To deal with business raised by the Leader of the Council which is not otherwise raised under any other item on the agenda. Questions from members will be invited on the issues raised by the Leader.
Minutes:
The Leader of the Council raised the following matters facing the Council and achievements through transformation, and invited questions from all members:
Development of Dorset’s Community Offer for Living and Learning
It was reported that initial funding of £24k had been secured from the One Public Estate initiative funded by the Cabinet Office Property Unit in partnership with the Local Government Association, to work towards a bid for admission to the full Programme in December 2016 and to receive funding of up to £500k. The Programme would promote sharing and collaboration initiatives between public sector partners to work together to facilitate services for the public.
Work with the NHS and production of the Sustainability Transformation Plan for Dorset
A five year ‘forward view’ was announced by the NHS in 2014 which outlined the scale of change facing the NHS by 2021. This included the development of Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) to address ambitious longer term challenges and apply national priorities across health organisations and local authorities. The Dorset STP was agreed by the Health and Wellbeing Board for submission to the NHS and had received positive comments nationally for its partner engagement. All members were encouraged to read the plan.
Programme of Syrian Refugee Resettlement
The Programme to provide secure accommodation and support for refugees was underway with partners and the voluntary sector, with the first two Syrian refugee families due to arrive in Dorset in November 2016. It was also noted that the Council supported the Race Equality Council in wider migrant events, with public and volunteers, to provide positive messages and to show that Dorset was playing a full role in welcoming refugees to the Country. Members recognised the successful event held in Weymouth and Portland on Saturday 5 November 2016.
Public Transportation Offer
The development and support of the public transportation offer was explained, following recent consideration by the Cabinet. The approach would aim to develop services and the supporting transport network that community transport offers would feed into. In addition there would be a Community Transport Grant of up to £5k available to support communities to set up schemes on a match-funded basis. Members noted that there was already some significant interest in the grant which would enable ICT, marketing, training of staff and volunteers, as well as other aspects of setting up of schemes for communities.
In relation to isolated communities, a question was asked about how the message was getting to the public so they could use the grant funding effectively. The Leader reminded members that in their roles they would need to be involved in giving the messages as they were best placed to identify local issues, identify key people and shape what would suit their communities.
Achievements
The Leader summarised a number of awards and achievements, which included:
· Dorset Countryside win National Awards for excellence for parks at Avon Heath, Blandford and Gillingham
· Dorset County Council and the Dorset Coast Forum have been successful in a £800,000 funding bid to the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to support the fisheries sector to maximise local economic growth opportunities.
· Hardy’s Birthplace Visitor Centre, Thorncombe Woods has won an International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage 2016.
· Dorset AONB Team hosted by DCC has secured a share of up a £500m National Grid fund to put power lines underground and reduce the visual impact on Dorset landscape whilst boosting the local economy.
· Dorset Property – completion of critical summer projects in schools before the start of the new academic year in September 2016.
· Officers leading on the Council's Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) approach, attended the OBA annual international conference in Belfast last month to present and run a workshop on work within Children's Services.
· A six-strong DCC team won the recent South West Local Authority Challenge, plus the individual award for ‘best recovery plan’.
In relation to property projects in schools, Cllr Coombs, as the former Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Modernising Schools Programme, and Cllr Peter Hall as the local member, sought an update regarding a delay in the delivery of the new Marsh Lane School in Christchurch given the pressure for 30 new school places in the area. The Leader undertook to provide a written response, and confirmed that the Modernising Schools Programme Board would consider an update in the coming weeks, and that all would be done to deliver school places for young people in Christchurch.
In addition to the points raised above, Cllr Janet Dover, as the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, requested that the Leader’s statement be provided for members routinely for Council meetings. The Leader confirmed that there was not a prepared note in advance of the meeting and the aim of the item was to provide a spontaneous and informal update on current issues.