Agenda item

That the report be received.                

The Member Engagement Manager introduced the report to present the monitoring of progress for the second quarter of 2015/16 focusing on the areas of underperformance relevant to the Committee.  He explained that CAMMS was a software programme for integrated planning, risk management and programme/project management and reporting.

                        Councillor Dave Mackie expressed concern about the name of the software because of its similarity to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).  In response to a comment from Councillor Mackie that such issues should be considered when naming software solutions, the Member Engagement Manager advised that CAMMS was the name of the company that had set up the software. 

                        The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) explained that the high level risk area for the Committee related to the capacity and capability of the organisation to implement necessary changes.  It covered three areas which were alternative delivery models (ADM), Community Asset Transfers (CAT) and property rationalisation. 

            Community Asset Transfer

                        The Chief Officer explained that 95 expressions of interest had been received which was a positive position to be in.  A number of CATs were progressing through the legal phase of the process (stage 3) and the Chief Officer explained that a model legal document had been used to allow a less complex set of legal papers to be put forward which would also mean consistency across all CATs.  Interested groups had been encouraged to seek their own legal advice but the overall objective was not to rewrite the model document; it was felt that simplicity and consistency was the best approach. 

            Alternative Delivery Models

                        A number of services such as leisure, facilities management and day care services were progressing to the financial business planning stage and it was anticipated that a review of ADMs would be considered by Cabinet at its meeting in February 2016.  Feasibility of a number of other projects was also being considered.  The Chief Officer commented on the need for support in relation to Social Enterprises and explained that the overall aim was to increase the numbers within Flintshire.  He commented on the social enterprise in Sandycroft that had been established and detailed a number of other schemes that it was anticipated would progress to become social enterprises. 

            Property rationalisation

                        Work was continuing around consolidation of employees working in phases three and four of County Hall into phases one and two and on the finalisation of agreements with third parties that currently leased Council owned buildings.

                        Councillor Dave Mackie commented on Double Click, a recently established social enterprise, and asked for an update on how the project was progressing.  The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) welcomed the suggestion and indicated that the review report could also include the social enterprise for Mancot Library (Friends of Mancot Library).  The aim of social enterprise was to continue the services that were of benefit to the community and the Chief Officer indicated that the report could also provide details of the differences that the social enterprises had made to the communities. 

                         Councillor Ian Dunbar welcomed the ADM for Connah’s Quay swimming baths and indicated that contributions from other Town & Community Councils were currently being sought.  He sought clarification on the terms of the ADM and expressed the concern raised by Connah’s Quay Town Council if funding from other Town or Community Councils could not be secured.  He also referred to the Council building in Connah’s Quay which was no longer in use and asked whether there were any proposals for development of the site.  In response, the Chief Officer indicated that £65,000 of funding in year one was being provided by Flintshire County Council as part of the agreement for the Connah’s Quay swimming baths and the aim was to reduce the funding over the following years, but it was also important to include some flexibility in years two and three of the business plan.  On the Council building in Connah’s Quay, the Chief Officer spoke of the regeneration opportunities for development of the area due to the site next to the building also being empty. 

                        In welcoming the 95 expressions of interest for CATs, Councillor Paul Shotton queried whether this figure was similar to original predictions and asked whether the Council was adequately resourced in this area.  The Chief Officer explained that the issue of capacity and capability to implement the necessary changes was a risk for the Council but as the schemes progressed there would be a need to review capacity and capability.  The number of projects progressing through the legal process was currently 20 and was in line with the numbers originally anticipated but the Chief Officer added that the speed in which the projects progressed was not in the control of the Council. 

                        Councillor Robin Guest sought clarification on whether there was an automatic process of demolition for Council buildings no longer in use, such as the one in Connah’s Quay, and asked whether an assessment of the commercial value of buildings was carried out.  On the issue of capacity and capability of the organisation to implement necessary changes, Councillor Guest felt that it was difficult to identify the amount of staff required to complete the process at the start of the project and queried whether, given the speed at which expressions of interest were being received, the service was resourced appropriately.  In response, the Chief Officer spoke of the expressions of interest that had progressed for some libraries and leisure centres and commented on the need to be proactive to ensure adequate resources were in place.  He felt that there was a need to review the approach for open space and play areas.  The Chief Executive commented on the learning by all parties as the process of CATs was a new experience for the Council.   

                        On the issue of disposal of sites, the Chief Officer explained that assessments were undertaken to establish whether a building was surplus to the needs of the Council and if so, a review of market interest was carried out.  Where there was no interest, the disposal strategy would be considered. 

                        Councillor Glenys Diskin asked that her thanks to the officers for their work and support in taking forward the CAT for Mancot Library be recorded in the minutes.  The project was currently at stage 3 of the process and the significant amount of help and support that had been received from officers had been welcomed and appreciated. 

                        Councillor Chris Dolphin spoke of the consideration by Town and Community Councils to take on a range of buildings and play areas and queried whether there was a fund-raising strategy in place as he felt that some Town & Community Councils would not have spare monies to be able to take on the responsibility of such facilities.  Councillor Dolphin also referred to Holywell Leisure Centre.  The Chief Officer commented on the projects to transfer play areas that were already progressing and of others that Town & Community Councils were considering.  He spoke of a play area grant scheme that was in place but said that it was important to review how successful the scheme was.  He explained that a group had been established to consider a business plan and the feasibility of transferring the leisure centre.  It was felt that it would require a range of partners to achieve this which could provide a combination of sources for income streams for the project. 

                        Councillor Ron Hampson sought clarification on social enterprises in place for people with learning disabilities.  The Chief Officer commented on ADMs and the social enterprise model to identify work opportunities and added that a review report would be submitted to the Committee in February 2016 before being considered at a future meeting of Cabinet.   

                        Councillor Clive Carver referred to the dates reported in the CAMMS document and queried whether the completion date of December 2015 for the nine CATs referred to on page 18 had been achieved.  He added that some areas of the report had been updated on 18 November 2015 but raised concern that a date for the completion of the report was not shown.  In response, the Chief Executive explained that the report covered the period April to September 2015 but it had been updated in November 2015 where appropriate.  The Chief Officer confirmed that none of the nine CATs had been achieved by 31 December 2015 but it was anticipated that they would be completed in January or February 2016.  He added that completion by the end of December 2015 was not a target in the improvement plan but was an internal target.  The CATs were nearly complete but it was difficult to specify a final date as the speed of the process was out of the control of the Council.  There was a high degree of confidence that completion would be by the end of March 2016 as a number of the schemes were at the stage three which was the legal document stage. The Chief Executive said that the narrative in the report provided the up to date information for Members of the progress made and suggested that any problems with the CATs would have been identified at the early stage of the process.  Councillor Carver raised concern about timings due to the problems that had been experienced in the transfer of the Hawarden allotments.

                        Councillor Aaron Shotton felt that the aim of CATs was to find alternative ways of saving services that the Council could not continue because of budget cuts and added that the progress made was positive.  It was a learning curve for the Council and it was important to provide support for those involved and ensure flexibility in the dates shown to allow schemes to progress.  Councillor Diskin commented on the length of time that the business plan had taken to complete for Mancot Library and added that the business plan had to be completed by the group concerned and she did not feel that it was possible to set a date for this. 

                        In summing up, the Member Engagement Manager said that the comments and questions raised had included the following:-

• a report would be submitted to a future meeting on the options for social enterprises 
•  whether there were sufficient resources for completion of CATs
• The process was a learning curve for all parties involved
• Capacity to be reviewed
• Thanks had been given by Councillor Glenys Diskin for the support that had been provided to the Friends of Mancot Library group
• Fund-raising strategy
• A report on ADMs would be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee

RESOLVED:

That the report be received.