Agenda and minutes

To note the names of apologies given and deputy members who are attending the meeting in place of appointed members.

Apologies for the meeting were noted as above.

To receive any disclosure of interests from Members and Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note:  Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests, personal and/or prejudicial interests in accordance with legislation and the Council’s Code of Conduct.      

If you require advice, please contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer, prior to the meeting.

No declarations were made.

As this is the first meeting of the Committee in this municipal year, it will be necessary to appoint a Vice-Chairperson.

The Chairperson will call for nominations from Committee members.

RESOLVED:                                 

That Councillor Horrill be appointed Vice-Chairperson for the 2022/23 municipal year.

The Chairperson updated the committee on the previously agreed work programme request item regarding mental health support and informed members of the three workshops concerning mental health provision/support for council staff, council tenants and the wider local community. A formal update would be provided to the committee at its meeting in September.

The chairperson sought the views of the committee on the holding of an additional meeting of the committee on 13 July 2022. The agenda for this meeting was to be the draft cabinet report regarding an update on the Station Approach project and the housing revenue and general fund out-turn reports.

RESOLVED:

The committee agreed to schedule an additional meeting of the committee on 13 July 2022.

That the minutes of the meetings be signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 15 February 2022 and 3 March 2022 be approved and adopted.

To receive and note questions asked and statements made from members of the public on matters which fall within the remit of the Committee.

Members of the public and visiting councillors may speak at the meeting, provided they have registered to speak three working days in advance. Please contact Democratic Services by 5pm on 8^th June 2022 via democracy@winchester.gov.uk or (01962) 848 264 to register to speak and for further details.

None.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Scrutiny Committee:

1.    Notes that the Performance Panel met on the 6 June 2022 to scrutinise the attached report, CAB3347 and its associated appendices. The minutes of the panel’s meeting will be circulated to the Scrutiny Committee before it meets on the 14 June 2022 and will be included as an appendix of the Cabinet report.

2.    Notes that the Chairperson of Performance Panel will provide a verbal update at the Scrutiny Committee.

3.    Raises with the Leader or relevant Cabinet member any issues arising from the information in this report, ref CAB3347, which is being presented to Cabinet in July 2022 and considers whether there are any items of significance to resolve or to be drawn to the attention of Cabinet.

The Chairperson of the Performance Panel (Councillor Horrill) introduced the report and informed that the panel had met on 6 June 2022 to scrutinise the cabinet report, ref CAB3347, available here.

Councillor Horrill confirmed that all members had received the draft cabinet report, the pre-submitted questions, and the draft minutes of the panel’s meeting which showed several actions. The committee was also advised that an update on any outstanding actions would be circulated to all members.

Councillor Horrill drew members' attention to the following issues:

·       That at a previous meeting, the panel had suggested that as part of the council plan refresh that a review of the key performance indicators used in the quarterly performance reports would be appropriate but that it was understood that the next quarterly report would use the existing measures.

·       The panel’s questions from members regarding various housing matters and that officers would be discussing the need for a member briefing.

·       The panel’s questions regarding fly-tipping and the request for further communication to be circulated to members.

RESOLVED:

The committee:

1.     Noted that the performance panel met on 6 June 2022 to scrutinise the report, CAB3347 and its associated appendices.

2.       Noted the draft minutes of the panel and the verbal update provided by the Chairperson.

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the scrutiny committee note the contents of this report.

The Chairperson introduced the agenda item and referred the committee to report, ref SC069 regarding the determination of the Monitoring Officer following a call-in request, which was available on the council’s website here. The report recommended that the scrutiny committee note the contents of the report.

Mrs Kirkman responded to a question concerning the ground for call-in relating to best value statutory guidance. Councillor Horrill agreed to supply further information on this point for Mrs Kirkman to consider.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

RECOMMENDATION:

1.       That the committee consider and make any necessary comments on the content of the report prior to its submission to full council.

The Chairperson introduced the report, ref SC066 which set out proposals for the Annual Scrutiny Report, available here. The committee was recommended to consider the report and make any necessary comments on the content before its submission to full council.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. The committee discussed:

• the scheduling of meetings to effectively scrutinise future decisions whose timescales were not yet known, whilst also allowing sufficient time for decision takers to consider the committee's comments
• the wish to avoid unnecessarily length meetings through more effective scheduling of meetings and the potential use of informal meetings to obtain points of clarification
• that it recognised that additional meetings may need to be scheduled to achieve more effective scrutiny of decisions.

The committee noted that the report represented a succinct summary of the main work it had conducted during the previous municipal year.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That Council note the annual scrutiny report for 2021/22

RECOMMENDATIONS:

That the committee considers appointments to the following external bodies:

1.    Portsmouth City Council – Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel (1 vacancy and deputy)

2.    Centre for Governance and Scrutiny – Scrutiny Champions Network (1 vacancy)

3.     Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH) Overview and Scrutiny Committee (1 vacancy and deputy)

RESOLVED:

That the following appointments be made to the external bodies listed below:

i. Portsmouth City Council – Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel: Councillor Read (deputy: Councillor Cutler).

ii. Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) – Scrutiny Champions Network: Councillor Brook.

iii. Partnership for South Hampshire overview and scrutiny committee: Councillor Cutler (deputy: Councillor Horrill).

RECOMMENDATIONS:

That the committee consider and make any necessary comment on the content of the report.

The Chairperson introduced the report, ref SC068 which set out the annual report concerning exceptions to the forward plan, available here. The committee considered the report and discussed that whilst the number of decisions for the period was lower than the average, (three versus an average of eight), the three decisions listed related to the council's housing service.

RESOLVED:

 That the report be noted.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.     That the committee considers the items listed in Appendix 1 of the report and agrees the matters it wishes to consider during the 2022/23 municipal year and delegates to officers, in consultation with the Chairperson, authority to set the detailed work programme.

The Chairperson introduced the report, ref SC070 which set out the initial timetable for the work of the committee for the year ahead, available here. The committee was recommended to consider the items listed in Appendix 1 of the report and agree to the matters it wished to consider during the 2022/23 municipal year.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the draft work programme, the following points were raised:

1.    The future timetabling of updates to the committee concerning the following items: Central Winchester Regeneration, River Park Leisure Centre, Station Approach, Project Integra and progress against the climate emergency targets

2.    The process, timetable and scrutiny relating to the future stages of the local plan

3.    The addition of an item relating to the progress of the council's agile working programme and its impacts.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the latest version of the work programme be noted including those items agreed at item 4.

2.    That officers provide the latest Local Plan timetable including proposed dates for the meetings of the Local Plan Advisory Group.

3.    That officers review the items in 1 above and advise of possible dates for updates to this committee

4.    That officers assist members in the completion of the work request form concerning item 3 above.

To undertake its review of the Q4 Performance Monitoring Report, the Performance Panel was required to meet in advance of being formally appointed by the Scrutiny committee meeting. Nominations from both political groups were sought and the following members were appointed, which this committee are asked to note. 

Councillors; Cook, Craske, Cutler, Horrill (Chairperson) and Westwood.

RESOLVED:

It was noted that councillors; Cook, Craske, Cutler, Horrill (Chairperson) and Westwood would form the performance panel for 2022/23

The forward plan of key decisions for July 2022 was noted.

Meetings of the Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday        14/06/22 18:30

Wednesday   07/09/22 18:30

Wednesday   23/11/22 18:30

Tuesday        07/02/23 18:30

Wednesday   08/03/23 18:30

Meetings of the Performance Panel

Monday         06/06/22 16:00

Monday         22/08/22 16:00

Monday         07/11/22 16:00

Monday         27/02/23 16:00

Meetings of the Scrutiny committee

Tuesday        14/06/22 18:30

Wednesday   13/07/22 18:30

Wednesday   07/09/22 18:30

Wednesday   23/11/22 18:30

Tuesday        07/02/23 18:30

Wednesday   08/03/23 18:30

Meetings of the Performance Panel

Monday         06/06/22 16:00

Monday         22/08/22 16:00

Monday         07/11/22 16:00

Monday         27/02/23 16:00