Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Stella Jones, Cathy Lugg, and Steve Murcer.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interest 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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2024.

Decision:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2024 be confirmed and signed.

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 Microsoft 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.  For further information read Public Participation - Dorset Council

All submissions must be emailed in full to george.dare@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday, 10 June 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 was no public participation.

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 george.dare@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk by 8.30am on Monday, 10 June 2024.

Dorset Council Constitution – Procedure Rule 13

There were no questions from councillors.

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 consider the Committee's Work Programme and the Executive Forward Plans.

Please note that the Cabinet Forward Plan for July to October 2024 is due to be published on 11 June. It will be available using the following link: Link to Cabinet Forward Plans.

A member raised an issue with allocating housing to people without cars, causing isolation and loneliness. They were advised that housing allocation was a choice based letting system so people may apply for housing where they may not have transport. Particular cases need a conversation with a Housing Officer.

The Senior Democratic Services Officer raised that there would be a work programming session following the next meeting. Members could attend directorate webinars and days before the next meeting to find out more about the opportunities and challenges in services which could contribute to the work programme.

To consider a report by the Head of Service, Dorset Combined Youth Justice Service.

The Corporate Director for Care and Protection introduced the Youth Justice Plan, which covers Dorset and BCP Council. The Head of the Dorset Combined Youth Justice Service outlined the plan for the multi-disciplinary service. The key indicators for the service were reducing first-time entrants, reducing reoffending, and minimising the use of custodial sentences.

Members asked questions of officers and discussed the report. The following points were raised:

·         There was an increase in the number of first-time entrants in the Dorset Council area, whereas a decrease in BCP Council in 2023-24. The average across the whole area was the same, however the increase was due to delays in the judicial process.

·         When a young person has 2 suspensions from school, there is a targeted youth offer. Speech and language therapy is available to children at risk of exclusion.

·         The budget for the service was from the youth justice grant. This grant was often received late which made long-term planning more difficult. Some funding was from the Police and Crime Commissioner.

·         There was a concern about young people entering the justice system due to drugs. If this happened, early intervention, such as a health approach, did not work. There could also be a restorative response, so offenders understand the point or views of the victim and community.

·         School exclusion and criminal behaviour had common causes. Two key priorities in the report were to do with education. There were also other plans such as the extra-familial harm strategy.

·         A young person being excluded can be a significant step, which can lead to criminal behaviour.

Proposed by Cllr Andy Todd, seconded by Cllr Carole Jones.

Decision:

That the committee endorse the Youth Justice Plan so that Cabinet can recommend approval to Full Council.

To consider a report by the Programme Manager – Accommodation with Support.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care introduced the report.

The Corporate Director for Adult Commissioning and Improvement and the Corporate Director for Housing gave a presentation on the strategy. The presentation explained what extra care housing was, where it was already located in Dorset, and the need for more extra care housing. The 5 strategic priorities for extra care housing were outlined. There were two sites already identified: Wareham and Bridport, and two further sites would be commissioned, developing at least 240 properties over the next 10 years. The council would procure a partner to enter a strategic partnership to develop the 4 projects.

Members discussed the report and asked questions of the officers. The following points were raised:

·         There would be potential for at least 60 units on each site. There was a need to explore where there was need for affordable to buy and rent.

·         The strategic partnership with a developer would ensure that the council and developer worked together. Rents would be the same as the housing register and there would be no greenbelt development.

·         The 4 sites would be a starting point and there could be more in the future. It would provide some provision in areas which did not have any. It could encourage other developers to run similar schemes.

·         There was a concern about whether assets would remain with Dorset Council or the developer. In response, members were advised that no firm decision had been made on assets, at this stage, but the expectation was that land would transfer to the development partner. The strategic partnership and separate governance arrangements and development agreement for each site would ensure that the council had control over what was delivered on the sites. The developer would bring their own expertise and experience in developing extra care housing sites.

·         There was also a concern that if tenants could purchase the homes then there would be less provision in the future, and it could be passed on to someone who many not need care. There would be restrictions around future use of properties so there was continual use of the extra care element.

·         Leases would state who could live in the properties so that families would sell the property to the right person, or for it to be brought back by the company.

Members explored the option of the council delivering the schemes directly as a local authority, rather than through a developer, which would include advertising new positions and attracting people to new roles at the council. Members were supportive of recommending this as an option for Cabinet to give further consideration, alongside the recommendations in the report. Officers advised that this option would require significant redevelopment of the strategy and the financial implications would need to be fully considered. 

Proposed by Cllr Jon Orrell, seconded by Cllr Jindy Atwal.

Decision:

That the committee make the following recommendations to Cabinet:

1)    To adopt the Extra Care Housing Strategic Statement and Appendices as Dorset Council’s publicly stated strategic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider passing the following recommendation:  

Recommendation  

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in item No 9 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.  

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered. (Any live streaming will end at this juncture).  

Reason for taking the item in private

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).  

There was no exempt business.