Agenda item - Questions from Councillors - to a member of Executive Board, the Chair of a Committee and the Chair of any other City Council body

Agenda item

Questions from Councillors - to a member of Executive Board, the Chair of a Committee and the Chair of any other City Council body

Minutes:

Schools

 

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Schools and Communications:

 

As we watch with some concern the rapidly growing pandemic numbers and the implementation of a second lockdown we also note that, unlike with the first lockdown, schools are to remain open at least for the immediate future.  While we do not underestimate the risks associated with Covid-19, we believe it is imperative that schools remain open, with a September report by the National Foundation for Educational Research stating that disadvantaged pupils were disproportionately negatively affected by not being in school.  With the National Education Union now vocally calling for schools to be included in the lockdown plans, can the Portfolio Holder outline where Nottingham City Council currently falls on the debate?

 

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Clarke for his question.  The premise of this question is not wholly accurate.  All schools in the City did remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils during the first lockdown and this has enabled schools to develop, refine and learn how best to ensure that risks are minimised and that all children and young people can benefit from physical attendance in school since September.  Equally Lord Mayor, I am pleased to report to Council today that we have now seen three weeks of reducing numbers of positive cases in the City and we now no longer have the highest level of infection, even in Nottinghamshire.  I hope that that continues. 

 

Councillor Clarke is correct that non-attendance will disproportionately affect disadvantaged pupils, which is why the local authority and school leaders have worked so hard to ensure that risk assessments, appropriate cleaning and hygiene practices, support for swift testing measures, social distancing and the use of face coverings as appropriate are all in place in order to keep schools open.  Throughout the lockdown there has been regular and increased engagement with all recognised trade unions on the measures that have been implemented to keep schools open for pupils.  All of the trade unions also recognise that the impact on disadvantaged pupils of school closures is detrimental.  That is why they all support our view that Government needs to adequately resource school budgets to enable supply teaching cover to be made available, resource access to digital equipment and ensure access to digital connectivity for pupils is provided and ensure that children and young people are not left hungry when out of school.  The local authority has ensured that it is responding to the genuine concerns raised by trade unions regarding the opening of schools and has consistently prioritised the support of all relevant local authority services, for example the Education Directorate, Public Health, Children’s Services, Catering, Community Protection and Transport Strategy to ensure that children, young people, parents and carers and teaching and support staff can be confident in continuing to access schools across the City.

 

Covid-19 Regulations

 

Councillor Kevin Clarke asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

 

No one here, or indeed likely anywhere in the country, will be unaware of the scale or severity of the challenge this country is currently facing.  It is therefore with some sadness that we viewed the large numbers of young people partying long passed the 10pm pub closing time and failing to social distance, before the Tier 3 restrictions came into place.  Since then, we’ve also seen frankly disgraceful house parties forcing the police to waste their time and resources in breaking them up.  I will stress that I believe the vast majority of young people are adhering to the rules and contributing to helping the rest of our community to remain safe.  However, will the Leader of the Council join us in condemning such irresponsible behaviour, and appeal to the people of Nottingham to put others first and stick to the rules when it comes to protecting the lives of our citizens?

 

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Clarke for his question.  I agree wholeheartedly that the vast majority of young people are adhering to the Covid-19 rules in our City, helping to keep our communities safe.  For this, Nottingham City Council would like to thank our young people, in fact all our citizens for demonstrating civic responsibility in helping to save lives at this difficult time.  There are, as he states, however a very small minority of young people who continue to organise and attend parties, ignoring and flouting the rules that are designed to ensure public safety.  Like you Councillor Clarke, I condemn this irresponsible behaviour as it contributes to the spread of Covid-19 and gives rise to additional pressure on our City hospitals at this busy time of year.  Nottingham City Council departments have worked closely with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University on the development of a Higher Education Incident Management Plan and regular Covid-19 communications taken place between universities and the Council.  The universities make a funding contribution towards Community Protection Officers to patrol the neighbourhoods where students live.  As a City we have come down fast where young people have broken the rules, with our Community Protection Officers working closely with Nottinghamshire Police giving out warnings and then, if warnings are not heeded, fines of up to £10,000 for party organisers and smaller, but still substantial, fines for those attending parties being handed out by the Police.  In addition to these statutory fines, where young people attend higher education institutions, breaches of student codes of conduct can also lead to disciplinary action and additional fines. 

 

We call upon all citizens, young and old, to adhere to the Covid-19 rules in order to protect our hospitals and safeguard the lives of all the citizens of Nottingham both during the national lockdown and beyond. 

 

Covid-19 Regulations

 

Councillor Angharad Roberts asked the following question of the Leader of the Council:

 

Given reports SAGE recommended a circuit breaker as early as September, how concerned is the Leader that the Government is dithering on important decisions and failing to properly listen to scientific advice? How does he think the delays in decision making by Government have affected people in Nottingham?

 

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Roberts for her question.  Covid-19 is a new virus and as such there is much to learn about it.  As has been articulated by others, there has been a narrow path to tread: measures that are most likely to be effective in reducing the spread of the virus will inevitably have consequences for the economy and our wider health and wellbeing including our mental health.  This is a difficult balance to achieve, with many interdependences between health and economic outcomes.  Having said that, scientists and others have been clear throughout that timing is really important and the effectiveness of any measure implemented will depend on how well timed it is.  A circuit breaker of two weeks, such as that introduced by the Labour Government in Wales coinciding with our two-week school half term would, in my view, have been a timely intervention on the increased rates of Covid infection in the City, but this was not to happen for us. 

 

Nottingham experienced a very sudden, and very sharp rise in cases at the very end of September and continuing into the start of October.  At the peak, on 8 October, Nottingham’s seven-day incidence rate was just in excess of 1000 cases per 100,000 of the population.  This was the highest rate in England at the time by a substantial margin.  On 6 and 7 October, I and other City leaders were calling for restrictions to be introduced in Nottingham as there had been in other places in the North, whose rates at that time were actually lower than Nottingham’s.  The media were telling us that action from Government was imminent, however nothing happened.  We were told that the Government was changing its approach and that Nottingham would have to wait.  At that point, the Government’s Contain Framework saw other local authorities with higher prevalence designated as either areas of concern, areas of enhanced support or areas of intervention.  This bought with it additional national support and resources and, for those in the highest category, additional measures.  But despite having the highest rates in England, Nottingham City was never designated to any of these categories.  It felt like we had been forgotten.  So we had to take action by ourselves.  Using our excellent communication staff and channels, we gave out strong advice to our citizens from Thursday 8 October not to mix with other households as well as strengthening our advice about social distancing and wearing masks.  Four days later on 12 October 2020 it was announced that the Government would be introducing a three tiered system of local Covid alert levels in England and that Nottingham and the wider county would be placed in Tier 2 (high level) as of Wednesday 14 October.  By then, Nottingham had had the highest rates in the country for ten days, and whilst locally we took strong and prompt action urging our citizens to adhere to new restrictions in advance of national action, the fact that Nottingham’s spike coincided with a change in Government approach undoubtedly meant that Nottingham was left in limbo without legislation or national action to back up our local ask.  We simply didn’t fall into the timetable.  Whilst rates in Nottingham had started to fall at this stage thanks to the actions taken by local citizens at this time, they remained extremely high and the local hospitals were under pressure due to significantly increased Covid activity.  But again we experienced delay.  It was eight days after the introduction of Tier 2 restrictions that discussions commenced between local leaders and Government in relation to Nottingham City and parts of Nottinghamshire being subject to Tier 3 (very high) restrictions.  The late addition of northern parts of Nottinghamshire in the discussions meant that we had further delay, and that implementation of these further restrictions was not introduced until eight days later on Friday 30 October – 22 days after the peak in our cases in Nottingham.  This meant that Nottingham’s Tier 3 restrictions had been in place for little over 24 hours when the Prime Minister announced a second national lockdown, a period of four weeks. 

 

Lord Mayor, it is not possible for me to accurately assess what impact these delays have had on the spread of Covid in the City, the modelling is just not that sophisticated.  But it is clear that these delays have impacted on local citizens’ confidence in the Government’s response and left many feeling confused and unclear about what they should or should not be doing.  It is my sincere hope that the action taken by Nottingham both to urge residents to reduce contact in advance of Tier 2 and to agree and implement a robust package of measures for the first six days that we were subject to Tier 3 has meant that we will be in the best possible position when the national lockdown ends at the start of December.  I am grateful for the sacrifices the people in Nottingham have already made and will continue to make and I am hopeful this will result in fewer infections and reduce hospital admissions locally enabling us to reopen more of our local economy in due course.

 

Schools

 

Councillor Audrey Dinnall asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Schools and Communications:

 

What reassurances can the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Schools and Communications give Nottingham parents, teachers and pupils who may feel anxious about schools remaining open during the second lockdown?

Councillor David Mellen replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Dinnall for her question.  Evidence from the UK and internationally tells us that Covid-19 is generally milder in children than in adults.  The Chief Medical Officer has made it clear that the overall risk to children from coronavirus in relation to education settings is low and that risks associated with not being in school certainly outweigh those of being in school for our children.  Schools play a key role in promoting children’s health, social and mental wellbeing. 

 

There are thorough measures in place to reduce the likelihood of transmission of coronavirus within school settings in Nottingham.  These measures include the risk of infection and illness for pupils, teachers and support staff and for parents, carers and relatives right across the school community.  Prior to the partial closures of schools in March 2020, City schools were supported with the expert advice provided by the Education Directorate’s School Health and Safety Advisor, working in conjunction with Public Health colleagues on operating a Covid-secure environment.  Schools remained partially open for the benefit of key worker children and vulnerable pupils and with increased numbers of pupils from specific age groups.  The learning that schools, health and safety and public health gained from operating partially opened schools was reviewed and shared with all school leaders, trade unions and Government departments.  Schools then moved to a full opening position in September, with detailed and updated risk assessments on managing the requirements for additional cleaning, good hygiene practices and the logistics of operating socially distanced classrooms and communal spaces.  In addition, Public Health colleagues have supported the need for swift access to testing, delivered through a combination of in-school supply of testing kits, priority access to local testing centres and appropriate and dedicated support for managing issues.  Where schools have had confirmed cases of Covid-19, support has been provided from colleagues in Education, Public Health and Public Health England to advise on appropriate actions.  The learning gained has been used to continually improve the arrangements within schools across the City.  There have been occasions to restate the general protective measures on following the guidance on social distancing, observing the isolation guidance provided through the NHS Test and Trace and of staying home if unwell with Covid symptoms and getting a test. 

 

The wellbeing and mental health needs of children and young people, parents and staff have been addressed through a range of support services developed since the summer.  The #youhavebeenmissed campaign has provided support to manage the anxiety of pupils and parents through dedicated YouTube videos, social media posts, telephone and online consultation and Covid-secure summer holiday sessions.  A comprehensive package of training for teachers and support staff, with resources for children, young people and parents, has been delivered under the Wellbeing for Education Return Programme.  A Pupil Voice Survey, developed with the Education Psychology Service, was returned by 1000 children aged between 5 and 18.  This has provided us with a rich picture of the experience of children and young people during the first lockdown, including both those who attended school and those who remained at home throughout.  The direct voice of these children and young people has helped schools and services to address the anxieties they felt about the return of full opening of school.  These resources and support services will be of further value in understanding and addressing mental wellbeing and anxiety during the new period of lockdown in England from 5 November to 2 December. 

 

Updated Government guidance has been published to schools with some additional measures on face coverings and Test and Trace, including specifying that pupils in Year 7 and above should wear face coverings in communal areas where social distancing cannot be easily maintained.  These measures will be implemented locally and schools have been provided with the updated risk assessment templates, symptom summary guidance and the essential visitor risk assessments.  In addition, there are a very small group of school staff and children who are considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable, identified through a letter from the NHS or their GP.  Staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to work from home and not to go into work, and children who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised not to attend school at this time. 

 

Lord Mayor, throughout the lockdown period, schools will continue to review and update their risk assessments and put in place the most effective control measures to protect pupils, staff and their wider families.  I pay tribute to our head teachers, teachers and school support staff for their dedicated service to our children, young people and their families over the last eight months. This has been a very difficult year for our school communities and I thank them for the flexibility and creativity that the staff have demonstrated in making sure that education can continue either online or in the classroom within the policies and practices needed to keep our schools safe places in which to work and learn.

 

Covid-19

 

Councillor Angela Kandola asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Growth and the City Centre:

 

Does the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Growth and the City Centre feel Nottingham businesses have been let down by the Government’s inconsistent and last minute approach to Covid?

 

Councillor Sam Webster replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and can I thank Councillor Kandola for her question.  I know like me, and many other councillors, she is concerned about the impact of Covid restrictions on our local businesses and on the employment prospects of Nottingham people.  I know that businesses have found it difficult to adapt to the fast changing Government requirements and restrictions placed upon them, sometimes with just hours’ notice.  Many businesses have contacted me to express their deep frustration and anxiety of the lack of warning or time to adapt and the lack of clarity about what financial support is available and when it will be forthcoming.  They have told me that the last minute nature of announcements on rule changes has made it impossible for them to plan or prepare, that the disjointed approach makes it more difficult to see a way through for business survival and means that many of our residents are losing their jobs, sometimes unnecessarily.  It is important that we recognise that many Nottingham businesses are fighting for their very existence at this time and that the jobs of thousands of our residents are on the line.  We are certainly feeling the public health impact in Nottingham and we are also feeling the economic impact.  The Government’s actions now will determine the short and medium term outcomes for the livelihoods of our residents and the prospects for economic recovery over the coming years. 

 

Throughout the pandemic, the Labour Group has lobbied the Government hard to provide the economic support that is required to protect jobs and save good Nottingham businesses from going under.  I want to highlight a number of issues that have affected local businesses in recent months and which we have raised with Ministers on a number of occasions: gaps in financial support for some businesses, charities and social enterprises and larger businesses, as well as for freelance and some other workers; a discretionary business support grant scheme that was woefully inadequate and left many organisations without the support they needed; last minute changes to restrictions proving to be costly and almost impossible for businesses to manage.  I would have preferred to see more targeted support for those businesses that are most in need of help.  Too many businesses who weren’t affected by Covid got free funding that they didn’t need, whilst others missed out on funding that they desperately needed.  No additional support during the phase of Tier 2 restrictions in Nottingham - a huge loss of revenue for some businesses but no further funding.  Announcements by Government followed by longer periods with lack of technical detail, which delays the processing of Government grants.  The Tier 3 announcement only gave businesses hours to respond to the changes required and there was a lack of definition of rules.  I, like many other councillors, had a flood of enquiries asking what a ‘substantial meal’ was for instance.  Most frustrating and damaging in terms of business confidence that there is any kind of plan or forward thinking, was the announcement of the second national lockdown only a day after Nottingham was placed in the Tier 3 restrictions by Government officials. 

 

We have to remember, and I would urge the Government to consider, that many business owners have put their lives into building up businesses and growing and creating local jobs.  The announcements that are made have real impact on the ground and so consistency, time to plan and timely, adequate financial support is needed.  What I have found in recent months is that overwhelmingly businesses want to comply and they want to help in the national effort to defeat Covid, but they also want their businesses to survive and to keep their staff in employment where possible.  All of us in local and national government should be helping good businesses to survive.  A well know hospitality business wrote to me on 16 October saying “we are now losing £8000 every week which is unsustainable.  We had no choice but to take on significant loans in order to survive the first lockdown, the majority of which are now depleted.  The prospect of accessing further debt is uncertain and unwise without any clear end date to this unmanageable situation.  We treat our staff with care and understanding and it is really upsetting to have to lose some fabulous local people.  As a result of lower demand and lower requirement for roles we now employ only 80 people.  It was 130 this time last year, a loss of 50 people.  We are now having to face making further staffing reductions.”  During this period of the second national lockdown we have seen Government come to its senses on the reasonable extension of furlough for workers following calls from Opposition and from business groups.  There is a now a more co-ordinated support package and I welcome that although I fear the latest Government grant scheme to be inadequate. 

 

Government details of the latest grants and economic support have been coming through to us here at the Council in recent days and our officers are working hard to make sure that funding gets to eligible businesses as quickly and efficiently as possible.  We still have a lot of work to do to protect jobs and secure a strong economic recovery.  I want to thank Council staff who have already processed tens of millions of pounds in business support payments during the first round back in the spring and summer and are now focused on the latest business grant application process.  I also want to thank the Leader of the Council for his work during recent negotiations with Government ministers to secure an economic support package for Nottingham and our businesses; and Lillian Greenwood, Member of Parliament for Nottingham South, who forcefully raised the plight of Nottingham’s much loved Castle Rock Brewery at Prime Minister’s Questions just a couple of weeks ago.  There has been some potentially very positive news on Covid vaccinations just today.  I think we should keep in mind the need to protect businesses and jobs through this difficult time so that the Country and our City can recover as quickly as possible.  We will continue to speak up, and stand up for our local businesses, the jobs and livelihoods of our residents and I would urge Nottingham business owners to keep going, keep fighting.  We know how hard it has been and we are on your side.

 

Thank you Lord Mayor.

 

Support for rough sleepers

 

Councillor Leslie Ayoola asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Heritage:

 

What winter measures has the Council got in place for rough sleepers over the coming winter months?

 

Councillor Linda Woodings replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you Councillor Ayoola for your question.  Covid-19 has significantly changed our previously successful rough sleeping measures that would have normally been in place for the coming winter.  I want to start by paying tribute to the Council officers involved in rough sleeping, our partners in the community and volunteers as well for the incredible effort they made last year and throughout the year to get everyone in.  This effort, and the current winter plan, have meant that we have had to significantly change the provisions put in place in order to keep rough sleepers, who are some of the most vulnerable in our society, safe from the Covid virus.  This has meant that our previous measures have been severely disrupted or not delivered, and that includes the Nottingham Shelter, which is a key resource for people who have no recourse to public funds, and also the Safe Place to Stay Hub.  We were initially awarded just £22,500 from the Government’s Covid-19 Emergency Rough Sleeping Fund back in March to fund interim accommodation under the ‘Everybody In’ instruction from Government.  The actual cost to the Council for that provision amounted to just under £800,000, presenting us with a significant funding shortfall.  So this provision effectively became the Nottingham Emergency Shelter offering 25 units of accommodation and the Safe Place to Stay Hub has been changed into a six bed House of Multiple Occupation.  However, that has resulted in the loss of two beds from what is effectively a 72 hour bridge which supports rough sleepers into services and other accommodation.  The Next Steps Accommodation funding announced by Government has financially covered our temporary arrangements moving forward despite the fact that we never received back the original additional funding promised by ‘Everyone In’.  The current Next Steps money will cover provision through to the end of January.  Our bid was initially based on there being a replacement to the Shelter which would be in operation by the end of January.  Unfortunately, Government placed a restriction on that funding saying that it had to be spent in this financial year completely and so we hope that this will form part of a bid for any similar funding pot made available next year.  Nottingham also bid from the Next Steps Accommodation Fund for further long-term ‘move on’ accommodation, commonly known as ‘Housing First’, and I am pleased to report that we have successfully been awarded more than £0.5million capital, but significantly revenue support funding for three years to acquire 30 new properties.  This will have to be acquired by the end of March next year.  So we do have a gap in provision between January and the end of March and to address this our Council officers have been regularly meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).  They have asked that additional units of temporary accommodation be funded and that provision be extended through until March to ensure the safety of all rough sleepers this winter.  That takes into account that we can’t operate elements of our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, known as SWEP.  So we have asked MHCLG for an additional £228,000.  Also, in order to free up beds at the Emergency Shelter, we have also asked for a level of funding to assist rough sleepers with a move into private rented sector housing, including incentives for landlords and the employment of 1.5 Resettlement Workers. 

 

The City Council and our partners are bracing ourselves for a difficult winter as we anticipate more people than ever will arrive on the streets due to economic impact of the pandemic.  The extension of the furlough scheme announced last week was very welcome.  Of course some people had already lost their jobs because of the last minute nature of the announcement, however every little helps and I would include in that the restrictions that have been put in place to stem Section 21 No Fault Evictions.  On a side note, you will be interested that the numbers of households presenting to Housing Aid for help never dropped at all over the last eight months – it has just been fewer families and more individuals.  So longer term better protection for renters would be very welcome and we still await the outcome from the consultation from more than a year ago about abolishing No Fault Evictions permanently.

 

So colleagues, we are still waiting to discover whether additional funding has been granted or not.  We are told confirmation of this is imminent, but it does concern me that the weather is getting colder and we don’t yet have a guarantee of funding for the additional measures that we have asked for. 

 

One thing we are looking at is redesigning our provision and services for next year’s rough sleeping funding in a way that takes into account some the huge benefits to both physical and mental health from rough sleepers during the lockdown measures put in place in March.  We have recently seen an evaluation of this and there is no doubt that in the future our provision has to include a psychologically-informed environment and trauma-informed provision of health services.  However, we do need more flexible provision of Covid-safe measures that will give immediate access to safe assessment beds such as crash-pads or more Houses of Multiple Occupation type accommodation.  Another factor is that evidence from the Street Outreach Team confirms that there are more women sleeping rough on our streets than previously and our current provision doesn’t offer female-only provision.  So this is another area where we are seeking to expand our services.  Our officers are meeting with providers, finding out about the lived experience of people suffering homelessness and also meeting representatives of health as well in order to develop our rough sleeping funding bid for next year to see how we can fill those gaps in provision. 

 

Colleagues, the Government’s aim to end rough sleeping by 2027 is an admirable one and they have made money available which we, in Nottingham, have been successful in bidding for.  But Labour in power would do more and we urge the Government to restore the Supporting People Fund, which was halved and then abolished in 2010, when Nottingham had just three rough sleepers.  We urge them to end the hostile environment because our services are under pressure when people with no recourse to public funds are destitute and have nowhere to go but the streets.  We urge them to abolish Section 21 No Fault Evictions permanently and give renters better security in their homes, and we urge them to increase local housing allowances more swiftly to address the increasing levels of rent that people have to pay.  More importantly than anything else, we desperately need a new supply of housing because at the moment there is a bubble in the housing market.  The housing market is broken, rents are soaring and we need to build more affordable and social housing for rent and supported housing as well to keep people out of care.  So the last thing I would say is that if they can’t bring themselves to abolish Right to Buy, then at least make it genuinely one for one replacement funding and allow councils like ours more time to build houses and replenish our housing stock. 

 

Colleagues, our rough sleeping measures have work incredibly well in previous years and despite record numbers of individuals sleeping outside, and the transformation of services and intent from Government will, we hope, end rough sleeping forever.  We, in Nottingham, will do whatever we can to keep this vulnerable group of people safe this winter from the virus but, just as importantly, from the cold.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will receive confirmation of the extra funding we have asked for this week.

 

Thank you Lord Mayor.

 

District heating infrastructure

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Growth and the City Centre:

 

Given that the Draft Annual Governance Statement, presented at the last Audit Committee meeting, describes the ‘deteriorating district heating infrastructure’ that includes Enviroenergy as requiring ‘significant investment’ indicated at £300million within the next 10 years, how is it anticipated that this investment will be financed and will it be provided on the same interest free basis as the Company’s existing borrowing?

 

Councillor Sam Webster replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you Councillor Rule for your question.  Having looked back at the report myself, I found it to be fairly well explained – the issue that Councillor Rule raises in his question.  So I thought it might be best to begin my answer with the actual wording from the report itself.  He has been a little bit selective in picking out certain elements of the report wording.  So here is what the actual wording says in full: “a significant capital investment is needed to replace the deteriorating district heating infrastructure, including distribution network, power generation plant (Enviroenergy) and energy from waste facility the Eastcroft incinerator.  Ongoing maintenance programmes are in place and contractual parties have been engaged over the medium term for the management of the incinerator facility.  A long term strategy for energy and waste infrastructure and a long term district heating strategy and affordability for the City are being developed.  An estimated £300million 30-year contract is being negotiated and this needs fully supporting by the Council with expert professional advice.”  So just to give a bit of context, I think the extract gives context in itself, but also wider than that, a £300million contract over 30 years of course breaks down to £10million per year.  Our neighbouring council, Nottinghamshire County Council, notes in their budget report for this financial year a spend of £38.6million on waste services.  So it is true to say that big numbers are involved with delivering a key service for hundreds of thousands of people over the long term.  As you can see in the full description, the report is highlighting the need for the Council to focus and plan ahead for solutions that will span the coming forty years.  Our officers are working on those plans so that they are affordable to the Council and meet the City’s needs in a number of important areas over a long period of time.  There are a number of options available to the Council and these are all being explored at this time.  A number of complex issues are described in the report and at the appropriate time recommendations will be brought forward and decisions made over the coming years. 

 

It is easy to settle on the big number noted in the report but it is important to explain what we are actually talking about.  Nottingham City disposes of its waste by the Eastcroft incinerator at present, as do some of the neighbouring district authorities.  Waste disposal is, of course, a big and expensive council service area and we are responsible for collection and disposal of both domestic waste and commercial waste.  Domestic waste for over 330,000 people every week along with commercial waste from thousands of local businesses.  That waste is converted into electricity by the heat generated from the incinerator.  We use the energy generated to heat over 4000 homes and many large business and council sites through our district heating network.  We do not currently send our waste to landfill, which is very expensive and has well-documented environmental impacts.  So the issue highlighted in the report relates to waste disposal for the entire City over a 30-year period and the need to invest in our infrastructure over the medium term that allows energy for thousands of homes and businesses to be distributed.  With such a big service area over such a long period of time, of course there are risks and we need to be alive to that.  But there are also key opportunities for Nottingham to continue to get a good deal on waste disposal and to generate power in a sustainable way.  I hope he will be involved with us in scrutinising plans that come forward in due course to make sure we get the right waste disposal and energy generation solution for Nottingham.

 

Thank you Lord Mayor.

 

Housing Allocation Policy

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Heritage:

 

Does the Portfolio Holder believe that it is fair that Nottingham City Homes’ Housing Allocation Policy differentiates between court sanctioned custody agreements and informal custody agreements amicably agreed between separated parents for their children and, as far as housing allocation is concerned, favouring the former and completely disregarding the latter?

 

Councillor Linda Woodings replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you Councillor Rule for your question.  First of all, I want to make it clear that Housing Allocation Policy is not owned by Nottingham City Homes Housing Allocations Team.  In fact, the Housing Allocations Policy is the Council’s responsibility so it is decided by the Council and operated on our behalf at an arm’s length by Nottingham City Homes.  The Housing Allocations Policy was amended and updated in November last year following widespread consultation including with the public, and the agreed and updated Policy started to be applied by Nottingham City Homes on our behalf this year.  During consultation the response to our adapted policy was broadly welcomed.

 

Unfortunately, I do not know the precise circumstances on which Councillor Rule is basing this question.  However, having checked, the Policy does not make the distinction he is suggesting and I welcome more information from him, for privacy reasons of course outside of a public meeting, as to the exact circumstances he refers to.  Where parents or carers of dependent children are separated and both parties are requesting family-type accommodation, the decision about who can be allocated a family home will usually be based upon who the child or children normally reside with and who receives child benefit if the time is split equally.  If the parent or carer does not have the child or children living with them, nor receives the child benefit but has access arrangements they can be considered for a two bedroom flat so that they can have them to stay over.  They cannot, however, be allocated a family house.  As everyone will be aware all social housing in the City is in very short supply because we can’t replace Right to Buy fast enough and that includes family homes.  So it is simply not possible to allocate family homes to people who only have access arrangements to their children unfortunately.  The question of whether custody agreements have been agreed amicably or determined by a court isn’t relevant and decisions will be based on what the actual living arrangements are irrespective of how they have been arrived at.  Naturally I would be happy to ask officers to look into the particular case that Councillor Rule is referring to in order to ensure that the Policy has been applied correctly.  In fact, as Councillor Rule is aware, I am always happy to take up such matters outside of Full Council meetings for any councillor, including him and other opposition councillors, and I have done so previously.  So rather than needing to use up one of his four questions to establish the facts of any particular casework he might have I am very happy to take these up informally outside of Full Council.

 

Thank you Lord Mayor. 

 

Covid-19

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Deputy Leader of the Council:

 

The Portfolio Holder will appreciate that following the return of students to university, in light of the pandemic, that the proximity of the campuses of the City’s universities to local communities in the City, particularly in Clifton, has caused concern and anxiety for residents in light of prevalence of Covid amongst the 18-23 age bracket.  Could the Portfolio Holder, in her position as Chair of the Outbreak Control Engagement Board, confirm whether she is satisfied with the level of engagement from universities with local communities to alleviate these concerns?

 

Councillor Sally Longford replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you Councillor Rule for your question.  It is completely understandable that citizens living close to university campuses were anxious in advance of the return of students at the end of the summer holiday.  At the time, the University and College Union was also expressing great concern about the possible spike in transmission and calling on the Government to think again about their guidance that all students should be told to physically attend their chosen institution.  However, I think we would all agree that our universities and their students are an important part of the City and people will recall that up to that point Nottingham had done very well in limiting the infection rate in the City, primarily due to the widespread compliance with the regulations.  The need for specific plans relating to universities was recognised early and both universities worked closely with the City and the County and other partners to develop an Incident Management Plan.  At my request this was also shared and discussed publicly at one of our early Engagement Board meetings, where senior representatives of the universities were questioned about their planning and preparation.  Work to understand, respond to and mitigate community concerns is a part of the Plan and a substantial amount of communication has gone out from the Council and universities to students and the wider community. 

 

Unfortunately, despite the planning, we did see an awful spike in infections which coincided with the return of students putting us at the top of the national league table.  We know that most students are adhering to the rules and behaving in a safe manner, respecting the community around them and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them on behalf of the citizens of Nottingham.  As ward councillor for Lenton and Wollaton East which includes both the University of Nottingham campuses and many areas where students live off-campus, I fully appreciate that student house parties and other anti-social behaviour has always been a concern for local citizens and this is understandably amplified by the potential impact such behaviour has in the current context.  As Councillor Mellen said earlier, our Police and Community Protection Officers have been working in close collaboration, responding swiftly to any concerns highlighted by local residents and we are glad that the Nottingham Trent University Security Teams have also been actively patrolling local areas.  There have been increased patrols in areas where clustering can naturally happen around tram, bus and taxi stops at peak times and more recently, following much concern from residents, the University of Nottingham introduced a Hopper Bus for student use to reduce contact with local citizens.  Where students have been found to be in breach of the rules, fines have been issued by the Police and this information shared with the relevant university to support the application of their internal disciplinary procedures.  You will be aware that the Chief Constable recently called on the universities to expel students who were found to be in serious breach of the rules and the Leader of the Council arranged a meeting where we could discuss this and other issues with the Vice Chancellors and the Chief Constable last Friday. 

 

You rightly highlight that during the recent spike in cases the incidence rate amongst those aged 18 to 22 was particularly high.  Thankfully, since 8 October, Nottingham’s rate has been on a downward trend but is still relatively high and cases have gradually spread into other age groups, with the exception of the under-18s.  It is crucially important that we all comply with the regulations to ensure that those most at risk of serious complications, that is older people and those with underlying health conditions, are protected. 

 

To directly answer your question, the universities have been working with our Public Health Team and other partners for some months, we have also been meeting regularly with the Vice Chancellors and senior management teams of both institutions, always seeking more collaboration and action.  Progress has been made: they now have testing sites on all four main campuses which are open to the public, and they have incentivised students to stay home.  There is always more to do and we are now asking them about plans for a safe end of term and what happens in the new year.  We need timely and clear Government guidance to back up these discussions.  I can give my personal assurance that, as Chair of the Engagement Board, we will continue to ask the universities challenging questions about their actions in our meetings and continue to work with them to ensure risks to our citizens are minimised as much as possible.  We will also continue to communicate advice and information about the significant challenges posed by the Covid pandemic to everyone living in the City and encourage the universities to continue to urge their students to comply with the regulations and minimise the risk of transmission by following the basic advice about washing hands regularly, wearing a mask and keeping your distance.  This will help us to continue to progress down the national league table of infection rates and come out of lockdown as soon as possible.

 

Community centres

 

Councillor Andrew Rule asked the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Communities, Highways and Strategic Transport:

 

The Portfolio Holder will be aware that many of the City’s community centres have remained closed from the start of the first lockdown in March to date.  Will she outline what support is being provided to community centres to ensure that they are able to re-open as soon as local Covid restrictions permit?

 

Councillor Rebecca Langton replied as follows:

 

Thank you Lord Mayor and thank you to Councillor Rule for his question.  Nottingham’s diverse network of community centres are run in a combination of direct management by the Council and volunteer-led community associations, so it is fitting to start by thanking the dedicated Council officers who lead this work with great commitment and the many volunteers who help ensure we have vibrant community centres at the heart of our neighbourhoods.  We all value our community centres and that is why we have a commitment in our Council Plan to protect a network of community centres across our City.  As with everything, this year has not gone to plan for any of our community centres.  By nature, they exist to bring people together and this has been in direct conflict with the national rules on Covid for most of the year.  So it has been a really tough time for our community centres. 

 

Back in March when the national lockdown was announced, our community centres across the City were closed following national guidance.  There were a few minor exemptions to this, for example where community centres were providing childcare facilities essentially to enabling key workers to keep doing their jobs.  However, on the whole our community centres closed their doors.  While they were closed we were overwhelmed by the commitment of volunteers, many of whom continued to perform legionella tests, bid for funding and find other ways to support their communities throughout Covid.  As a Council we stepped up to do what we could as well to help, bringing forward our quarterly funding payments to help them through and supporting some organisations to access business grants where applicable.  We worked hard to keep on top of the latest advice and guidance and remained in constant contact with our community centre committees.

 

When the national restrictions were eased, we took steps to reopen a first tranche of community centres.  We prioritised places where nursery provision, wrap-around childcare or food banks were based.  We worked closely to get these centres open with the first tranche of five centres opening in September, followed by a further three later that month.  In October we reopened a second tranche of community centres, focusing on those without sports or social clubs (about 14 of our centres).  A couple of weeks ago we sought approval to reopen a third tranche.  At each stage we worked to support community centres to become Covid-safe and they have stepped up, finding innovative ways to keep going and engage with local residents against a challenging and changing backdrop.  We continue to work with those who have not yet reopened to ensure that they are Covid-safe and can open as soon as is possible within the Government’s guidelines.  In Clifton, in our first tranche of reopening centres both Parkgate and Silverdale were able to reopen partially and were certified as Covid-secure in mid-September.  This involved detailed work around Covid-safety measures and working with both groups on comprehensive risk assessments.  We also supported them with a deep-clean service where necessary to instil public confidence around cleanliness.  Parkgate has gone on to establish a small number of support functions and during lockdown 2.0 they remained open for food parcel deliveries to those in need locally.  Silverdale reopened their nursery provision initially with a view to reengaging in general community activities in December.  This is now under review as the second lockdown means they may not be able to open for general community use until the new year.  Clifton and Highbank Community Centres have remained closed.  Both have social bars which represent a more challenging environment when having to consider what measures can be put in place to make them Covid-safe.  Both were due to reopen under the third tranche but this is now being reviewed and they are considering their plans and will probably reopen after Christmas.  All community centres have been supported with Covid-safety measures, such as risk assessment reviews along with Covid directional markings, notices and sanitising points, chemicals and personal protective equipment all paid for by the Council and supplied as part of planned safety measures to reopen once lockdown has completed.  These examples illustrate the hard work both from the Council and from volunteer-led committees to overcome the individual challenges that face different centres and prepare to reopen when safe and possible. 

 

So now we are in a national lockdown again.  In March we took a fairly blanket approach to making decisions around service closure and that was the right thing to do at the time.  This time we are working within the guidelines to ensure that where things can be done in a Covid-secure way they continue, and this is true of our community centres.  Many are now closed completely.  As I said earlier on, the very principle of bringing people together in community centres is in direct conflict with the purpose of a lockdown, but others remain open providing wrap around childcare and food support for those in need.  Some centres have opened partially so that NHS Test and Trace workers can use their facilities, running pop-up Covid testing centres in their car parks.  The way that our community centres have stepped up, adapted and helped meet new challenges from food provision to Covid tests illustrates just how vital they are.  They are trusted and valued in the heart of our communities and I am committed to supporting them to reopen safely when it is possible to do so.  So while they are closed we are undertaking our planned maintenance works and supporting them to keep buildings fit for purpose so that they can reopen as soon as possible.  We know that many community centre committees and their local communities are worried about the impact that Covid will have on them.  As a City Council we are concerned too.  Community centre groups have always relied on income.  They are the beating heart of our communities, they are where people go for health and fitness clubs, vocational training, parent and toddler groups as well as a focus for celebrations and events.  We will continue to lobby national government to make funds available to support these groups and to properly fund the lost costs of Covid so we can in turn support them when they are struggling to pay bills due to lost income.  So Lord Mayor to summarise: we continue to offer community centres advice and support, either to remain partially open in a Covid-safe way or be ready to reopen as quickly as is safely possible.  It is my ambition that, working with you fellow councillors, Council officers and our fantastic community groups we will get through this difficult time and reopen and rebuild as soon as possible.  2020 has no doubt reminded us all of the importance of our communities and of coming together with others.  I hope that we will be able to do this in our community centres before too long. 

 

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