Agenda item

To receive and ask questions on the Annual Reports (copies attached at Annexes 3 - 7) of the following Policy and Review Panels for the 2017/18 Municipal Year:

 

(1)             Borough Services

(2)             Community

(3)             Corporate Services

(4)             Environment

(5)             Leisure and Youth

 

A procedure note for asking questions has been circulated to Members.

(1)          Borough Services Policy and Review Panel –

 

The Chairman of the Borough Services Policy and Review Panel, Cllr A.R. Newell, presented the Annual Report of the Panel for 2017/18.

 

Cllr Jennifer Evans asked a question of the Chairman regarding anti-social behaviour in Aldershot Town Centre.  In response, Cllr Newell stated that the question would perhaps be better asked of the Portfolio Holder.  However, he understood that ten Fixed Penalty Notices had been issued since September and other repeat offenders had had criminal offender behaviour orders issued against them.   He said that there had been 100% compliance with the surrender of alcohol on request and that there had been a fall in the number of anti-social behaviour reports. 

 

RESOLVED:    That the Annual Report of the Borough Services Policy and Review Panel be noted.

 

(2)          Community Policy and Review Panel –

 

The Chairman of the Community Policy and Review Panel, Cllr M.D. Smith, presented the Annual Report of the Panel for 2017/18.

 

Cllr A.H. Crawford asked a question of the Chairman regarding Accent Housing and leaseholders in Station Road, Aldershot who faced substantial outstanding charges on which they had not been consulted and the poor communications with the finance department which was based in Shipley, Yorkshire.   In response, Cllr Smith said that some of the issues had been raised at the January Registered Providers meeting and that they were being addressed.   He understood that officers, where appropriate, had offered advice and assistance to Ward Councillors to help residents in reporting complaints to Accent and to access the escalation procedure.

 

Cllr Crawford raised a supplementary question regarding what Registered Providers could do to assist leaseholders.  Cllr Smith undertook to provide a written reply to the supplementary question.

 

Cr. Crawford asked a second question of the Chairman regarding voluntary drivers for Neighbourcare, who had received parking penalty charge notices, debt collection letters and threats of court action arising from providing transport for frail and vulnerable patients to Aldershot Centre for Health who now felt that they could not provide such voluntary care under these circumstances.   In response, Cllr Smith stated that this issue would be raised at future discussions with NHS Property Services regarding parking at the Health Centre.

 

Cllr Crawford raised a supplementary question regarding what the Council would be doing on this issue.   In response, Cllr Smith undertook to arrange for a response to be provided when the actions agreed by the Environment Policy and Review Panel had been followed up.

 

RESOLVED:    That the Annual Report of the Community Policy and Review Panel be noted.

 

(3)          Corporate Services Policy and Review Panel –

 

Cllr Jacqui Vosper presented the Annual Report of the Panel for 2017/18. 

 

RESOLVED:    That the Annual Report of the Corporate Services Policy and Review Panel be noted.

 

(4)          Environment Policy and Review Panel –

 

The Chairman of the Environment Policy and Review Panel, Cllr D.S. Gladstone presented the Annual Report of the Panel for 2017/18.

 

Cllr A.H. Crawford asked a question of the Chairman regarding the parking system at Aldershot Centre for Health.    In response, Cllr Gladstone referred to the recent discussions at the Environment Panel with NHS Property Services.  Following the meeting, he had sent letters to NHS Property Services and to Mr Leo Docherty MP to seek their support for suggestions to improve the current untenable situation regarding imposing of unwarranted penalty charge notices at the Aldershot Centre for Health car park.   In response to a supplementary question, Cllr Gladstone undertook to advise Members when he had received responses. 

 

Cllr Jennifer Evans had submitted a question on Serco contract delivery performance, however, she withdrew the question in the light of the question already asked of the Environment and Service Delivery Portfolio Holder.   

 

RESOLVED:    That the Annual Report of the Environment Policy and Review Panel be noted.

 

(5)          Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel –

 

The Chairman of the Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel, Cllr Diane Bedford presented the Annual Report of the Panel for 2017/18.

 

Cllr A.H. Crawford asked a question of the Chairman regarding the consideration by the Council of the results of his survey on small playgrounds in the Borough.   In response, Cllr Bedford requested a copy of the survey results and supporting information.  She stated that the Panel had recently considered the issue of playgrounds and had been concerned at the low levels of usage of the Borough’s smaller playgrounds.  It had been agreed that, given the costs involved in replacing them, liaison would take place with ward councillors and surveys would be carried out with residents around each playground to ensure that there was demand to support replacing them.   Cllr Bedford stated that she was aware that officers had been able to fund the majority of playground refurbishments through external funding, but that this was becoming more and more difficult to secure. 

 

Cllr L.A. Taylor asked a question of the Chairman regarding whether a formal review should take place in order to re-consider the closure of Southwood Golf Course in the light of SANG provision that would arise from Blandford House/Malta Barracks and other future provision.    In response, Cllr Bedford stated that she did not believe that the situation regarding SANGs had changed significantly following the decisions made by the Cabinet regarding the closure of Southwood Golf Course.   The Draft Submission Local Plan had identified that the Council would plan for at least 7,848 new homes between 2014 and 2032 but that the estimated capacity for housing that could be delivered was around 8,700.  Taking other issues into account, it was understood that capacity could be up to 8,995 new homes over the Plan period.

 

Cllr J.J. Preece asked a question of the Chairman regarding the joint meeting of the Leisure and Youth Panel and the Environment Panel to discuss the future of Southwood Golf Course and her recommendation to postpone closure while other solutions could be determined.  This had received cross-party support at the meeting but had been dismissed by the Cabinet.   In response, Cllr Bedford stated that there had been a full and detailed debate at the joint meeting and the Panel’s decision had been based on the information presented to it and the views of the joint Panel Members.  She had endeavoured to represent these views clearly at the Cabinet Meeting.  However, she recognised that the Cabinet was the decision making body for the majority of decisions made by the Council and that the Cabinet had to take account of all the Council’s priorities and services for the benefit of the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the Borough as a whole. 

 

RESOLVED:    That the Annual Report of the Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel be noted.