Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). 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.

Pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct, Councillors  R Bassett and Mrs A Cooper declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 (Nazeing Focus Day). The Councillors determined that their interest was non prejudicial.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

None reported.

Attached.

Noted. 

The Local Service Agreement was being rewritten and since the last meeting new information on this had become available. The Chairman of the Panel, Councillor Mrs P Smith, had attended a meeting with the Leader of the Council and the new County Portfolio Holder Councillor R Hume on such issues. She referred to his intention to consult the District on this during the late summer with a view to finalising a new agreement in Autumn 2007.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review the documents.

(a)        Essex County Joint Waste Procurement Process

County presentation to be given to this weeks Council meeting on the County Wide Waste Strategy. Members encouraged to attend.

(b)       East of England Plan   

Go – East had indicated that the East of England Plan would now not be published before the Autumn 2007 at the earliest. The Panel stressed the need for EFDC input into the preparation stage before it was published. An item had been placed in a recent Council Bulletin on this.

(c)            Ongoing Traveller Issues

A minded to direct letter had been received from central government in relation to Gypsy and Traveller needs. As a result, the Local Development Framework (LDF) and the East of England Plan had been held back for approval. A report on these issues would be submitted to the Cabinet on 16 July 2007.

It was requested that consideration be given to progress with the action concerning the Payne’s Lane Site, Nazeing. Clarification was sought on whether this was a separate work plan  item or whether it fell under the existing Traveller provisions item.  Democratic Services to check this.

(d)            Planning Enforcement Performance  - Statistics

It was noted that Performance Enforcement Statistics for action taken so far for the year 2007/08 were circulated with last weeks bulletin.  The Panel were happy with the format.

(e)            Climate Change – Report to 5 September meeting

It was expected that Jim Nolan and Lisa Ingram would lead on the above item.

(Head of Planning and Economic Development). To consider the report to follow.

The Panel is asked to look at the action plan at the back of the document and comment on this for submission to the facilitator.

The Head of Forward Planning, Paul Sutton, will be attending the meeting to report the findings and next steps.

The Panel received the draft report prepared by the facilitator together with a revised version of Appendix A listing the agreed proposals and suggested owners of the actions (tabled). The Panel considered each one of the tabled actions in turn and made the following comments:

Agreed that the names in the footnotes be put in brackets next to the relevant footnote number in the text for elucidation.

Agreed that the actions in the ‘suggested owner’ column be ascribed to the organisation involved not individuals.

Paragraph 15 – Subsection on Enforcement – A Member questioned the accuracy of some of the facts concerning Dobbs Weir Road. Attention was drawn to the role of the Police in addressing the problems. It was suggested that this issue should be raised in action point 5 of the tabled Appendix A. Stressed that the Police be sent a copy of report.

Agreed that County Councillor A Jackson should receive a copy of the final report of the study when produced  in view of his Chairmanship of the Epping Police and Community Consultative Group.

Paragraph 8.9 Essex County Council Freight Study – the County was in the process of trying to come up with a strategy to regulate movement of goods, HGV activity across the county. This might be launched this Summer 2007. Clarification was sought on the timetable for the consultation period. There was a need to establish whether the study was still at preparation stage or whether it was out for consultation. It questioned whether there were in fact two studies in production  - one on Freight and a separate second one for Traffic. Action  P Sutton to make available timetable for the study.

Councillor R Bassett reported that the West Essex Highways Office had filmed a number of set points in the area to gather information on the problems. They were happy to share their findings. He would be attending a meeting on this. The Nazeing Action Group  had been asked to carryout a further traffic study of the area.

A Member claimed that some of the actions specified for the plan had been omitted from the report and  referred to an e-mail sent to officers detailing his points. 

It was noted that the facilitator would circulate the final version of the report to members. The draft might be subject to change in view of the need to take on board the findings of local studies. County Councillor A Jackson should be consulted on the draft to ascertain his views.

The Panel agreed to hold the task of monitoring the actions in abeyance until after receipt of the outstanding information and  the  final version of the action plan/full report.

The Panel agreed that a small group of members (say 3-4) should met to consider the final version once received and report back to the next full meeting of the Panel on 5 September 2007. Councillors Mrs P Smith, R Bassett, Mrs A Cooper and the Portfolio Holder Mrs A Grigg expressed an interest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

Reports for next OSC – Chairman’s briefing on tonight’s discussion.

To note that the following issues will be considered at the next meeting on 5 September 2007:

(a)            Position report on Highway issues as requested at last meeting on 26 April 2007

(b)        Clean Neighbourhoods/Rogers Review

(c)            Climate Change – Council motion 24 April 2007.

(d)        Minutes of last meeting of Joint Waste Committee.

Noted that the following issues were due to be considered at the next meeting on 5 September 2007:

(a)            Nazeing Focus Group – Final report

(b)            Position report on Highway issues as requested at last meeting on 26 April 2007

(c)        Clean Neighbourhoods/Rogers Review

(d)            Climate Change – Council motion 24 April 2007.

(e)        Minutes of last meeting of Joint Waste Committee.

The next meeting will take place on 5 September 2007 at 7.30 pm in Committee Room 1.

5 September,

29 October,

20 December 2007,

28 February, 2008

23 April 2008