Issue - meetings

Committee considered their proposed work programme for 2022/23.  Members agreed to switch the items tabled for August and October given the current situation with vacant units in Bolsover Town Centre.

The Assistant Director of Development & Planning advised of the lead officer and Member in relation to HS2 but noted that there was clear confirmation the phase affecting Bolsover was not going ahead.  Officers were waiting for further detail from HS2 in relation to land and buildings affected by works to date.

Moved by Councillor Derek Adams and seconded by Councillor David Dixon

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2022/23 be approved and noted.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

Committee considered their proposed work programme for 2022/23.  Members discussed outstanding pieces of work to be completed in advance of the Elections in May 2023.

Cllr Joesbury requested that further information briefings took place on the impact of Levelling Up and the potential County Deal.  The Scrutiny & Elections Officer agreed to follow this up with senior officers and Executive as it was relevant to all Members rather than the Committee.

Moved by Councillor Ray Heffer and seconded by Councillor Rita Turner

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2022/23 be approved and noted.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to the Committee.

Councillor Derek Adams and Councillor David Dixon both felt there should be regular updates included in the Work Programme about Section 106 money and in particular, how much the Council has got and what each Parish receives. The Scrutiny and Elections Officer explained that monitoring of Section 106 money was not relevant to this particular Committee, but she would try and investigate their requests for information.

Councillor Tracey Cannon enquired if there could be an item included in the Work Programme about takeaway restaurant limits. The Scrutiny and Elections Officer explained that there was a specific policy in the Local Plan covering Hot Food Takeaways (Policy WC9) with clearly defined restrictions, which the Planning Policy Manager could explain to them in more detail.

RESOLVED that Members note the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(Scrutiny and Elections Officer)

N.B. The Portfolio Holder – Finance and the Section 151 Officer left the meeting at this point.

Committee considered their work programme 2021/22.

The Chair referred to the mention in the item ‘HOUSING STRATEGY - MONITORING UPDATE’ of the Empty Property Officer sending Members a briefing note on a flat in Whitwell that had been empty for 25 years. The Chair asked Members if they would prefer this briefing to be sent to them or presented at a Committee meeting. Member agreed they would prefer it to be sent to them.

The Chair requested that for the Committee’s agreement of the ‘Review of Council-owned Adapted Accommodation’ Scrutiny report, an Extraordinary meeting should be scheduled at the end of April 2022.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2021/22 be noted.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to the Committee.

Councillor Tracey Cannon moved and Councillor Jim Clifton seconded

RESOLVED that Members approve the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(Scrutiny and Elections Officer)

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to Members. She explained that a progress report on the Carbon Reduction Plan and an update on the Community Woodland Project had been added to the 24th May 2022 meeting. The Annual Review of the Community Safety Partnership would take place as planned on the 22nd March 2022.

The Work Programme was moved by Councillor Nick Clarke and seconded by Councillor Anne Clarke.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

N.B. The Customer Standards and Complaints Officer left the meeting at this point.

Committee considered their work programme 2021/22.

Councillor Andrew Joesbury asked what the current situation was in terms of Garage site development/disposal. The Scrutiny & Elections Officer explained that it fell under the remit of Local Growth Scrutiny Committee, which had received a report in December.

Members mentioned issues for Streetscene in relation to: service performance issues as a result of COVID and staff absences, expected service changes as a result of new national guidance on Waste and Recycling, and staffing impacts as a result of drivers potentially leaving for other HGV roles, which they felt would need to be addressed after May 2022 in next year’s Work Programme.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2021/22 be noted.

N.B. Councillor Clive Moesby left the meeting at this point.

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to the Committee.

Councillor Jim Clifton requested that the Committee receive an update on the Coalite site. The Assistant Director of Development and Planning explained that an update on the site would be prepared for the next meeting of Local Growth Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer asked if the Assistant Director of Development and Planning could investigate how other local authorities were carrying out social value work. The Assistant Director of Development and Planning stated he would prepare this for the next meeting of Local Growth Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Derek Adams moved and Councillor Jen Wilson seconded to approve the attached Work Programme 2021/22.

RESOLVED that Members approve the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(Scrutiny and Elections Officer)

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to Members.

Councillor David Dixon referred to the Leisure Services update scheduled for 22^nd February 2022 and asked how the Council had funded the refurbishment of the Leisure facilities in The Arc, and if that cost included moving existing equipment. The Scrutiny & Elections Officer stated she would investigate this.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer referred to theAnnual Review of Community Safety Partnership scheduled for 22^nd March 2022 and explained that an officer meeting on the subject was going to happen in January 2022, so Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee would get to consider it on 22^nd March 2022.

The Chair asked if possible updates on the Woodland Project had been discussed. The Scrutiny & Elections Officer explained she would investigate this.

The Work Programme was moved by Councillor David Dixon and seconded by Councillor Evonne Parkin.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

Meeting concluded at 1050 hours.

N. B. The Assistant Director of Development and Planning left the meeting at this point.

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to the Committee. She explained that the draft review scope for ‘Review of Integration of Social Value to BDC Policy and Delivery’ was attached as Appendix 2.

Councillor Jim Clifton felt that the review should not start until the Committee had received the data on the District held by Partnerships.

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer asked the Committee if they would prefer virtual or face-to-face meetings to undertake future informal work. Members unanimously felt future informal meetings should be undertaken face-to-face.

Moved by Councillor David Dixon and seconded by Councillor Derek Adams.

RESOLVED that:

(i) Members approve the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(ii) Members approve the review scope attached at Appendix 2.

(Scrutiny and Elections Officer)

The meeting concluded at 12:17 hours.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to Members. She explained that the scope for the proposed Review of Voluntary & Community Sector Grant Allocations had been amended and was attached at Appendix 2.

The Work Programme and the review scope was moved by Councillor Anne Clarke and seconded by Councillor Nick Clarke.

RESOLVED that the Committee:

(i) Notes the report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval;

(ii) Approves the draft scope (Review of Voluntary & Community Sector Grant Allocations) attached at Appendix 2.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

Meeting concluded at 1030 hours.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to Members. She explained that the Community Safety Interim Review listed for the meeting in October might not have to happen because of the amount already covered in March 2021.

The Work Programme was moved by Councillor Nick Clarke and seconded by Councillor Evonne Parkin.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes this report and approves the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

Meeting concluded at 1100 hours.

N.B. The Portfolio Holder - Growth/Economic Development and the Assistant Director of Development and Planning left the meeting at this point.

The Solicitor presented the Work Programme 2021/22 to the Committee.

The Solicitor presented Members with the proposed scrutiny review topic in Appendix 2 (‘To consider how Worker Co-ops and Employee Ownership could be a driving factor in Regional Economic Recovery’) and suggested that if Members accept the proposed review, they might want to broaden its scope with some of the outcomes of the earlier Growth Strategy presentation in mind (particularly the slide on Social Value Strategy).

Councillor Jim Clifton asked what type of commercial units were planned to be used on the Coalite site. The Business Growth Manager explained that the units would be large scale warehousing units, and a Centre of Excellence for the site was also being considered.

Councillors Jim Clifton, David Dixon and Tracey Cannon expressed disappointment that the Coalite site would be used for warehousing units instead of businesses or educational buildings. Councillor David Dixon felt that the Council needed to investigate precisely why sites like this could not attract skilled jobs or technical industries.

Members agreed that the proposed review on ‘How Worker Co-ops and Employee Ownership could be a driving factor in Regional Economic Recovery’ should be discounted because they felt there was limited scope for the Council to make an impact in this area. They noted that Worker Co-ops were part of a wider community wealth building agenda that was achieved through a social value strategy.

Members agreed that they wanted to work with officers on the social value strategy using the former Coalite site as a case study. They felt adopting a social value strategy could also be a way to promote, support and encourage Worker Co-ops.

Councillor David Dixon moved and Councillor Jim Clifton seconded that the Work Programme be noted, the proposed review be discounted, and the Solicitor and the Scrutiny & Elections Officer come back to the next meeting of the Committee with a new draft review scope focussed on integration of social value at BDC to support the elements of the Business Growth Strategy Action Plan around a Social Value Index and Strategy.

The Business Growth Manager stated she would also engage with other local authorities that had already embedded the ‘social value index’ into their work, like Preston City Council.

RESOLVED that:

(i) The Work Programme 2021/22 be noted;

(ii) The proposed review (‘To consider how Worker Co-ops and Employee Ownership could be a driving factor in Regional Economic Recovery’) be discounted;

(iii) The Solicitor and the Scrutiny & Elections Officer come back to the next meeting of the Committee with a new draft review scope focussed on integration of social value at BDC.

(Solicitor/Scrutiny & Elections Officer)

The meeting concluded at 11:42 hours.

Committee considered the Work Programme for 2021/22.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer explained that the report included two attached suggested Scrutiny Review topics and Members must decide whether or not to undertake them for 2021/22:

1) To undertake a review of the Council’s Grant to Voluntary Organisations Budget allocations.

2) To consider where health and leisure activities have brought positive, best value

outcomes for customers.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer added that there were two incomplete reviews that were being undertaken by the now defunct Healthy Safe Clean and Green Communities Scrutiny Committee, and this Committee could pick them up for 2021/22 if they wished:

1) A review of the Council’s Policy on Sky Lanterns and Helium Balloons

2) A review of the Council’s Policy on Fireworks

Councillor David Downes explained some of the work that had been undertaken for these existing reviews as the former Chair of Healthy Safe Clean and Green Communities Scrutiny Committee.

Members agreed to undertake the two suggested review topics and carry on with the two review topics left by Healthy Safe Clean and Green Communities Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor David Dixon asked what kinds of powers were available in terms of dealing with the misuse of fireworks. The Scrutiny & Elections Officer explained that North East Derbyshire District Council had recently done a review on the same subject and that review had looked more towards enforcement.

Councillor David Downes asked if light displays instead of fireworks was possible, and also asked what the requirements from Licensing were for fireworks used at home. The Scrutiny & Elections Officer agreed she would investigate these questions.

Members agreed that the need for the review of fireworks should take priority with bonfire night coming up soon.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer suggested the Committee could begin at the scheduled meeting on 7^th September 2021 by discussing Fireworks as part of a formal item and discussing Sky Lanterns/Helium Balloons and Grants to Voluntary Organisations as part of the informal item, and then discuss health and leisure activities at the next meeting on 12^th October 2021 to allow some research to be done for it. Members agreed with this approach.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer explained that prior to the 7^th September 2021 meeting, she would:

1) Find out the answer to the Licensing question asked by Councillor David Downes

2) Circulate all of the information Healthy Safe Clean and Green Communities Scrutiny Committee looked at in terms of Fireworks and Sky Lanterns/Helium Balloons so it could be discussed at the 7^th September meeting

3) Ask officers from Legal and Environmental Health to attend the 7^th September meeting so they can explain precisely the powers the Council has in terms of Fireworks and Sky Lanterns/Helium Balloons.

It was moved by Councillor David Dixon and seconded by Councillor Janet Tait to note the Work Programme for 2021/22, accept the two suggested review topics and take on the two old review topics.

RESOLVED that the Committee:

(i) Notes the report and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

(N.B. Councillor Mary Dooley and the Information, Engagement and Performance Manager left the meeting at this point.)

The Scrutiny and Elections Officer presented the Customer Service and Transformation Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2020/21 to Members.

It was moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Andrew Joesbury to note the Work Programme 2020/21.

RESOLVED that the Committee notes this report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1.

(Scrutiny and Elections Officer)

Committee considered their work programme 2020/21.

In response to a Member’s question, the Scrutiny & Elections Officer advised Members that Healthy Safe Clean and Green Communities Scrutiny Committee had looked at the impact of Covid19 on Leisure Services at their meeting on 6^th October.

Moved by Councillor Rose Bowler and seconded by Councillor Ray Heffer

RESOLVED that the Work Programme 2020/21 be noted.

The meeting concluded at 1125 hours.