mike Brown, introduced the report advising members the Scrutiny Committee met on 25 July 2023 and considered the report on the draft Community Health and Wellbeing Plan.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Pip Allnatt thanked officers for their input into the draft report and the Scrutiny Committee for its comments and acknowledged that both the Cabinet comments and the Scrutiny Committee comments had been well received from officers and had been included in the revised draft version of the Health and Wellbeing Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Customers, Communities and Neighbourhoods thanked officers for the report and highlighted that the document recognised the paucity of digital resources which affects peoples’ ability to access online services.

The Director for Housing and Communities, Deputy Chief Executive, confirmed the following:

·       Comments and consideration from the Scrutiny Committee had been considered and implemented into the Plan.

·       The remit of the Plan is one to which Melton Borough Council contributes along with other Partners with key things we can feed into and influence, one of which will be support around digital access and access to health services.

·       The next step would be to have an action plan that goes alongside the Plan to show the changes that are being made within the community, this would be taken to the Scrutiny for further feedback.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance, Property and Resources thanked the Scrutiny for their comments and commented that whilst the Storehouse foodbank provision in the town doesn’t provide fresh fruit and veg, there are several voluntary services and agencies within the provision and network of our district that do so on a weekly basis.

Cabinet:

1)    AGREED to have regard for Scrutiny Committee’s feedback.

2)    Informally ENDORSED the Community Health and Wellbeing Plan.

A report seeking Cabinet endorsement of countywide protocols to guide the ways in which Leicestershire Local Authorities will support homeless 16/17-year-olds and care leavers up to the age of 25.

Cabinet:

1)    ENDORSED the ‘Leicestershire 16/17-Year-old Protocol’, for use by Melton Borough Council.

2)    ENDORSED the ‘Leicestershire Care Leavers Protocol’ for use by Melton Borough Council.

The Director for Housing and Communities (Deputy Chief Executive) introduced the report the purpose of which introduced countrywide protocols to guide the ways in which Leicestershire Local Authorities would support homeless 16/17-year-olds and care leavers up to the age of 25.

Director for Housing and Communities (Deputy Chief Executive) advised the Protocol would ensure that young people do not keep getting referred from organisation to organisation, or from District to Council, when they present as homeless and need support. The complexities of each case are investigated before reaching a duty of homelessness, even when they come from another authority.

The Director for Corporate Finance, Property and Resources advised that the Policy needs to reinforce that all the correct information is received from other authorities or districts when a young person presents, to avoid any delay in the sharing of information children with complex issues and children leaving care.

Director for Housing and Communities (Deputy Chief Executive) advised

·       The Protocol does not place an expectation on the extended family to accommodate young people. All options would be explored on a case-by-case basis to accommodate and support young people safely and appropriately.

·       The Protocol would provide support for young people to advise them where to look for legal advice and support them to understand their rights of responsibilities, on a case-by-case basis.

Cabinet:

1)    ENDORSED the ‘Leicestershire 16/17-Year-old Protocol’, for use by Melton Borough Council.

2)    ENDORSED the ‘Leicestershire Care Leavers Protocol’ for use by Melton Borough Council.

Reasons for Recommendations:

Local authorities must have regard to the corporate parenting principles identified in section 1 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017 when exercising their function in relation to looked after children and care leavers (former and relevant children). The principles apply to the whole range of local authority functions and not just to children’s services functions. The Corporate Parenting of Children in Care and Care Leavers extends to all agencies involved in their support. Melton Borough Council is one of these agencies.

The protocols set out how Leicestershire County Council and district and borough councils will work better together to prevent young people becoming homeless. It fits with the councils corporate parenting responsibilities and ensures that care leavers and 16/17-year-olds presenting as homeless are treated consistently across the county.

The protocols refine the current procedures and ensure that move on plans towards 18+ and beyond are considered.  It defines the working arrangements for all agencies involved in supporting this age group as well as defining the pathways for young people who present as struggling to remain at home can follow to access support.

A report on the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) grants to some local authorities to increase the supply of affordable housing through the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF).

Cabinet:

1.     AGREED to the Council receiving LAHF R2 grant to purchase up to three homes.

2.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Corporate Services to sign the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

3.     APPROVED the capital investment of up to £390,000 of Section 106 commuted sums and Flexible Housing Fund awards to match fund the total available LAHF R2 grant funding of £360,000 in order to acquire up to three dwellings.

4.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Housing and Communities in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services, to purchase up to three houses in accordance with the grant agreement and within the total budget, and to add these to the Council’s housing stock.

5.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Housing and Communities to develop and implement a ‘Local Lettings Policy’ to enable the direct allocations of two homes funded through this arrangement to Afghan households who are being assisted through the ARAP and ACRS schemes.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services introduced the report the purpose of which proposed a programme to purchase three homes up to a total value of £750,000 using LAHF R2 funding of £360,000 and match funding of £390,000 from Section 106 commuted sums together with funding from the Flexible Housing Fund.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Finance, Property and Resources thanked the officers for their tenacity in identifying the match funding which had enabled the Government funding to proceed.

The Director for Housing and Communities, Deputy Chief Executive, advised that the commitment was to ensure that best value was achieved in terms of the purchase of the properties, so that the properties would meet the decent homes standards and the management costs would all be met within the boundaries of the funding available.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services confirmed that the framework in place would allow for the purchase of 3 decent homes within the boundaries set.

Cabinet:

1.     AGREED to the Council receiving LAHF R2 grant to purchase up to three homes.

2.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Corporate Services to sign the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

3.     APPROVED the capital investment of up to £390,000 of Section 106 commuted sums and Flexible Housing Fund awards to match fund the total available LAHF R2 grant funding of £360,000 in order to acquire up to three dwellings.

4.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Housing and Communities in consultation with the Director for Corporate Services and Portfolio Holder for Housing and Landlord Services, to purchase up to three houses in accordance with the grant agreement and within the total budget, and to add these to the Council’s housing stock.

5.     AGREED that authority be delegated to the Director for Housing and Communities to develop and implement a ‘Local Lettings Policy’ to enable the direct allocations of two homes funded through this arrangement to Afghan households who are being assisted through the ARAP and ACRS schemes.

Reason for Recommendations:

Delivering three new homes with the aid of grant funding will help to meet the corporate priority of providing high quality council homes and landlord services.

The LAHF R2 programme is intended to deliver accommodation which will be available to the Council in the long term and can be used to meet housing need beyond the initial period where they are required to accommodate refugees.