Agenda item

This report details the area covered by the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services which falls within the remit of this Committee. These are listed each time a Cabinet Member is invited to attend any of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees to be held to account. 

Discussion:

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services, Councillor Doe attended the meeting to be held to account for the areas of his portfolio that fell within the remit of this committee.  Members asked questions and commented and Councillor Doe responded as follows: -

• Plans for Medway Park in 2014 – In addition to the full programme of events that had already taken place at Medway Park in 2013 as set out  in paragraph 2.1.4 of the report, for 2014 the following events were either planned or in the process of being planned:

-         British Schools National Fencing Event – March

-         National Table Tennis Grand Prix – September

-         International Trampolining Event

-         Possible follow up event to the successful Wheelchair Rugby event in 2013.

In addition, as part of the run-up to the Commonwealth Games, officers were exploring the possibility of some events being held at Medway Park.

·        Deangate Ridge - update on works – Works at Deangate Ridge Driving Range had now been completed and the golf course had a high level of maintenance and provision of its own water supply. The Driving Range had been improved and works were starting on building the Par 3 Academy Course.

·        Sports Development Teams working with ethnic minority groups - It was confirmed that the Sports Development Teams worked extensively with schools and ethnic groups in Medway but if Members had knowledge of any groups that were not involved, the Portfolio Holder would welcome this information.

·        The use of Housing Revenue Account funding for the provision of a new Library and Community Hub in Strood – The Portfolio Holder explained that when considering the issue of funding for the new Strood Library and Community Hub, it was necessary to consider the Council’s finances overall and not different sections of funding in isolation. However, he accepted that the funding mechanisms of the Council were complex. He explained that in addition to the provision of library facilities, the Strood Community Hub would also provide services such as debt advice and information on housing, and that this would benefit those living in Strood and, in particular, those residing in social housing.

·        The provision of allotments and the reallocation of un-maintained allotments – The Portfolio Holder advised that where possible, the Council provided allotments to meet demand but this was dependent upon availability. He advised that officers worked closely with the Allotment Federation to ensure that investment was targeted to allotment sites where it was most needed. In terms of allotments that were not maintained, he explained the process by which this was followed up by the Council. In some circumstances, there were justifiable reasons why an individual may not have been able to maintain their allotment, but if a response was not received from the allotment holder or, there were no justifiable reasons why the allotment was not being maintained, then the Council would look to termination of the agreement. It was also explained that tenants were also offered the opportunity to reduce the size of their allotment plot and to share the plot with another allotment holder.

·        Grounds maintenance and grass cutting  - The Portfolio Holder explained that the regularity of grass cutting was not soley determined by frequency, but on the basis of when the grass required cutting. In respect of the issue of closing roads to cut grass, it was recognised that this was an expensive exercise and one which did not receive the support of motorists This was a matter that was in the process of being discussed with the Portfolio Holder for Front Line Services as to how the number of road closures for grounds maintenance could be reduced.

·        Armed Forces Day – The Committee expressed their congratulations for the very successful Armed Forces Day in 2013.

·        Provision of Residents’ Parking Permits at Community Hubs – The Portfolio Holder agreed that residents should be able to obtain their  residents parking permits at Community Hubs throughout Medway and not just at an office in Strood, and the Director for Regeneration, Community and Culture confirmed that this was in the process of being arranged. It would also be possible to obtain such permits on line.

·        Strood Library and Community Hub – access – The Portfolio Holder gave an assurance that the access road into the car park for the new Strood Library and Community Hub would be improved and designated parking spaces for the library would be allocated in an adjacent public car park. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that he had not yet seen the final version of the layout of the car park and, in noting the suggestion that the car park have a circular route layout, the Portfolio Holder agreed to ask the Director for Regeneration, Community and Culture for further information on this.

·        Strood Library and Community Hub – Announcement of the proposed new location - In response to a Member’s concern that information on the location of the new Strood Library and Community Hub had been notified to the public prior to Ward Councillors, the Portfolio Holder advised that at no time had he sought to withhold information from Ward Councillors, other than that of a commercially sensitive nature.

·        Stirling Centre – It was noted that there had been very positive feedback from users of the Stirling Centre since the operational responsibility for the Centre had been taken over by the King’s School.

In response to queries on the future of the Centre, the Portfolio Holder advised of contacts the King’s School had with the Lawn Tennis Association, and he hoped that this would help to raise the profile of tennis in Medway. He also confirmed that the gym facilities at the Centre had also benefited from investment, none of which had been a cost to the Council.

·        Commemoration of the Centenary of the First World War in 2014 – The Portfolio Holder advised that in conjunction with the Lord Lieutenancy, major events were planned in Kent to commemorate the Centenary of the First World War in 2014.

In Medway, in partnership with the Chatham Historic Dockyard, plans were underway for a Church Service, Parade, a march past with salute to a distinguished VIP and, if possible, a beat retreat.

·        Target satisfaction figures – In response to a query about whether the targets for satisfaction levels should be raised, given the very high scores currently, the Portfolio Holder explained the difficulties in comparing targets from one year to another, and that is was not unusual for satisfaction targets to increase or decrease by one or two percentage points. Provided satisfaction levels remained broadly in the same region, he considered this acceptable. He did however confirm that in 2013, the majority of satisfaction levels had increased from 2012.

·        Possible outsourcing of library services – In response to a question as to whether the Portfolio Holder would consider outsourcing the library service as Kent County Council seem to be doing, the Portfolio Holder advised that whilst he was open to looking at new ways of delivering services, he was also aware of the need to ensure that services were maintained to a high level. He referred to the existing partnership that Medway had with volunteers working in its Libraries and advised that if a group approached the Council expressing a wish to take over running a library then he would give such request serious consideration. However, he would need to be certain that the library would continue to be operated at the same level as currently.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, thanked the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Community Services for his report and his responses to questions.