Agenda and minutes

Councillor Steve Wemyss had sent his apologies for absence and Councillor Ellcome was on other council business.  The Leader apologised for her late arrival, due to meeting with university students.

There were no declarations of members' interests.

A copy of the record of the previous decisions taken at Cabinet on 24 September 2015 are attached.

RECOMMENDED that the record of decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 September 2015 are approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The record of decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 24 September 2015 was agreed as a correct record to be signed by the Leader.

The Safer Portsmouth Partnership (SPP) is the statutory community safety partnership for Portsmouth, chaired by the Executive Member for Environment and Community Safety, Cllr Rob New. The SPP is required by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to produce an annual strategic assessment of crime, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and reoffending. This assessment provides a summary of research and analysis to identify strategic priorities for the coming year (2016/17) to inform and update the partnership plan and operational delivery plans.

The report by the Director of Regulatory Services, Troubled Families and Community Safety sets out the strategic priorities for 2016/17 which have been identified by analysing a range of data from the year 2014/15 in relation to crime, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse and reoffending and were agreed by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership on 1^st October.

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet endorse the strategic priorities and encourage all members to take account of these priorities in their day to day decision making.

Lisa Wills introduced the report by the Director of Regulatory Services, Troubled Families and Community Safety which summarised the specific analysis required by the Crime & Disorder Act.  The strategic priorities had been approved by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership (which the city council is represented on) in September.  The key drivers of Domestic Violence were discussed.  The main Safer Portsmouth Partnership Plan would be submitted to Council in March 2016.

Councillor Young, Cabinet Member for Children & Education, reiterated the importance of links between Community Safety and Children's Services.  Councillor New, as Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety, thanked the officers involved in producing this report, which illustrated that domestic abuse was at the core of many cases. 

Councillor Jones, as Leader, commented on the rape figures in Portsmouth within the recently announced Hampshire statistics, with the city having the highest reporting levels.  Portsmouth also had the lowest conviction rates.  Praise was due for the work being undertaken especially in the areas of domestic violence and rape. 

DECISION: The Cabinet endorsed the strategic priorities and encourage all members to take account of these priorities in their day to day decision making.

The purpose of the report by the Director of Finance and S151 Officer is to amend the minimum revenue provision (MRP) policy for the repayment of unsupported borrowing, to allow a wider range of investments to be made on the basis of a single credit rating, and to review the investment counter party limits. Appendix A aims to inform members and the wider community of the Council’s Treasury Management position at 30 September 2015 and of the risks attached to that position.

(The recommendations are as set out within the report and are referred to Council for decision.)

Chris Ward, Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer, presented his report and explained the implications of each of the recommendations to Council.  A full version of Appendix B, setting out the Investment Counter Party List, was circulated at the meeting (and would also be submitted to Governance & Audit & Standards and the City Council).

Councillor Jones, as Leader, welcomed the approach being taken by the Director of Finance.

RECOMMENDED to Council:

1.            That the annuity method of calculating the minimum revenue provision (MRP) for the repayment of debt is applied with effect from 2015/16 to General Fund post 1 April 2008 self-financed borrowing excluding:

·         Finance Leases

·         Service concessions (including Private Finance Initiative schemes)

·         Borrowing to fund long term debtors (including finance leases);

2.         That investments be made in enhanced or cash plus money market funds on the basis of a single credit rating and that these be treated as category 6 investments

3.         That the investment counter party limits be revised as shown in Appendix B

4.         That the following investment duration limits be approved:

5.         That the following actual Treasury Management indicators for the second quarter of 2015/16 be noted:

(a)          The Council’s debt at 30 September was as follows:

(b)       The maturity structure of the Council’s borrowing was:

(c)        The Council’s interest rate exposures at 30 September 2015 were:

(d)       Sums invested for periods longer than 364 days at 30 September 2015 were:

The report by the Acting Deputy Director of Children's Services, Children's Social Care, seeks to share with the Cabinet details of Portsmouth Youth Offending Team's (YOT) first annual review of the three year Youth Justice Strategic Plan (as set out in Appendix 1).

RECOMMENDED that Cabinet notes the achievements made by the Youth Offending Team in implementing the plan and endorses the priorities for the team and Management Board in maintaining high levels of practice and performance.

Councillor Jones, as Leader, welcomed Sarah Newman to her first Cabinet meeting as the Acting Deputy Director of Children's Services (Children's Social Care).  Sarah Newman presented the first annual report on the three year strategic plan, setting out the achievements so far in response to the February 2014 inspection and setting out the more favourable outcomes this year. 

Councillor Young, felt that the priorities were sensible and he had a particular concern regarding child sexual exploitation (CSE), so welcomed the good work taking place under the CSE Guardian Angel Scheme.  The Leader joined Councillor Young in thanking the staff involved in this work to help prevent young people entering the criminal justice system and they were encouraged by the report.

DECISION: Cabinet noted the achievements made by the Youth Offending Team in implementing the plan and endorsed the priorities for the team and Management Board in maintaining high levels of practice and performance.

Portsmouth City Council (PCC) and NHS Portsmouth Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have been leading discussions about the future of health and care with partners over the summer of 2015 with the aim of aligning the city's response to the challenges facing us over the coming years.  These discussions have resulted in a Blueprint for Portsmouth that sets out some principles that will shape our direction of travel and describes a possible model for prevention, wellbeing and care services.

The Blueprint was agreed in principle at the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) on 16^th September 2016. This paper:

·      Sets out the proposed direction of travel and model of care (The Blueprint)

·      Highlights the central role of the council in taking this forward, as well as some of the particular issues that need to be addressed as the Blueprint is further developed

·      Is intended to generate debate and discussion among Cabinet Members and wider audiences to inform the next steps in the development of the Blueprint at the HWB on 2 December 2015

·      Seeks Cabinet's endorsement of the Portsmouth Blueprint and direction of travel

RECOMMENDED  that Cabinet:

(1)  Endorse the Portsmouth Blueprint for health and care

(2)  Require a more detailed report on the development of these proposals in early 2016.

David Williams, Chief Executive, presented his report which set out the significant work taking place with the council's partners in health and social care.  A paper had already been taken to the Health & Wellbeing Board (HWB) and had been endorsed there, with a further paper going to HWB on 2 December to show which steps can be taken now.  He had met with Healthwatch, CCG and Solent NHS to discuss the document.  The city council's view is that there is a lot of attention to clinical and A&E services and there is the need to ensure preventative services are supported in public health, children and adults social care.

Councillor Jones, as Leader, felt that the council's position with our health partners is very good and the joint commissioning puts the council in a strong position. She thanked Councillor Stubbs as Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, David Williams and Matt Gummerson (at his last Cabinet meeting) for all of their hard work on taking forward the Portsmouth Blueprint.

DECISIONS The Cabinet:

(1)  Endorsed the Portsmouth Blueprint for health and care

(2)  Require a more detailed report on the development of these proposals in early 2016.