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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Market Street, Tamworth. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 01827 709264 

Media

Items
No. Item

16.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A Wells and P Turner.

17.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 16th July 2024 were approved as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor S Doyle and seconded by Councillor P Pallett)

 

18.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (personal and/or personal and prejudicial) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a personal interest or personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

 

 

Minutes:

There were none.

19.

Update from the Chair

Minutes:

The  last meeting of the County Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny was held on the 17th July and 29th July and the minutes and recording are available online. The next meeting is due to be held on the 23rd September, details have been shared by Democratic Services.


 

20.

Responses to Reports of the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

(Update on responses to the Reports of the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee)

Minutes:

There were none.

21.

Consideration of matters referred to the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee from Cabinet or Council

(Discussion item)

Minutes:

There were none.

22.

Update on health related matters considered by Staffordshire County Council pdf icon PDF 102 KB

(To receive the Digest from Staffordshire County Council’s Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an update from County Councillor J Jones)

Minutes:

The Chair encouraged the Committee to read the digest and highlighted that it noted seven deliverables and two key priorities whilst reporting a £91 million deficit and would like to know how these are going to be delivered in the difficult financial services. The Chair advised that as the County representative was not able to attend that he would ask this in writing before the next meeting.

 

23.

Housing Strategy Bi-Annual Update to 30 June 2024 pdf icon PDF 173 KB

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness and planning/Assistant Director, Partnerships)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcome the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and the Safer Communities and Homes Manager to update the Committee on actions within the Tamworth Borough Council Housing Strategy to 30 June 2024 which directly impact on health and wellbeing of Tamworth communities.

 

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report highlighting that this was a bi-annual report as requested by the Committee in January. A new contractor had been appointed to undertake work on the new strategy for 2025 – 2030 before handing over to the Safer Communities and Homes Manager who provided a summary of the five priorities.

 

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

 

1.     Acknowledged the Council is taking a comprehensive approach to fuel poverty and congratulated them on this.

2.     Whether any of the priorities are more important? And if they are all equal, how is progress monitored and if progress is not as expected, how this is addressed?

It was confirmed that all of the priorities were equal.

For internal services there are monthly performance monitoring processes in place. Some areas are delivered by third parties, however in these cases there are quarterly performance meetings to check expected progress and if this in not on track, they are given the opportunity to get back on track, but if that is not achievable funding can be clawed back and they look at reallocating the service.

Community Home Solutions (CHS) who are commissioned as HEAT(Home Energy Advice Tamworth) who are now delivering the service previously delivered by Beat The Cold are met on a monthly basis due to being new to the contract.

 

 

Resolved

that the Committee:

 

 

1.

Considered and endorsed the report as presented.

 

 

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor N Statham and seconded by Councillor H Hadley)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24.

Briefing Note Armed Forces Covenant Plan update pdf icon PDF 128 KB

(Briefing Note – Report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair of Committee introduced report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships to update the Committee on the Armed Forces Covenant plan discussed at the Committee on 16 July 2024.

 

The Portfolio Holder highlighted that this is a briefing note following the concerns of the Committee discussed at the meeting in July highlighting that the budget change to agree to grant the Royal British Legion £1000 for the hiring of the castle lower lawn was not put in place, so the cost has been waived.

 

The Committee discussed the possibility of having a Member Champion in addition to the Member lead and agreed to recommend that whilst there are serving veterans on the Council, that there is a Member Champion appointed who is a veteran.

 

It was noted that the Constitution currently only allows for Member as Champions.

 

Resolved

that the Committee:

 

 

1.

Consider the information in the briefing note in relation to the queries at the meeting on 16 July 2024.

 

 

2.

Endorsed proposals for a named Council Lead Member and the updated Armed Forces Covenant plan. 

 

 

 

A further recommendation was moved to be presented to Cabinet to recommend that:

 

 

3.

Consider the appointment of a nonpolitical role for an Armed Forces Champion whilst there are serving Members who are veterans.

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor S Doyle and  seconded by Councillor C Bain )

 

 

 

25.

Working Group Updates

To provide any update on any working groups

Minutes:

The Chair asked that further to the previous decision to set up a working group to look at Disabled Facilities Grants, they would like to focus to be on making a case to reduce inequalities in allocations across the borough and asked for volunteers for the group.

 

The group was established as Cllrs C Bain, M Bailey, S Doyle and H Hadley.

26.

Forward Plan

(Discussion item – link to the Forward Plan attached)

 

Browse plans - Cabinet, 2024 :: Tamworth Borough Council

Minutes:

There are no new items to be added from the Forward Plan.

 

It was requested by the Committee that the order of the agenda is amended in future to consider the work plan before this item. The Chair agreed with this request.

 

27.

Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Work Plan pdf icon PDF 118 KB

(Discussion Item - To review the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Plan)

Minutes:

The Committee received the workplan and requested the following items be added to the work plan for consideration –

 

Damp and Mould Update

Pension credit/Changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance

 

The Chair closed the meeting at 6:48pm.