Agenda and minutes

Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 25 June 2019

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 25 June 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Members may make any declarations of interest at this point and may also make them at any point during the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made at this stage of the meeting.

Matters arising schedule setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 23 August 2019.

The Committee gave consideration to the Matters Arising Schedule, setting out the current position of previously agreed actions, as at 23 August 2019.

The Democratic and Civic Officer explained there was one outstanding matter on the schedule regarding the invite to the Environmental Agency to attend a meeting of the Committee. Members heard that the invitation had been acknowledged and the Democratic and Civic Officer would make contact again in due course. There was a conversation about the purpose of the invitation and the Chairman confirmed there would be discussion in advance of their attendance to agree questions. A Member of Committee commented that it would be a good opportunity to enquire about the Humber Strategy and the Democratic and Civic Officer confirmed she would make a note for the proposed questions.

RESOLVED that the Matters Arising Schedule as at 23 August 2019 be received and noted.

The Committee gave consideration to the Progress and Delivery Report for period one of the 2019/20 civic year. The Director of Governance explained that the report had been seen by both policy committees prior to the summer recess and the minutes of those meetings had been included with the report. He explained that Members had two roles, primarily to scrutinise the work of the two policy committees in challenging the details of the performance report but also to agree to the formation of a working group to review the performance measures to be used in 2020/21.

The Chairman highlighted that the role of the Committee was not to get embroiled in the details of the report, but rather to focus on the discussions held at the policy committees. She encouraged Members of Overview and Scrutiny to attend those policy meetings when the progress and delivery reports were heard in order to be able to see first-hand what discussions were had.

There was discussion regarding the rental of the former Lidl site and figures for missed waste collections. These details were clarified and acknowledged, by those who attended the policy meetings, that they had been discussed.

The Chairman read aloud the recommendations from the report and it was unanimously

            RESOLVED that

a)    The Committee had examined the responses given to the report by the Corporate Policy and Resources Committee and the Prosperous Communities Committee and were assured  that the appropriate level of challenge is being made by those committees to the information contained in the report; and

b)    The formation of a Member working group, comprising Members of O&S Committee, whose remit will be to oversee the performance measure and target setting process in readiness for 2020/21, be agreed.

The Director of Governance introduced the forward plan and explained that it showed all the items due to be seen through the committee system over the coming months. He highlighted it was for Members of the Committee to identify those reports which they wished to see for pre-decision scrutiny and the Chairman added that items could be chosen through the municipal year.

A Member of Committee requested three items to be seen for pre-scrutiny, those being 5-7 Market Place Refurbishment, Caistor Southdale Development and Local Discount for Almshouses.

The Director of Governance advised that, given the timescales and detail of the Almshouses report, it would more beneficial for the Member to be briefed personally about any plans or actions and this was agreeable to the Member.

The suggestion for the remaining two items was put to the vote and it was unanimously agreed for these two items to be called for pre-decision scrutiny.

            RESOLVED that

a)    The forward plan be noted; and

b)    The workplan be updated as agreed.

The Director of Governance introduced the workplan for the coming months and reiterated that it would be amended to include the items previously agreed in the meeting.

Members of Committee accepted there would be further items added to the work plan and with no further discussion it was

            RESOLVED that:

a)         The workplan be noted, taking into account the additional items identified by the Committee.   

To resolve that under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED that under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To discuss areas of concern within West Lindsey in preparation for the presentation on crime, disorder and public safety from Lincolnshire Police, under Section 19 of the Police and Justice Act 2006.

The Chairman introduced the proposed questions for Lincolnshire Police for their attendance at the October meeting. She explained the questions could be agreed as they were presented or Members could agree for the questions to be shared and finalised after the meeting.

Members of the Committee discussed details of concerns in their Wards and it was agreed that, although there were some common themes, details of specific examples could not be presented to the Police during their attendance in October.

The presented questions were agreed to be a solid starting point and Members identified other areas of concern, such as drug use and scam calls, that they would like to hear from the Police about.

It was therefore

RESOLVED that the proposed questions for the Police be amended to include the additional areas of concern and shared with Members for final comment.