Agenda and minutes

1.         This meeting is to be webcast. Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking.

2.         The Chairman will read the following announcement:

“This meeting will be webcast live to the Internet and will be archived for later viewing. Copies of recordings may be made available on request.

By entering the chamber’s lower seating area you consenting to becoming part of the webcast.

If you wish to avoid being filmed you should move to the public gallery or speak to the webcasting officer”

The Chairman reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

It was noted from the Cabinet that Councillor W Breare-Hall had tendered his apologies.

(Director of Governance). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor J Knapman was substituting for Councillor P Keska.

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 23 March 2015.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the last Committee meeting held on 23 March 2015 be agreed.

There were no declarations of interest made pursuant to the Member’s Code of Conduct.

To receive a presentation from officers from the North Essex Parking Partnership.  Matthew Young, Head of Operational Services and Richard Walker, Parking Partnership Group Manager will be attending.

The Committee received a presentation from officers of the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP), namely Mr R Walker, Parking Partnership Group Manager, Mr M Adamson, Area Manager Western District and Mr M Young, Head of Operational Service.

NEPP officers outlined the background to their organisation:

(a)          Essex County Council decriminalised parking functions between 2002-2004, which led to them being policy makers with 12 agencies in districts and boroughs running parking enforcement.

(b)          A growing deficit reaching £900,000 across the county led, in 2009, to the County Council ordering district and boroughs to cancel all agencies.

(c)          The agencies were replaced by North and South Essex Parking Partnership. The North was responsible for Epping Forest, Harlow, Uttlesford, Braintree, Colchester and Tendering, the South were responsible for Brentwood, Basildon, Chelmsford, Maldon, Rochford and Castle Point.

(d)    The strategic priorities for the NEPP were:

(i)     Improving safety;

(ii)    Improving business opportunities through better parking policies;

(iii)   Increasing enforcement to improve availability for Blue Badge holders; and

(iv)   Greater environmental efficiency.

(e)    The NEPP Business Plan was to improve on efficiency and be financially sustainable. The NEPP had inherited a deficit of £574,301, currently they had a small surplus of £80,000.

Questions from the Committee

Officers had requested questions from District Council members in advance of the meeting, as far as possible, so that NEPP representatives could prepare answers. Member questions were as follows:

(a)          Could NEPP wardens take action in cases where vehicles were parked on verges and green areas?

Supplementary Question – If wardens could take action, was this jurisdiction restricted to land administered by Essex County Council, the District Council or even Epping Forest itself?

NEPP representatives replied not yet. The Committee was advised of the Essex Act, peculiar to this county, which allowed for enforcement. In cases where land was owned by an authority, it was advised that legislation should be checked first. Highways owned land required an S50 application for entering the highway to carry out mowing. Each licence needed to be applied for separately, by the authority carrying out the mowing work, and each area needed proof that it was kept in the condition to which the law related. Enforcement could then be carried out by notice. A trial had been carried out in Braintree with successful results.

It was felt that in the medium to longer term, better enforcement could be achieved with this legal mechanism.

(b)          Were wardens aware of the different land ownerships involved?

NEPP representatives replied that wardens were aware of different land ownerships.

(c)          Could the wardens also take action regarding obstructive parking on pavements or was this solely a matter for the police?

It was advised that unnecessary obstruction of the footway, where there was no other parking restriction, was a matter for the police. Driving on the footway was an offence as was “pavement” parking.

(d)          Did the NEPP have comprehensive data on where all yellow lines were, and did the NEPP have a work programme to monitor those lines  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

The Committee is asked to consider whether they are happy with the draft report (attached) and to make amendments where necessary. Any comments should be submitted to Democratic Services by Friday, 15 May 2015 for inclusion in the final version. 

This draft is still incomplete as not all Panels have held their last meeting for the year at the time this agenda went to print.

The final report will be submitted to the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 9 June 2015 for endorsement and then on to the nearest Full Council meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:

To consider and comment on the draft O&S Annual Report for 2014/15.

The Democratic Services Manager presented to the Committee the Overview and Scrutiny Draft Annual Report for 2014-15. It was noted that it was currently incomplete as not all scrutiny panels had held their last meetings for this year at the time of going to print. It was still possible to submit comments by 15 May 2015. The final report would be submitted to the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 9 June 2015 for endorsement and onward recommendation for approval to the nearest Full Council meeting.

(Chairman and Lead Officer) To receive an interim report from the Grant Aid Review Task and Finish Panel.

The Committee received an interim report regarding the Grant Aid Review 2014/15.

Members noted that the Grant Aid Budget for 2015/16 had been reduced by £11,517, which had reduced the overall budget to £83,543 in the next financial year. It was advised that £43,457 was committed to three year agreements. In effect, this left £40,000 for the consideration of applications for one-off major grants.

The Committee was asked to consider any amendments or additions required. At this stage, there was no specific section dealing with “Acknowledgements” for those assisting in carrying out the review. This was awaiting the completion of Part 2 of the review in respect of Service level Agreements, which was intended to be carried out in 2015/16.

Councillor C Pond reported that the interim and final recommendations of the Panel would be made to the Cabinet later in the year.

The Committee thanked Councillor C Pond for her chairmanship of the Task and Finish Panel. It was advised that this interim report would be put before the Cabinet.

RECOMMENDED:

That the interim report regarding the Grant Aid Review 2014/15 be noted.

After the recent CQC report on the Whipps Cross ‘inadequate’ rating for their quality of care, members had asked that the Chairman of Barts Hospital be asked to attend one of our meetings. To this end the Chairman had sent the attached letter to the Chairman of Barts Health NHS Trust, asking that he attend our meeting in June 2015. Members will be updated at the meeting of any response received.

The Democratic Services Manager advised that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairman’s letter to the Chairman of Barts Health NHS Trust regarding the recent CQC report on the inadequate rating of Whipps Cross Hospital, had not yet received a reply. A further letter had been sent. There was a joint scrutiny committee the Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (also involving Redbridge and London Borough of Waltham Forest) looking at healthcare at Whipps Cross and it would be useful to have the District Council represented.

The Committee was advised by Councillor C C Pond that the joint scrutiny committee had met last week and there had been 6 representatives at the meeting. Waltham Forest Council would continue to monitor the situation and said they would keep the Councillor informed of developments.

(a)          To consider the updated work programme

The current Overview and Scrutiny work programme is attached for information.

(b)          Reserve Programme

A reserve list of scrutiny topics is required to ensure that the work flow of OSC is continuous.

OSC will ‘pull out’ items from the list and allocate them accordingly once space becomes available in the work programme following the completion of existing reviews.

Members can put forward any further suggestions for inclusion in the reserve list either during the meeting or at a later date.

Existing review items will be dealt with first, then time will be allocated to the items contained in the reserve work plan.

(a)  Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Committee noted their work programme to date which was now complete. An outturn report in respect of Item 6 Key Objectives 2014/15 was due in July 2015.

(b)  Scrutiny Panels

(i)    Housing Scrutiny Panel

The Panel Chairman had tendered his apologies for this meeting. It was noted that the Panel had made good progress during the year, some unfinished items were being transferred to the new Housing Select Committee.

(ii)          Constitution and Member Services Scrutiny Panel

The Panel Chairman advised that this Panel would cease to exist at the end of this municipal year, but its current work regarding the review of the Constitution would be continued by the new Constitution Working Party reporting directly to Council.

(iii)         Safer Cleaner Greener Scrutiny Panel

The Panel Chairman advised that their last meeting would have representatives from Thames Water in attendance.

(iv)         Planning Scrutiny Panel

The Panel Chairman advised that the Panel met for the last time on 14 April 2015. They discussed the progress made on the management of electronic information and systems. Work was on-going with scanning paper files and in converting to an electronic database historical microfiche planning records.

They received an update on the Local Plan, advising that the consultant’s final report on updating the Strategic Housing Market Assessment had been delayed as new household projections had been published by the Government. The draft final report was expected very soon.

A Member workshop was being scheduled for May to report on policy choices for the Community Infrastructure Levy and S106 Agreements.

There would be an extra meeting of the Local Council’s Liaison Committee on 15 June 2015 to discuss the Phase 1 report of the Green Belt Review.

The Panel was notified that there were three Neighbourhood Plans being consulted on or considered. New regulations stipulated that future designations would need to be made within 8 weeks. The District Council would be writing to all local councils outlining the level of support, guidance and funding available, to those progressing Neighbourhood Plans.

The District Council were objecting to the proposed scheme by Enfield Borough Council regarding the North Gateway Access Road and would be attending the examination at the end of this month with local council’s representatives as well.

The Planning Policy Portfolio Holder advised that he had attended a liaison meeting held at City Hall in London regarding the strengthening of communication between agencies in planning and development matters. This would be a regular fixture in the future.

The Chairman said that the Planning Scrutiny Panel had completed its Work Programme for this municipal year.

Members asked about placing an item in the Bulletin about a Local Plan workshop scheduled for 19 May 2015. Officers advised they could do this although a letter had been sent to each Councillor notifying them of the workshop.

(v)          Finance and Performance Management Scrutiny Panel

The Panel Chairman updated the Committee on its work. They had their last meeting in March, when, they had completed most  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

To review the Cabinet Forward Plan (Key Decision List) on a meeting by meeting basis (attached).

The Committee noted the Cabinet’s Forward Plan for March 2015. They had no specific items they wished to consider.

The Chairman reminded the Members that this was the last meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this municipal year. He thanked Councillors and officers for their work over the past year.