Issue - meetings

(Chairman of the Select Committee) Article 6 (Overview and Scrutiny) of the Constitution requires that the chairmen of the select committees report to the meeting in regard to progress with the achievement of the current work programme for each select committee and on any recommendations for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The current work programme for each select committee is attached as an appendix to this agenda.

The Committee considered the current Work Programmes for the three Select Committees.

Stronger Communities Select Committee

The Chairman of the Stronger Communities Select Committee, Cllr D Sunger, informed the Committee that their first meeting of the municipal year was scheduled for 21 July 2020, and the focus would be on the impact of Covid-19 on the Council’s housing communities.

Cllr D Wixley praised the sterling efforts of Democratic Services Officer, J Leither, in organising the presentation by the Loughton GROW Community Garden group at the meeting next week.

Stronger Council Select Committee

The Chairman of the Stronger Council Select Committee, Cllr P Bolton, stated that the first meeting of the municipal year had taken place on 14 July 2020.

Cllr S Murray, who had attended the meeting, highlighted the concerns expressed by the Select Committee on learning that the contract for refurbishing the Civic Offices had been let on the basis of only one tender being received. The Councillor felt that this should not happen again in the future for any contract. The Leader of Council, Cllr C Whitbread, reassured the Committee that more than one tender should be considered in normal circumstances; however, the Council undertook a full procurement process for this contract which had produced only one tender.

Stronger Place Select Committee

The Chairman of the Stronger Place Select Committee, Cllr R Bassett, reported that the first meeting of the municipal year had been held on 9 July 2020. It had been a lively meeting, but the Councillor felt that there had been too many verbal reports. The Select Committee had considered an early version of the updated Local Plan, considered climate change, and discovered that the Epping Forest had many veteran trees.

            Resolved:

            (1)        That the Work Programmes for the three Select Committees be noted.