Transcript

Be advised that this meeting will be recorded and posted on the council's YouTube channel and can all those speaking please ensure that you switch on your microphones before addressing the meeting and remember to switch off when you've finished speaking and when voting can all members raise their hands or their hand. We've got apologies for absence from Anthony, O'Kerike, Councillor Majid Rahman and Pat Slattery. Do we have any more? Okay, thank you. Is there any, there's no urgent business as I can see. Do we have any declarations of interest? I see none. Is Cabinet happy to agree the minutes of the last meeting? Agreed. Thank you. So we move on to item five, which is the annual report of the Housing Capital Investment Program for Council Homes. Councillor Slattery is not with us today, so I'm going to invite Jamie Carswell, the director for the area, to come and to speak on the matter. Thanks. Thank you, Chair. This report introduces the annual report of the Housing Capital Investment Program. It summarises what the council delivered in financial year 2023-24 and talks a bit about the future year, the future two years, 24-5 and 25-6. The year that it reports on 23-24 was the largest capital program that the council's had in its housing for many years, where that investment was targeted, where that investment was targeted, where that investment was targeted to make our council homes safer and drier and greener. It saw, as highlights, it saw over 9,000 electrical inspection tests, 9,000 tenants are safer in their homes because of the work in this capital program. 500 blocks also had those electrical inspection tests, and 260 homes, odd, had new windows, and a significant number of homes also had new roofs, and electrical rewiring as well, mineral electrics. There was also a significant amount of works to reduce the carbon footprint of our homes, which were done the sums equivalent to about 10,000 trees in the borough, reducing the carbon footprint of our council homes. The program rose forward as set out in the report and dependencies into this year and then next year as well, 25-26. It's worth pointing out, and the report does this in some detail, that along the way we are making more homes decent, and our non-decency numbers decreased significantly in last year, and we're down to 2.5% now, of our current stock, and we've identified some hazards under the stock condition survey, but none of those are severe hazards, and we're addressing those hazards as we identify them in our stock condition surveys. And this report also asks cabinet to recommend an increase to our scheme and estimate, particularly for disabled adaptions over the next three years, so we continue to spend money on council housing to allow residents to live as independent as possible. Along the way, supporting the independent living, we're also taking preventative action to drive down our social care costs, or pressures in social care demand, certainly. So a lot of wins there. And lastly, the report asks for some environments in the budget reports, so that we can mobilize an operating model that allows us to deliver a program of this scale, which is new to us for the first time in many years. Thank you. Do members have any questions or comments on this? Well, thank you, Jamie. I think I heard somewhere, but that the carbon reduction is also equivalent to a million car miles, and so that is quite substantial to do. I think that it's really important to note that this has really been a game changer in terms of reactive repairs. So it's, you know, we've moved a long way from where we were, so I think you should say a good thank you to the team for the work, and long may it continue. Our members are happy to agree the decisions as outlined in sections 1.1 to 1.3. Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. Thank you. We move on to item 6, which is the Royal Greenwich School Strategy 2025 to 2029. The purpose is to approve a new strategy and agree the proposed priorities, and note that a learning partnership has been formed, and approve its change to a cooperative society. And please note the amended version on Appendix A, which was published. Would the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People wish to comment? Thank you, Chair. This strategy outlines our commitment to enhancing the education of children and young people across the borough, and the strategy responds to significant changes in the education system and the landscape of it. And there's four key priorities that we're going to be focusing in on, which is school resilience, a new partnership, which you mentioned, becoming a cooperative vehicle, or SEND provision, and supporting children and young people and their families. So the partnership will be a major piece of work that's going to be helping oversee this, but also aligns with our Children and Young People plan and also our SEND strategy. So we're trying to bring everything together, Chair, to make sure that, you know, as someone said earlier on in a meeting, get all our ducks in a row. So that's what I mean, Chair. Thank you. Do members have any comments or questions? None? So are members happy to agree the decisions as outlined at Sections 1.1 to 1.4? Agreed. Thank you. We move on to the Greenwich support strategy. And that is to adopt the Royal Borough of Greenwich's support strategy and to agree the principles and strategic priorities of that strategy. Would the Cabinet member want to introduce this item? Report and allow officers to get on with it as soon as possible. Thank you, Councillor Smith. Do members have any questions or comments? Are members happy to agree the decisions as outlined or the decision outlined in Section 1.1? Agreed. Agreed. Thank you. We move on to Item 8, which is the new Berreford Square Market Licensing Regime and Rules. And it is to approve the revised Berreford Square Market Trader Licensing Rules. Would the Cabinet member for Community Safety and Enforcement want to comment? Community Safety and Enforcement. Sorry, you confused us. Oh, I beg your pardon. You can comment, Rachel. Oh, please, please, bear with me. Don't worry. It's a strategy, again, it's a report that we've seen before. We're aware of this. They have been involved in the discussions. And when the works are finished and the market traders are back, we will implement it then. Thank you. Do members have any questions or comments? I see none. So, are members happy to agree the decision as outlined at Section 1.1? Agreed. Agreed. Thank you. We move on to Section 9, which is DG City's Annual Report. And it is to approve the DG City's Annual Plan. So, do members require a briefing? No? Do members have any questions or comments? I just really wanted to welcome the success of DG City's, particularly the work that's gone into looking at multiple indices of deprivation and neighbourhood working without DG City's capacity. Thank you. I think I would also echo those views. Are members happy to agree the decision as outlined at Section 1.1? Agreed. Okay. We move on to Item 10, which is the determination of, on the statutory gnosis, to close Galleons Mount Primary School. And it is to consider the proposal to close the school. I have agreed a representative of the members, a member of the public, Charles Burt, to speak. Could you sit at the table and use the microphone, please? Thank you. And you've got five minutes. There he is. It's red. Excellent. First of all, I would say and apologise if I'm a little stilted, as I only found out I was going to be doing this about 25 minutes ago. So, however. Firstly, thank you for allowing us in to speak. I'm a teacher at the school myself, hence why I got volunteers. I really wanted to start by briefly talking about and expanding on the impact that this potential closure has had on the school community. That isn't just the children themselves and the staff. It's the parents. It's everyone in that grouping. And it's been quite emotional for everyone involved, especially as we've sort of to other places and, you know, hopefully all is going to be great. But I just really wanted to bring that up, that it's not just numbers. It is, you know, kids are involved. I've spoken to Jane about it. That it's, we just need to make sure the kids are the priority on this. Secondly, and I know it's very easy to say why me, why us, but why galleons? You know, there are, there have been, it can't be purely numbers. We've, if we look around the pool with deficits, and it's just really that, you know, we need to get that clarity. Although it may have been a misunderstanding amongst some of the community, the impression that it's given. With the closure of another, or potential, closure of another maintained school, it also impacts on the rest of the maintained schools because of funding for central services. And that's really the process going forward. And, you know, if a decision is made to close the school, the communication and the policy and the process that's all around there. So we've had, the announcement went out prior, or it was found out about prior to the school staff being told for the initial consult, initial proposed closure, and all throughout the communicator are year fives as a potential cohort. But because the decision hadn't been made, no communication could go forward to the people, the parent, when we start the year, to have now got 15. And I know that there are other children in that class who would have wanted to go as a group, but that sort of time has passed. And finally, and hopefully I'm doing okay for time, really, if we do close, and this is a more of a personal one from, yeah, I think the kids have been massively affected and the families, but from a staff perspective, I know that the unions have been talking to the authority around enhanced redundancy payments, mainly because I know that would normally be given for voluntary redundancies, but in this case, I've only been a teacher for three years, so I'm carrying myself slightly out of that one. But the service that they have given to this borough and to the school itself and that community very much warrants that. And I'm fully excellent, that's good timing there. Sorry, could you pass that by me once more about staff not being able to work in the borough for how long? How long did you say? So what happens is if enhanced redundancies, the standard clause within that enhanced redundancy is normally that you would not be able to be re-employed by the borough, as in as a teacher within the borough, for five years after that is given. Now, I understand that there is a, that is dealt with on a case-by-case basis normally to get that carved out. However, I think rather than overwhelming the poor person with all the stuff, it would be far more sensible and real cohort decision rather than individual. Thank you so much. Thank you. Chair, can I ask officers to, at some point, to respond? I just wanted to say that Holy Family School, Primary School in my ward closed last year and it was perhaps equally traumatic for the parents and the pupils and I think the drop-off rate that you described, you know, your class of 30 that went, you know, to 15 just in a few months. That was happening and the pupils who lose their friends to other schools is also very unsettling. And I was approached by the deputy head of the school who kind of reached out for some more support. So, that extra support is there for staff and I would really encourage, it's more of a comment than a question, and encourage you to do that. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Kerrio. Thank you, Charles. I've got one question. You mentioned that the narrative had changed. It would be good to, if you can elaborate on that a little bit more. Yeah, so initially, and again, I think there is probably some dispute around this, but from our point of view, when the, when the, it was initially discussed, the idea was that, or the theory was that a site of a special school for SEND children. And that was whether it was something that was latched on to when it was said, but, and then it very much changed to, it's purely about, it's nothing to do with SEND school, it's purely around a. I'd like to say, before I pass it on to the director for children's services, none of us take closure for school lightly. Um, we, we understand that schools are an integral part of a community, um, and so, you know, it impacts on everybody around that school. Um, so when we find ourselves in a situation like we do today, it is not because we've taken it lightly, it's the, um, difficulties that it's caused, um, you, all of you. Um, and I'm really grateful that you've been able to have the time to come and, um, talk to us today. So, um, please don't think that this is something that is a decision we will take lightly. But, um, I'd just like to ask Florence to once, um, first give an overview of, um, how we are at the place that we're at. Um, and, um, if possible, respond to some of the issues that you've raised. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. And thank you for coming along. And we really do appreciate all the representations the school have made, the parents have made, and do take this matter very, very seriously. And it's not a decision made lightly at all to even start the process. Um, there's been a continuous decline in pupil numbers over the last few years and an increasing budget deficit. And that is the consideration that we have to make to ensure that the school is viable, financially viable, and pupil numbers. And this sharp decline that we've had this year really is the factor that led us to considering the, uh, school's financial viability. At the end of this year, if we do nothing, the school will be facing a 527,000 deficit, rising to 1.2 million by the end of 25, 26. And that really isn't viable for the school to continue. So we've had a number of suggestions for, uh, keeping the school open, and they've really been thought about very carefully, all of those different, uh, considerations. But the falling roles and the falling birth rate in London is the factor that we are not able to change. Um, people moving out of London, but actually there's a falling birth rate in London as well. So the, the issue of communication, you're absolutely right. It didn't get off to the best of starts. And I apologize for that personally. Um, there's some learning from the consultation and learning from that communication that we absolutely will take on board. Um, officers worked very hard to make sure that year five in particular have got, uh, another place to go to as a group. And we have put in place those arrangements for Southrise. Um, parents make their own decisions. And lots of parents, as you've said, have already decided to move to other schools. But that offer for those remaining children is there. And we will do everything we can to support, um, children. You want to come back in there, do you? Sorry. What I'll do is I'll wait for, um, the director to finish and then you can. Um, the staff consultation is separate from this consultation. That consultation starts on the 20th of January and will continue to the 21st of March to ensure that staff have got enough time to make representations and for us to think about the range of factors that we need to take on a case-by-case basis. So we're continuing with that staff consultation. We'll meet with you and, uh, talk to you about the outcome of that consultation at the conclusion of it. Um, I think probably the other narrative about, uh, turning the site into a special school. It was part of a, a viability along with another, other couple of schools, um, that's still in consideration. Uh, we haven't made a decision about if the school were to close, what that land would be used for. It certainly would, we would want it to be educational use. Um, but considerations of new schools that are very costly have to be made very carefully in consideration of the council's financial situation as well as, uh, the DFE's proposals for future of, um, schools. So it's not ruled out yet, but it's part of a whole suite of considerations that we're making for future of our schools. Thank you. I take it back to you then. Yeah, it was purely, um, just around the Southrise. Um, the difficulties being that, of course, since the initial was made, there's been radio silence. And I know that's probably down to the fact that this process is going on and you don't want to then, and that's what I've said about the disconnect. But because there's been nothing, there's been sort of radio silence, the challenge has been that the parents then go, well, is it happening? Isn't it? And they sort of assume, well, well, it's not. Um, and I'm fully aware that there are reasons behind the, the, the, the non-continuation of the communication due to this process. So issues are thought and dealt with and, and planned through, um, because it's, it's that, that further impact. But no, thank you. Councillor Highland. Councillor Highland. I wonder if the director or, um, the director of HR would, about the five year. Yeah, happy to go through that one. Uh, so this is, uh, based upon the organizational change policy. Um, basically within that, um, within that policy document, it says that, uh, the issue around, um, five years, um, sort of non-reemployment, um, within, with the same employer. Uh, is in relation to voluntary redundancy only. Uh, for compulsory redundancy, that wouldn't be applicable. And it's basically on, on, on the, on the basis. And into being, it's been in place for more years than I can probably remember. Um, the reason was around public, you know, sort of perceptions around, uh, sort of public sector, uh, bodies. That sometimes employees leave an organization with a financial package only to move back into that same employer, uh, later on. However, I would actually say that within the policy, there is a safeguard built into it, which basically says that, um, that, you know, exceptions to this, uh, would need to be agreed by the relevant director with the head of HR. Um, may I chair? Thank you. I'd like to think that good teachers would always be welcoming Greenwich. And, and I'm sure that the cabinet and officers here, you know, would be pleased to receive any applications would be looked at under what the, uh, conditions that the director has spoken of. Thanks. Um, Councillor Tageth Ryan. Thank you, chair. Um, I think the question that probably stands out is the modeling for future need. And with the population growth that we are inspected in the borough, we're still not expecting an increase in child population of school age. I just wanted to ask more about what we are modeling, what the projections are, because I'm sure that's something that most people will be, will be concerned about. Why are we not expecting more children to, to arrive? So we, we model on, uh, GLA and, uh, we also model, we work very closely with place and growth, the director of place and growth to look at all the future buildings. Uh, the families are no longer having as many children. So from having traditionally two children, it's often now just one child. So there are families that are coming into Greenwich, but there's just not as many children. And that projection has been done for the next 10 years, five years, five years. Um, and we certainly don't see any growth at all. We see a decline. Um, yeah. Okay. Um, would you like to come back in for the last time? Yeah. Yeah. It was purely just to say before what primarily for voluntary, um, but we have been talking about, and this is going back to the staff for once, but this is more just a quick fill in, um, about that enhanced being applied. Um, and if that, if the enhancement itself would trigger the clause or the voluntary bit triggers that clause, but that's for, that's for, well, voluntary and enhanced aren't necessarily same thing. The enhanced is something that gets added. But anyway, this isn't. Yeah. Okay. I think this may be for another time. I was just going to say that because otherwise, um, that's a conversation between the staff and, um, the teams elsewhere. Um, but I really would like to thank you again, um, for taking the time to come and talk to us. Do we have, um, any members that have any more questions to ask or any comments? Um, please go ahead. Thank you. I think a lot of things has been summed up already by Florence and Denise and everybody has spoken. We don't take something like this lightly at all. It's really difficult. It's the first thing that I have come in as a new cabinet lead for children's services, which I wasn't expecting. And there is learnings to be had from here, which we have all taken on board. And Florence, I apologize. And I apologize for this as well, for now missing it, but making sure that if we ever go down this road, touch wood, we won't, that we are got everything in place and making sure that children's needs are the beginning. I know we've got a great team that's been working on this really hard working team and they've got a plan to how to support every single child separately. And if there is any child that you believe that has been left out or not been spoken to, or, you know, please reach out to them. They will make sure that there'll be one to one support for that child and the family. So rest assured that we'll do everything we can to support them. Thank you. I would ask our members happy to agree the decisions outlined at section 1.1 to 1.4. Agreed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It takes us to the conversion to academy status by Duluthi Primary School. And this is to note that the academy conversion order and delegate the process to officers to agree for part of the school site to be repurposed for the delivery of designated specialist provision. And delegate to officers the negotiations of leases for the other two parts of the school site. Would the cabinet member for children and young people want to comment? Thank you, Chair. As you mentioned, according to the Academies Act 2010, the community school can apply directly to the secretaries of state to become an academy. And then local authority have no choice but to facilitate that process. And that order has been signed by the secretary of state accepting Duluthi School to become an academy. Duluthi is still going to be one of our family schools, part of our strategy that we discussed earlier. Academies and community schools are still having all our children in there. And we're going to make sure that we work with them as well as we work with all other schools to chair. Thank you. Do members want a briefing on this item? No? Are there any questions or comments? Other than to say in all the areas of children and young people, thank you, Adele, for the work that you're doing with your team. It's not always easy, so thanks very much. Are we happy to agree the decisions as outlined at sections 1.1 to 1.5? Agreed. We move on to the feedback of the LGA peer review on health and adult services. And this is to note the findings and recommendations from the local government association peer review of adult social care in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Would the cabinet member for health, adult social care and Borough of Sanctuary wish to comment? Thank you. It is a bit of a mouthful. Thank you very much for letting me speak, Chair. So today you have the findings of the LGA peer review in front of you. And this report brought forward the results of the recent local government association review. Of our adult social care services. And this is all part of the work that the department is doing in preparing for that CQC assurance. And getting ready for those those imminent inspections. There was a the peer review highlighted a lot of good work that is going on in the department. And I think also just to highlight when we're talking about adult social care, it's really important to talk about. This is ultimately care that is supporting individuals with physical and or learning disability and mental health or frailty and, you know, old age to support them to live their lives fully in Greenwich. And I think that's what's so important about the work that they were doing here. So it's all about allowing people to kind of live those gloriously ordinary lives in our borough. The peer review highlights really great work in the department, including and it gave us a lot to celebrate. So I feel like it's an opportunity I wanted to take and to kind of, I guess, shine a light on the great work that the staff are doing. And so we acknowledge the really powerful use of residents voice at the center of our work. Great use of co-production and focusing on people's strengths and about how we put them in the center of their care and focusing on what they can do. Also, it also highlights really valuable contribution of our well established social prescribing offer in the form of live well. And also highlighted are really kind of, I guess, unique and celebrated offer of care within our prison service as well. So that's just to pull out some of a few of the highlights. There were many in there. And another thing I think that was key, they said our staff was one of our biggest assets. And I think that's the thing that we should be really proud of. There's so many people working in the department under kind of Nick Stewardship who are delivering really great work and supporting people to kind of live their best lives in Greenwich. So it's, I feel like a really positive report that I would very much recommend that everyone reads and hopefully it brings to life some of the great work that's going on in the department. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much for that. And before going to members to ask questions, I want to take the opportunity now first to congratulate Nick on being our DAS. Thank you. And taking on the mantle of director for adult social care. He's been with us and, you know, I think a really well deserved job. So I'd like to actually give you an opportunity to just say a little bit about some of the highlights because I know that you've been really busy for a long time working on the strengths based approach to adult social care. So thank you chair and thanks for the opportunity to to speak. So and thanks for your congratulations as well. I'm privileged to be in this role and I hope to give the role everything that it needs. So thank you for that. And I think in terms of the work that we've been doing over the last few years, this is a bit of a culmination of the test of what that has achieved. And so I think I won't report won't repeat what Councilor Oliver has said, but I think the amount of change and transformation that's happened in the directorate was really noted by the peer reviewers. So our approach to modernizing our learning disability services was pivotal. Our approach to ensuring more people get reablement to support them to live independent lives and our approach around co-production and actually speaking to residents about that change and being walking with them on the change, which is sometimes not an easy change. So I think about some of the decisions we took around some of the in-house learning disability homes and they brought protests and they brought issues to bear, but actually the results of those have been that people's lives have been transformed. So I just wanted to point perhaps to those few things as a contribution, but I think the really key point going forward is we've got the real strong basis to continue to continuously improve our services in the face of rising demands, rising costs and some real challenges with our providers and our provider market that we need to manage. We've got some of those levers in-house services, assistive technology that we've invested in over the last few years to put us in a really strong position, I think, to deliver and continue to deliver our vision to really value people's lives over the next couple of years. Thank you. Thank you very much, Nick. Do we have any questions or comments? Well, I'll just pick up from one of the highlights and I do know there are many that Councillor Alonavar raised and this was one that sometimes sits under the radar, which is the work that the department does with prisoners. And having visited Belmarsh and, I mean, we've got three here that we can claim fame to, the work has really been incredible because, you know, there are lots of conditions that are being and challenges in that environment, but we still maintain really good quality care. So, I think that's something to be applauded. Thank you. So, I think that's something to be applauded. Thank you. Members, our members happy to agree the decisions as outlined at sections 1.1 to 1.2. Agreed. And to this cabinet, and thank you for being here.