Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Democratic Services,
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Apologies To receive any apologies for absence.
The quorum for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is 3 members. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor David Cunningham. |
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Substitute Members To note details of any substitution arrangements in place for the Meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Len Wilkins was a substitute for Councillor David Cunningham.
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of interest from Members and Officers, relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: In relation to item 9. Ecological Emergency Update, Councillor Angus Jenkinson stated that he was the member with responsibility for Ecology but that as that as he was not the Cabinet Member, he could fully take part in the discussion on the item.
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To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2024. Additional documents: Minutes: The following corrections were made;
RESOLVED: Subject to the aforementioned amendments, to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 April.
Voting record – For 7, Against 0, Abstentions 3 |
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Matters Arising from Minutes of the Previous Meeting To consider actions outstanding from minutes of previous meetings Additional documents: Minutes: Members raised the Programme Initiation Document, as referenced in minute OS.54 of the previous meeting. The Deputy Chief Executive stated that this would be included in July’s Cabinet report on the Publica review, which would also be coming to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
There were no further comments on matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.
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Chair's Announcements To receive any announcements from the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair stated that two all member briefings would be held the following week: · 14 May, 12.00pm- Affordable Housing and; · 14 May, 5.15pm- Waste and Recycling.
The Chair encouraged members to attend the briefings and had no further announcements. |
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Public Questions A maximum of 15 minutes is allocated for an “open forum” of public questions at committee meetings. No person may ask more than two questions (including supplementary questions) and no more than two such questions may be asked on behalf of one organisation. The maximum length of oral questions or supplementary questions by the public will be two minutes. Questions must relate to the responsibilities of the Committee but questions in this section cannot relate to applications for determination at the meeting.
The response may take the form of:
a) A direct oral response (maximum length: 2 minutes); b) Where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or c) Where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no public questions. |
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Member Questions A maximum period of fifteen minutes is allowed for Member questions. Questions must be directed to the Chair and must relate to the remit of the committee but may not relate to applications for determination at the meeting.
Questions will be asked in the order notice of them was received, except that the Chair may group together similar questions.
The deadline for submitting questions is 5.00pm on the working day before the day of the meeting unless the Chair agrees that the question relates to an urgent matter, in which case the deadline is 9.30am on the day of the meeting.
A member may submit no more than two questions. At the meeting the member may ask a supplementary question arising directly from the original question or the reply. The maximum length of a supplementary question is one minute.
The response to a question or supplementary question may take the form of:
a) A direct oral response (maximum length: 2 minutes); b) Where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication; or c) Where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no member questions. |
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Ecological Emergency Update Summary/Purpose To update the Committee on progress in implementing the Ecological Emergency Action Plan
Recommendation That Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to: 1. Note this report and agree any recommendations it wishes to submit to the Cabinet meeting on 9 May Additional documents: Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory Services introduced the report.
The purpose of the report was to update the Committee on progress in implementing the Ecological Emergency Action Plan. The report stated that The Ecological Emergency Action Plan continued to be delivered, focusing on the mandatory elements, for example planning applications (including Biodiversity Net Gain), local plan policy, etc; however, due to lack of resources no action was currently underway to address the new enhanced biodiversity duty requirements. In addition, there was scope for the Council to increase its activity to address the Ecological Emergency in more depth, particularly with local communities and in the context of Green Infrastructure.
The Cabinet Member also congratulated Olivia McGregor on her recent appointment as the new Climate Change Lead.
The Committee discussed the report, commending the quality of it, and raising the following points of discussion which were also addressed by officers;
Councillor Angus Jenkinson proposed that the Overview and Scrutiny recommend that Cabinet considers the necessity to increase resourcing for Ecology, given the Council’s goal (green to the core), declared climate and ecological crisis and increased legal monitoring obligations. Councillor Jenkinson appreciated the Chief Executive’s comments but referenced an urgency of need for additional resource for Ecology.
Councillor Clare Turner seconded the proposal.
RESOLVED: That the Overview and Scrutiny
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Adoption of Asset Management Strategy Purpose For Cabinet to agree to adopt the Asset Management Strategy to provide a clear strategy for future decision making and investment in the Councils land and property assets.
Recommendation That Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to: 1. Agree any recommendations it wishes to submit to the Cabinet meeting on 9 May
Additional documents:
Minutes: The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report, which was an item that had come to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-decision scrutiny. The Cabinet was due to make a decision on the report on Thursday 9 May 2024.
The purpose of the report was for Cabinet to agree to adopt the Asset Management Strategy to provide a clear strategy for future decision making and investment in the Council’s land and property assets.
The Deputy Leader stated that a previous interim Chief Finance Officer had recommended that an asset management strategy be put in place. The Deputy Leader explained that at Councils which had issued Section 114 notices recently, a lack of a register of assets had been an issue, which highlighted the importance of the work.
Noting the list of assets at Annex B, members raised some local concerns in their wards, such as;
The Chair assured members that these concerns would be dealt with by officers but that they were out of scope of the report they were considering.
Members welcomed the report and stated that it was important. In discussion, members raised the following points which were addressed by the officers and Cabinet Member:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the report. |
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Legal Services Partnership Agreement and Transformation Programme Update Purpose To seek authority from Cabinet to enter into a formal partnership agreement for a shared legal service with Forest of Dean and West Oxfordshire District Councils and to note progress on the Legal Services Transformation programme to date.
Recommendation That Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolves to: 1. Note this report and agree any recommendations it wishes to submit to the Cabinet meeting on 9 May
Additional documents:
Minutes: The Cabinet Member for the Economy and Council Transformation introduced the report, which was an item that had come to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for pre-decision scrutiny. The Cabinet was due to make a decision on the report on Thursday 9 May 2024.
The Cabinet Member stated that legal services at all three Publica councils had been shared since 2016. The Monitoring Officer had felt that it was necessary to review the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of the arrangement. The Cabinet Member added that the situation around legal services was positive although they were not fully staffed at all councils, there were no fewer than four members of legal staff at each Council. A case management software (Iken) had also been procured.
Members discussed the report and raised the following points which were addressed by the officers and Cabinet Member:
RESOLVED: To NOTE the report.
Councillor Tony Slater departed the meeting, apologising to the Chair as he needed to attend a Parish Council meeting. |
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Report back on recommendations For the Committee to note the Cabinet’s response to any recommendations arising from the previous Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: There were no comments from the Committee on the item. |
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Updates from Gloucestershire County Council Scrutiny Committees Purpose To receive any verbal updates on the work of external scrutiny bodies:
Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee – Cllr Angus Jenkinson Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Cllr Dilys Neill
Additional documents: Minutes:
Councillor Angus Jenkinson stated the GEGSC had not been meeting while the Cities Region Board was being reorganised.
Councillor Dilys Neill had attended the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting as the representative on this Group on 12 March. Councillor Neill summarised the challenges faced by the NHS, but also shared good news such as a new diagnostic tool for cancer. At the suggestion of the Chair, Councillor Neill stated that she would send her full written report to the Democratic Services Officer to include as a supplement to the minutes.
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Work Plan and Forward Plan Purpose For the Committee to note and review its work plan and to select Cabinet decisions for pre-decision scrutiny at future committee meetings.
Recommendation For the Committee to recommend the 2024/25 work plan for approval by the incoming Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair introduced the work plan and stated that it would be likely to change throughout the year.
Members discussed the work plan, noting the following points:
RESOLVED: to recommend the work plan to the incoming Committee for 2024/25.
Voting record
For 9, Against 0, Abstentions 0, Absent/Did not vote - 1
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