Agenda item

Report of the Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles thanked the Scrutiny Task Group for its report. She said that whilst it was well documented that the town had areas of social deprivation one that did not come to mind was the town centre and she thanked the scrutiny group for identifying these hidden areas and for producing some practical recommendations as set out in the cabinet response. She explained that the recommendations cut across several portfolios and they had already been consulted upon.

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles added that after looking carefully at current and proposed work streams all of the scrutiny recommendations could be included therefore there would be no need for the STG to undertake any further work at this stage. She took the opportunity to thank officers who had supported the work of the task group and Bernice Thomson from Cheltenham West End Partnership.

Members welcomed the work of the STG and in particular the recommendation relating to plans to licence all private rented sector accommodation. The Cabinet Member Development and Safety said that before an effective scheme could be put in place there would need to be an assessment of staff and resources and the aim would be to start in the town centre as a pilot. There were 9500 private sector houses with most not up to decent homes standard.

In terms of the recommendation relating to the night time economy work would be undertaken with the Police and agencies in terms of using late-night levy funds to implement initiatives which would reduce the impact on local residents. Specific proposals would come forward in early 2015.

Summing up, the Leader acknowledged that the private landlord proposal could be a major piece of work. With regard to the other recommendations these would be referred in various directions without the requirement of extra resource.

RESOLVED THAT

1.    the O+S committee’s proposal that the recommendations relating to the work of the Town Centre Neighbourhood Coordination Group (NCG) (1,11 and 12) are passed to the Group coordinator to action, be supported;

2.    the O+S committee’s proposal that the recommendations relating to reducing alcohol related violence (2) and the late night levy (3) are passed to the Cabinet Member Development and Safety to action, be supported;

3.    the action relating to developing a collaborative approach to drug dealing (4) is already a commitment within the 2014-15 corporate strategy with the Deputy Chief Executive being the lead officer be recognised

4.    the O+S committee’s proposal that the recommendation in respect of greater promotion of housing advice services (6) is passed onto the Housing and Communities Manager to action be supported;

5.    the Scrutiny Task Group’s proposals to licence all private rented sector accommodation in the borough (5) and the introduction of a more pro-active enforcement regime (7) are passed to the Cabinet Member Development and Safety and the Cabinet Member Housing to consider within the scope of the commissioning review looking at Environmental and Regulatory Services and its work-strand looking at private-rented sector housing;

6.    the Scrutiny Task Group’s proposals in respect of Ubico operational matters (8,9 and 10) are passed to the Joint Waste Team and Ubico to investigate and they report back to the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment on their feasibility within existing operational budgets. 

7.    O&S are not required to do any further work at this stage.