Agenda and minutes

Councillor Peter Cartridge was elected as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/24.

Councillor Callum Baxter was elected as Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/24.

To receive any declarations of interest from any councillor on any item on this agenda.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 April 2023.

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 24 April 2023 were confirmed as a correct record by those in attendance.

The Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted a report, the 4^th Quarter Performance Statement 2022/23, January – March 2023.

The Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, submitted a report on the Fourth Quarter Performance Statement 2022/23, January – March 2023.

As the committee had new members, she explained the process by which the performance statement was put together. She explained that each year, the council produced a Business Plan, which was last confirmed by Full Council in March 2023. The performance report before members was on the previous Business Plan.

She told members that she was pleased to note that overall, the key projects identified were on track and they were making good progress on council priorities for that year.

Councillors asked questions over Project Neptune, electric charging points and the Cosy Homes Grants.

Marianne responded that for Project Neptune, they were in the process of triggering leases for units 2-8 within the next week; unit 1 was still in negotiations with Midland Fish. Therefore, units 1-8 were expected to be filled by the end of June. In terms of electric charging points, she explained that this was under a different directorate, but she had recently seen a request for a way leave for the Civic Centre car park so this was progressing.

In response to the questions over the Cosy Homes Grants, she informed members that there was some data missing from the performance statement and would circulate this round when available. She told members that there was funding available for Lancashire and Wyre residents, and that the council should be encouraging the take up of this if residents met the requirements. In response to a comment on advertisement of this, she responded that this could be more widely shared on social media and that this could be shared on the Councillor Portal for councillors to be able to pass on the information to residents.

Councillor Fail commented that the council ought to be doing more to address climate issues, particularly energy housing standards in Wyre and that this ought to be a priority for the next Business Plan. He also said that for new councillors, more information should be available on how climate change was taken into account in decision-making.

Marianne explained that when writing reports, officers used a climate change assessment to ensure all decisions took climate change into account.

The Chair thanked Marianne for attending the meeting, and the committee noted the report.

Report of the Corporate Director Resources on the establishment of a sub-committee on Climate Change. Marianne Unwin, the Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager (Temporary) will introduce the report.

The Corporate Director Resources submitted a report for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to approve the establishment of a sub-committee to consider climate change matters.

Marianne Unwin, the Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager (Temporary) introduced the report. She explained to members that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be discharging the function of scrutinising climate change decisions across the council to the sub-committee, with its functions, terms of reference and membership to come to the following committee meeting. She asked members for any suggestions or comments on the functions of the sub-committee.

Members discussed some suggestions for the remit of the sub-committee and its ability to commission task groups to review more specific topic areas. They also raised questions over its membership and political balance. Marianne confirmed that the sub-committee would be politically balanced and held in public.

Following discussion, the Chair moved to the vote on the establishment of the sub-committee. It was resolved to approve the establishment of the sub-committee to consider climate change matters, and members asked for confirmation that the terms of reference and membership would be seen at the next meeting.

The Corporate Director Resources, Clare James, has submitted a report updating the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2023/24. Daphne Courtenage, Democratic Services Officer, will introduce the report and respond to questions and comments from councillors.

The Corporate Director Resources submitted a report updating the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2023/24.

Daphne Courtenage, the Democratic Services Officer, introduced the report. She explained, for the benefit of the new members of the committee, the function of the work programme and that it was a flexible, working document that it could be amended throughout the year. However, any additional items or potential topics for review would need to meet the requirements of the work programme prioritisation guide which had been shared with the committee.

Members noted the update report and the work programme.