Agenda item

To invite Cabinet Members to provide a brief update on matters concerning their portfolio.

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Digital Transformation reported some facts and figures to enable the council to deliver essential services. There had been 446 deliveries of additional ICT equipment to staff homes to enable home working. In the 90 days prior to 23 March 2020 there had been 800 Teams meetings and in the last 90 days there had been 22819 Teams meetings, 487 of which had been with external parties, which showed a large increase in home working.

There had been good foresight and planning to ensure that essential services were continuing to be delivered.

The website project was continuing although it had been delayed due to COVID. A Beta testing site would follow as resources allowed.

A cyber security risk review had been undertaken of the council’s ICT systems. Work was ongoing to enhance the council’s security in line with industry best practice.

The Gigabit Island project led by Wightfibre was continuing, although it had been slowed down by COVID. It was still on schedule to make all parts of the Island connected by gigabit speeds by 2023, which would make the island one of the world’s most connected, with highest internet speeds available.

It was planned that this year’s Cowes Week would be part of a £28 million government fund to trial innovative uses of 5G.

With regards to Community Safety, the Violent Crime Reduction Unit was continuing to work. Funding was expected from the Home Office for 2021/22 budgets for reducing violent crime and domestic abuse. Funding had also been received for an independent review to take place of domestic abuse functions on the island along with government commissioning and accommodation.

Environmental Health had been focusing on response and recovery, prioritising the retail and accommodation sectors which had involved joint working with the police on investigation and enforcement. The team had dealt with 1500 complaints since the start of the pandemic. Business webinars dealing with various aspects of COVID which had been successful in the first lockdown would recommence on 24 February. There had been some proactive work with fishing vessels following Brexit.

Licensing had been focusing on animal establishment licensing and taxis to ensure they could operate in a COVID safe way. Further guidance around large sale event was awaited from government.

Trading Standards had been made aware of several scams circulating, some of which were COVID related, and were providing advice to residents.

The Crematorium and Bereavement staff were continuing to operate a vital service, working in bubbles to ensure resilience. Front line staff in this area were to receive vaccinations.

The Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport reported that following the success of St Mary’s junction, the Newport Traffic Plan was moving to Phase 2 – the reconfiguration of St George’s Way, to improve traffic flow to and from Coppins Bridge. This was planned to be undertaken from the summer to early autumn.

A feasibility study had been started to extend the railway from Ryde to Newport and from Shanklin to Ventnor.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills reported that the Winter Grant scheme had been successful and all schools had received funding for free school meals for February half term. So far 21 grants had been awarded totalling £101,309. There was still £43,000 left in the grant pot for which community groups were encouraged to apply.

The government had so far supplied 1543 laptops for island schoolchildren, as well as extra free data and dongles and some individuals had come forward with spare equipment for schools.

There was an additional £407,660 to come from government for holiday activities and food schemes for the rest of the year. More announcements would follow.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Housing Needs reported that challenges due to COVID were continuing, with increased demand on services, particularly in Housing Needs. Some new services had been introduced, for example the Single Homelessness Pathway which provided targeted support and accommodation for single homeless people, which had enabled 21 people to move into single Pathway accommodation and 11 into a home since Novermber 2020.

Howard House new assessment homelessness hub was due to open in a few months and would provide emergency accommodation, targeted support and life skills training working in partnership with the Salvation Army.

Work to prevent homelessness was continuing with partners Two Saints, Southern Housing Group and the Law Centre. A new service, the Community Support Homelessness Prevention Service would commence in April 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Business and Regeneration reported that the council had been unable to reach a satisfactory conclusion to the arbitration proceedings with AEW in relation to Ryde Arena. For legal reasons the council had ben advised that it had a good case to reopen the building, however this had now changed and the council had been advised it would be unlikely to succeed. Further public money could not be risked on pursuing the action any further. Discussions had now ceased but the council would not allow AEW to use the council’s adjacent land until it came up with a credible use of the building. The council would review its position and try and find an alternative way of securing a new future for the building with the support of the community.

A Future High Streets meeting had been held in January which had been well attended to identify barriers and actions to be proactive to change the high street offer in a changing world of online retail.

Work had commenced at the Branstone Farm site with £10 million of funding. A successful bidder had been found to purchase the land at Pier Street, Sandown and provide toilets and a restaurant at the site.

Premier Inn was to open in Sandown.

Newport Harbour Revision Order was confirmed and would be before parliament in the following week. This would enable the Harbour masterplan to be promoted to potential partners and developers.

Expressions of Interest for potential partners for Nicholson Road, Ryde, development had been received which was encouraging.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing reported that there had been a government consultation on high street permitted development, to create new homes in previous commercial premises. Officers had prepared a response expressing concerns which had been submitted. The outcome was awaited.

A further consultation had also been undertaken on the National Model Design Code in relation to proposed changes to national planning policy, which was to be welcomed. A response would be submitted before the closing date of 27 March 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Heritage and Waste Management reported that £2.6 million had been awarded to the council for work at 13 sites under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This would free up some capital investment funds.

Green Waste subscriptions were due for renewal. There were currently 4612 on Direct Debit, and there had been 2633 new or renewed subscriptions since 2 February. The deadline for renewal was 19 March 2021.

The Energy Recovery facility was on target to open in the spring this year. Figures provided showed that in 2011/12 50% of waste had gone to landfill, but this had now reduced to just 1%. Recycling was now at 56%, above the national target of 50%.

There had been 83,000 bookings at Lynbottom Waste Recovery facility since 5 May 2020 when the system was introduced, which had worked well.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources reported that £1.4 million had been received from the government in respect of increase costs due to COVID.

Confirmation had been received that the elections in May were still to take place. Details had been circulated on how this was to be undertaken and managed. More updates would follow.

The Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and COVID 19 Recovery reported that he welcomed the additional money coming in from government, however it should be noted that some of it was for specific purposes and could not be diverted to other areas.

A report had been submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board, Corporate Scrutiny and the Local Outbreak Engagement Board with information regarding COVID recovery, and an update presented by the Director of Public Health.

The Leader reported that he had chaired the Independent Remuneration Panel, the outcome of which would be reported to Full Council on 24 February. He had also attended the Solent LEP meeting with leaders of other local councils. As a response to a new government initiative, a

Free Port submission had been made for the Southampton area, of which the isle of Wight was a part.