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 Assistant to the Chief Executive 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.

In the absence of the Vice Chairman the Committee appointed Councillor Mrs R Brookes to the position for the duration of the meeting.

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

It was noted that Councillor Mrs C Pond had substituted for Councillor K Angold-Stephens and Councillor Mrs S Jones for Councillor G Mohindra.

(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.

(i)      Councillor J Philip declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 as he was the father of a Youth Councillor.

(ii) Councillor Mrs L Wagland declared a personal interest in agenda item 8 as she was a member of the West Essex Childrens Trust.

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 18 October 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 18 October 2010 be agreed.

(Youth Council Representatives) In 2008/09 the Cabinet had requested the Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive an annual presentation from the Youth Council giving an update on the developing Youth Council programme and to present their request for funding for the year ahead.

The Chairman welcomed four Youth Councillors to the meeting and asked them to introduce themselves to the committee. They were Jenkin Patel, Annie Armitage, Duncan Haslan and Ellis Spicer. Also present alongside the Youth Councillors were officers Mrs G Wallis, Community Development Officer and Ms D Butler, Young Persons Officer.

The Youth Councillors gave 10 examples of the work that they had undertaken during their second year of office:

1.                  In March they organised the ‘Epping Forest Promoting Democracy Youth Conference’.

2.                  They carried out an undercover survey of all the youth projects and clubs in the district. They assessed and rated them out of a five star system. They created a ‘tube’ style map that listed all the youth projects in the district. They rounded off the project by organising a presentation evening, giving a trophy to the venue that received the only 5 star rating.

3.                  An online survey was carried out to find out what type of activities young people liked to do in their spare time. They then visited schools, youth groups and various sports clubs to interview young people, on film and put this together into a DVD called “What do you want”.

4.                  In recognition of Local Democracy Week they organised a ‘Speed Meeting’ event with adult councillors.

5.                  They bid for and secured £8,440 from the Youth Opportunity Fund.

6.                  They had successfully launched their new website this year and published a quarterly newsletter.

7.                  A member of the Youth Council sat on the Council’s interview panel for the newly appointed ‘Health-works Project Manager’. The Health-works Project was for young people aged 11-19 in Waltham Abbey and seeks a holistic approach to improving the health and wellbeing of young people.

8.                  They have been active members of the British Youth Council.

9.                  They took part in various consultations over the past year.

10.              And finally, they took part in the Safer Communities Question Time event.

The Youth Council undertook various bits of training over the year including how to make decisions, internet safety, presentation skills, media training, interview skills and equality and diversity awareness.

Subject to the approved funding, they aim to continue consulting with young people and are planning their next project, focusing on personal safety and will continue to give feedback to Councillors and other organisations.

Members of the committee then asked the youth councillors various questions or made comments on their request:

Q:        If you did not get the full £12,000 you are asking for, what could be dropped?

A:         This money is mainly used for transporting various youth councillors to events and this may have to be cut.

Q:        Is this a quarterly or a yearly budget?

A:         The £12,000 is for the whole year.

Q:        Do you consult with other youth organisations across the country and compare notes?

A:         We consult with Harlow Youth Council and the British Youth Council which enables us to get a bigger picture on events.

Q:        That was a good presentation you gave.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 54.

To consider the attached report.

The Acting Chief Executive, Derek Macnab, took the Committee through the Work Programme.

(a)        Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Committee noted that there were no items in the reserve programme and if members would like to submit a topic for discussion they were welcome to do so.

Councillor Mrs Grigg wondered if the Committee could look at the changed arrangements for PCSO and how the Police would fulfil their duties. Mr Macnab said that the Safer Cleaner Greener Standing Panel would be the appropriate Panel to investigate this.

Item 6 – Review of the Strategic Direction of Epping Forest College

Noted that the Principal of the College was due to give a presentation this evening but had to cancel due to the fact she lived on the Isle of Wight and that there was a proposed ferry strike, which would mean she would be stuck. This will be rearranged to another meeting.

(b)       Housing Scrutiny Standing Panel

Noted that item 21 (Housing Strategy on Energy Efficiency) should be for October 2011 and not 2010.

(c)        Constitution and Member Services Standing Panel

Item 7 (Member Role Accountability) needed comments on the work programme, to reflect that it had been discussed at the November meeting and would be coming back to the next meeting.

(d)       Planning Services Standing Panel

Upcoming items to be added to the Work Programme:

• discussing damage to highways by construction vehicles;
• a consultation on the governments Bonus Homes proposals; and
• letters sent out by Planning Officers are they as understandable as they could be?
• Tree Preservation Order Consultation document.

(e)       Finance and Performance Management Standing Panel

Noted that a presentation will be given at the 9 December meeting on proposals to redesign the Finance reception area.

(f)        Children Services Task and Finish Panel

Noted that an interim report from the Panel was on the agenda for this meeting.

            RESOLVED:

That in accordance with rule 9.3 of the Overview and Scrutiny Rules the Committee reviewed and commented upon their Work Programme for the last six months.

(Councillor Mrs Wagland) To consider an interim report of the Children Services Task and Finish Panel.

The Chairman of the Children Services Task and Finish Panel, Councillor Mrs Wagland introduced the Panel interim report. The Panel was established to inform a decision on whether the Council should sign up to the Memorandum of Understanding with Essex Children’s Trust in respect of Safeguarding Children. They were also asked to gather information regarding local provision for Children and Young people.

At their first meeting in September, the Panel were informed that Essex County Council had announced a revision of Children’s Trust arrangements including withdrawal of the Memorandum of Agreement. This was partly in response to the County Council’s recent Ofsted in August which had again been judged to be ‘Unsatisfactory’. This caused the Panel to revise their terms of reference in light of the changes.

They had real concerns to the apparent drive by Essex to commission services on an Essex-wide basis. Concerns of local partners were realised when it was confirmed that Essex had indeed pursued a preferred partner route and Essex-wide approach to commissioning key services for children. This being in complete contrast to the Government’s plans for a ‘Big Society’ and ‘Place Based Budgeting’. A group of local partners presented their concerns as a united body at the final commissioning meeting and requested that Essex County consider a local commissioning arrangement within West Essex.

The Committee noted that the first part of the second recommendation of the report has now been overtaken by events, the District Children’s Partnership will not now be deleted and the recommendation was now just to note the Panel’s concern in respect of the planned Essex-wide preferred partner approach to the commissioning of children’s services.

Councillor Jacobs was impressed with the report and agreed that the problem seemed to be Essex County Council once again. We needed to tell them that their attitude and tactics were to the detriment of the children in our area.

Councillor Mrs Collins supported the report, she said that the County was unaware of what was happening in their Children’s Services and they needed to be aware of this. The funding that goes to County should come down to us to enable us to continue our good work.

It was noted that the West of the County was the only area with district level Children’s Partnership, which are funfamental to the delivery of local children’s service and that county should be made aware of this.

Councillor Philip suggested someone from County should be invited to either this Committee, Cabinet, Council or to the Task and Finish Panel so that they could hear our views. Also the Public Relations people should be letting people know how good our systems are and about our excellent Ofsted rating.

RESOLVED:

1)                  That the interim report of the Children’s Services Task and Finish Panel be noted;

2)                  That the Panel’s concerns in regard to Essex County Council’s recent amendments to the county structure for Children’s Services and their concerns in respect of the planned Essex–wide and preferred partner approach to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 56.

To consider the attached report.

Councillor Bassett introduced the six month progress report on the Council’s Key Objectives for the year. These were challenging targets and the Council had achieved over 71% of the proposed targets. The most pleasing aspect of this was the improved Benefits Claims targets. The meeting noted that the National Performance Indicators were to be abolished and would to be replaced by something else, unknown as present.

The Committee went through the progress report page by page and satisfied themselves on the progress made.

            RESOLVED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered and noted the Council’s performance for the first six months of 2010/11 on the Council’s Key Objectives.

            Recommendation:

To discuss the Cabinet priorities for the year ahead and the forward work programme for 2010/11.

The Overview and Scrutiny rules state that this Committee should “…arrange meetings with the Leader and other Portfolio Holders to discuss their plans for the year ahead and … agree with them on any items for inclusion in the work programme which may be undertaken by the Committee on the cabinet’s behalf”.

Accordingly, attached is the latest Executive Work Programme incorporating the Forward Plan.

The Cabinet has determined that it’s Corporate Priorities for 2010-11, are:

(i)         To deliver a sound Core Strategy of the local development Framework;

(ii)        To help mitigate the impact of the current economic conditions on local people and businesses, through the development and implementation of appropriate initiatives;

(iii)       To further improve the Council’s corporate procedures for safeguarding local children and young people as part of Essex County Council’s Children’s Trust arrangements;

(iv)              To improve the performance of the Benefits Service;

(v)               To maintain the Council’s sound financial position;

(vi)              To achieve the level of savings identified within the Council’s Medium-Term Financial Strategy;

(vii)            To work with the Epping Forest Safer Communities Partnership to further reduce levels of actual crime and the fear of crime in the District;

(viii)           To seek continuous performance improvement and the best use of resources;

(ix)              To enable the provision of additional affordable housing in the District and other initiatives to assist people unable to purchase a property on the open market;

(x)               To continue the improvement in the benefit the Council receives from it’s investment in information and communications technology

(xi)              To continue to increase the Council’s recycling performance; and

(xii)            To review the Council’s commercial landholdings in order to coordinate competing land use proposals, to fulfill the authority’s operational requirements and achieve value for money.

In addition there are a number of further objectives split between the nine Portfolios as detailed in the attached Objectives for 2010/11.

The Leader and Portfolio Holders have been invited to attend this meeting to present their plans and answer questions on their work.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Mrs Collins introduced the Cabinet’s Forward Plan for the period covering 1 December 2010 to 31 March 2011. The meeting noted that although the Cabinet were on target, things had changed radically since last year when they were set up. They had to be very careful on what they spent money on in the next year and would have to be prudent whenever they could. They had to make a list of priorities and would need to raise outside funding as it looked as though they would have to make up to 40% cuts over the next four years.

The Committee queried the Cabinet on the Bring Bank Sites, on partnership working and joint working (the Roding Valley agreement needed to be updated). They asked about the proposed review of the ‘Mow and Grow’ Scheme (Councillor Stallan would find out and report back). It was also noted that the parking review dates needed updating.

The Committee noted that the reason that the Safer Greener Portfolio Holder had no items of their work programme was that no issues had been raised by the Cabinet under that portfolio.

            RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet’s priorities for the year ahead and their forward work programme for 2010/11 were noted.

(Councillor Mrs M. MacEwen) To consider the attached report of the Constitution & Member Services Standing Scrutiny Panel.

The Chairman of the Constitution and Members Services Standing Panel, Councillor Mrs McEwen introduced their report on the statutory guidance on duty to respond to petitions. This came out of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and subsequent guidance regarding petitions.

The Committee noted:

• That the new scheme needed to be approved by Full Council;
• That it needed to be published on the Council’s website and by other means to bring it to the public’s attention;
• A provision for making electronic petitions available and to be in place by 15 December 2010;
• A requirement for a facility to enable responses to petitions;
• The involvement of partner organisations;
• The number of signatures required to trigger a debate at Full Council or for a senior  officer to give evidence at an Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and
• In September 2010 the new government issued a letter advising Local Authorities that the statutory guidance was to be withdrawn and that authorities were to have more discretion in dealing with local petitions;

The Committee debated the possibility of reducing the requirement of 1,200 signatories (1%) for a senior officer to attend a meeting down to 900, but decided to keep the figure at 1% (1,200 signatories).

            RESOLVED:

            That a report be submitted to the Council recommending as follows:

(1) The introduction of a revised petitions scheme incorporating the following elements:

·         requirements for and arrangements for responding to petitions;

·         involvement of partner organisations in the petitions process;

·         a percentage threshold of 2% of the District’s population (2,400) in terms of signatories to a petition required to trigger a debate at Full Council;

·         a percentage threshold of 1% of the District’s population (1,200) in terms of signatories to a petition required to trigger attendance of a ‘Senior Officer’ at an Overview and Scrutiny meeting to give evidence on a matter;

·         publication on the Council’s website; and

·         provision of a facility for making electronic petitions to be in place by 15 December 2010.

(2) That the required revisions to the Council Procedure Rules, Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, and other necessary amendments to the Constitution be made and reported on by the Assistant to the Chief Executive in due course.

(3) That the operation of the revised petitions scheme and its impact be reviewed in the summer of 2011.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee grant permission for the Planning Services Scrutiny Standing Panel to report directly to the Council meeting scheduled for 14 December 2010 on the Government’s consultation document on ‘New Homes Bonus’.

On 12 November, Grant Shapps (Minister for Housing) launched a consultation on the Government’s Proposed ‘New Homes Bonus’, where central Government would match the council tax raised from new homes for the first six years. The consultation seeks the views on the implementation of the New Homes Bonus and runs from 12 November to 24 December 2010.

The Consultation document will be going to the Planning Services Scrutiny Standing Panel on 2 December 2010 and because of the tight deadline involved they are seeking this Committee’s permission to report directly to the Council meeting scheduled for 14 December 2010.

The Committee agreed that the consultation document on ‘New Bonus Homes’ could be taken directly to the Council meeting on 14 December, due to the time constraints.

            RESOLVED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee granted permission for the Planning Services Scrutiny Standing Panel to report directly to the Council meeting scheduled for 14 December 2010 on the Government’s consultation document on ‘New Homes Bonus’.

RECOMMENDATION:

To consider any items to be raised by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting on 06 December 2010.

(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 6 December 2010 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 specific items that the Committee wished to comment on contained in the forthcoming Cabinet Agenda.