Appendices to follow.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution a brief written report by each committee Chair covering their area of responsibility was provided for Members’ information at each Ordinary Council meeting.

 

Cllr Mrs Davies, put a question to the Chair of Environment, Enforcement and Housing Committee.

 

Does the Chair agree it is unacceptable for very elderly vulnerable sheltered housing tenants to receive demands stating they are in rent arrears and also threatening their tenancies?  I have been contacted recently by an extremely distressed lady thinking she was under the threat of eviction - she'd stopped eating and sleeping and I was really concerned for her welfare.  I want to thank Mrs Abbott for her assistance which you quickly established.  Not only was the lady not in debt but in fact her account was in credit and it concerns me and I am sure it would concern the Chair and I would like to know, hopefully there are not too many cases of this kind. 

 

Cllr Pearson, Chair of Environment, Enforcement & Housing Committee responded:

 

These letters are actually automatically generated and I wouldn't like to see anybody upset or off their food and not something I want for anyone.  These are automatically generated and I will bring it up with Mrs Lilley to make sure that it doesn't happen again.

 

Cllr Kendall: First question to the Chair of Community & Health Committee.

 

In the past, Brentwood Centre has had a good reputation for providing help and support for residents dealing with mental health issues.  What assurances can the Chair give to members that SLM, the new management operators, are going to try and provide a similar service?

 

Cllr Poppy, Chair of Community & Health Committee responded:

 

That's not quite accurate really because the it wasn't the Brentwood Centre that was doing the mental health work there, it was it was Chat First who are now part of Active Essex and are funded by Active Essex so I would say SLM would like to help but I don't know if they can.  I will try and find out for you and come back to you.

 

Cllr Kendall: Second question to the Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development. 

 

In response to the Southend Local Plan and Southend's membership of ASELA , I understand that discussions have taken place between councils regarding Essex being split into two unitary authorities - one of which would be the councils under the ASELA umbrella.  Can the Chair give us an update on these discussions and clarify what impact if any a change to a unitary will have on our own housing numbers?

 

Cllr Hossack, Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee responded:

 

I know nothing of such discussions about unitaries and the way he described.

 

Cllr Mynott: First question to the Chair of Community & Health Committee.

 

In relation to the Discover Winter programme, I note that the list of programmed events includes 2 Brentwood Theatre Community Cinema events at Brentwood Theatre.  I am fully in support of this but I was a bit curious as to whether these are actually council events and that's why they're being listed.  To explain, I am a representative of the Brentwood Arts Council and there are clearly many other organisations across the borough which are putting on events at various different times of the year.  It would be great on behalf of those organisations if the council was also helping to promote the existence of those events.  I am wondering whether there's a reason why these have been included and others have been excluded?  It would be great if we could include more in the future.

 

Cllr Poppy, Chair of Community & Health Committee responded:

 

As far as I know, we've done this in conjunction with Brentwood Theatre to advertise their event which is something they came to us about.  In terms of the Arts Council, I can certainly find out and come back to you as to whether we've got a list of their events and we can certainly put them on the website as well. 

 

Cllr Mynott: Second question to the Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development. 

 

The report about the Town Centre conference in January 2022 inviting key stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds to discuss the future of the High Street - according to the motion, I am assuming that these two things are the same; according to the motion that Cllr Hossack is putting which exists later on in the agenda, the proposals aren't the council's proposals but come from unnamed residents.  I would like to know whether the council is always going to be organising a conference if residents bring forward proposals that would be absolutely excellent.  I am also concerned to know whether there will be a wider resident involvement amongst the “key stakeholders” in terms of the Town Centre conference particularly because at the moment there's been absolutely no communication whatsoever on this with Town Centre ward councillors and I would very much like Town Centre residents as a whole to be involved in this.  It needs not to be a purely business related thing but for anybody who's decided to live in the Town Centre is a key stakeholder in the town heads up in the Town Centre.

 

Cllr Hossack, Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee responded:

 

The Town Centre conference will take place on 11th January 2022.  We have only agreed the date earlier this week and certain stakeholders have already had their invitations or been asked to put a placeholder in the diary to mark that it will take place.  This will be at Brentwood Theatre and it will go from 7pm-9pm.  Town Centre councillors, one from each ward will be invited.  This is my intention because you are a stakeholder as a Town Centre councillor but there is limited capacity and I want as many members of the public there as possible.  I think it's important that the public are able to get to hear what's going on.  You might be conflating, I think you are infactual or assuming that it's done for a particular reason – it is not.  It is a fact I am talking to some residents about ideas they've got about cultural and creative offering in the town centre.  We are working with them as a council and we are shaping their suggestions.  You can imagine that residents have a lot of enthusiasm to do things differently in the town centre and of course we don't have an unlimited budget and there are guidelines and health and safety and things that we need to follow in order to make such suggestions deliverable.  We will listen to residents and we will take forward any suggestions they have.  Some we might need to reject some we could enhance we'll see where it goes.  The conference is not for that purpose that would probably form about one-eighth of the conference and you will get an agenda as a town centre councillor as we get nearer the time.  Laurie Edmonds is administrating that and we're working with a number of presenters who would be at that conference.  We are formulating the content as we speak which is not in response to residents coming forward.  I think it's in response to a number of things there are concerns about the town centre.  I think one of your motions coming forward later talks about it and we will deal with it in the motion but we all know there was a tragic event in the town centre a month or two back.  This was where two young boys were murdered.  There is a perception that crime is on the increase -  factually that's not correct.  Statistically it's not correct but nonetheless that was a real watershed moment for this town.  Lots of people have acknowledged that so there is a time in this conference to reassure people factually as to what the situation is but also to give optimism to people around some of the ideas are coming forward, not just from residents but actually from this council itself.   In particular, in terms of our regeneration plans.  You all know we've had the Baytree Centre now for best part of nine months and I always was very keen that fairly soon after that we start to share the vision about what regeneration in the town centre would look.  The conference will be multifaceted it is about our high streets, not just about the town centre.  Shenfield Councillors will also be invited as well and hopefully that gives you a bit more of an indication but you will be fully informed as the agenda takes shape.  I am having formative conversations with presenters that will be there that includes Essex Police as well as a number of other organisations and that's what you'll find.

 

Cllr Naylor, First question to the Chair of Environment, Enforcement and Housing Committee.

 

I noticed in the Enforcement Controls section of the Chairs report, it says that Stop and Searches have been taking place.  This reads as if the Enforcement Team of the Council themselves have been carrying this out.  I assume that's probably incorrect and you mean they have been carried out with Essex Police?  If so, what is the role of the Enforcement Team with Essex Police in the Stop and Search?  Is it just simply the case that you are providing the evidence to Essex Police with the reasonable grounds to carry out Stop and Search?

 

Cllr Pearson, Chair of Environment, Enforcement & Housing Committee responded:

 

Our Enforcement Team work with and support Essex Police.  I am happy to send you information offline for operational reasons around what they do but they support the police.

 

Cllr Naylor: Second question to the Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee.

 

A report from the recent PRED Committee on Staff values and Behavioural Framework - I noted that there is going to be going to be a similar Framework for all Members.  I was just wondering what the time scale is for that and whether it will actually apply to all members including leaders of groups, the Leader of administration and even the Mayor and Deputy Mayor?

 

Cllr Hossack, Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee responded:

 

I don't like the word “framework” - we have something called a “Member's Code of Conduct”.  We are looking to bring a Standards Board forward which we will expect members to subscribe to the terms of our Code of Conduct, and if it's outside of that then that's the purpose of a Standards Board which I know members across the Chamber are very keen to see implemented.  We are going to be discussing that on the 14^th December at a Constitution Working Group. 

 

Cllr Aspinell added a point of order:

 

It went to the PRED Committee last month and it was part of your agenda that you agreed.  If you don't like the wording and you don't like the process of it or the fact that we have to have one or saying we don't need one because we've got a Code of Conduct, that's totally different from protocol that's being talked about. 

 

 Cllr Hossack continued: 

 

 I don't like the word framework, I am very conversant with the values that we brought to the PRED Committee.  We had a long and detailed discussion about the words used and what they meant.  What you're talking about is the application of the values and it might be we discuss that in detail and there are some values actually that apply to officers that cannot apply to politicians - we had a very good discussion about that on the night so that will come back.  I just don't like the word framework in terms of what it is to me it will be a set of values that we can subscribe to.  Those values when we subscribe to them will also influence the way we conform to the Code of Conduct and the way we conform to the Code of Conduct then influences whether we have an appearance at Standards Board when we get one so that all of those things are linked together. 

 

In terms of timescale, I will allow officers to assess their workload and determine when it will come back.

 

Cllr Hossack added from the previous question that Brentwood Borough Council Enforcement Officers do not have powers for “Stop and Search” – this is Police powers in which our officers assist the Police. 

 

Cllr Laplain question to the Chair of Environment, Enforcement & Housing Committee. 

 

Following on from a previous question from Cllr Davies, regarding a letter to residents, went out from Axis to a resident in sheltered accommodation  with a threat of eviction which caused a great deal of upset.  Angela Abbott did assist with that but I do find this somewhat draconian  and I believe we should be mindful of who we are sending these letters to.  If this is something that can be addressed so that our third parties understand how to approach people. 

 

Cllr Pearson, Chair of Environment, Enforcement & Housing Committee. 

responded:

 

I will be happy to take this away and raise this with officers. 

 

Cllr Aspinell question to the Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development. 

 

Is it still your firm belief and policy to take us down the road of joining up with ASELA in the near future bearing in mind all the reports that are coming out from Thurrock Council that they are facing administration?  Is this still your Administration's belief that we would be beneficial joining up with these multi-layered authorities that owe billions?

 

Cllr Hossack, Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee responded:

 

It is not a policy of this Council to form a unitary with Thurrock Council.  I do not know how many times I have to say it.  It is not on the radar.  When you look at these complex models of merger or forming a unitary, growth of unitaries, none of which were actively discussing at all in South Essex - it is for the Section 151 officers and the government in actual fact to look at the implications of what happens should a Council in a reasonably healthy situation financially or those that might be facing a challenge but moderate by comparison to the scale of the unitary, how that works because I certainly wouldn't want Brentwood Council to be carrying the multi-million pound debt of another authority.  If that is the case, I think a lot of it is rumour and hearsay, and we only know when we actually look at the facts in terms of what the balance sheets of other Councils but it is a real complex issue it's not on the agenda.  It is not on the agenda or our policy.  I would be referring to the levelling up department for them to work it out.  No way, there's a personal statement, one of the policy for Brentwood residents to be carrying the debt of another unitary authority should we ever if ever find ourselves going into a unitary situation.  I would protest very strongly against it as I know you would Cllr Aspinell.  

 

Point of information from Cllr Naylor:

 

If this council was to be part of a unitary bid after the white paper is released in January 2022, what would be the process of this council notifying members of that?

 

Response from Mr Stephenson:

 

We can all possibly predict what the Devolution Paper might be but we will publicise to all members from the Government website when it is released.  I will try to make sure that all members receive notice of any major changes in Local Government that may be publicised. 

 

Cllr Barrett question to the Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development. 

 

In terms of our Medium Term Financial Plan and the difficulties we face ahead of us financially, I know from the list of potential savings and items - does the Leader think that there is potential for us given the financial circumstances we're facing that a report is brought forward and given in turn that we also have the Boundary Commission looking at us right now for a report on the relevant costs of different democratic systems of Brentwood in terms of thirds, halves or an all-out election.  Given the financial circumstances we're facing and the advantage of the boundary review it makes sense that we consider these as a whole because in turn the cost of democracy whilst in theory you cannot put a price on it the reality is we're in different financial circumstances as a Council and if we can find a more effective form of governance I think that's worthwhile.  I would like to know what the Leader thinks whether that should be something we consider?

 

Cllr Hossack, Chair of Policy, Resources & Economic Development Committee responded:

 

I don't just think it, it is something we are going to be considering it.  There's no way we can go to a Boundary Commission review in our current financial circumstance and not look at the cost options around all outs thirds.  With the number of councils that are represented in the scheme of things it's probably very small numbers but in point of principle I have asked the Monitoring Officer to present to us scenarios and put a cost figure to each of those for us to decide.  There's absolutely no way we won't look at the cost of democracy and what's been said before you know there's a financial cost but there's a cost in terms of democratic deficit as well.  That would be debate we would have at the time if that's what members felt it was but I’ve asked Ms Julian to give us exactly what you've asked for.  This is something we should do at this point in time.