Agenda and minutes

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of 3 June 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of 3 June 2019 were confirmed and signed subject to the following comments;

1.    Councillor Booth highlighted that the minute OSC2/19 should reflect that he had proposed the signing of the previous minutes and this had been seconded by Councillor Miscandlon.

2.    Councillor Mrs Hay highlighted a typographical error in relation to

minute OSC5/19 Point 17; the wording ‘he added that the Council’ needs to be removed from the statement.

3.    Councillor Booth highlighted a typographical error in relation to minute OSC5/19 Point 42; the wording should read LGO and not LOG.

4.    Councillor Booth highlighted a typographical error in relation to minute OSC5/19 Point 42; the repetition of the word ‘at’ in the statement.

Members to receive an update on the previous meeting’s Action Plan.

Members were provided with an update on the status of the actions raised at previous meetings of the Committee.

1.    Members asked that future actions are labelled with identifiable numbers to assist referencing. Izzi Hurst agreed to this.

2.    Councillor Booth asked for a further breakdown in relation to the Planning Enforcement action taken relating to planning breaches reported in the previous Action Plan.

Each year the Council is required to review its Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme. This report advises Overview and Scrutiny of the progress of the 2019 annual review and the resultant proposals for consultation for changes to the CTS scheme to take effect from April 2020.

Members considered the Council Tax Support – 2020/21 scheme report presented by Mark Saunders.

Councillor Miscandlon informed members that the relevant Portfolio Holders, Councillor Boden and Councillor Mrs French, were not in attendance at today’s meeting.

Councillor Miscandlon proposed that the item be deferred to a later date to allow Councillor Boden and Councillor Mrs French to attend.

Members asked questions, made comments and received response as follows;

1.    Councillor Booth asked why Councillor Boden and Councillor Mrs French were not in attendance at the meeting. Councillor Miscandlon confirmed that he was unsure as to why they were not in attendance.

2.    Councillor Booth highlighted that there are cost implications for both members and officers for deferring this agenda item.

3.    Councillor Miscandlon stated that whilst officers are present at the meeting, it is essential that the relevant Portfolio Holders are in attendance to answer member’s questions.

4.    Councillor Cornwell asked that the matter be referred urgently to Cabinet at the meeting on Thursday 18 July 2019. Councillor Miscandlon agreed to refer the matter to Cabinet.

5.    Councillor Yeulett asked if the matter could also be referred to Council for the Portfolio Holders to issue an apology to members of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

6.    Councillor Booth asked officers what the impact would be in deferring this item to a later meeting date. Mark Saunders explained that this item was considered earlier in the Overview and Scrutiny’s Work Programme last year, but was moved to an earlier meeting date to allow for a longer consultation period. He confirmed that considering the item at the Overview and Scrutiny Panel meeting on 2 September 2019 would still allow officers time to accommodate any consultation period.

7.    Councillor Yeulett asked if an additional meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel needed to be arranged to consider this item. Mark Saunders confirmed that providing the meeting is held prior to a meeting of Cabinet, officers will have enough time to incorporate member’s comments into the report considered by Cabinet.

8.    Councillor Booth asked if officers could prepare comparative figures reflecting an 8.5% contribution rate. Mark Saunders agreed to include this information in the subsequent report.

9.    Councillor Booth asked if the subsequent report could highlight any savings to the Council based on an ‘average’ Council Tax Support Scheme. Mark Saunders agreed to include this information.

10.Councillor Hay and Councillor Miscandlon apologised to officers on behalf of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel, for deferring this item to a later meeting date.

Proposed by Councillor Miscandlon, seconded by Councillor Hay and agreed that the item be DEFERRED in the absence of the relevant Portfolio Holders.

To consider the Draft Work Programme for Overview & Scrutiny Panel 2019/20.

Members agreed the Future Work Programme subject to the following comments;

1.    Members agreed to move the ‘Local Health Partnership Update’ and ‘Health and Wellbeing Strategy’ from the meeting on 2 September 2019 to the meeting on 10 February 2020. Councillor Booth queried why this agenda item needed to be moved to a later meeting date. Officers confirmed that this was due to there being no NHS representative available to attend the meeting. Councillor Booth raised concern that there appeared to be a ‘single point of failure’ in relation to having no alternative NHS representative available to attend.

2.    Councillor Mason suggested that as oppose to holding additional meetings for items that may arise throughout the year, these items could be considered during the Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s agreed calendar of meeting dates. Officers agreed that this would be considered where possible.

3.    Councillor Hay asked for an update on the Empress Swimming Pool in Chatteris and its status as an Asset of Community Value. Officers provided Councillor Hay with an update.

4.    Councillor Hay asked that Cabinet reconsider the appeals process and delegation for Assets of Community Value as Portfolio Holders are responsible for making decisions regarding Assets of Community Value and Cabinet are currently responsible for undertaking an appeals process which could be seen as a conflict of interest.