ColchChronic

Tuesday 12th December, 2023

Colchester City Council has failed to meet seven of the key service targets it set itself between April and September 2023.

These cover:

Rent collected

Bereavement Services Income

Household waste reused, recycled, and composted

Number of households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households

Average time to re-let council homes  

Repairs completed within target timescale 

Customer satisfaction with latest repair

The failure to meet these Key Performance Indicators will be discussed by the Scrutiny Panel when it meets at the Town Hall on 12th December.

Chaired by Tory Cllr Darius Laws, the meeting will consider the report: Half Year April – September 2023 Performance Report Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

#SEXY

The report benchmarks what has actually happened on the ground against the policy aims set out by the City Council.

Scrutiny can make comments about the performance of the Council in these areas, and then send them back for Cabinet to consider in January. It’s basically the Council marking its own homework.

Five broad themes have been identified by the Council across all policy areas:

Financial

Respond to the Climate Emergency

Deliver Homes for those Most in Need

Improve Health, Well Being and Happiness

Grow our Economy So Everyone Benefits

A total of 26 KPI’s are then laid out, each relating to one of the areas above.

There is better news for other KPI’s with 12 of these being met. Housing Benefit and the Local Council Tax Scheme both exceeded the service levels expected.

Residents are receiving benefits after an average of 2.91 days for Housing Benefit and 2.45 days for Local Council Tax Scheme.

Thursday 7th December, 2023

The Colchester Local Plan Review is the stand out agenda item for the next Local Plan meeting at the Town Hall on 11th December.

Officers have started the process, focussing on plans for the green network and creating a better environment.

The Committee’s endorsement in October led to workshops between Members and Officers to shape this vision. Resident engagement is expected in the new year.

The consultation on green spaces and waterways seeks community feedback until early January 2024. Stakeholders are invited to share their views on existing spaces, aiming to shape the city’s environment positively.

Colchester’s strengths, as outlined in the Member Workshop, included cultural heritage, green spaces, inclusive communities, quality of life, and environmental considerations.

Looking ahead to opportunities until 2041, these workshops also highlighted aspects such as better public transport, sustainable communities, future-proofed infrastructure, housing, jobs, and tourism as key areas for development.

Another agenda item at the Local Plan meeting is the adoption of Active Travel and Climate Change Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs).

These documents aim to improve existing policies within the Local Plan and guide applicants toward more ambitious approaches to support the city’s climate and ecological emergency declaration.

The Active Travel SPD emphasises the need for clear active travel routes while promoting sustainable growth. Similarly, the Climate Change SPD urges future-proofed buildings that promote environmental sustainability.

A unique perspective was offered by Sir Bob Russell:

“Active travel routes should not be at the expense of, nor to the detriment of, other users of the King’s Highway. Pedestrians greatly out number cyclists, but pedestrians are being discriminated against in order to satisfy the whims of the cycling lobby.

Sir Bob remains something of an outlier. It’s not clear from the report why he was asked for his opinion.

The meeting will also discuss the Infrastructure Funding Statement, providing insights into the developer contributions obtained, allocated, and spent during the previous financial year.

A total of £7,726,158.57 has been generated in planning obligations for affordable housing delivery.

Wednesday 6th December, 2023

The main political parties in Colchester are at loggerheads over the number of Councillors.

On the agenda for the Full Council meeting on 7th December is: Electoral Review of the City of Colchester.

The Officer recommendation is to endorse the evidence based document. This will then be submitted to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

There is disagreement however about how many Councillors should be elected to the City Council.

The independent Electoral Commission determines electoral arrangements for local authorities in England. It assesses electoral inequality across regions, where electors might be over or under-represented by their Councillors compared to average levels of representation.

Last year, the Commission noted a discrepancy in the electoral data supplied by Colchester City Council, indicating variances in several electoral wards. One ward showed a variance of over 30%, prompting the Commission to start an electoral review for Colchester in 2023.

The City Council currently has 51 Councillors, a number reduced from 60 following the previous electoral review in 2016. The Council’s size must be divisible by three due to its election by thirds.

Despite ongoing discussions among political groups within the Council regarding the Council’s size, reaching a consensus has failed.

As a result, Full Council won’t aim to agree on a Council size submission. Instead, each political group will make individual submissions to the Commission.

A public consultation by the Commission will begin in June 2024, leading to whole Council elections in May 2026 based on the revised warding plan.

Currently, 65% of Councillors receive Special Responsibility Allowances for roles like Cabinet Members or Committee Chairs

Monday 4th December, 2023

Colchester City Council is set to address critical climate action and sustainability issues in the upcoming Environment and Sustainability Panel meeting scheduled for December 6th at the Town Hall.

The Council achieved a 34% rating in the Council Climate Action Scorecards, surpassing the district council average of 29%. This was the highest score among district councils in Essex.

The assessment by Climate Emergency UK, evaluating environmental efforts of local authorities nationwide, noted the Council’s significant strides in transport initiatives, ranking fourth among 186 district councils.

The detailed analysis also acknowledged actions such as improving the energy performance of housing stock, adopting shared travel methods (e.g., electric scooters, car clubs), and initiatives aimed at reducing the use of glyphosate while cutting down on mowing green spaces.

The Council claimed that resource limitations, including staffing and budget constraints, stalled the implementation of certain actions recommended in the report.

The Council is yet to roll out strategies such as procuring a 100% renewable energy tariff due to increased costs amidst high electricity prices and a lack of electric vehicle charge points within the borough.

The meeting’s agenda also includes an update on the Essex Climate Action Commission (ECAC), an independent advisory group formed by Essex County Council.

The report outlines Colchester City Council’s active involvement in various environmental ventures, such as biodiversity enhancement, waste reduction strategies, and net-zero planning policies for new homes.

The meeting will discuss the delivery and success of domestic energy efficiency grants, the Council’s finalised Greenhouse Gas Report showing a 10.5% decrease in emissions since the 2018/19 financial year, and a bid for funding to enhance energy efficiency at Leisure World Colchester.

Wednesday 29th November, 2023

Two Motions with a similar theme, if not outcome, have been put forward ahead of the next Full Council meeting of Colchester City Council on 7th December.

Green Councillor Mark Goacher has submitted the following Motion:

“Colchester City Council recognises the significance of the tragic situation in the Middle East to our city and its impact on our local communities, including the rising incidence of antisemitism and Islamophobia, and the potential need for Colchester to provide sanctuary to refugees fleeing the conflict.

We therefore call on the UK Government to use its influence to press for the urgent release of all hostages; for international law to be upheld and for the protection of all civilians in Israel and Palestine; for an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people and an end to the siege of Gaza to allow vital supplies of food, fuel, medicine and water to reach the civilian population; and to join with the international community and the UN and its aid agencies in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire.”

It will be interesting to see which Councillors support the Motion calling for a ceasefire. We’d wager that party politics will be at play here.

You don’t say.

Privately many Councillors may support the idea of a ceasefire – who chuffing wouldn’t? But by isolating the Greens as going against traditional conservative, Establishment politics, you are framing them as outsiders.

Those outsiders have a very good chance of taking another Green seat in Castle ward next May…

Meanwhile, a joint Motion has been put forward by Labour Councillor Julie Young, and the Tory Group Leader Councillor Paul Dundas:

“This Council acknowledges the overwhelming tragedies of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza and other conflicts around the world.

Residents of all persuasions will be feeling powerless, scared and uncertain here in Colchester too. Residents in our City have friends, relatives and family connections with Israel and Gaza and we acknowledge the shock, terror and grief that they must be feeling.

The Council’s number one priority at this time is to keep all of our residents safe and we are working with our partners in the Police and charities such as Refugee, Asylum-seeker and Migrant Action (RAMA) and Community 360 to help keep everyone, and especially those most vulnerable in the City, as well supported as possible.

Colchester as a City of Sanctuary has a vision of being a welcoming place of safety for all. We are proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. We reaffirm our commitment to this important work and thank our officers for the most difficult but vital work they do to support all communities in our City especially at this difficult time.”

Wise words, but it’s difficult to see exactly what the joint Motion is calling for? Calling for the Council to continue working as a City of Sanctuary is like asking the Council to keep on promoting Colchester to the outside world.

There has been absolutely no indication that the City of Sanctuary status is going to end.

Cynics will say that it is a waste of Colchester City Council time in debating a Motion about events taking place hundreds of miles away. Both sides in the conflict are not going to change their position because of Colchester City Council.

But as both Motions explain, Colchester has always been a welcoming city. We have residents from many backgrounds who will have personal connections with what is happening in Gaza.

Tuesday 28th November, 2023

Tonight’s Governance and Audit Committee meeting at the Town Hall will look at the SEXY topic of: Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places.

tl’dr

…there are some slight shifts in certain wards’ polling stations before future elections.

The purpose of the report is to get the Committee’s nod to approve the updated list of polling districts and places across Colchester. This will then go to Full Council to approve.

There is a focus on accessibility, aiming to make voting easier and more convenient for everyone involved.

Vote early, vote often, etc.

If you want to get technical, then the Representation of the People Act 1983 and the Electoral Administration Act 2013 demand that local authorities review these districts and stations every five years for UK Parliamentary elections.

The previous compulsory review in Colchester happened in 2020.

These polling districts and places aren’t just for Parliamentary elections; they’ll also serve in Local Government elections and any upcoming referendums.

But let’s not go down that route…

The basic premise is to keep the polling district boundaries within existing Parliamentary or Local Government ward limits.

Here’s the twist: because of ongoing electoral reviews by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, the Council hasn’t gone for a full-scale review of current polling districts.

Among the key recommendations outlined are:

Berechurch: Expanding the polling place to use the C3 Centre as an alternative station to Plum Hall for added flexibility.

Greenstead: Making it official by changing the polling station from St John Ambulance to the Hythe Community Centre.

Lexden and Braiswick: Shifting the polling station to the Colchester Croquet Club from Kingswood Hoe School.

Marks Tey and Layer: Changing the polling place to Birch and formalising the station from St Mary’s Church Layer Breton to Birch Memorial Hall.

New Town and Christchurch: Moving the polling station to the Pegasus Club from Hamilton Road School.

Tuesday 28th November, 2023

Tonight’s Town Hall Governance and Audit Committee meeting is set to unravel some big budget woes for Colchester City Council.

Under discussion is the Quarter 2 Budget Report. The headline news is the Council is looking at an overspend of £1.447 million for this year.

According to the Council, inflation and interest rates are playing the villain here. They’re sticking around longer than anyone thought, causing costs to go up while money from some services is taking a hit.

People spending less because of higher living costs and pricey homes is also hitting the Council’s wallet.

The Council is expecting a big squeeze on the Homelessness/Temporary Accommodation budget, now looking at £860,000 overspend instead of the £533,000 they budgeted.

It’s not getting as much cash as expected from Garden Waste Collection, about £551,000 less due to tricky accounting rules.

To try and balance things, the Council’s freezing new hiring, thinking it’ll save about £0.5 million.

The Council admits they’re working in a bit of a crazy money world right now. Some things they expected, others were total surprises.

There’s a £289,000 Amphora dividend missing, and they’re overspending by £187,000 on employees. There’s also a £194,000 insurance bill that’s higher than they thought.

Neighbourhood Services are also in trouble, with a £522,000 problem because of Garden Waste Collection income mix-ups.

Car Parking’s got £177,000 extra costs, and Planning’s missing £132,000 in cash.

Plus, Place & Prosperity are overspending by £122,000 because they can’t fill vacant jobs like they hoped.

Belt tightening ahoy!

Friday 17th November, 2023

The Cabinet at Colchester City Council is expected to approve the staff pay policy for the year ahead when it meets at the Town Hall on 22nd November.

This statement covers the pay and benefits of every Colchester City Council employee. This doesn’t include financial allowances or bonuses for some specific companies.

Since 2013, the Council has been committed to paying the Living Wage, ensuring a minimum standard for its employees. Currently, around 400 permanent/casual Council staff and 60 contracted employees benefit from this.

Recently, the Living Wage was bumped up from £10.90 to £12.00 an hour, effective from November 1st, 2023, after an announcement by the Living Wage Foundation.

There are ongoing discussions about pay increases for the upcoming year.

Despite an offered £1,000 rise per spinal column point and additional payments, including extra leave for specific staff, this proposal has been turned down. UNISON is polling members on potential strike action in response.

The figures reveal a significant pay gap: Chief Officers make a Median average pay of £95,154.43, while other staff average at £26,452.24.

Chief Executive Pam Donnelly earned an extra £11,888 in the last year for her role during the local elections as the Returning Officer.

Wednesday 15th November, 2023

Colchester City Council is set to bring back in-house the management functions of Colchester Borough Homes related to non-housing assets. The decision will be taken at the Cabinet meeting on 22nd November.

The decision follows a report by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). It recommends the need for a new approach to the management, maintenance, and investment in the Council’s future land and property assets.

The proposed ‘corporate landlord team’ model aims to consolidate asset management functions within the Council.

As the initial step, teams within Colchester Borough Homes handling non-housing assets functions, such as capital works, facilities management, and maintenance, will be brought back under direct Council governance and management.

The Council plans to approve the transfer of these functions and associated staff by April 1, 2024, with shadow management arrangements preceding the date to ensure a managed transition.

Apart from Council housing, the Council manages a significant property portfolio valued at approximately £238 million as of March 31, 2022.

The move to a corporate landlord team model seeks to centralise budget and decision-making.

The Council claims that it will improve standards of maintenance and provide greater efficiencies in managing land and buildings. This may involve job cuts.

Staff consultations have commenced to address staffing implications, with transition planning already underway.

Tuesday 17th October, 2023

Colchester City Council is reevaluating its involvement in the Amphora Group. The details will be discussed at the Governance and Audit Committee meeting taking place at the Town Hall this evening.

The Council is considering scaling back its role in housing development at the Northern Gateway. This decision has been prompted by increasing financial risks that the local authority is reluctant to undertake.

The Amphora Group comprises a holding company, Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd, and three subsidiaries, including Colchester Amphora Trading Ltd (CATL), Colchester Amphora Homes (CAHL), and Colchester Amphora Energy Ltd (CAEL).

These companies were established as Local Authority Trading Companies in 2017, wholly owned by the City Council, with the aim of generating income for the authority.

Council Claims Financial Constraints

A challenging economic environment, marked by higher costs and subdued property values, has led to financial constraints for the City Council.

The original plans for new housing under CAHL, particularly as part of the Northern Gateway development, have been affected by these financial limitations. The ability to fund such investments has caused concern at the Town Hall.

The new proposal is for the Council to take on the role of master developer for the Northern Gateway, providing funding for key aspects of the project. However, the changing circumstances raise questions about the Council’s ability to continue in this role.

Reevaluating Delivery Options

The Council claims it is not abandoning its aspirations for the Northern Gateway but is considering alternative strategic delivery options. Joint ventures or even partial or full disposal of the site are being explored as potential alternatives to the Council’s current role as a master developer.

Hibernating Amphora Homes

In line with these changes, there’s a recommendation to ‘hibernate’ or place Amphora Homes in a dormant status. The prospects of the company recovering its costs in the near future appear limited.

Delays Affecting CAEL

Delays in the development of the Northern Gateway have delayed CAEL’s ability to complete the low carbon heat network, impacting its income-generation potential.

Without buildings and facilities in place, CAEL currently lacks customers for the heat it was established to produce.

As a result, CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) recommends that CAEL be ‘hibernated,’ with the assets created transferred to the City Council.

Staff Implications

The new strategy carries significant staffing implications, and staff consultations are planned.