Issue - meetings

Assembly received a report from Councillor Geddes, the Cabinet Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits on the Council Plan for 2011/12 summarising the main activities to deliver the Council’s key priorities for the coming year, with particular focus on the areas of raising household incomes, raising standards in school and post-16 education and housing and estate renewal.

Referring to the Better Future section of the Plan, the Cabinet Member advised that the investment figures of £270 million in the borough’s secondary schools and £18 million in the primary schools were correct prior to the Coalition Government axing the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.  As a consequence of this action, this year the Council would be investing:

·  £3 million in the borough’s secondary schools; and

·  £15 million in the borough’s primary schools.

Members discussed:

·  the difficulties faced by residents in low paid employment who could not afford to pay tuition fees to enable them to improve their qualifications and their prospects for better paid employment

·  the benefits of the Apprenticeship Scheme

·  the Skills Centre

·  internships

·  the Trident Scheme

·  the improvement in cleansing across the borough

·  the delivery of Playbuilder sites across the borough

·  National Play Day which would take place on 3 August in Mayesbrook Park

Councillor R Gill, the Cabinet Member for Children and Education, in response to points raised by Councillor Tarry regarding internships, advised that he would provide a full response to him.

Following concerns raised by Councillor Poulton with regard to the number of "eyesore" gardens and uncut amenity greens in Thames Ward, Councillor Vincent, Cabinet Member for Environment, advised that he would meet separately with Councillor Poulton to discuss this issue further.

Assembly agreed to approve the Council Plan as set out in Appendix 1 to the report subject to the amended figures reported by Councillor Geddes in respect of addressing the effects of the axing of the BSF programme.

Cabinet received from the Cabinet Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits a report on the Council Plan for 2011/12 which summarised the main activities to deliver the Council’s key priorities for the coming year, with particular focus on the areas of raising household incomes, raising standards in school and post-16 education and housing and estate renewal.

Arising from the discussions, the Corporate Director of Customer Services confirmed that an exceptional weather grant of £399,000 and a further £470,000 as part of the Local Implementation Plan submission was available towards the road and footpaths investment programme for 2011/12.

Cabinet recommended the Assembly to approve the Council Plan for 2011/12 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.