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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Cabinet - Wednesday, 12th May, 2021 6.30 pm

Venue: Committee Room, Municipal Buildings, West Street, Boston

Contact: Lorraine Bush, Democratic Services Manager  Tel. no: 01205 314224 e-mail  lorraine.bush@boston.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

155.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 248 KB

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting, held on 31st March 2021.

Minutes:

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 31st March 2021 were received and signed by the Chairman.

156.

APOLOGIES

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

157.

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

Minutes:

No declarations were made.

158.

QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, 7th May 2021.

Minutes:

No questions had been received from members of the public.

159.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STANDING ITEM)*

Minutes:

Recommendations from the Scrutiny Committees were contained within the reports on the agenda.

160.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOSTON TOWN AREA COMMITTEE (BTAC) (STANDING ITEM) pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Minutes:

 

DECISION

 

That the recommendation from the Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC) that the Council be requested to trigger a Community Governance Review (CGR) be submitted to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee prior to its consideration by Full Council.

Portfolio Holders and Officer

 

PS/

JG/LB

 

 

REASON FOR DECISION

 

Councillor Paul Goodale, as Chairman of the Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC), presented a recommendation from the Committee that the Council be requested to trigger a Community Governance Review (CGR).

 

Councillor Goodale explained that BTAC had made the recommendation with a view to setting up a Town Council for Boston.  It was believed that Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) would affect the town at some stage and that it would be the right move to establish a Town Council.  Boston was the only sizeable town within Lincolnshire that did not have a Town Council and, therefore, this represented a democratic deficit. 

 

However, Councillor Goodale pointed out that the decision to make the recommendation had not been unanimous, as some Members were concerned that setting up a Town Council might damage the Council. 

 

A Cabinet Member who also served on BTAC declared that he had taken part in the Committee discussed the matter, but was not influenced by that.  As LGR was a concern to residents, he proposed that the recommendation be forwarded through the proper channel, which was through Scrutiny Members and then on to Full Council.  This was seconded.

 

Members commented on the advantages of setting up a Town Council, but also the significant level of costs and officer time involved, which had also concerned some Members of BTAC, and discussed the best way forward for the recommendation.

 

Councillor Goodale deferred to Cabinet with respect to the way forward, but offered the view that the matter should go straight to Full Council.  If the decision was to trigger the CGR, the matter could go through the scrutiny process after the review, as many of the questions that scrutiny would raise would arise from the review itself. 

 

The Chief Executive advised Members that the CGR would examine whether the current arrangements were the best way to carry out the functions and community support for which setting up a Town Council was only one of the possible options.  Referring the recommendation to scrutiny would be beneficial, as it would ensure that Members had a shared understanding of the purpose of the CGR before consideration by Full Council in order to be clear what questions to put to the community.

 

A Member then reiterated that it would be best to put the matter through the scrutiny process due to the costs involved in order for Members to have the opportunity to put forward the views of their residents. 

 

 

 

161.

MEMBER LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY - 2021 to 2024 pdf icon PDF 381 KB

(A report by James Gilbert, Assistant Director - Organisation and Corporate Services)

 

Portfolio Holder: Councillor Paul Skinner

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

DECISION

 

That the Member Development Strategy at Appendix A to the report be approved.

Portfolio Holders and Officer

 

PS/JG

 

REASON FOR DECISION

 

The Leader introduced a report, which presented a draft Strategy for Members Learning and Development for 2021 to 2024.

 

The Strategy provided a framework to guide learning and development for Members and having an effective Strategy in place was a requirement of the Local Government Association in enabling reaccreditation for the Councillor Development Charter.  

 

The Council previously had a Member Learning and Development Strategy, however, this had now expired.  The Strategy at Appendix A updated the Council’s previous strategy and formalised the Council’s commitment to Member Learning and Development.

 

The Strategy had been agreed by the Councillor Development Group.  The Strategy was also discussed by the Environment and Performance Scrutiny Committee and no suggested changes were put forward. 

 

 

 

OTHER OPTIONS OR ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

 

None.

 

 

RECORD OF ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST

 

None.

 

 

RECORD OF ANY DISPENSATION GRANTED

 

None.

 

 

162.

SUB REGIONAL HOUSING ALLOCATIONS SCHEME AND SHARED IT SYSTEM (HOUSING REGISTER & HOMELESSNESS) - BOSTON BOROUGH COUNCIL AND EAST LINDSEY DISTRICT COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 683 KB

(A report by Michelle Howard, Assistant Director - Housing and Wellbeing)

 

Portfolio Holder: Councillor Martin Griggs

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

DECISION

 

1.    That the adoption of the proposed sub regional housing allocations policy scheme between Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council be approved

 

2.    That it be agreed for Boston Borough Council to operate a shared IT system with East Lindsey District Council for the provision of the housing register and homelessness case management systems 

 

Portfolio Holders and Officer

 

MG/MH

 

 

REASON FOR DECISION

 

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report, which presented a proposed Sub Regional Housing Allocations Policy Scheme between Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council.

 

All councils were required to have a mechanism to assess housing need, advertise available social housing and allocate properties to households in need. The Housing Allocation Scheme determined who could join the housing register for social housing and the level of priority that would be awarded based on an applicant’s circumstances. It provided a framework to determine eligibility and prioritisation of applications for social housing properties via the Housing Register (Choice Based Letting Scheme).

 

The Sub Regional Housing Allocation Scheme would be operated by Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council.  Working as a strategic alliance, the two councils would share an IT system to manage applications, assessments, property adverts and allocations. A single staff team would be in place. The IT system would be integrated with a homelessness case management system. Customers would be able to manage their housing register applications online. Customers’ circumstances and needs would be assessed on a case-by-case basis and local connection criteria would be applied to determine priority banding for each area.

 

The two authorities would transition to the new policy framework and shared IT system from June 2021.

 

The Portfolio Holder described the proposal as good news, achieving the main aim of the Strategic Alliance of creating efficiencies and savings.  The Council’s current policy framework and IT system were out of date and the cost of the latter for the Council on its own would be £70-90,000.  The proposal for a shared policy framework and IT system would cost £6,930.  It would be beneficial for staff, providing them with the capacity to achieve more in less time. 

 

It was noted that the consultation exercise had highlighted the need to improve engagement with current housing applicants, as no response had been received from these stakeholders.

 

During debate, there was strong support for the projected cost savings and system efficiencies and the Assistant Director - Housing and Wellbeing was commended for the report and proposal. 

 

A Member commented on the proposal to exclude applicants with no local connection with respect to the benefit of identifying those who might be interested in taking on difficult to let properties.

 

The Portfolio Holder agreed, but pointed out that the number of those who would be excluded would be very small and, in addition, people who lived on the boundaries of East Lindsey and Boston would be able to apply for properties within both areas.  The situation would be monitored regularly to ensure no-one was disadvantaged. 

 

Support would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.