Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Lone, Steele, Hurt, Kelly, N Kazmi and Brown.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11^th March 2025  were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no additional items if business.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to any item on the agenda, in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members should consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda represent a conflict with any interests previously declared or new interests.  They should also consider whether their register of interests requires updating as a result of any new undeclared interests.  It is a requirement in law that any new or changed interests are declared within 28 days.  It is incumbent on Members to notify Officers of these changes.

There were no declarations of interest.

To determine during which items, if any, the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

Item 11. Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, this item would be taken under private items which would require exclusion of the public.

To consider questions, statements or petitions from Members of the Public.

There were no questions from the public.

To consider the list of future Key Decisions.

The Notice of Key Decisions and Private Meetings were noted.

To receive an update on the work of any active Scrutiny Review Groups.

Councillor Bridges updated the committee on some of the outcomes have bolstered by the working group discussions and will still deliver on the working group outcomes during the forthcoming year.

Executive and Full Council in March agreed additional funding for Streetscene for 2025/26. This funding will be used for the following:

1- Streetscene Targeted Ward Saturdays. Each ward will have 2 x Saturday Targeted ward days.  Aqeel Rehman will be the officer responsible for the involvement of relevant ward members, other partners and the collation and outcomes of ward priorities.  The suggested ward comms that Cllr Kazmi was keen to progress as part of the working group would fit really well with the planned targeted ward Saturdays and can still be progressed via Aqeel, if the committee felt this was still worth while.

2- The creation of 2 x temporary 12-month new posts to work fulltime on the enforcement of dog fouling and waste/flytipping on backstreets.  The suggestions of the working group in addressing environmental priorities have been included in the thinking to create these posts and we are looking for the posts to be filled in the next couple of months.  This was a good outcome that has been bolstered by the discussions that have been held by the working group.

Procurement of a redeployable CCTV camera trailer to monitor activity in flytipping hotspot areas.  This will be progressed during 2025/26 and undoubtably will assist the Council in tackling and acting as a deterrent to flytipping.

In addition, the LCC has also re-introduced its education 'walkway' 'Eco-Town' at its Leyland Education centre.  This will become a useful asset for both schools and community group, with the aim of better recycling awareness and re-use.  This information will be  available to residents via the targeted ward Saturdays.

The Committee received a report on the Household Support Fund 7 to deliver a seventh HSF7 and the Affordable Warmth Grant.

Fund amount and overview of the scheme

The Government have awarded Lancashire County Council (LCC) £17,057,602.21 for HSF7. Despite not yet knowing Burnley’s HSF allocation, delegated authority for the programme is being sought to enable the Council to mobilise a programme swiftly and efficiently upon confirmation of the grant from LCC.

LCC will award the Council a grant in the form of the Household Support Fund Grant and the Affordable Warmth Grant. It is thought that the grant will be like previous years at £921,336 and £90,960 respectively. The funding must be spent or committed by the end of March 2026. The Government’s guidance sets out the expectation that the fund should be used to support households in the most need. The council could issue payments directly to residents. It can also fund registered charities to provide support, such as food banks. The Government was also allowing the fund to be spent on advice services.

The council could claim reasonable administration costs.

Burnley Council have administered over £3,000,000 of support since the fund started in late 2021. Direct payments in the form of vouchers have been targeted at:

•        low-income households with a children

•        low-income pensioners

•        residents that have a disability band reduction or severe mental impairment or carers discount on their council tax

•        those that are on the edge of the benefit system.

•        those that applied but were not eligible for council tax support, if their income or capital was close to the threshold for eligibility for council tax support.

•        Payments to working age householders in receipt of council tax support.

•        Applications from other households that have previously not received any form of household support or cost of living payment.

HSF has also been used to fund the food bank and other charities providing food and other essential supplies to residents. Any resident can apply to the food bank for support and may be offered extra help through Burnley Together. The council were also able to use household support fund to support more applicants applying for a discretionary hardship payment and provide funding for debt and case worker support.

During the discussions Members raised questions which were answered and responded to by the Head of Policy and Engagement.

RESOLVED: The Committee noted the report.

To consider any amendments to the Work Programme for 2024/25.

The purpose of the report is to seek approval for the acceptance of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding if successful.

The Committee considered a report on the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report.