Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct. In making their disclosure councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

 

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

Councillor C Jones declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 7 - Cost of Living Support 2024-25 – and in particular relating to potential funding to Local Alliance Groups, as Chair of the Northern Locality Local Alliance Group and also as she ran a charity that dealt with food poverty. She indicated that she would participate in the meeting.

 

Councillor C Lugg declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to agenda item 7 – Cost of Living Support 2024-25 - as Chair of the East Dorset Local Alliance Group.

To receive any updates from the Chair of the Place and Resources Overview Committee.

There were no updates from the Chair on this occasion.

Representatives of town or parish councils and members of the public who live, work, or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area are welcome to submit either 1 question or 1 statement for each meeting.  You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.   If you submit a statement for the committee this will be circulated to all members of the committee in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes for the formal record but will not be read out at the meeting. The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received from members of the public or organisations for each meeting will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline set out below.  Further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

 

All submissions must be emailed in full to lindsey.watson@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk  by 8.30am on 8 July 2024.

 

When submitting your question or statement please note that:

 

•         You can submit 1 question or 1 statement.

•         a question may include a short pre-amble to set the context.

•         It must be a single question and any sub-divided questions will not be permitted.

•         Each question will consist of no more than 450 words, and you will be given up to 3 minutes to present your question.

•         when submitting a question please indicate who the question is for (e.g., the name of the committee or Portfolio Holder)

•         Include your name, address, and contact details.  Only your name will be published but we may need your other details to contact you about your question or statement in advance of the meeting.

•         questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

•         all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting.

There were no questions or statements from members of the public or local organisations.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  

 

Councillors can submit up to two valid questions at each meeting and sub divided questions count towards this total.   Questions and statements received will be published as a supplement to the agenda and all questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

 

The submissions must be emailed in full to lindsey.watson@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on 8 July 2024.

 

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There were no questions from councillors.

To consider a report of the Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships.

The committee received and considered a report of the Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships, which set out a proposed programme of funded activity to support those residents hit hardest by the ongoing cost of living challenge. This followed on from the agreement by Cabinet for a further £2m of spending from reserves and the request by Cabinet that the committee consider and make comments and recommendations on the proposed programme. This would enable the Cabinet Member for Customer, Culture and Community Engagement and the Executive Director for Corporate Development (S151) to undertake their authority as delegated by Cabinet.

 

The Business Partner – Communities and Partnerships, provided an overview of each proposed project and councillors provided comments as follows:

 

1. Adult Services – Housing – Homelessness prevention

 

·       Comments regarding contact arrangements were raised, including contact for councillors and would be passed to the appropriate manager in the area

·       There would be regular reporting back to scrutiny

·       Councillors were content with the proposal

 

2. Place – Economic Regeneration – Healthy Homes Dorset

 

·       A point was noted that the allocated funding should sit within the service budget to ensure a sustainable footing moving forward. The Cabinet Member noted that elements of the proposals would be considered as part of the forthcoming budget setting process

·       Councillors were supportive of the proposal

 

3. Citizens Advice

 

·       Councillors supported the proposal and recognised the support available through Citizens Advice

·       It was noted that monitoring of the outcome of investment generally was undertaken as part of each grant agreement

·       The need for investment in the provision of debt support was noted.

 

4. Corporate Services – Revenues and Benefits – Discretionary Housing Payment Allowance

 

·       Councillors supported the proposal.

 

5. Adults Services – Housing – Disabled Facilities Grant

 

·       Clarification would be sought as to whether this applied to private rented housing

·       It was noted that this would support those people already working with the referral team

·       Any changes in Government approach in this area would need to be considered

·       Quarterly monitoring by scrutiny would be undertaken

·       Additional funding could be provided later in the year if required.

 

6. Adults Services – Housing Standards – Investment in Lendology

 

·       Assurance was given that Lendology worked closely with individuals and that there was a full financial background process undertaken

·       A question was raised as to the scrutiny of the scheme to date and the need for scrutiny moving forwards, including through the budget process. The committee requested that this item be looked at by the scrutiny committee

·       The Cabinet Member noted that the funding could be ring-fenced in the budget following a satisfactory scrutiny of the scheme

·       Full information could be provided to the scrutiny committee for their review.

 

7. Corporate Development – Communities and Partnerships & VCS – Emergency and Affordable food security

 

·       A discussion was held regarding the use of a referral-based model in the proposal and there was a recognition of the different types of food support available

·       The ambition was to move people from emergency food into sustainable and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To review the draft Place and Resources Overview Committee Work Programme.

 

To review the Cabinet Forward Plan.

Councillors noted the committee’s draft work programme for the forthcoming year and in particular, items to be considered at the next meeting in September.  A point was made that the committee needed to be involved in the policy making process at an earlier stage in order to be an effective part of the decision making process.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph x of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.  

 

There are no exempt items scheduled for this meeting.

There was no exempt business.