Agenda and minutes

Venue: To be held at the Town Hall, Pinstone Street, S1 2HH

Contact: Jay Bell, Committee Secretary  Email: Jay.Bell@sheffield.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors’ Paul Wood and Moya O’Rourke.

 

 

 

2.

Exclusion of Public and Press

To identify items where resolutions may be moved to exclude the press and public

Additional documents:

Minutes:

2.1

No items were identified where resolutions may be moved to exclude the public and press.

 

 

 

3.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 129 KB

Members to declare any interests they have in the business to be considered at the meeting

Additional documents:

Minutes:

3.1

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

4.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 9 KB

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 July 2021.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

4.1

The minutes of meeting of the Committee held on 7 July 2021 were approved as a correct record.

 

 

 

5.

Public Questions and Petitions

To receive any questions or petitions from members of the public

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.1

There were no public questions or petitions received from members of the public.

 

 

 

6.

Update on Local Area Committees

Additional documents:

Minutes:

6.1

Councillor Kaltum Rivers, Chair of the Committee, introduced Councillor Julie Grocutt, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Community Engagement and Governance and Lorraine Wood, Head of Communities, to provide an update on the progress of the newly established Local Area Committees.

 

 

6.2

The Committee received a report which summarised Local Area Committee progress.

 

 

6.3

Councillor Grocutt advised that six out of the seven public Local Area Committees had taken place to date, with the remaining one (South) due to take place on 13 October. There had been some challenges faced, but feedback following the first meetings highlighted that they had been well received and that interaction was going well. She also acknowledged the hard work of the support team to get to this point.

 

 

6.4

Councillor Grocutt reminded the Committee of the purpose of Local Area Committees:

 

  • The principal means by which the Council engaged, empowered, enabled and sought active participation of residents and community organisations on topics of local interest;

 

  • To provide a geographical structure that would inform and influence how Council services were delivered;

 

  • Oversee the production and monitoring of a Community Plan that reflected resident priorities and utilised a series of agreed devolved powers, responsibilities and budgets;

 

  • To work with local partners and stakeholders to ensure services were joined up and operating effectively in line with the needs of local communities; and

 

  • To work with Sheffield City Council services and partners to collaborate and support local community based delivery.

 

 

6.5

Lorraine Wood also noted the hard work that had gone into the programme. She outlined the structure of each Local Area Committee, including the membership and the staffing structure which provided support to the quarterly Committees. This structure included Heads of Service, Local Area Committee Officers, dedicated Communications Officers and Democratic Service Officers. She also noted that informal meetings were taking place with partner organisations to discuss engagement activities.

 

 

6.6

Lorraine outlined communication activities so far and advised that newsletters with engagement and contact details were being sent to all households. Social media activity had taken place, including Twitter, Facebook and webpages. A promotional video had been filmed incorporating sign language which gave a comprehensive overview of Local Area Committees and explained how to engage and become involved.

 

 

6.7

It was advised that the remaining Local Area Committee (South) was due to take place at Gleadless Valley Methodist Church on Wednesday 13 October from 6pm to 8pm.

 

 

6.8

The attendance at the Local Area Committees so far had been good despite capacity restrictions due to Covid 19 guidance. Attendance had been limited and was managed via Eventbrite. It was noted that the style of each meeting had varied and that conversations had since taken place to consider which aspects went well and where there might be room for improvement. The ‘hybrid’ model, which included a formal agenda followed by an interactive session, encouraged engagement and led to commendable feedback. All feedback would be reviewed after the final Local Area Committee meeting had taken place.

 

 

6.9

Lorraine  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Introduction to Transitional Committees pdf icon PDF 131 KB

Report of the Policy and Improvement Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

7.1

Deborah Glen, Policy and Improvement Officer, submitted a briefing paper outlining the role of Transitional Committees, how they intended to work and how they would relate to other structures within the Council., namely the public, Co-operative Executive, Local Area Committees, Scrutiny Committees and senior officers. She advised that the report was on the agenda for the first meeting of each Transitional Committee.

 

 

7.2

Deborah noted that the learning from each of the Committees would be shared across all four Transitional Committees at the end of each cycle of meetings via a ‘debrief’.

 

 

7.3

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions, to which responses were provided as follows: -

 

  • Transitional Committees were viewed as a big opportunity for new ways of working and how this could be modelled. The City’s electorate had voted for a modern committee system and work was well underway to deliver this new system.

 

  • Executive Members had decision making powers and Transitional Committees had the ability to add value to real decisions.

 

  • There would be some overlap between the four Transitional Committees, and collaborative working including working groups would be encouraged.

 

  • In order to gain more in-depth knowledge of issues relating to this Committee, the option of receiving all reports, including all those going to Executive Members, was suggested.

 

  • Access to information had changed significantly over recent years, so different ways of working should be explored between now and April 2022 to help Transitional Committees work effectively. Consideration of overlap of issues was necessary to assist the Committees in working together.

 

 

7.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee notes the contents of the report now submitted.

 

 

 

8.

Our Approach to Future Priority Budgeting

Verbal update and discussion with Executive Member for Finance and Resources and Head of Policy and Partnerships.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

8.1

Councillor Cate MacDonald (Executive Member for Finance and Resources) thanked the Committee for the opportunity to provide an update. She advised that this was to be an informal session, and that all views were welcome. She explained the intention was to work towards a prioritised budgeting system and wished to seek views and priorities from all Transitional Committees to feed into the budget process.

 

 

8.2

Also in attendance for this item were Eugene Walker (Executive Director of Resources) and Laurie Brennan (Head of Policy and Partnerships).

 

 

8.3

Eugene Walker wished to put some context to the budget process and noted that a report was brought to the Co-operative Executive in September 2021 which detailed the financial situation faced by the Council. He explained that last year’s budget was balanced despite many pressures. He noted that a number of services had been significantly affected due to lost income during the pandemic; a situation faced across the country. He advised that Government funding had assisted but that pressures on some services were still being faced, particularly adult social care, children’s social care and leisure services. Eugene emphasised the importance of understanding the challenge ahead and of setting clear priorities in planning forward to influence future budgets.

 

 

8.4

Laurie Brennan added that there was an increase in focus on issues contained in the One Year Plan that allowed the organisation to look more at longer term objectives over the next 3 to 5 years. This would assist in building a comprehensive forward plan with a strategic focus and a priority led budget.

 

 

8.5

Laurie noted that conversations had already begun with Transitional Committees to determine their critical priorities collectively. He added that activity would take place outside of this meeting to consider feedback in more detail. This would create foundations for future years.

 

 

8.6

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions, to which responses were provided as follows: -

 

  • This year’s budget process was well underway and would continue to be developed between now and December. Comments and feedback would be welcome during this time to feed into the process, which would also assist for the following financial year.

 

  • Future priority budgeting would be about the outcomes that could be achieved and would include the HRA Business Plan.

 

  • This was the start of the process and was about deciding priorities and setting the budget accordingly. Executive Members would be involved which would support longer term planning.

 

  • Uncertainty about the decision-making process of the Committee was acknowledged and the need for Committee members to be kept informed of processes and timescales.

 

  • It was noted that the Governance Committee had overall oversight of transitional issues, but that individual Transitional Committees had the opportunity to consider and debate their own ideas collectively.

 

  • The importance of setting priorities was noted, and that Transitional Committees were about discussing the process and developing and encouraging new ways of working and trying innovative ideas. Voting was expected from time to time to ensure all Committee members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Place Systems Review Housing Project pdf icon PDF 39 KB

Report of the Executive Director, Place.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

9.1

The Chair recommended that this item be withdrawn due to the absence of the Executive Member for Housing, Roads and Waste Management.

 

 

9.2

RESOLVED: That the Committee defers the Place Systems Review Housing Project item to a future meeting, the date of which to be confirmed.

 

 

 

10.

Work Plan and Ways of Working pdf icon PDF 468 KB

Report of Policy and Improvement Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

10.1

The Committee received a report of the Policy and Improvement Officer (Deborah Glen) on proposed ways of working for the Committee and containing a draft Work Plan for the Committee for 2021/ 22.

 

 

10.2

The Chair made reference to the comments and suggestions made at this meeting as to how the Committee should work, and to the proposed topics for consideration, as set out in the report.

 

 

10.3

RESOLVED: That the Committee: -

(a)  notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the comments now made; and

(b)  requests that:

(i)    arrangements be made for an informal working group to be set up for open dialogue to facilitate priority setting;

(ii)   arrangements be made for an informal working group to be set up specifically to discuss the Housing Repair Service;

(iii)a standing item on Local Area Committees be included on the agenda of future meetings of this Committee;

 

(iv)a forward plan of key decisions be included on the ‘work plan’ agenda item of future meetings of this Committee;

 

(v)  arrangements be made for an informal working group to be set up specifically to discuss private sector licensing.

 

 

 

11.

Date of Next Meeting

Additional documents:

Minutes:

11.1

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on Tuesday, 16 November, 2021, at 10.00 am, in the Town Hall.