Agenda and draft minutes

To receive apologies.

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Catherine Tite.

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 be considered.

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 Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on the 14^th of October 2025.

Moved by Councillor Cathy Jeffery and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

RESOLVED that the minutes of a Climate Change and Communities Scrutiny

Committee held on 14^th October 2025 be approved as a true and 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.

The Committee considered the updated List of Key Decisions and Items to be considered in private – the latest items added were highlighted by the Scrutiny Officer.

A question was asked on the “Contract Award to enable the Bolsover Partnership to administer their 'Children and Young People' Project”.

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

The HR Business Partner presented the report to the Committee on the Council’s progress on the continuing development of its Health and Wellbeing Framework (the ‘Framework’) for its employees.

The newly developed 2025-2027 Framework was presented to the Committee 6^th February 2025 and had set out the 5 main pillars of wellbeing: Physical; Mental; Social; Financial; and Career.

A key aim of the Framework was to contribute positively to the Council’s employees’ wellbeing at work.

The Framework and an Updated Action Plan 2024-2027 (the ‘Plan’) were attached respectively at Appendixes 1 and 2.

The Plan identified the progress made over the previous 12 months.

It was noted the Employee Engagement Officer had been a great champion for developing and driving health and wellbeing initiatives and had developed a new action plan to cover the remainder of the framework’s time period.

The Employee Health & Wellbeing Framework 2024-27 Infographic was attached at Appendix 3.

The Council had put in place a number of initiatives and actions undertaken – these were detailed in the report and included: a Team and Individual Walking Challenge; information on the number of apprenticeship requests in the previous 12 months; free NHS Health Checks and Body MOTs; Pension and Financial Wellbeing awareness; and a Menopause Support Group (which now met bimonthly and had increasing numbers in attendance).

Also detailed in the report were employee sickness absences and whistleblowing complaints.

A new action plan (for 2026) with newly identified actions was attached at Appendix 4.

A Member shared attendance of the free NHS Health Checks and Body MOTs and noted they had proven very good.

The Committee was informed the Cycle to Work Scheme had been established 10+ years prior and, with tax savings, paid for through salary sacrifice – it was intended to encourage physical activity.  A Member noted the prices of road bicycles had recently increased – the scheme would help offset these costs.

To a question on further efforts to improve health and wellbeing, the HR Business Partner stated efforts were always ongoing and would continue in future.  The new action plan was reiterated and Members and officers were encouraged to submit ideas on how to support the health and wellbeing of all employees.

Of note was the People Strategy and Values & Behaviours priority, which was expected to launch spring 2026.

A Member thanked the HR Business Partner for the report and the HR Team for the considerable work taking place.

Moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Cathy Jeffery

RESOLVED that Committee Members note the progress update.

The Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy introduced the report and informed the first meeting of the new Climate Resilience Group had met with new ambitions established.

The Climate Resilience Group was at an early stage of its development but would meet every 4 weeks and invest in new ideas and suggestions to enable a feasible new climate change action plan for the Council to enact.

The new action plan would be worked upon in the following 4 months before the Committee was asked for permission to submit it to public consultation in summer 2026.

After the public consultation, it was expected the action plan would take effect in autumn 2026 and feed into the Council’s corporate strategy.

The Committee was informed the Climate Resilience Group would be steered by the Interim Director of Planning, Devolution and Corporate Policy and managed by the Climate Change Officer.

Turning to the actions set out in the post scrutiny monitoring report and table, the Climate Change Officer informed the first 4 recommendations had been achieved and a baseline of the Council’s carbon emissions confirmed.

The next requirement was to coordinate with the Communications Team to produce a sustainability calendar and share with the Employee Engagement Manager.

The Council’s website had been reviewed.

The Committee was informed the Low Carbon Thematic Group, a sub-group of the Partnerships Team, had not met for 2 years due to difficulties identified (raising the need to have the Climate Resilience Group within the Council to successfully access all information and drive improvement / efforts).

The Portfolio Holder for the Environment noted the Low Carbon Thematic Group had focused only on reducing the Council’s carbon dioxide production (methane was a far more damaging greenhouse element, produced from methods such as food waste not being appropriately managed – hence the UK Government’s new requirement for local authorities to additionally collect this separately from no later than 31^st March 2026).

The Council had moved its entire vehicle fleet away from fossil fuels to more sustainable Hydrated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel from March 2025, achieving a 91% reduction in CO2 emissions.

A Member recalled the Low Carbon Thematic Group had essentially become stuck due to it being external (without Council employees to advise and carry out recommendations) – it was appropriate for it to be reestablished.

The Portfolio Holder for the Environment agreed – the Low Carbon Thematic Group was an external meeting that had attempted to solely manage the Council’s internal organisation.  With the establishment of the new Climate Resilience Group, the Council would have an internal working group to drive forward efforts with then the external Low Carbon Thematic Group to scrutinise and recommend any future considerations.

The Strategic Director of Services added the Climate Resilience Group would also remain realistic in its consideration and research what was achievable, but agreed the Low Carbon Thematic Group would be able to influence the Council and the Climate Resilience Group’s recommendations from an external viewpoint.

The Chair noted there  ...  view the full minutes text for item CLI26-25/26

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Work Programme 2025/26 and planned agenda items, attached at Appendix 1, to the Committee.

RESOLVED that Members review this report and the Programme attached at Appendix 1 for approval and amendment as required.  All Members are advised to contact the Scrutiny Officer should they have any queries regarding future meetings

Councillor Jeanne Raspin left the meeting at 10:32 hours.

To move: -

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as 
amended), the public be excluded from the meeting for the following 
items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely 
disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Part 1 of 
Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to 
be revealed“. The category of exempt information is stated after each 
item.

Moved by Councillor Ashley Taylor and seconded by Councillor Sandra Peake

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 they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the stated Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and it is not in the public interest for that to be revealed.

The Scrutiny Officer introduced the report to the Committee.

The Assistant Director of Streetscene, Community Safety and Enforcement informed on the proposed subject areas to be included in the Annual Review of the Community Safety Partnership.

The Committee briefly discussed the current provision of healthcare services within the District.

An error in the report was identified by the Monitoring Officer and corrected at the meeting.

Moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Cathy Jeffery

RESOLVED that: 1) the Committee are aware and feel prepared for the Annual Review of the Community Safety Partnership;

2)    the Committee discuss ideas to be raised at the Annual Review of the Community Safety Partnership; and,

3)    the Committee agree on a set of agenda items for the Annual Review of the Community Safety Partnership, which will be fed back to officers by the Scrutiny Officer.

The Committee noted its Review Work.

The Chair thanked all those in attendance.