Agenda and minutes

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 Monday 22 November 2021.

Councillor Fail requested an amendment to the draft minutes (minute 29) of the meeting held on 22 November 2021 to highlight that not all members agreed to the proposed changes, which members of the committee agreed. Therefore, the minutes of the meeting held on 22 November 2021 were approved as a correct record with the amendment of the following two sentences under the headings Theatres and Mount Pavilion and Outdoor Amenity/Leisure Charges:

Following discussions, the majority of the committee agreed to support the proposals.

Following discussions, the majority of members agreed to support the proposed changes.

The Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted a report on the Business Plan 2022/23.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor David Henderson, and the Chief Executive, Garry Payne, will attend the meeting to present the report and respond to comments and questions from members of the committee.

The Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, submitted a report on the Business Plan 2022/23.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor David Henderson, the Chief Executive, Garry Payne and the Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, attended the meeting to present the report and responded to questions from committee members.

The Leader of the Council explained to members that the Business Plan had been refreshed to reflect the council’s climate change agenda following the council’s Climate Emergency Declaration.

Committee members asked questions regarding:

·         The targets for Business Rate Collection and Council Tax Collection,

·         The work with partners to support and raise the aspirations of young people,

·         Internal economic growth within Wyre,

·         The commuter rate in Wyre,

·         Lower-Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) concerning education, skills

·         and training, employment, income and health deprivation,

·         The monitoring of peatland moss restoration,

·         The council’s relationship with YMCA.

The Corporate Director Communities added that annually the council produced a State of Wyre report, which identified the key statistical information to help inform the Business Plan and suggested that it may be useful for members to see this report alongside the updated Business Plan. In addition, she explained that peatland moss restoration could be covered under the natural flood management projects but assured members that she would follow up on this.

Following discussion, the committee noted the updated Business Plan.

The Chairman thanked the Leader of the Council, the Chief Executive and the Corporate Director Communities for their update and attendance.

The Head of Built Environment, Maria Blundy, submitted the Planned Maintenance and Investment Projects Schedule for the 2022/23 period.

Papers to follow.

The Head of Built Environment, Maria Blundy, submitted the Planned Maintenance and Investment Projects Schedule for the 2022/23 period.

The Corporate Director Communities, Marianne Hesketh, introduced the schedule to members.

The committee noted the report.

The Chairman of the District Enforcement Pilot Task Group, Councillor Tom Ingham, submitted the task group’s draft report and recommendations.

Members of the committee will have an opportunity to comment and ask questions.

The Chairman of the District Enforcement Pilot Task Group, Councillor Tom Ingham, introduced the report and welcomed questions from members.

There were discussions over dog fouling and dogs on leads zone signage, particularly in Poulton-le-Fylde, and the penalties for 16 – 18 year olds.

Councillor Fail proposed that recommendation two be revised to highlight that the provision of official warnings may only be used when it was the first offence. However, the majority of members did not support this amendment, as they believed issuing a warning should be at the officers’ discretion.

Members highlighted that any potential future review of District Enforcement should be focused on the performance of the service.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Ibison, proposed an amendment to recommendation three to include, “That Wyre should strongly consider taking action against under 18 year olds”, which was agreed by members.

Members also agreed to the inclusion of the following sentence to the conclusion of the final report:

“In addition, the group highlighted the lack of signage specifically regarding dog fouling and dogs on leads zones, particularly in some areas in Poulton-le-Fylde. They believe that the council should review and update their signage across the borough. Even though the group did not wish to put this forward as a recommendation, they wanted their concerns noted in the report.”

The committee resolved that the amended report be endorsed and that it would go to the next Cabinet meeting for consideration.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Tom Ingham for the group’s detailed report.

The Corporate Director Resources, Clare James, has submitted a report updating the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2021/22. Marianne Unwin, Democratic Services Officer, will introduce the report and respond to questions and comments from councillors.

The Corporate Director Resources, Clare James, submitted a report to update the committee about the delivery of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2021/22.

The Democratic Services Officer, Marianne Unwin, provided the committee with a verbal update. She explained that the template used for the task group scoping document had been updated to reflect some of the outcomes of the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) review completed in summer 2021. Members reviewed and agreed to the updated document.

Following the comments made by Cabinet at their 12 January meeting on the Tourism Recovery in Wyre Task Group final report, members expressed desires for a task group to review the business model of the theatres (Marine Hall and Thornton Little Theatre). The Chairman echoed this request, and it was agreed that a focused and concise draft-scoping document be presented at the next meeting.

As requested at their last meeting, members reviewed the draft scoping document for a review on Antisocial Behaviour. They agreed for the scope to come back to their next meeting following additional comments from the relevant officers.

Councillor Sir R Atkins and Councillor Ballard updated the committee that the Planning Policy Working Group and the Climate Change Working Group were hosting a joint meeting in early February to discuss the Local Plan review. They suggested the committee commission a possible future review of the importance of embedding climate change in local plan making. The Chairman suggested that both councillors investigate the working group’s procedure rules, before further discussion of a task group.

Members agreed that the report be noted.

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are invited to attend a Work Programme prioritisation workshop before the creation of the 2022/2023 Work Programme.

The session will be held on Thursday 24February 2022 at 2 pm in the Members Lounge.

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were invited to attend a Work Programme prioritisation workshop before the creation of the 2022/2023 Work Programme.

The session would be held on Thursday 24February 2022 at 2 pm in the Members Lounge.