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.

(a)          Stronger Communities Select Committee

As Councillor R Balcombe had reported the select committee’s scrutiny of the HRA Business Plan earlier in the meeting, Councillor J Lea (Chairman) added that she would be liaising with D Fenton over housing scrutiny as resident seemed to have many complaints.

(b)       Stronger Council Select Committee

Councillor P Bolton, Chairman, commented that at the last meeting on 18 January, seven of the Cabinet had attended which was useful as they were able to answer members’ questions directly. As some of the business was repetitive and cyclical, as with Corporate Performance reporting of the KPIs, he would not report on these. With the Council’s move towards members using digital communication, there was a discussion on digital versus telephone. However, some members were having difficulties with this and found it easier to telephone. Members also discussed why there were hardly any planning applications coming before Area Plans West Committee. The select committee had reviewed the quarter 3 Budget Monitoring Report and the draft budget for 2022/23 but there were no major problems highlighted, although it was noted that inflation was one of the greatest threats.

Councillor S Murray commented that in regard to work programme item (11), he understood Voter ID legislation was still going through Parliament, but remarked that it would have major implications for the Council and would be quite costly to introduce.

Councillor J Lea asked if planning delegations had changed for applications coming before planning committees, as many Area Plans West meetings had been cancelled. G Woodhall replied that he thought they had been updated two years ago, but he would look this up in the Constitution and let Councillor Lea know.

(c)       Stronger Place Select Committee

Councillor M Sartin advised that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman had both given their apologies for this meeting. Councillor S Murray remarked that he had not been able to attend the last meeting on 13 January but had been concerned by the agenda report on the “Introduction of charging for additional/replacement waste containers”. Councillor M Sartin replied she had asked this question at the meeting and her comments had been noted, so these would be published in the minutes in due course.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the progress of the three select committees against their work programmes.