Agenda item - Modernising the Council - Workstyles Phase Three

Extract from the proceedings of the Special Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on the 12^th September 2013, together with a report of the Executive Director for Finance & Resources (copies attached).

41.1         Councillor Littman introduced the report which had been referred from the Policy & Resources Committee meeting held on the 17^th October 2013 to the council for information.  He stated that it outlined the next phase of the workstyles programme which would contribute to the modernisation of the council and enable necessary investment in the council’s workforce and IT systems and thereby generate long-term savings for the authority.

41.2         Councillor Wealls stated that he had previously put forward an amendment to the report to allow for part of Kings House to be used as a school.  He believed that there was a genuine need for an additional school in Hove and that consideration should have been given to utilising the site, and that there was still time to do so.  There was evidence to show that demand for places would increase and as yet there appeared to be no planning to meet that demand.

41.3         Councillor Shanks stated that there were currently places available in schools to meet demand and it was more of a question of encouraging parents to take up those places.  The council had already heard from Mr. Georgiou about difficulties faced by schools in Portslade, which showed the need to get a balance across the city.

41.4         Councillor Mitchell noted that there had been discussions at a cross-party level on workstyles and at the Leaders Group and she was therefore puzzled by the Conservative Group’s amendment to the Policy & Resources Committee on the use of Kings House.  There was a need to take the modernisation programme forward and look at the projections for school places and therefore a need to have accurate data both in regard to numbers of pupils and numbers of places available in current schools.  She noted that there had been expansions in Portslade and yet there were empty places.

41.5         Councillor Peltzer Dunn expressed his concern in regard to the lack of consultation with residents in relation to the proposals for Hove Town Hall under the workstyles programme.  He believed that there was a need to inform them and to seek their views as it provided a community facility which now appeared to be being taken away.

41.6         Councillor J. Kitcat stated that there was a need for the council to adapt and modernise and as part of that process to dispose of Kings House, which would generate necessary resources to provide better facilities and support for its services and staff.  There were sufficient places across the city to meet the demand for school places and it was not in the Council’s gift to control the establishment of free schools and academies.

41.7         Councillor G. Theobald stated that the rationalisation of council buildings was a logical step for the long-term efficiency of the council and the Conservative Group fully supported the disposal of Kings House.  However, there was a need to look at the potential use of the building and the proposal for a school was one that should be considered as there was a demand for places and it was not constructive to bus children across the city to Moulsecoomb and Portslade.

41.8         Councillor Hamilton noted that projections for reception places in Portslade schools over the next 3 years showed an excess of 100 places, which meant that there was a problem waiting to happen.  He was still waiting for the figures to be provided in regard to the number of 4, 5 and 6 year-olds in Portslade.  He was also concerned about the workstyles programme and the impact for Portslade Town Hall as it still showed a distinct lack of car parking facilities compared with the likely number of people seeking to use the facilities there.

41.9         Councillor Littman noted the comments and stated that the disposal of Kings House was an important part of the Best Value programme and should the Education Funding Agency feel that it could be used then an appropriate offer at the going rate could be made.  However, the earliest that a school could be up and running was 2017 and he was not sure it would be required by that time.  He therefore hoped that the workstyles programme would be fully supported.

41.10    The Mayor noted that the report had been referred for information and asked that the Council agreed to note the report.

41.11    RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

41.12    The Mayor then adjourned the meeting for a refreshment break at 6.30pm.

41.13    The Mayor reconvened the meeting at 7.15pm.