Decisions

It was moved by Councillor H Johnson and seconded by Councillor C Johnson that:

North Tyneside Council notes that:

• The process of bringing in Universal Credit under a Tory government has been chaotic and confusing for the residents of North Tyneside.
• That the increase of £20 to Universal Credit since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic has helped the poorest residents in North Tyneside.
• Almost 40% of Universal Credit claimants are in work.

North Tyneside Council believes that:

• The Government should listen to calls from the Labour Party to stop these plans and make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent.
• Some of the poorest residents in North Tyneside will be the most affected by these changes, leaving many unable to afford to eat or heat their homes over winter.
• These changes will lead to an increase in the use of food banks as families struggle to afford food.

North Tyneside Council calls upon the Mayor to:

• Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions asking them to reconsider these changes given the effect they will have on residents in North Tyneside.
• Call on the Government to listen to the Labour Party and other organisations and make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent.

The motion, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 43 votes to 8 votes.

It was moved by Councillor W Samuel and seconded by Councillor J Kirwin that:

Council notes:

• Social care spending nationally currently accounts for nearly half of all spending in councils nationally.
• The Conservative Government has cut over £127 million from North Tyneside Council’s budget and transferred responsibility for paying for social care to local residents and businesses. With the council tax rises in the past few years being as a result and mainly made up of the social care precept.

• Government contribution to council spending has gone down from 50% to 10% in the past 8 years with the Government instead placing the burden on residents and businesses.

• Nationally the Conservatives have left 1.6 million elderly and disabled people without the help they need.

North Tyneside Council believes:

• The Government’s ‘plan’ for social care would force the burden for paying onto the low paid and young working population.
• The Conservative Government’s plan would result in a tax on jobs through employers’ NI contribution.
• The plan hammers those low paid working in social care at the same time as facing a cut in Universal Credit, they’ll also face the biggest burden from the national insurance increase while the Government once again fails to improve their often poor terms and conditions.

North Tyneside Council calls upon the Mayor to:

• Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to raise the funds via taxes or other routes which share the burden more equitably across society and fairy reflect ability to pay.

An amendment was moved by Councillor S Brockbank and seconded by Councillor G Westwater as follows:

Under Council notes, in the second bullet point, delete the wording after ‘The Conservative Government’ and replace with:

“is committed to taking the difficult decisions and tackling these problems head on, creating a sustainable adult care system that is fit for the future.’’

Delete the third and fourth bullet points and replace with:

·         An extra £36 billion will be invested in the health and care system over the next three years, including £5.4 billion in adult social care, to ensure it has the resources it needs to recover from the pandemic. In order to fund such a significant increase in permanent spending, the Government has had to make the tough but responsible choice to increase taxes. A new 1.25 per cent dedicated Health and Social Care Levy, based on National Insurance Contributions, is being introduced.

·         There are further proposals to follow on tackling the Social Care issues later this year.

Delete the wording after ‘North Tyneside Council believes’ and replace with:

·         The Conservative Government has taken decisive action to deliver the funding that the NHS needs to get back on its feet after the pandemic, and a long-term funding plan for our social care system which has been neglected by parties of both sides for decades.

Delete the wording after ‘North Tyneside Council calls upon the Mayor to’ and replace with:

·         Write to the Prime Minister to welcome that a sustainable long-term plan for social care has now been put in place.

·         Write to the Leader of the Labour Party to ask him to support the Prime Minister’s sustainable plan for the future of social care so this issue can finally stop being a political football.

The Council was advised that the amendment could not be considered in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12(8) as it would have the effect of negating the Motion.

The Motion, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 43 votes to 7 votes.

It was moved by Councillor A Newman and seconded by Councillor G Bell that:

North Tyneside Council notes:

• Veterans’ mental health continues to be an issue with many veterans suffering from a number of complex issues including PTSD.
• Local authorities are often best placed to give aid to the armed forces community living in their areas.
• North Tyneside Council has an excellent record of pioneering initiatives to support our armed forces community, however without dedicated funding the Authority is limited in what it can provide.

North Tyneside Council calls upon the Mayor to:

write to both the Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Leo Docherty to request that they supply ringfenced funding to help support local services dedicated to our armed forces personnel.

The motion, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 50 votes to 0 votes.

Council received a report that sought approval to the updated Our North Tyneside Council Plan, in light of the findings from engagement with residents and other key stakeholders.

It was moved by Councillor C Johnson and seconded by the Elected Mayor that:

Council approves the updated Our North Tyneside Council Plan, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

The Motion, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 43 votes to 0 votes, with 8 abstentions.

It was moved by Councillor S Brockbank and seconded by Councillor L Bartoli that:

The horror of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan remains writ large in all our minds – and rightly so.

The oppression of groups ranging from women to other faith groups, from the LGBTQ community to those who have served the people in a military role, is a human crisis. There are many differing views as to whether it was right to withdraw from this troubled theatre of war, but as local politicians it is incumbent on us to ensure that North Tyneside Council has made all preparations to welcome those who have been assessed by Her Majesty’s Government as needing our protection and ensure that they have access to services.

Equally, the impact on the heroic service personnel who have protected and, in sad cases, died for the cause of freedom in Afghanistan must be considered and the Council must ensure that the bravery shown is reflected in the speed and quality of the service that our military can expect.

We call on the Elected Mayor and Cabinet to: 

1.    Re-assure Council and residents that all preparations have been made to accommodate refugees.

2.    Re-assure Council that service personnel will be at the front of any queue of service provision.

3.    Provide Council with a clear plan as to how arrangements will be monitored and reviewed.

An amendment was moved by Councillor A Newman and seconded by Councillor W Samuel as follows:

Delete the following wording in the second paragraph:

“but as local politicians it is incumbent on us to ensure that North Tyneside Council has made all preparations to welcome those who have been assessed by Her Majesty’s Government as needing our protection and ensure that they have access to services”.

And replace with

“The United Kingdom made several promises to the people of Afghanistan chief among them is that we would not abandon them, this Council believes that the Government has not gone far enough in assessing those who assisted the British and allied mission in Afghanistan. As well as those already assessed by the Government, we believe the Government has a moral duty to evacuate and offer asylum to the many interpreters, their families and many others that worked with us, many of whom have been left behind”.

Reword bullet point 2 by the deletion of the wording:

“at the front of any queue of service provision”.

Being replaced by:

“given the appropriate priority in terms of service provision”.

And the addition of a further bullet point 4:

4.            “Write to the Home Secretary to:

·         Outline our concerns about the thousands of eligible Afghan nationals and British citizens left behind in Afghanistan.

·         Confirm our support to evacuate as many of those eligible to be evacuated by any means possible.

·         Ask the Home Secretary to detail funding and initiatives that will be set up to aid with the resettlement of Afghan refugees.

·         Ask the Home Secretary to grant immediate asylum status to those Afghan nationals already in the UK and expand the family reunion route”.

The amendment, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 43 votes to 5 votes.

The motion, as amended, on being put to the meeting, was approved by 43 votes to 0 votes, with 7 abstentions.

Cabinet considered a report seeking approval to the proposed 2022-2026 Financial Planning and Budget process including information on the key decision milestones; and as part of the process, the proposed approach to Budget Engagement.

Whilst this report formed an important part of the Authority’s budget-setting process for the 2022/23 Budget, it also provided Cabinet with an overview of the potential financial implications of COVID-19, for both the current year and for the period of the Authority’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). An initial review of the MTFS had been carried out in light of future Government announcements and, as the scale of the financial impact of COVID-19 became clear, it would need to be updated.

In addition, the report acknowledged the continuing exceptional circumstances in which the 2022/23 Budget would need to be prepared as the Authority started to emerge from the pandemic.  This would have an impact on the organisation’s ability to achieve planned Budget savings and income for 2022/23, its capacity to develop and deliver new Budget proposals for 2022/23, and on the wider Budget position, which was the subject of extremely high levels of uncertainty.  The report set out details of a proposed Budget planning process for 2022/23 but recognised that there would be a need for flexibility.  In this context, the report also provided a summary of key areas of wider risk and uncertainty for Cabinet’s consideration.

The last few years had been uncertain and challenging for local government but financial planning for 2022/23 was particularly difficult.  Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had repeatedly highlighted the vital role that the Authority continued to play in supporting vulnerable people and communities across the Borough.  This once again demonstrated the critical need to set a balanced and sustainable budget to enable the Authority to continue to deliver the services which were so important for all North Tyneside’s residents, businesses and visitors.  The report therefore set out the process by which the Authority would build on the 2021/22 budget in order to develop the detailed financial plans for future years, which would secure the Authority’s financial position and safeguard the provision of essential services into 2022/23 and beyond.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer had delivered the Spring 2021 Budget on 3 March 2021.  As part of the Government’s response to COVID-19 there had been 13 major fiscal announcements since the previous Budget on 11 March 2020.  This was also the first budget since the UK had entered the various lockdowns imposed in response to COVID-19, and the UK’s departure from the European Union. 

The Chancellor had confirmed that economic support would be maintained until the country had exited lockdown.  This included extensions to furlough, support for the self-employed, support for businesses in the form of business rate relief and targeted grants, and education catch-up funding.

The Government continued to explore the long-term reform of adult social care, the Fair Funding and Business Rates Retention reviews had been pushed back to April 2023 at the earliest, and the future of Government grants such as the Better Care Fund and Troubled Families were also uncertain.  The outcome of these had the potential for a significant impact on local government and, in the absence of any announcements, this only added to the challenge.

As in in recent years, the Authority would not receive detailed information about funding allocations for 2022/23 until autumn 2021 at the earliest.  In the absence of a Comprehensive Spending Review, any long-term funding allocation was unlikely.  There was very little time for Government to undertake a full multi-year spending review and in this context a one-year roll over of the local government settlement was increasingly likely for 2022/23. 

Beyond the immediate impact of COVID, the overall level of uncertainty meant that the financial environment for local government was set to remain highly challenging.  There continued to be a growing gap between funding and service pressures.  This was driven by demographic changes, unfunded burdens such as the National Living Wage, and the needs of vulnerable social care users becoming increasingly complex.  Children’s services, in both social care and education (particularly the High Needs Block), were also under very significant pressure. 

Any consideration of the Authority’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) must be undertaken in the context of the funding outlook for local government and what that meant for the Authority.  Full details of the funding outlook for local government were included in section 3 of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

The current MTFP covered the period to the end of 2024/25.  Whilst there continued to be a great deal of financial uncertainty, recommended practice suggested that due consideration was given not only to the short-term but to how the Authority would continue to finance its activities in the medium-term.  It was therefore recommended at this stage that the MTFP covered the four-year period 2022/23 to 2025/26.

The report referred to the Authority’s responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty, part of which was to ensure that the potential effects of decisions on those protected by the Equalities legislation were considered prior to any decision being made. The effect of the Authority’s budget setting process and decision-making would continually be monitored by using Equality Impact Assessments.

The revised Medium-Term Financial Strategy and the proposed principles for Budget planning for 2022/23, were set out in Appendix A and section 1.5.8 of the report.

Key aspects of the 2021/22 Financial Planning and Budget process timetable were set out at Appendix B to the report. This highlighted key decision milestones in the process.

The Elected Mayor and Cabinet were responsible for formulating the Council Plan and the Authority’s Budget. The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, in close consultation with the Elected Mayor, had been nominated as the lead Cabinet Member for the overarching 2022-2026 Financial Planning and Budget Process. The Director of Resources would be the project sponsor.

Details of the Budget Engagement Strategy for 2022/2023 were set out at Appendix C to the report. The aim of the Strategy was to reach different sectors of the population through an approach that encompassed engagement with residents as a whole and customers/users of services as well as particular groups of people, including those with protected characteristics. The approach also ensured reach with particular interest groups and also ensured targeted activity with specific external and internal stakeholder groups.

Cabinet considered the following decision option: to agree the recommendations as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report. The Authority‘s Constitution and Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out the stages to be completed in relation to agreeing the Budget of the Authority. There were no other options available in relation to this. The Budget Engagement Strategy formed part of the 2022-2026 Financial Planning and Budget Process.

Resolved that (1) the revised Medium-Term Financial Strategy and the proposed principles for Budget planning for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix A and section 1.5.8 of the report, be noted;

(2)  the proposed outline 2022-2026 Financial Planning and Budget

process, which incorporates the key decision milestones and dates, as set out at Appendix B to the report, beapproved;

(3)  Cabinet recognise that there may be a requirement for flexibility within

both theBudget-setting process and the assumptions used, as a result of future Government announcements and other developments relating toCOVID-19;

(4)  the Budget Engagement Strategy as part of the 2022-2026

Financial Planning and Budget Process, set out at Appendix C to the report, be approved;and

(5) the key Budget risks and uncertainties as set out in the Medium-Term FinancialStrategy, including the implications of announcements made at the Spring Budget 2021 and subsequently as part of the COVID-19 response benoted.

(Reason for decision: The recommendations are mainly legal in nature, as stated in paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 of the report.)

Cabinet considered a report which detailed complaint related activity during 2020-21 and which complied with the requirement to publish a report on complaints under the relevant statutory complaints legislation.

The Authority undertook millions of transactions with its 204,000 residents and 6.6 million visitors to the Borough throughout the year.  Against that background, the number of complaints received by the Authority remained consistently low, reflecting the excellent services the Authority’s customers received and its ability to resolve swiftly any issues that did arise at the first point of contact.

The number of formal complaints during 2020-21 remained static compared to the previous year as the Authority continued to take a proactive approach to encouraging residents and service users to provide feedback.  The Authority’s complaint leaflet entitled ‘How to complain about Council services’ was widely available in the Authority’s buildings and to download from the Authority’s website.  It was also now easy for customers to contact the Authority on-line, and Social Care Service users were provided with a complaint leaflet at the first point of contact.    

Customer satisfaction with the complaints process remained relatively high and the Authority continued to resolve the vast majority of complaints at Stage 1. The Authority welcomed complaints as valuable feedback from its customers and complaint outcomes provided valuable lessons to further improve and enhance the Authority’s services and procedures.

The Authority operated statutory complaint procedures for Adult Social Care

and Children and Young People’s Services and Public Health.  It also

provided a corporate complaints procedure for all other services. 

During 2020-21, the Authority had responded to Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) enquiries in a timely fashion and was well within the required timescale for response of 28 days. The LGSCO’s annual review of complaints for 2020-21 was detailed in the report at Appendix 2.

The Authority’s complaints service report for 2020-21 at Appendix 1 showed that the overall number of formal complaints had remained static in comparison to 2019-20 (1,070 complaints and 1,069 complaints respectively). 

There had been 967 Corporate Complaints received during 2019-20, the figure during 2020-21 was 451, it was noted that the registering of complaints had been placed on hold in line with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s recommendations during April – June 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

The Authority recognised that it was important to deal with complaints well as this was central to providing a good customer service.  Services sought to address complaints and learn from these complaints so that the Authority could continually improve services. The results were set out in detail in the report at Appendix 1.

The number of social care complaints (relating to both Adult Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services) was 102 in 2019-20 and 68 in 2020-21.  This equated to 30 cases in Children’s Social Services and 38 cases in Adult Social Care. A breakdown of the numbers and categories of complaints was provided in the report.

The Authority had established a programme that aimed to improve customer services and to demonstrate that “we listen and we care”.  This programme had four parts: Customer Promise, Brilliant Basics, Customer Focussed Services and Better Never Stops – a continuous improvement culture.

Better Never Stops would, amongst other things, examine how the Authority collected queries, feedback and complaints.  It would look at the quality and consistency of the Authority’s responses and how the feedback was used to gather and inform ongoing service delivery.  The Authority would also develop the way its employees acted to drive up the standard the Authority had set itself and how to recognise and celebrate good customer service.

A key aim of the complaint process was ‘learning’ from complaints and connected with the Better Never Stops programme.  There had been several changes to procedures and practice during 2020-21 as a result of resolved complaints, examples of which were given in the report.

Complaints were now widely recognised as integral to the provision of quality services at both individual and strategic levels.  The Authority’s successful history and current good practice in effective complaint handling would be an integral service improvement driver in the current rapidly changing culture.  The demands of maintaining and increasing levels of customer satisfaction, coupled with organisational changes across public and partner sectors, would be well supported by the current robust complaint handling procedures and electronic system in place.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to note the content of the report and approve publication of the report; or alternatively to refer the report back to officers and request that further analysis and information is provided.

Resolved that (1) the complaint related activity during 2020-21, as set out in the Annual Complaints Report (Appendix 1), be noted;

(2) the Report be approved for publication by the Director of Law and Governance; and

(3) the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Annual Review of complaints concerning North Tyneside Council for 2020-21 (Appendix 2) be noted.

(Reasons for decision: All local authorities providing ‘social service functions’ including North Tyneside Council are legally required to publish an annual report on complaints received.  Publication of a report also supports community engagement and promotes transparency and opportunities for organisational improvement.)

Cabinet considered a report on the outcome of a consultation exercise on a revised Tenancy Strategy for North Tyneside and to seek approval for a Tenancy Strategy 2021-2025.

As agreed at the Cabinet meeting on 25 January 2021 the consultation had been extended to seek the views ofall residents of the borough.

The consultation had been carried out over a 6-week period between 10 May 2021 – 20 June 2021 and had been widely promoted.Details of the questions and responses to the survey were set out in the report.  No responses had been received from any registered provider tenants, private rented tenants, or leaseholder tenants.  In total 25 responses had been received to the consultation and no concerns were highlighted that required amendments to the draft strategy.

The key issues raised from the consultation were in relation to the terminology of the strategy - "Need to explain in layman's terms not in legal jargon". However, due to the nature of the document the terminology was a requirement for a legislative document.

Details of the outcomes and response to the strategy consultation were set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

Cabinet considered the following decision options:

Option 1: to acknowledge the consultation exercise results and approve the draft Tenancy Strategy 2021 – 2025.

Option 2:  to reject the strategy; however, the Authority could be at risk of failing to meet its duty in formulating and publishing a Tenancy Strategy, that was kept under review and amended or replaced from time to time.

Option 3:  to request further information prior to approval of the Tenancy Strategy 2021 -2025. 

Resolved that (1) the consultation exercise responses, at Appendix 3 of the report, be noted; and

(2) the Tenancy Strategy 2021 – 2025, at Appendix 1 of the report, be approved.

(Reasons for decision: It is a statutory requirement that local authorities publish a Tenancy Strategy.  This strategy provides guidance to registered providers of social housing In North Tyneside on the Authority’s preferred approach to tenancies.

When amending or replacing the strategy, the Authority must consult with registered providers of social housing who operate in the Borough. The Authority extended this to residents of North Tyneside to capture those who may already be a social housing tenant or who may become a social housing tenant in the future.

The feedback received following the consultation with the wider audience did not highlight any concerns that required changes needed within the draft strategy.)

Cabinet received a report seeking support for the creation by the North East Joint Transport Committee (JTC) of an Enhanced Bus Partnership for the region in accordance with the National Bus Strategy.

Approximately 5.9 million miles of bus journeys in a year were made in North Tyneside, pre-Covid. The Local Plan and the North Tyneside Transport Strategy stated that the Authority would work with partners to maintain and enhance bus provision as part of an integrated public transport network.

The Covid-19 pandemic had had a profound effect on bus travel since March 2020. Reduced bus patronage had meant that, in common with other regions, the North East’s bus network was now being heavily supported by Government funding. In its National Bus Strategy, published in March, the Government recognised that the existing model of bus service delivery was not working, and set out a more formal framework for partnership working between authorities and bus operators.

In July, the North East JTC had issued formal notice of its intent to prepare an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Schemes for bus services and had begun working with local bus operators to pursue this. The National Bus Strategy required each area to publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan by the end of October 2021, and to have an Enhanced Partnership with bus operators in place by April 2022, in order to receive any ongoing Government funding.

Transport North East, on behalf of the North East JTC, had carried out public engagement over the Summer and feedback from this engagement would inform the preparation of the region’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. The plan would show how transport bodies and bus operators would work together with local highway authorities, and local communities, to plan and deliver a bus network where buses were better coordinated and easier to understand and use.

The development of the partnership was expected to involve local authorities making certain commitments to support the use of buses: for example, agreeing to deliver bus priority or enforcement measures. Once the Enhanced Partnership was created, such commitments were legally binding on local authorities. The Authority’s engagement with Transport North East and bus operators during the development of the Enhanced Partnership would help to ensure that any such commitments reflected North Tyneside’s strategies and policies on such matters.

The work initiated by the JTC to develop an Enhanced Partnership therefore represented an opportunity to deliver aspects of the Authority’s, and the region’s, transport objectives – and to secure ongoing Government funding for bus services.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the creation by the North East Joint Transport Committee of an Enhanced Bus Partnership for the region in accordance with the National Bus Strategy be approved; and

(2)   further reports be submitted to Cabinet on the progressive development of

the Enhanced Bus Partnership and its implications for North Tyneside.

(Reason for decision: To clearly indicate the Authority’s support for the development of an Enhanced Partnership, which represents an opportunity to deliver aspects of the Authority’s and the region’s transport objectives and to secure ongoing Government funding for bus services.)

A report was received which outlined the key strategic challenges currently facing the education system in North Tyneside, the significant work already underway and the further work required to tackle these challenges in partnership with educational leaders.

The Key Strategic Challenges were:

1.    Financial sustainability of schools in particular secondary schools

2.    Increasing demands in relation to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities

3.    Post 16 provision across the borough

4.    Impact of Local Plan proposals on school places and review of catchment areas.

The challenges identified above, whist significant in their own right, were linked and any proposed changes in any one of the parts of the jigsaw could have a consequential impact on the other key areas. Therefore, in taking this work forward it was proposed to establish a core team of officers to progress this work and consider options for change and/or improvements. The work of this team would be overseen by the Education Review Steering Group, chaired by the Cabinet Member for Children Young People & Learning and include Directors and Senior Officers of the Authority as well as other key Stakeholders such as Headteachers and Trade Unions colleagues. Subject to agreement the proposal would be to establish the Team from 1 October 2021 and for the team to be in place for up to two years to support the work required and any proposals and decisions made. 

Full detailed analysis of Schools (DSG) finance was set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report; or alternatively, to not accept the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the key strategic challenges facing the education system and the work done to date be noted;

(2) the following work be progressed in relation to each challenge:

(a)  Financial sustainability of schools in particular secondary provision

        In working with both Monkseaton High, Norham and other stakeholders:

·         carry out option appraisals to address the structural deficit issues,

·         enter pre-publication engagement and consultation, and

·         bring forward proposals to achieve educational and financial sustainability at both schools.

(b)  Increasing demand in relation to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and associated resource pressures:

·         progress the work within the eight action plan themes identified within the High Needs recovery plan

(c)  Post 16 provision across the borough:

·         establish a ‘post 16 charter and information hub for North Tyneside

·         secure appointment of a dedicated officer post to promote schools and business/industry partnership arrangements

·         strengthen the depth and consistency of careers education across all North Tyneside schools

·         strengthen SEND post 16 pathways across North Tyneside

(d)   Impact of Local Plan proposals on school places and the need to further review catchment areas:

·         refresh the Educational Impact Assessment as part of review of Local Plan

·         review assumption made in 2016 against actual pupil numbers as well as forecasting future demands

·         further review catchment area arrangements;

(3)  the establishment of a project team and steering group to support and progress the work required be agreed; and

(4)  further reports be received by Cabinet as required.

(Reason for decision: It reflects the priorities agreed by the Elected Mayor, Cabinet Member, Head Teachers and Chairs of Governing Bodies.)

Cabinet considered the second monitoring report outlining the 2021/22 financial position.  It provided the latest indication of the potential revenue and capital financial position of the Authority as at 31 March 2022.

The report covered the forecast outturn of the Authority’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budget including management mitigations where issues had been identified; the delivery of 2021/22 approved budget savings plans; an indication of the impact of Covid-19 on Collection Rates and on the Collection Fund; the implications of Covid-19 for the Authority’s cash position; and an update on the Capital Investment Plan including details of variations and reprogramming that were recommended for approval.

The forecast overall pressure for the General Fund Revenue Account was estimated at £7.420m against the approved net budget. This was made up of a forecasted pressure of £1.813m on normal activities and £5.607m relating to the impact of Covid-19.  The pressure on normal activities in the service was driven mainly by Health, Education, Care and Safeguarding at £7.281m, reflecting the continued pressures in Children’s Services, partly mitigated by the contingency balances that had been created as part of the 2018/19 budget setting process and continued to be held centrally to reflect the on-going pressures in social care being felt locally and nationally.

Included in this projection was £5.720m of pressures in Corporate Parenting and Placements and £1.624m in Integrated Disability and Additional Needs.  The drivers for these pressures continued from 2020/21 and were outlined in the report.

It was anticipated that the outturn forecast for normal activities would improve over the course of the financial year as planned remedial actions began to impact on both expenditure and income.

With regards to the impact of Covid-19, the main drivers behind the £18.420m impact on services were also within Health, Education, Care and Safeguarding where £9.600m was for increased costs to the Authority.  Significant Covid-19 related pressures also existed in Environment, Housing and Leisure (£5.608m) and in Commissioning & Asset Management (£2.012m). 

The report outlined the revenue grants which had been received during June and July 2021.

There was no further update since the August Cabinet meeting on the school funding position.

The Housing Revenue Account was forecast to have year-end balances at 31 March 2022 of £3.058m, assuming all identified Covid-19 related costs and income shortfalls were covered centrally.  The balances were £0.046m higher than budget which had been set at £3.012m, due mainly to the impact of the previous year’s financial performance, but there was also an

in-year estimated underspend of (£0.010m), against an in-year budget of £1.943m.

Universal Credit had been fully implemented across North Tyneside on 2 May 2018.  As of the end of July 2021, 3,484 North Tyneside Homes tenants had moved on to Universal Credit and a team was working proactively with tenants to minimise arrears.  This position would be closely monitored as the year progressed to identify any adverse impacts on the budget position.

The approved 2021-2026 Investment Plan totalled £275.789m (£98.593m 2021/22) and was detailed in the Annex.  The Annex also set out the delivery progress to date, planned delivery for 2021/22, reprogramming and other variations identified through the Investment Programme governance process.

An officer led review of the Investment Plan had resulted in proposals for variations of £2.352m and reprogramming of £12.832m and variations of £2.872m of which more details were set out in the Annex to the report.  The revised Investment Plan stood at £88.113m for 2021/22 and to the end of July 2021 spend of £12.394m had been incurred which represented 14.07% of the revised plan.

The report also outlined progress against the 2021-2025 Our North Tyneside Plan which set out the overall vision and policy context within which the Financial Plan and Budget were set. 

The Authority had plans in place to deliver all elements of the Council Plan and performance against these plans was carefully monitored. The area under most financial pressure was Health, Education, Care and Safeguarding.

In Adult Social Care, as with most local authorities, and in line with the national picture, North Tyneside had seen costs continued to rise.  Along with the number of adults supported increasing over the last few financial years, the individual needs of those residents had increased due to people living longer with multiple complex conditions.  Supporting those needs required more intensive packages of care which were more expensive to provide.  In addition to older people, younger adults with learning disabilities and physical disabilities were also living longer, often with multiple complex issues.

In Children’s Services, good progress continued to be made on engaging with

children in the early years of life to ensure that they were ready for school. 

Safeguarding vulnerable children and maximising their educational attainment

remained key priorities. 

Over recent years, there had been an increase nationally in demand for children’s residential placements but with no corresponding increase in central government funded provision. As such, the levels of looked after children (LAC) and children who required supervision after leaving care continued to generate a significant financial pressure.  Data suggested that, whilst fluctuating, there was a general trend of a steady increase in numbers LAC levels, but there was a wide range of levels of care provided, with more complex cases now being faced.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: either to agree the recommendations as set out in Section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively to disagree with the proposals.

Resolved that (1) the forecast budget monitoring position for the General Fund, Schools’ Finance and Housing Revenue Account as at 31 July 2021, as set out in the Annex to the report, be noted;

(2) the receipt of £2.401m new revenue grants be approved;

(3) the Authority’s Investment Plan spend of £12.394 to 31 July 2021 and the financing of the Plan to the end of the year, as set out in the Annex to the report, be noted; and

(4) the variations of £2.352m (£2.352m for 2021/22) and reprogramming of £12.832m for 2021-22 within the 2021-2026 Investment Plan, as set out in the Annex to the report, be approved.

(Reasons for decision: It is important that Cabinet continues to monitor performance against the Budget, especially given the current level of financial pressures faced by the public sector.)

Cabinet considered a report on the feedback and key reflections from the Local Government Association team following their remote visit in June 2021 to review progress of the six corporate peer challenge recommendations and to carry out a Covid-19 recovery and renewal challenge.

As part of the national sector-led improvement programme, the Authority had taken part in a Local Government Association (LGA) corporate peer challenge from 18 – 21 June 2019. The Peer Team had made six recommendations for the Authority’s future planning in a written report. 

The feedback and key reflections from the LGA team were extremely positive and supportive of the Authority’s plans for the Borough to recover and renew from the challenges faced by the Covid pandemic

The LGA was impressed that the Authority had successfully delivered against the action plan it had produced in response to the six corporate peer review challenge recommendations during the very challenging times caused by the pandemic.

Feedback from the LGA described ‘great political and managerial leadership that balances passion and compassion’. The LGA report cited clear evidence of the organisation’s values beginning to embed and noted how long standing, positive relationships with many partners, had enabled agile and innovative decision making during the pandemic.

The LGA noted the work to analyse and understand the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic on local communities and how this would inform a refreshed Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Health and Wellbeing Strategy for the Borough, through the Health and Well Being Board. The Authority’s plans for Covid-19 recovery were found to be impressive, with a clear focus on people and customers.

The following four recommendations had been made by the LGA team, to support the Authority’s ongoing work on recovery and renewal:

1.    Complete work to strengthen the workforce and organisational development client function.

2.    Finalise all strategic plans, with buy-in from all stakeholders.

3.    Identify and consider further investment opportunities and integrated pathways with health partners, and

4.    Continue to play into the regional and sub-regional space, to bring in tangible benefits to the residents of North Tyneside.

Cabinet considered the following decision options:

Option 1: to note the feedback, key findings and four recommendations from the LGA, as set out in section 1.5.2 of the report and ensure that these are built into the ongoing work to deliver the Our North Tyneside Plan and the Organisational Business Plan.

Option 2: to note the feedback, key findings and four recommendations from the LGA and not build these into the ongoing work to deliver the Our North Tyneside Plan and the Organisational Business Plan.

Resolved that (1) the LGA feedback and key reflections set out in Appendix 1 to the report be noted; and

(2) the four recommendations from the LGA, as set out in section 1.5.2 of the report, be noted and these be built into the ongoing work to deliver the Our North Tyneside Plan and the Organisational Business Plan.

(Reasons for decision: the recommendations made by the LGA, are based on detailed discussions with the Elected Mayor, Cabinet and the Authority’s Chief Executive and senior leadership team during the course of the LGA’s remote corporate peer challenge follow up and recovery and renewal remote visit on 29 and 30 June 2021; and the recommendations reflect the feedback and key findings from the LGA.)

Cabinet considered a closure report on the Authority’s Covid-19 Recovery Programme detailing what had been achieved and how the Programme objectives had been met.

The Authority’s Covid-19 Recovery Framework and associated work programme previously agreed by Cabinet had created a structured approach to recovery from the pandemic, with 3 clear phases of: restart; transition and rebuild and grow. The programme had run from June 2020 to July 2021. The Programme had been directed throughout by the Elected Mayor and Cabinet with delivery overseen by an officer level Recovery Coordinating Group (RCG).

All Programme workstreams had been successfully closed with details of achievements and how the Programme objectives had been met set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

Since the start of the pandemic, 20,509 positive cases of the virus had been detected in North Tyneside; sadly, 481 people in the Borough had died.  Local outbreak control arrangements with the NHS and other partners had successfully managed the testing, track and trace and vaccination work for the Borough.  North Tyneside had some of the highest compliance rates and take up for testing and vaccination, across the country.

The Authority had ensured support for those residents and authority employees who were classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.  Open spaces and areas of natural beauty had continued to be maintained to provide a much needed outlet for maintaining personal wellbeing.  Many local businesses had found new and innovative ways to continue trading during the pandemic and had been supported with an extensive range of advice and support from the Authority.  Rapid and transformational service changes had taken place and the Authority would seek to keep these as part of its ongoing customer service programme. The Local Government Association had recently described the Authority’s response to the pandemic as ‘commendable’. 

This report signalled the end of the Authority’s emergency response to the pandemic. How the Authority and its partners addressed the longer-term effects from the pandemic would be taken forward through a new Our North Tyneside Plan and the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board through a new Health and Wellbeing strategy to tackle health and socio-economic inequalities.

The Authority had consulted with stakeholders throughout and in particular at the end of each phase of the Recovery Programme. Feedback from this engagement had been used to inform and shape the Programme as it progressed.  

Work to both commemorate loss and celebrate the response to the pandemic across the Borough would continue as part of the Elected Mayor’s Spirit of North Tyneside scheme.

The Elected Mayor thanked everyone involved in the delivery of the Covid-19 Recovery Programme and commented that the spirit of North Tyneside had truly shone through and the collective response had made a real difference to the lives of thousands of people.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: either to agree the recommendations as set out in Section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively to disagree with the proposals.

Resolved that (1) the North Tyneside Council Covid-19 Recovery Programme, End of Programme Report, Appendix 1 be noted; and

(2) the closure of the North Tyneside Council Covid-19 Recovery Programme be approved.

(Reasons for decision: The end of Programme closure report has assessed the delivery of the Programme’s objectives and where necessary, confirmed where ongoing support is in place, to ensure change continues to be embedded. The overall performance of the Programme and its management processes have been evaluated and lessons learned compiled, so that they may benefit any post Programme activity or future recovery programmes. Programme information has been reviewed and updated, including risks and finance. The disbanding of the temporary organisation of the Programme is explained in Appendix 1, along with the arrangements for any additional, post Programme activities.)