To receive the report and to consider any recommendations to Council arising from the meetings held on 16th and 30th March and 20th and 27th April, 2006.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor R.J. Phillips, presented the report of the meetings of Cabinet held on 16th and 30th March and 20th and 27th April, 2006.

In relation to Item 1.1 - Review of the Herefordshire Plan (Community Strategy) - In response to a question about the role of the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority, the Leader agreed that the authority provided essential services not just in emergencies but also in its preventative role and felt that needed to be taken into account in the Community Strategy.  He also agreed to take up the point about failing to reflect the ethnic diversity in Herefordshire in the photographs.

In relation to Item 2.1 - Proposed use of Former Denco Car Park at Holmer Road, Hereford - the Leader agreed with a comment that the £10,000 opportunity cost lost to the Council by making the site available for the provision of a skate park was outweighed by the advantages the park would provide to the young people of Hereford.

In relation to Item 4.1(i) - Consultations on new Strategic Health Authority, Primary Care Trust and Ambulance Service Arrangements - Councillor W.J.S. Thomas, Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee, wished to register his satisfaction over the agreed joint response from the Cabinet and the Health Scrutiny Committee supporting a West Midlands Strategic Health Authority, the continuation of an independent Herefordshire Primary Care Trust and a single Ambulance Trust for the West Midlands.

In response to concerns about regionalisation of services, the Leader advised that the Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service would cease on 1 July 2006, and the Primary Care Trust would be fully operational from 1 April 2007.   He spoke of the deficit in funding being faced nationally in Social Services,  as a result of patients being transferred from PCTs to local councils.  He said that this was something the government would need to address.  He also said that rural areas would have to fight hard to make themselves heard above the demands from the metropolitan authorities who tended to dominate the economic agenda.

In relation to Item 5.1(i) - Joint Area Review - Improvement Plan - In response to a query about school attendance and in particular about excluded children the Leader urged Councillors to approach the Cabinet Member (Children and Young People) or himself if they knew of any cases causing concern.  Councillor Rule, Cabinet Member (Children and Young People) informed Council that the absence figures for pupils in Herefordshire was below the national average and for looked after children well below the national average, but also urged Councillors to contact him direct if they had  concerns about any aspect of pupil behaviour.

In relation to Item 5.1(ii) - Review of the Provision of School Places - In response to a query, Councillor D.W. Rule, MBE advised that special schools would be subject to a separate review, as the issue there was with increasing demand rather than falling rolls.

In relation to Item 6.1(i) Halo Leisure Trust - The Leader agreed to meet with Councillors Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Robertson, the Council's representatives on Halo's Board, to discuss any concerns they might have.

In relation to Item 11.1(i) - EU Funding Programmes 2007-2013 - In response to comments about the reduction in European funding, the Leader warned that the situation could deteriorate even further as urban areas were now able to claim funding.

In relation to Item 12.1(i) - Integrated Community Equipment Service - In response to a query about thresholds for loan of equipment, Councillor Mrs Barnet, Cabinet Member (Social Care Adults and Health) said that this could be included in the review but, she would be happy to look at  individual cases immediately.

In relation to Item 12.2(i) - Homelessness Update - The Leader acknowledged that improved communications between Herefordshire Housing Ltd and the Council was a key factor in the Improvement Plan.

In response to a query Councillor Mrs. Barnett advised that, in order to prevent "intentional homelessness" officers were able to offer advice to keep families together as well as helping out with debt problems. 

In response to a query on additional financial assistance to the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) which was having to close its offices in Ross due to cuts in funding, and the potential impact this would have on the community, the Leader advised that the Council continued to provide the CAB with its agreed level of funding, the reduction in funding was due to cuts elsewhere.

Cabinet Report to Council - Councillor James, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, noted that most of the reports contained in the report were in response to demands from central government with only three or four being concerned with specific local issues.  He was also saddened by the lack of interest from the press and public.

RESOLVED:  That the reports from the meetings of Cabinet held on 16th and 30th March and 20th and 27th April, 2006 be received and the recommendations set out below be adopted:

That    (a)            the Community Strategy be approved;

(b)              the Children and Young People's Plan be approved; and

(c)       the Statement of Community Involvement be approved for the purposes of submission to the Secretary of State and publication for consultation purposes.