Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Council House. View directions

Contact: Michelle Salmon, Governance Services  Tel: 024 7683 3065, Email:  michelle.salmon@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

8.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

9.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 59 KB

(a)  To agree the Minutes of the meeting held on 11th July 2018

 

(b)  Matters arising

 

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 11th July 2018 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

10.

Affordable Warmth Support for Vulnerable and Low Income Householders pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Briefing Note and Presentation of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note and presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided the Board with further information on affordable warmth support, following consideration of the work of the Energy and Low Carbon Team at the meeting on 11th July 2018 (minute 3/18).

 

Fuel poor households cannot afford to heat their home to an adequate temperature. The majority of households in fuel poverty are owner occupiers and people living in private rented accommodation, and single parents and houses with multiple occupants are also the most at risk.

 

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy annual fuel poverty statistics for England were released in June 2018, the latest statistics relating to June 2016 showed:

Coventry

·  15.3% of all households in Coventry (20,479) are now fuel poor, compared to 11.1% in England. In the previous year, 14.4% of all Coventry households (18,878) were fuel poor, and 11.0% were fuel poor in England.

·  Out of all 326 billing local authorities in England, Coventry has the 10th highest level of fuel poverty along with 3 other local authorities (Sunderland, Barrow-in-Furness, Newham).

Coventry Neighbourhoods

·  Of the 195 Lower Super Output Areas in Coventry, there are 40 where at least 1 in every 5 households are fuel poor. This is 21% of all LSOAs. In the previous year 29 LSOAs had at least 1 in every 5 households in fuel poverty.

·  The LSOA with the highest level of fuel poverty is Gosford and Gulson Roads. 38.3% of households in this LSOA are fuel poor. It has the 9th highest level of fuel poverty out of all 32,844 LSOAs in England.

Studies indicated that households that could not afford to heat their home to an adequate temperature could suffer ill health as a consequence. Older persons, children and those with existing health conditions were particularly vulnerable.

The Council’s Affordable Warmth Team and Public Health collaborated closely to develop and deliver projects that provided maximum support within the resources available. The two elements to the Team’s work were: i) providing insulation and heating measures to improve energy efficiency, and ii) offering affordable warmth advice and information. Most projects focused on helping low income and vulnerable householders who had health conditions that were affected by their cold homes, these were:

Warmer Homes in Coventry

Affordable Warmth on Prescription

Keeping Coventry Warm

Switch and Save

Warm and Healthy Homes for Disabled Householders

Heating Assistance Preventing Hospital Admissions

 

The Affordable Warmth Team provided wide-ranging affordable advice and information to help households reduce energy bills and stay warm in their homes. This was available to all Coventry households but focussed on those that were vulnerable or on a low income. Help was available by telephone, e-mail, the Council’s website, and by home visit, as well as through weekly surgeries held at Age UK, and included advice on energy tariffs, negotiations with energy suppliers regarding fuel debt, registering for the Priority Service Register and obtaining £140  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

The Wheelhouse pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Minutes:

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note and presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that informed the Board of current activity in relation to The Wheelhouse and their establishment of shared office space in the Council House, and sought the support and guidance of the Board in considering further options in relation to the St. Mary’s Guildhall offer.

 

In May 2018 (minute 49/17 refers) the Board were informed that The Wheelhouse had opened at the Council House as a means of generating an income from otherwise underutilised space within the Council.

The Wheelhouse (Coventry) opened in April 2018, within the former Communications Team offices converted to offer:

·  Dedicated desk spaces

·  Co-working desk spaces

·  Relaxed working spaces

·  Meeting room spaces

The Wheelhouse reported that they were on course for achieving targets in business growth and tangible income now being received from The Wheelhouse, which was ahead of forecast.

 

Hot desk membership was underperforming, however the number of fixed desk membership was ahead of forecast, which over-compensated revenue-wise for the hot desks.

 

The membership base had further increased over the last 3 month period, following the usual summer lull, with additional hot desk enquiries and a significant fixed desk enquiry supporting growth for September.

 

A renewed marketing campaign was being launched through September and October to capitalise on the ‘new term’ opportunities; social media, local business forums, press releases and event hosting, all support the marketing campaigns. A referral system was in place for all Coventry City Council Employees.

 

Following a visit to The Wheelhouse by the Board as part of their meeting, they questions officers and discussed in more detail the following:

 

·  The original set up of the Wheelhouse concept in London in 2016

·  The expansion of the concept to date – Oxford, Coventry

·  The Wheelhouse at the Council House launch in March 2018

·  Membership - the current usage of hot desks and fixed desks

·  Plans for growth

·  Opening hours and fees

·  Income generation for the Local Authority through the concept

·  The provisions included in the fee – network connection, office equipment, meeting/desk space

·  The benefits to users of the co-working provision

·  Types of business users – business start-ups, freelance, charities, entrepreneurs

 

The Board agreed that officers be requested to submit a further report in 6 months’ time on the progress of The Wheelhouse the business model and future plans

 

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise (3) agrees:

 

1)  To continue to support and promote the growth of The Wheelhouse and their shared office space within the Council House.

2)  A 6 month progress report on the business model be submitted to the Board. 

12.

Work Programme 2018/2019 pdf icon PDF 55 KB

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

Minutes:

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) considered the Work Programme for 2018/2019 and discussed the scheduling of proposed issues for consideration at future meetings of the Board.

 

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) notes the Board’s Work Programme for 2018/2019 and agrees that the following item be added, for consideration at a future meeting of the Board:

 

Coventry A Giga Bit City – Presentation and Briefing Note on Coventry’s aspiration to become a Giga Bit City.

13.

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

Minutes:

There were no other items of public business.

14.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Cabinet agrees to exclude the press and public under Sections 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 relating to the private report in Minute 11 above headed “The Wheelhouse” on the grounds that the report involves the likely disclosure of information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as it contains information relating to the financial affairs of a particular person (including the authority holding that information) and in all circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

15.

The Wheelhouse

Minutes:

Further to Minute 11 above, Members of the Board discussed confidential financial issues associated with The Wheelhouse.