Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Jim Clifton, Peter Roberts and Liz Smyth (Portfolio Holder for Economic Development).

To note any urgent items of business which the Chairman has consented to being considered under the provisions of Section 100(B) 4(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no urgent items of business to consider.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on 22^nd January 2020.

Moved by Councillor David Dixon and seconded by Councillor Chris Kane

RESOLVED that the Minutes of an Extraordinary Growth Scrutiny Committee held on 22^nd January 2020 be approved as a correct record.

(Members should contact the officer whose name appears on the List of Key Decisions for any further information).  NB: If Members wish to discuss an exempt report under this item, the meeting will need to move into exempt business and exclude the public in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 and Local Government Act 1972, Part 1, Schedule 12a for that part of the meeting only.

Committee considered the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document.

Moved by Councillor Graham Parkin and seconded by David Dixon

RESOLVED that the List of Key Decisions and items to be considered in private document be noted.

Committee considered a report which provided the Quarter 3 outturns (October 2019 to December 2019) for the Corporate Plan 2019-2020, which sat under the ‘unlocking our growth potential’ aim as of 31^st December 2019.

There were 7 targets in total, with 5 targets being on track; 1 target had been achieved in Quarter 3 and 1 target was on Alert (i.e. it may not achieve its intended outcome).

The target achieved in Quarter 3 was G05- Through the Bolsover North East Derbyshire LEADER Approach collectively support the creation of 40 sustainable jobs in the combined programme area by December 2020.  The programme had closed nationally to new applications on 30th September 2019 and no further applications would be considered.  Due to several individual projects cost savings, the amount contracted/claimed by the 37 approved projects totalled £1,233,675.63 from an original award of £1,248,695.88.  Within the Quarter, support had been given to promoting other RDPE funds now available but managed centrally by the RPA and D2N2 and monitoring was ongoing.  68.82 jobs created.

The target on Alert was G11 - Through a programme of targeted refurbishment bring 10 empty private sector properties back into use per annum.  To date, no properties had been brought back into use.  However, 7 properties were in the process of being brought back into use and once these were completed, should create 12 units of accommodation.

It was queried if a new target would be created in relation to G11 above.  The Information, Engagement & Performance Manager noted that this was covered in more detail in the next item of business on the agenda.

Moved by Councillor Derek Adams and seconded by Councillor Tricia Clough

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Committee considered a report which gave Scrutiny the opportunity to help develop a new performance framework to support the Council’s ambition statement for 2019 – 2023.

Members suggested that the following additions, highlighted in bold below, be added;

In response to a Member’s query, the Information Engagement & Performance Manager confirmed that anyone who used the Council’s services was considered a customer.

Our Priorities - Customers:

·         Improving health and wellbeing and increasing participation in sport and leisure activities

Include wording in relation to raising awareness of Healthy Eating.

·         Transforming services through the use of technology

A Member raised concern that due to an ageing population, the Council should consider the ‘over use’ of technology.  The Information, Engagement & Performance Manager replied that the Council should not assume that all older people were uncomfortable with technology.  Part of the Council’s Digital Strategy was to raise awareness for everyone and the Council could provide awareness workshops for all ages to improve their skills and knowledge in technology so they could access all services.  Currently, when the Council was looking to introduce new technology or to make any significant changes to Council services which impacted on people, Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) were carried out.  This was to ensure that the Council did not discriminate against any equality group.  Every 6 months, for check and balance, mini-reviews were carried out on EIAs to ensure that they were as expected to be and also for any experience/feedback received from customers. 

A Member suggested that the heading could be - transforming services through education and the use of technology.

·         Reduce the % of current rent arrears against annual rent debit to 5% by March 2021 and maintain thereafter

·         Reduce the level of former tenants arrears by 5% through early intervention and effective monitoring

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer advised Members that an end of year report in relation to the above 2 targets would be presented to Members at a Budget Scrutiny Committee.

·         Implement an agile working programme within Environmental Health to increase efficiency and effectiveness by 31^st March 2021

It was agreed that this target required clarification to see how it would be measured.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer advised that the Customer Service & Transformation and the Healthy Safe Clean & Green Scrutiny Committees had identified gaps in detail in relation to Council housing emergency repairs, satisfaction with disability adaptations, general satisfaction with Council housing, the housing allocations process and the housing waiting list (some of these may be service level rather than corporate level).  Further, from a targets point of view, Partnership activity and health & wellbeing had also been identified as a gap.  The Information, Engagement & Performance Manager confirmed that she had relayed these to the Head of Partnerships and Transformation and these were being looked at.

Our Priorities - Economy:

A Member raised that this Committee had previously discussed the Council having an Industrial Strategy for the District and also an identity of where the Council fitted in.  He noted that an area around East Midlands  ...  view the full minutes text for item 685.

Committee considered their Work Programme 2019/20.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer noted that Members had previously received the draft Sustainable Community Strategy 2006-20 document for their consideration and comment back to the Partnership Team.   An update on achievements in 2006-20 and the new draft Strategy would be presented to Members before the end of this Municipal year.

The Scrutiny & Elections Officer noted that she and the Assistant Director of Development were currently working on a report in relation to Members comments and concerns raised at the January meeting regarding the private rented sector.

Moved by Councillor Chris Kane and seconded by Councillor David Dixon

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To move:-

“That the public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion of the

following items of business to avoid the disclosure to them of exempt

information as defined in Paragraph 3, Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local

Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Local Government (Access to

Information) (Variation) Order 2006)”.

Moved by Councillor Chris Kane and seconded by Councillor Graham Parkin

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to be revealed.

The Director of Development provided a verbal update to Members in relation to the new 4 year framework for delivering social housing in the District under Bolsover Homes (previously B@Home).

The Number of houses to be built under Bolsover Homes would be dependent on the target in the Council’s new ambition.  However, this would potentially be more than the 100 properties target over the previous 4 years.  A number of schemes in the District had already been identified.  

The new framework agreement had recently been out to tender and independently appraised.  A report to approve the contractor would be presented to the meetings of Executive in March and Council in April 2020.

The Director of Development noted that wherever possible and with permission of the Chair, he and the Assistant Director of Development would like to regularly attend meetings of this Committee to keep Members up to date with progress on Bolsover Homes and also to provide updates on other areas such as where the Council had been liaising with local industries regarding their requirements for skills and jobs.

The formal meeting concluded at 1140 hours and Members then met as a working party to continue their review work.  The working party concluded at 1150 hours.