Agenda and minutes

Councillor John Ibison was elected Chairman of the committee for the remainder of the 2017/18 municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors C Birch, Hodgkinson, Smith and Matthew Vincent.

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 6 November 2017.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 6 November 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, attached.

Councillor David Henderson (Leader of the Council) and Garry Payne (Chief Executive) will attend to present the updated Business Plan.

Councillors will have an opportunity to comment and ask questions. 

Councillor David Henderson, the Leader of the Council, and Marianne Hesketh, Service Director Performance and Innovation attended for this item. 

Marianne Hesketh explained that the Council’s Business Plan for 2015 – 2019 had been updated, with a number of new programmes and projects now featuring in the plan for 2018/19.  Two new projects were to be delivered on economic growth and prosperity and a beach management scheme would be developed, related to the new sea defences at Rossall.  Other new projects would focus on environmental crime, applying for Heritage Action Zone status for Fleetwood conservation area and ensuring that the council meets it requirements of the new General Data Protection Regulations.  Marianne Hesketh confirmed that performance measures for the new projects would be available on BRIAN once agreed. 

In response to questions from councillors Marianne Hesketh said that a target figure would be added to the quarterly report on Business Plan monitoring, but benchmarking information would not be added as different local authorities did not record information like for like. 

Members of the committee raised the issue of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme with Councillor Henderson.  He agreed that it would be helpful if a scrutiny task group was to be set up on car parking, following the completion of the recent consultation, the report for which would be available soon. The Committee asked that the report be placed on their agenda as soon as possible. 

RESOLVED that

(i)            Councillor Henderson and Marianne Hesketh be thanked for their report, and

(ii)          The report of the car parking consultation be placed on the agenda for consideration by the committee at the earliest opportunity.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted a report, the 2^nd Quarter Performance Statement 2017/18, July – September 2017.

Marianne Hesketh, Service Director Performance and Innovation, submitted a report, the 2^nd Quarter Performance Statement 2017/18, July – September 2017. 

Marianne Hesketh confirmed that the Local Plan still had not been submitted, as there had been over 1200 responses to the recent consultation, which had to be dealt with first. The Plan would now be submitted by the end of January. 

In response to questions from the committee, Ms Hesketh confirmed that the vacancy left by the departure of the Policy and Engagement Manager would be advertised in the near future, with some amendments to the role and responsibilities.  She added that the project ‘Digital Wyre’ was experiencing some minor issues, and was subject to a review before agreeing a way forward.  The Digital Hub at Fleetwood market was proving successful.  A further comment was made that it would be helpful for a target to be included in the measure on the number of affordable dwellings built. 

RESOLVED that

(i)            the Service Director Performance and Innovation be thanked for her attendance at the meeting, and

(ii)          the report be noted.

The Council’s planned maintenance and investment projects schedule for 2018/19 is attached.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, will report verbally and answer questions at the meeting.

Marianne Hesketh, Service Director Performance and Innovation, presented the planned maintenance and investment schedule 2018/19. She added that the Asset Management Plan would be submitted to the March meeting of the committee.   

In response to questions from members, Ms Hesketh informed the committee that works were still being carried out on the Garstang and Poulton Leisure Centres, the additional money not having been included in the original figures for renovation.  There was still work outstanding and this would be completed, little by little, as and when funding became available.  She added that the council was aiming to further reduce the subsidies on Leisure Centres. 

RESOLVED that

(i)            Ms Hesketh be thanked for her report, and

(ii)          The Asset Management Plan be considered by the committee on 12 March 2018.

Peter Foulsham, Scrutiny Officer, will provide a verbal update for the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme.

Councillor Emma Ellison will inform the committee about a course that she attended on Scrutinising Council Performance, which was run by the Centre for Public Scrutiny, and how this might impact on the committee’s work.   

Peter Foulsham, Scrutiny Officer, summarised the current position of the two scrutiny task groups.  The draft report of the Digital Transformation task group would be presented to the committee on 5 February.

The committee agreed to consider setting up a scrutiny task group review on the role of councillors in flooding events in Wyre.  A draft scoping document would be considered at the next meeting.

The committee further agreed to discuss the Council’s Draft Business Plan 2015 – 2019 again at the next meeting with a view to identifying topics that could be considered for inclusion in the Committee’s Work Programme for 2018/19.

The committee discussed the way in which scrutiny was understood and promotes within the council.  Members agreed that the committee in particular, and the wider council membership, would benefit from some training and development opportunities that would help to enhance their role in scrutiny.  The Chairman and the Vice Chairman would liaise with the Scrutiny Officer to take this proposal forward, and bring suggestions back to the committee for their consideration. 

RESOLVED that

(i)            A draft scoping document for a possible task group on flooding be submitted to the meeting on 5 February 2018, and

(ii)          The training and development needs of committee members and other councillors be considered by the committee before the start of the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

Monday 5 February 2018 at 6pm.

RESOLVED that the next meeting of the committee be held at 6pm on Monday 5 February 2018 at the Civic Centre, Poulton-le-Fylde.