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:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available for those that request it.

If you are seated in the lower public seating area it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in the possibility that your image will become part of the broadcast.

This may infringe your human and data protection rights and if you wish to avoid this you should move to the upper public gallery”

The Chairman made a short address to remind all present that the meeting would be broadcast on the Internet, and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was noted that Councillor Mrs P Brooks had substituted for Councillor Mrs A Haigh and that Councillor B Rolfe had substituted for Councillor Mrs Wagland.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

Councillors Mrs A Grigg and Councillor Mrs D Collins declared a personal interest in item 6 of the agenda by virtue of being on the board of the LSP.

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 16 April 2009.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 April 2009 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(Deputy Chief Executive) To consider the attached report.

The Committee received a report from the Public Relations and Marketing Officer, Mr T Carne on the recent Forester consultation. This report had originally gone to the Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panel for their comments and agreement.  The full report and analysis had been put in the Members Room. Feedback supported the current A4, colour format, the quarterly distribution and agreed that it was clear and easy to understand. It was noted that the magazine was predominantly read by the older residents of the district. Focus groups were also held and these elicited a great deal of feedback. They also provided an opportunity to reach groups that might not have responded directly to the survey questionnaire. The focus group held with the Youth Council was particularly important and surprisingly, even among the members of the Youth Focus Group, there was a great deal of positive feedback about the current Forester as well as many suggestions for ways to develop and enhance the magazine, such as more use of images, shorter more concise articles and a better front cover.

The Committee noted that since the conclusion of the formal consultation, officers had developed proposals to extend the content of the Forester to include the Epping Forest District Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), who were looking to raise their public profile, maybe through the Forester. By incorporating LSP contributions, the Forester would be expanding into areas such as health service provision, the volunteer sector and transport issues. The Forester could provide a platform not just for the District Council but also for the whole LSP.  This could be achieved in various ways. Pages currently dedicated to Council news could be made available to other members of the LSP. If cutting the amount of Council information was not thought desirable then there was always eight pages of advertising that currently subsidise the cost of the Forester production. These pages either in block or an equivalent throughout the magazine could be offered to the LSP. In return they would be asked to fund the balance of lost advertising, creating a neutral impact on the Council’s production budget.

Councillor Knapman commented that there was no problem with the LSP having a page saying what they were doing, but he did not want any longer articles, as it was an EFDC magazine and he would not want it to blur into a joint magazine.

Councillor Mrs Grigg said that good results had been achieved from the survey. It was important that the LSP raised its profile. The Forester was for the District Council but there was a place for the LSP and this should be explored.

Councillor Jacobs agreed and wanted to know about the funding from the LSP for the Forester. Mr Carne said that he was looking for member advice about financing the Forester. The suggestion was that the LSP finance some of it by taking over the space currently used by advertising, although residents did find the advertising useful.

Councillor Jacobs asked where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

(Chairman/Lead Officer Leisure Task and Finish Panel) to receive a a report on the feasibility of constructing a new sports hall at the site of the Waltham Abbey Swimming Pool. This was considered in detail by the Leisure Task and Finish Panel on 18 May 2009.

The Chairman of the Leisure Task and Finish Panel, Councillor Mrs Gadsby introduced the Panel’s report on the provision of a Sports Hall at Waltham Abbey Swimming Pool. The Committee noted that the joint use agreement had been agreed to be ended, whereby King Harold School would run the current sports facilities themselves. The Panel had agreed that the new project represented value for money but also recognised the current financial circumstances of the Council and Country as a whole. They also recognised that Waltham Abbey would welcome a new sports facility.

The Panel had recommended that a feasibility study be undertaken and that Cabinet be requested to make the necessary capital provision available.

Councillor Mrs Brooks commented that King Harold School was undergoing lots of changes; would the Council continue talking to the school about community use of the sports facilities. The Director for Environment and Street Scene, John Gilbert, said that they had tried to contact the school but had not succeeded in entering into a dialogue with them as yet.

Councillor Knapman pointed out that the table printed out on page 31 of the agenda should  be read as ‘total costs’ and not as ‘total additional revenue’. He also pointed out that the council needed to continue with this project as they could not now go back to the use of the school facilities. He also asked how comfortable the council was with the £1.7 million projected costs. Would it go up? Mr Gilbert said they had used ‘Stace’ to come up with this work so far. Eventually it would be up to the tenders received for the completion of the works.

Councillor Jacobs said that we needed to know once and for all what the intentions of the school were. The Deputy Chief Executive replied that the Council has made its intentions absolutely clear about the joint use. Officers may need to continue to help the school on the use/management of the sports hall, any actual decisions would not need to be made until the end of September 2009.

Councillor Whitbread said that the Council was now committed to withdraw from the joint use agreement, but he wondered why it would cost £41k to develop the new project. Councillor Mrs Harding said it was more than just a pre-planning study, they were also to carry out ground surveys etc. Mr Gilbert commented that this was about the right costs for the work to be undertaken. But, it had not gone through the Essex procurement hub, if it was to go forward it would then have to go through the ‘hub’.

Councillor Knapman sounded a note of warning by saying that the estimated cost of £41k should be firmed up so that they could be sure it did not rise.

Councillor Mrs Brooks thought the 18 month time period was being optimistic.

            RESOLVED:

(1)               That the recommendations of the Leisure Task and Finish Panel be noted and endorsed; and 

(2)               that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agree  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

(a)               To consider the attached Work Programme

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

(b)               To consider new item to be added to the O&S Work Programme  for 2009/10

To consider the item put forward for next years Work Programme. The Committee is asked to review and evaluate the proposals and to allocate an appropriate Standing or create a new Task and Finish Panel.

Item attached:

(i)      The Pitt Review - Flood Defences;

(c)               To consider the continuation of the current established Task and Finish Panels

(i)      Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panel (a copy of the minutes from their last meeting is attached as background information).

(ii)  Leisure Task and Finish Panel.

(a)        Work Programmes

The Senior Democratic Services officer, Simon Hill took the committee through their proposed work programme for the coming year.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

The meeting agreed that they should have the presentation on the provision of youth services within the district at their next meeting and also a presentation from the Fire and Rescue Services.

Safer Cleaner Greener Standing Panel:

Councillor Angold-Stephen noted that under item 6 on this Panel’s work programme on residential parking the budget has been in place for over a year, have they started work as yet. He was promised a direct reply from the housing officer responsible for this work.

(b)       2009/10 Proposed Work Programme

The Committee noted the new proposal for a Task and Finish Panel for the coming year. They agreed that a Task and Finish Panel on the Pitt Review on Flood Defences should be established. Five members were nominated to sit on this Panel and it was requested that other members be asked to nominate themselves to this panel via a note in the Members Bulletin.

(c)        To consider the continuation of the current established Task and Finish Panels.

The Committee considered the continuation of the existing Leisure Task and Finish and the Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panels. They agree that:

(i)                  The current Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panel be disbanded and the remainder of their work load is put to the Finance and Performance Management Standing Scrutiny Panel.

(ii)                The current Leisure Task and Finish Panel be disbanded and the remainder of their workload is put to the Safer Cleaner Greener Standing Scrutiny Panel.

RESOLVED:

1. That a new Task and Finish Panel be set up to consider the Pitt review on flood defences.

2. That the Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panel be disbanded and the remainder of their work go to the Finance and Performance Management Standing Panel.

3. That the Leisure Task and Finish Panel be disbanded and the remainder of their work go to the Safer Cleaner Greener Standing Panel.

Decision Required:

(1)   To appoint members to the following Standing Panels in accordance with pro-rata in the proportions shown below:

(2)   To Consider requests for appointments to Standing Panels by non affiliated members; and

(3)        To appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman to the following Standing Panels:

1.         (Assistant to the Chief Executive). The Council has agreed that pro rata apply to Overview and Scrutiny Standing Panels only. The Overview and Scrutiny rules provide that the memberships must reflect pro rata requirements and the lowest number of members required to achieve cross-party representation whilst allowing the inclusion of members who are not members of a political group or are not members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This year the Standing Panels should have 12 members.

2.         The Committee are asked to make appointments to Standing Panels in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure rules.

3.                  Nominations to Chairman and Vice Chairman of these Panels are excluded from the calculation required under the Council's protocol regarding allocation of Chairman and Vice-Chairman positions between the political groups.

4.         Nominations to the Panels, which may be submitted up until the day of the meeting, were sought through the Members Bulletin and officer liaison with the Group Leaders. A list of the proposals submitted to date is attached. Those outstanding will be circulated for consideration at the meeting.

The Committee were asked to make appointments to Standing Panels in accordance with the Overview and Scrutiny rules. The Committee were reminded that the Council had agreed pro rata applied to Standing Panels and that membership should be kept to a minimum to allow each Group to have representation.  It was noted that on this basis it had been calculated that Panels would consist of 11 Members, plus any independent member that wished to be a member of a Panel.

It was reported that nominations to Chairman and Vice Chairman to Standing Panels were excluded from the pro rata calculation rules required for such positions contained in the Council’s constitution.

The Committee had before them a report detailing a list of nominations received and a tabled paper detailing late nominations and changes to the schedules.

RESOLVED:

That the appointments to Standing Panels annexed to these minutes be adopted.

            Decisions Required:

(1)        To appoint members to the following Task and Finish Panels (if agreed by the Committee) in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny procedure rules:

(a)   Leisure Task and Finish Panel.

(b)   Customer Transformation Task and Finish Panel.

(c)   Pitt Review on Flooding Task and Finish Panel (if constituted by the Committee).

(2)        To appoint Chairmen and Vice Chairmen to the Task and Finish Panels.

1.         (Assistant to the Chief Executive). The Committee are asked to consider appointments to Task and Finish Panels. Two of the Panels, Leisure and Customer Transformation, are extisting Panel’s and are asking to be extended into the new year to complete their current workloads. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had reviewed the requests for reviews and has determined which Task and Finish Panel Reviews should be undertaken.

2.         The Overview and Scrutiny Rules state that 'Task and Finish' Scrutiny Panels shall be flexible as to the number of Councillors appointed to membership.  There is no restriction on the numbers appointed.

3.         Any Councillor may be a member of a 'Task and Finish' Scrutiny Panel, save that a member of the Cabinet may not be a member of any Panel which bears directly on his or her portfolio. Additionally no 'Task and Finish' Scrutiny Panel can be comprised of members of a single political group only.

4.                  It is a requirement of the procedure rules that a Chairman and Vice - Chairman should be appointed to each Panel.

The Committee were asked to consider appointments to the new Task and Finish Panel.

It was noted that any Member could be appointed to Task and Finish Panels. However Cabinet Members would not be able to serve on panels which bore directly on their Portfolio. In addition no panel could comprise of members of a single political group and restrictions on numbers did not apply.

Members were also asked to appoint a Chairman and Vice Chairman to each Panel. 

The meeting had before them a tabled schedule detailing late nominations.

RESOLVED:

That the appointments to Task and Finish Panel annexed to these minutes be adopted.

RECOMMENDATION:

To consider any items to be raised by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting on 08 June 2009.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). Under the Overview and Scrutiny rules the Committee is required to scrutinise proposed decisions of the Executive. The Chairman is also required to report on such discussions to the Cabinet.

The Committee is asked to consider the 8 June 2009 Cabinet agenda (previously circulated) to see whether there are any items that they wished to be raised at the Cabinet meeting.

It was noted that there was no business to report to the Cabinet.