Agenda item

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2021/22 and Action List

Meeting of Overview and Scrutiny, Tuesday, 8 March 2022 4:30 pm (Item 93.)

To consider the forthcoming work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the actions arising from previous meetings.

Minutes:

93.1 Attention was drawn to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme, circulated at Pages No. 16-18, and the action list setting out the actions arising from meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee between October 2019 and January 2022, circulated at Pages No. 19-30. Members were asked to consider the Work Programme and action list.

93.2 The Head of Corporate Services advised that, following the resolution made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting, the Executive Committee had agreed that, subject to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee representative’s continued monitoring and regular reporting to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the specific consideration of the payment of the Council’s contribution to the Gloucestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on an annual basis no longer be required. Accordingly, this would be removed from the 2022/23 Work Programme which was currently being drafted by Officers. A Member noted that, at the workshop on maximising the value of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held in October, Members had asked to review the partners which reported to the Committee on a regular basis, and the agreements in place for monitoring, to establish whether they needed to continue to report to the Committee going forward and he asked if this had been progressed. In response, the Head of Corporate Services confirmed that a list of partner organisations and outside bodies would be compiled based on the Council Plan priorities from which the Committee could identify those it would like to hear from during the course of 2022/23.

93.3 In terms of the action list, the Head of Corporate Services explained that 12 of the 27 actions were outstanding. With regard to Page No. 20 and the action regarding the Grange Field maintenance plan, he understood that had now been shared with Councillor Munro and there had been a positive press release about the Grange Field recently. Councillor Munro advised that, based on a conversation with the Asset Manager the previous week, it was her understanding that the plan was not ready to share with Members so, whilst she did not think it was a problem, she had not actually received it. The Economic and Community Development Manager explained it had been shared verbally and the written form was waiting for final sign-off but should be with Members shortly. The Head of Corporate Services drew attention to Page No. 23 which indicated that Members and Parish Councils were now informed by email when enforcement cases were closed with reasons generally included. With regard to Page No. 26, he advised that the Tewkesbury Borough Council Domestic Waste and Recycling Collection Services Policy and Procedures had been considered by the Depot Services Working Group and approved by the Executive Committee the previous week. In terms of Page No. 29 and the discussion around the online booking system for the Household Recycling Centres, Members were informed that the County Council had undertaken a customer survey which had found that 86% were supportive of retaining the booking system. It was also noted that, as set out on Page No. 30, the Welcome Back Funding plans had been shared via a Member Update. The following issues were raised during the discussion:

Meeting date: 22 October 2019
P19 – Agenda Item 10 – Warm and Well Scheme Update	A Member noted that Officers were awaiting prospective dates from the Severn Wye Energy Agency but this action had originally been agreed in October 2019 and it was now March 2022 so she questioned how much longer it would take. The Head of Community Services undertook to chase this up following the meeting. A Member felt it would have been useful to know when contact had first been made with Severn Wye Energy Agency and the Head of Community Services accepted that the commentary could have been better populated.
Meeting date: 9 March 2021
P22 – Agenda Item 9 – Council Plan Performance Tracker and COVID-19 Recovery Tracker – Quarter Three 2020/21.	A Member recognised that a briefing note was due to be circulated to Members in relation to Ashchurch bridge and she asked if this could be a wider briefing on the Garden Town project as a whole as she was unclear as to the milestones, the current position and what was coming up next. The Chief Executive had previously stated that the Garden Town was the Council’s biggest project so she felt it was important all Members understood what was happening. The Head of Corporate Services indicated that no Officers from the Garden Town team were present at the meeting so he would take this away and ensure a response was provided following the meeting. The Member went on to ask whether the Council had a strategy for convincing residents that the Ashchurch bridge was not a ‘bridge to nowhere’, as it was dubbed by some of the local community. Another Member indicated that he would like to know if the bridge was still under budget given rising costs within the building industry. With regard to the costs, the Head of Finance and Asset Management advised that, based on the last information from the Garden Town team, the bridge was under budget and there was significant contingency within the £8m grant from Homes England; nevertheless, the Member was quite right that costs were increasing so it would be helpful to have an up to date position on this. The Head of Corporate Services undertook to seek a response following the meeting.
Meeting date: 8 June 2021
P24 – Agenda Item 8 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and COVID-19 Recovery Tracker – Quarter Four 2020/21.	A Member noted that a training session was to be arranged for Members on the government’s Housing Design Guide and she raised concern that a date was yet to be agreed almost a year on. The Head of Corporate Services undertook to speak to the Head of Development Services following the meeting. He also felt it would be beneficial to include more specific target dates within the action plan going forward and undertook to ensure the template was updated accordingly.
Meeting date: 13 July 2021
P25 – Agenda Item 11 – Carbon Reduction Action Plan.	A Member noted that the action to circulate indicative costs identified by Severn Wye Energy Agency when conducting the survey of the Roses Theatre to Members was incomplete and she asked whether this was being followed-up. The Head of Finance and Asset Management confirmed this information was now available and would be provided to Members following the meeting.
Meeting date: 11 January 2022
P29 – Agenda Item - Council Plan Performance Tracker and COVID-19 Recovery Tracker – Quarter Two 2021/22.	A Member asked when the information would be available in relation to the fly-tipping figures so that Members could understand whether they were up or down. The Head of Community Services undertook to provide this prior to the next meeting. A Member asked if this could include an indication of what was happening nationally as he understood the figures had increased significantly.

93.4 Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED That the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2021/22 and action list be NOTED.

Supporting documents: