Agenda item

(1)       Mr Gough and Mrs Oliver introduced an update on the Total Place pilot and future direction of Total Place.

(2)       The issue of focusing on a particular area for example the work in Margate and Cliftonville West leading to the problems being moved to another area was raised.

(3)       A Member expressed the view that the barriers to the pilot as set out in the final report were not extensive enough and they should not be underestimated at a local level. There was also the issue of the territorial barriers in central government and the lack of commonality at national level, for example some government departments were exempt from Stamp duty.  These barriers need to be overcome if we were to move forward with the rationalisation of assets. It was important that legislation relating to Total Place was enabling rather than proscriptive.  In relation to the proposal in Appendix 5 to co-locate the public section back office functions in Tunbridge Wells, a Member pointed out that this was only one of 8 options that had been put forward and that there were a number of barriers, for example expiry dates of leases. 

 (4)      In relation to the references to Margate in the papers a Member asked that an effort be made to ensure that a balanced view was given rather than an emphasis on the negative aspects of the area. 

(5)       The issue of transfer of ownership of assets from one body to another was raised as something that must be done by agreement amongst willing partners.

(6)       In response to a question on Member involvement in Total Place, Mr Gough stated that in the early stages a small number of District and County Members had been involved.  He anticipated there being frequent items to this Committee on Total Place.  A key issue that would need to be considered would be the role of Members in the scrutiny of services across a “Place”.

(7)       Mr Gough emphasised that the County Council was not interested in empowering a mechanism for central government to take control of Council assets.  It was difficult to get horizontal co-operation especially linked to the centre.  It was essential that elected authorities played a leading role in the process.

(8)       In response to a question on the figures within the report, Mrs Oliver explained that extrapolations had been used in order to met the deadline for submitting the report. 

(9)       Mr Simmonds emphasised the need for quick financial wins from Total Place and expressed concern that a lot of the timescale for Total Place was longer term. 

(10)     Mr King reinforced three key points, the first was that this should be a coalition of the willing, secondly it was important that democratically elected Members who represented Government at a local level took a lead in this process, as there was a real opportunity to bring together agencies of central government and get them to work more effectively.  Finally he stated that Total Place was not a universal solution and it could only be achieved if there was trust between the tiers of government and they came together in a constructive way. 

(11)     RESOLVED that the progress on this key activity for Kent be noted and there be an update to the September 2010 meeting of the Committee.