Agenda and draft 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.

Councillor Wallace declared a non-pecuniary interest concerning items upon the agenda that may be related to his role as a County Councillor.

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 Wallace be appointed Vice-Chairperson for the 2024/25 municipal year.

Councillor Brook made the following  announcements:

1.    She advised that holding a meeting during the pre-election period was unusual, however, this meeting was necessary to address urgent matters requiring decisions by the Cabinet. The agenda for this meeting had therefore been adjusted and the presentation regarding the nutrient mitigation project had been withdrawn.

2.    She expressed gratitude to all who attended and supported the Centre for Governance & Scrutiny (CfGS) education and training session recently, highlighting its usefulness.

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

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 6 March 2024 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 committee, provided they have registered to speak three working days in advance.  Please complete this form (https://forms.office.com/r/Y87tufaV6G ) by 5pm on 31 May 2024 or call (01962) 848 264 to register to speak and for further details.

Councillor Horrill addressed the committee regarding the agenda item: Procurement of Waste & Recycling Collection Vehicles / Update on Waste and Recycling and her contribution was captured within the agenda item below.

Councillor Lee addressed the committee regarding the agenda items: Procurement of Waste & Recycling Collection Vehicles / Update on Waste and Recycling and The Annual Scrutiny Report 2023/24 and his contributions were captured within the agenda item below.

RECOMMENDATION

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee has requested that the Cabinet Member and officers attend the meeting to provide an overview of progress and proposals prior to the Cabinet meeting on the 19th of June 2024 (Presentation to be provided at the meeting). The Scrutiny Committee are asked to provide any comments on the proposals.

This item was withdrawn from the agenda.

RECOMMENDATION

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee has requested that the Cabinet Member and officers attend the meeting to provide an overview of progress and proposals prior to the Cabinet meeting on the 19th of June 2024 (Presentation to be provided at the meeting). The Scrutiny Committee are asked to provide any comments on the proposals.

Simon Hendey, Strategic Director & Councillor Learney, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency introduced the agenda item regarding Procurement of Waste & Recycling Collection Vehicles. 

Simon Hendey advised of the urgent and critical nature of this agenda item which required a decision by Cabinet during  the pre-election period and outlined the primary reasons for this urgency as follows:

1. In February 2024, the Cabinet considered a report regarding the introduction of a food waste service and officers were tasked with progressing the implementation of this service, emphasising the pursuit of the lowest carbon viable option. This included specifically focusing on the procurement of vehicles necessary to support the new service.
2. The government had set a deadline of April 2026 for the implementation of the food waste service. Therefore, timely procurement of the necessary vehicles was essential to meet this deadline. A decision was required to facilitate the procurement process, thus the need for this report to be presented to the Cabinet on 19 June 2024

Councillor Learney, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency updated the committee on the following points:

1. The administration aimed to expand the range of materials recyclable at the kerbside in a financially prudent and practical way.
2. The council was in a favourable position compared to other councils to provide a food waste service by the end of March 2026.
3. Extensive consultations on the waste strategy had been conducted, receiving responses from thousands of residents.
4. Collaboration with experts was undertaken to carry out technical studies and research, alongside budget allocation for the project.
5. Emphasis was placed on avoiding delays in the procurement process to prevent falling behind other councils in ordering new vehicles.
6. Detailed planning for the service rollout, including addressing issues such as servicing flats and difficult-to-reach areas, would take place in the autumn.
7. The current focus was on procuring vehicles, and input from the scrutiny committee was welcomed before the final decision by the Cabinet.

Campbell Williams, Service Lead - Environmental Services provided the committee with a detailed presentation, which discussed several matters including the previously confirmed decisions to date, the key elements of a food waste service, an overview of the modelling that supports the procurement decision of vehicle choice and costs, implications of current and future depot infrastructure requirements, the proposed introduction of an electric refuse collection vehicle (RCV), the next steps with respect to food waste collection and the journey to zero avoidable waste. (A copy of these slides are available here)

Councillor Caroline Horrill addressed the committee and highlighted the following points:

1. She sought clarification on the following:

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 – Southeast Regional 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:

1.       Portsmouth City Council – Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel: Councillor V Achwal (deputy: Councillor J Williams).

2.       Centre for Governance and Scrutiny – Southeast Regional Network: Councillor Brook.

3.       Partnership for South Hampshire Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Councillor S Achwal (deputy: Councillor Batho).

RECOMMENDATION:

That the committee consider and makes any necessary comments on the content of the report before its submission to full council.

The Chairperson introduced the report, 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.

Councillor Danny Lee addressed the committee and highlighted the following points:

1. Regarding the review of the work of the Economic and Housing Policy Committee, he welcomed the aim of making the district a premier business location but noted the lack of support for rural district areas.
2. He observed the importance of linking the cultural strategy to business needs in both the city and district areas.
3. He highlighted the focus on climate change mitigation but emphasised the need to consider adaptation strategies as well.
4. Regarding the Community Safety Partnership, he queried the follow-up actions from the last meeting, particularly concerning the closure of landlines by the end of the year and residents' anxieties surrounding this issue.
5. He questioned the statement on page 27 regarding being carbon neutral by 2030, suggesting it needed qualification between operational and embodied carbon.
6. He also queried the status of the carbon credit trading initiative mentioned in the report.

Councillor Caroline Brook responded with the following points:

1. She clarified that many recommendations go to the Cabinet for consideration, and it is up to the Cabinet to decide on their implementation.
2. She acknowledged the importance of the landline closure issue raised and noted that it was taken up for consideration at the last meeting and agreed that it should be followed up.

The committee noted that the report represented a succinct summary of the main work it had conducted during the previous municipal year. The committee wished to express thanks to the previous committee members for their contributions over the past year and to Councillor Horrill for her contribution to the committee and the Performance Panel.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:

That Council note the annual scrutiny report for 2023/24.

RECOMMENDATION:

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

The Chairperson introduced the report, ref SC094 which set out the annual report concerning exceptions to the forward plan, (available here). The committee considered the report and noted that during the 2023/24 municipal year, the Chairperson of The Scrutiny Committee was informed of one key decision which was not included in the forward plan.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted

Please note that the Forward Plan of Key Decisions is updated monthly and the updated plan will be available on the 1^st June 2024. The current plan is attached to this agenda but the updated plan will be circulated as a supplement to this agenda prior to the meeting.

RESOLVED

That the Forward Plan of Key Decisions - July to September 2024 be noted.

The committee proceeded to discuss the draft work programme. In summary, the following matters were raised:

1.    The process of adding topics to the Draft Work Programme and the need to define the function and terms of reference for task and finish groups.

2.    The composition of task and finish groups, including the number of members and officer involvement.

3.    The method for determining the necessary time, involvement, and number of officers for each task and finish group was discussed, emphasising the flexibility depending on the topic and guidance from relevant officers.

4.    It was highlighted that priorities should align with the most significant concerns for residents. Emphasis was placed on the agile and flexible nature of task and finish groups, allowing for quick deep dives into specific issues without a rigid format, as supported during the training session.

5.    The committee acknowledged these points and noted the draft work programme for 2024/25, with the understanding that it would be further developed based on these discussions ahead of the next meeting of the committee.

RESOLVED:

That the draft work programme be noted.

29 Jul 2024 2.00 pm

4 Sep 2024 6.30 pm

12 Nov 2024 6.30 pm

4 Feb 2025 6.30 pm

5 Mar 2025 6.30 pm

The dates of meetings were noted.