RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Panel’s recommendations 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 as detailed in the Minutes of the meeting be agreed;

(2)  it be noted that recommendations 3, 5 and 8 are beyond the Cabinet’s control;

(3)  in respect of the Panel’s recommendation 3, the Cabinet’s response be as follows:

“This recommendation can be accepted where this is agreed with the land or property owner before the Council has legal access or on safety grounds.” 

(4)  in respect of recommendation 5, the Cabinet’s response be as follows:

“This can be agreed only in relation to the following item ‘Proper organised advice should be given to victims regarding recovery via legal means (their own solicitor, CAB) and single point of contact should be utilised’

The Cabinet is unable to agree to delaying billing as the Council has a statutory requirement to invoice for expenditure within the year it has been incurred.  Therefore, a delay in sending out bills to customers where it has incurred expenditure on their behalf is not possible. 

However, the Cabinet agrees that vulnerable victims should not be threatened with legal action in such circumstances where insurance companies are taking claims and can agree to place a hold on the recovery of these invoices until this has been resolved.”

(5)  in respect of recommendation 8, the Cabinet’s response be as follows:

“This can be agreed where the Council has control of Gold Command for future incidents and the incident fits the criteria for declaring a major incident.  Where the Council does not have Gold Command, it may request that a major incident is called but is not in overall control as to whether this will be granted.

(6)  the Cabinet thanks the Scrutiny Review Panel for the work it has undertaken on the review.  The Cabinet is pleased that a way forward has been agreed that is satisfactory to all interested parties so that the Scrutiny into the tragic event on the evening of 25 March 2017 can be concluded.”