Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Tuesday, 15th October, 2024.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 15 October 2024 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 at this point in the meeting.

Matters arising schedule setting out current position of previously agreed actions as at 18^th November 2024.

The Senior Democratic and Civic Officer explained that, with regard to the outstanding matter about battery storage sites, a motion had bene passed at Full Council which had resulted in lobbying action being undertaken. Additionally, with an outstanding planning application for a storage site yet to be determined, it had not been appropriate for the Committee to have received further presentation regarding this matter.

Members of the Committee were content that the actions undertaken following the meeting of Full Council had resolved the matter originally raised through the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, however it was requested that the matter remain with the Committee, to receive a future update as upcoming legislation passed through Parliament.

With no further comments or questions, the Matters Arising Schedule was DULY NOTED.

Members heard from the Performance and Programme Manager regarding the Progress and Delivery reporting for quarter two of 2024/25. It was highlighted that Members were required to scrutinise the challenge of the two policy committees to the content of the council’s Progress and Delivery reports. To assist this scrutiny, a summary of the relevant minutes was provided, as well as the full Progress and Delivery report. Members were asked to examine the responses given to the report by those two policy committees and assure themselves that the appropriate level of challenge was being made to the information contained in the report.

A Member of the Committee noted that the nature of the Progress and Delivery reporting tended to lead to the same services areas being addressed at the policy meetings. He suggested that there may be other areas of work which, whilst still reporting within target, may benefit from additional scrutiny to ensure complacency did not set in and opportunities for improvements, or early warning signs of difficulties, were not missed. The Performance and Programme Manager acknowledged the comments and undertook to provide further assurance.

Members expressed their contentment with the detail of discussions at both the Prosperous Communities and Corporate Policy and resources Committees and with no further comments to add it was

RESOLVED that the Committee had examined the responses given to the report by the Prosperous Communities and the Corporate Policy and Resources Committees and assured themselves that the appropriate level of challenge was being made by those committees to the information contained in the report.

With no comments, questions or requirement for a vote, the Forward Plan was NOTED.

A Member of the Committee enquired as to whether an invitation could be extended to the Lead Local Flood Authority to attend the January meeting of the Committee, should there be no other business scheduled. It was noted that conversations were underway for the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership to attend in January, however Officers would work with the Flood Risk Management Working Group to co-ordinate their report and invitation to the Lead Local Flood Authority.

With no further comments or questions, the Workplan was DULY NOTED.