Issue - meetings

(Chairmen of the Select Committees) 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.

(a)          Stronger Communities Select Committee

Councillor D Sunger reported that the select committee was looking forward to the District Police Commander coming in January 2021. In relation to monitoring homelessness in the District, a progress report on how the Council has been helping those individuals sleeping rough within the District was due in January. Officers were working to distribute Universal Credit and the furlough scheme had been extended. The community GROW project in Loughton was a good achievement.

Councillor J H Whitehouse requested that the Epping Forest District Museum be added to the work programme. There was some interesting work being done on the museum collections, as detailed in the report on Overview and Scrutiny – Corporate Programme Governance and Reporting by the Strategy, Delivery and Performance Director. Councillor D Sunger agreed for this to be added to the work programme.

(b)          Stronger Council Select Committee

Councillor P Bolton reported that the combination strategy was going ahead. Also, the current financial situation was very unpredictable.

Councillor S Murray commented that as this select committee scrutinised the business case, could it scrutinise the transfer of business services to Qualis? The transfer of a service was very significant, and he could not see Qualis giving back a service once it had been transferred. How would scrutiny be undertaken and what would be the best way to scrutinise the transfer of a business service to Qualis, which he thought members should be doing? The Strategic Director, A Small, replied that it depended on which service was being transferred, as to which select committee scrutinised it.

(c)          Stronger Place Select Committee 

As Councillor R Bassett had left the meeting, Councillor M Sartin stated that the work programme was as detailed in the agenda.

Councillor S Murray complimented Cllr Bassett on being a good select committee Chairman for Stronger Place, which was noted.

Resolved:

(1)          That the Committee noted the work programmes of the three select committees;

(2)          That Epping Forest District Museum, with regards to the ongoing work on its collections, be added to the Communities Select Committee work programme;

(3)          That scrutiny be undertaken by the relevant select committee when a service transferred to Qualis; and

(4)          That it be noted that Councillor S Murray complimented Councillor R Bassett on being a good Chairman of Stronger Place Select Committee.