Issue - meetings

a)     Cabinet – Report 10 – 2008/9

Councillor Kober introduced the Cabinet Report 10- 2008/09 – Financial Planning 2009/10 to 2011/12 and moved the following two alterations to the report:

1. We wish to continue investing in the Child Poverty Strategy and are proposing to spend another £100k in 2009/10 in addition to the £100k we have already committed this year.  This will include:

• funding a benefits campaign manager, based with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, to identify the best methods of increasing benefit take in the borough and targeting those families most in need;
• providing additional support to the Reaping the Benefits campaign, in the form of running evening advice sessions, in eight different venues in some of our most deprived areas
• organising further ‘Claim It’ events through out the year and additional on-going publicity to raise the profile of this;
• production leaflets and publicity materials for residents on how to claim benefits including in work credit, out of work benefits and free school meals. These will be distributed to target families at schools, children’s centres, GP and health centres and libraries.

2. The quality of the street environment remains a vital issue for residents in the borough, who tell us that crime and clean streets should be priorities for improvement.

We are proposing an investment of £160k per year in the Environmental Crime Service which will improve outcomes for residents, by directing resources towards the areas of greatest need, and enabling a proactive approach to tackling environmental problems.

By reshaping the service we will increase its effectiveness and visibility. Every ward will have a named warden, giving us the flexibility to respond to priorities in a local area. The warden will work with local residents and councillors, and with partner agencies, to coordinate service interventions and to address key issues using a problem-solving approach which will deliver sustained improvements.

Councillor Gorrie MOVED 2 amendments to the report as follows:

Amendment 1

Proposal to Devolve Planning Decisions and Advice paid for by reducing the number of issues of Haringey People

We propose dividing the Borough into four “Planning Areas”.

Planning Committee

The existing Planning Committee System has one committee covering the whole Borough and considering approximately 100 major applications a year. The Committee and support costs approximately £18k pa. The new proposal is to establish a Planning Committee for each of the four “Planning Areas” while maintaining a Borough wide committee for key strategic applications with Borough wide impact. Initial costings indicate a revised annual cost of £102k.

Planning Advice

The four “Planning Areas” and their Planning Committees will be supported by weekly planning advice surgeries in each area. These will likely operate from 3-7pm in convenient and central local community facilities such as libraries and other Council facilities. Annual Planning department costs are forecast to increase by £27k with a possible requirement for £8k in one off capital equipment costs. The proposed surgeries would cover all planning applications, including major applications, and provide a 1 to 1 advice service for residents on applications and enforcement.

Revenue Cost increase:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98