Agenda and minutes
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Apologies for Absence and Named Substitutes Minutes: An apology for absence was received from Councillor S. R. Colella and it was confirmed that Councillor K. Van der Plank was in attendance as substitute. |
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Declarations of Interest and Whipping Arrangements To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest nor of any party whip. |
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Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 30th October 2017 were submitted.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 30th October 2017 be approved as a correct record. |
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Footbridge Across A38 - Verbal update Minutes: For those members who had not been at the last meeting of the Board, Councillor C. J. Bloore provided a summary of the discussion which had taken place and the concerns which had been raised in respect of the proposed footbridge over the A38, which had been recently highlighted in the local press. This had been following announcement of funding which had been made available.
Councillor Bloore confirmed that he had spoken to both the relevant officer and Portfolio Holder at Worcestershire County Council and the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board had been assured that there were no firm agreement as to where the footbridge would be located and that as had been suggested at this Board’s meeting on 30th October, that consideration would be given to the option of improvements to the area which affected Charford First School and Bromsgrove South High School.
Councillor Bloore gave his thanks to Councillor R. Dent, the County Councillor for this area, who had offered her support in ensuring any works which were carried out were in the appropriate place and met the needs of the residents.
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Parking Enforcement in the Vicinity of Schools Task Group - Membership Minutes: Officers confirmed that following the previous meeting all Members (who were not Members of the Cabinet) were invited to join the Parking Enforcement in the Vicinity of Schools Task Group. Notices of interest were received from a number of Members and the Board were asked to agree the Membership as detailed in the report. It was also confirmed that the investigation would commence in late January/early February 2018.
RESOLVED that the following Councillors be appointed to the Parking Enforcement in the Vicinity of Schools Task Group; Councillors C. Bloore (Chairman), R. Dent, S. Colella, S. Shannon and C. Spencer. |
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Cabinet Response to the Social Media Task Group Minutes: Officers confirmed that all recommendations from the Social Media Task Group had been agreed by Cabinet and discussions had been held with relevant officers in respect of implementation.
It was highlighted that a trial of live streaming of items of the January full Council meeting was being considered and those to be included would be discussed with the Group Leaders prior to that meeting. |
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Finance and Budget Working Group - Update Minutes: The Chairman of the Finance and Budget Working Group confirmed that there had been one meeting since the previous report. This had concentrated on looking at the budget assumptions, the fixed asset register, which included equipment, plant and land which was owned by the Council. The Working Group had also taken the opportunity to catch up on a number of outstanding actions from previous meetings.
A meeting of the Working Group would take place following this Board meeting.
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Measures Dashboard Working Group - Update Minutes: Councillor S. Webb, as Chairman of the Measures Dashboard Working Group, confirmed that after a slow start work was progressing nicely. Access to the Dashboard was now available on the iPads although Members of the Working Group had chosen to look at this together, via the IT equipment in the Training Room. A further meeting was planned for January when the Chairman of the Redditch Performance Scrutiny Board would be joining them to discuss the potential for joint working.
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Task Group Updates Minutes: Officers advised Members that following the previous meeting of the Board, when funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner was discussed, the CCTV Short Sharp Review had received an update form the relevant officers and had arranged a meeting for 5th December, when this would be discussed in more detail.
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Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Update Minutes: Councillor C. Hotham, as the Council’s representative on the Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) confirmed he had attended its most recent meeting, which had been held jointly with the Adult Care and Well Being Overview and Scrutiny Panel when the budget had been discussed in some detail.
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Cabinet Work Programme Minutes: Officers provided a number of updates in respect of the Cabinet Leader’s Work Programme, highlighting that a number of items would now be considered at the meeting of Cabinet on 10th January 2018. It was also noted that the Bromsgrove Sports and Physical Activity Strategy had been put back to April 2018. It was noted that the Industrial units Investment Business Case was already included on the Board’s Work Programme and that there was a possibility that this will slip back further.
Members discussed the possibility of pre-scrutinising the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Implementation of Provisions) report. In this regard concerns were raised in respect of the Portfolio Holder and her connection to the Police and Crime Commissioner, which had been raised at the full Council meeting, held on 22nd November. Officers were asked to pass on the Board’s concerns outside of the meeting.
The Executive Director, Finance and Resources advised that the Fees and Charges Report and the Monitoring and Efficiency Plan Update Report would be considered by the Finance and Budget Working Group.
The Risk Management Strategy item was also discussed and the Executive Director, Finance and Resources explained that this was a strategy which set out how the Council dealt with risk and did not provided details of particular risks. That item was considered by the Audit, Standards and Governance Committee, with a Risk Champion being appointed to look at particular areas and report back to the Committee.
Following further discussion it was
RESOLVED that the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Implementation of Provisions, Risk Management Strategy and Sports and Physical Activity Strategy be added to the Overview and Scrutiny Board’s Work Programme. |
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Overview and Scrutiny Board Work Programme Minutes: The Chairman explained that there were a number of items which the Board would need to consider in detail as to whether it wished these to be added to its Work Programme.
Sports Hall
Councillor Bloore raised the matter of the Sports Hall, which had recently been reported in the local press. Specific reference was made to the options which had been suggested in that article and that this Board had considered a number of reports on the new Leisure Centre and the need for a Sports Hall, together with updates on the displaced groups which used the Sports Hall and the contract arrangements with BAM. This highlighted a number of questions in respect of the information the Board had received, recommendations which this Board had made through the Leisure Provision Task Group and which had been amended by the Cabinet in specific reference to this facility. A number of further points were highlighted:
· Whether the demolition of the old Dolphin Centre had been delayed (and any financial impact to the Council leading from this). · It was understood that long standing bookings for the next 4-6 weeks had been confirmed. · Members had previously been assured that an agreement with BAM was imminent. · If a sports hall was now to be built or the old sports hall refurbished where the funds for this would be coming from. · The perception of the changes to residents in light of the concerns that had been raised by them at various meetings.
Councillor Whittaker, as the Portfolio Holder for Leisure responded to the questions raised and confirmed that the school had a new Head Teacher who had informed the Council that the hall and gym would not be available during a 12 week exam period, due to changes to the GCSEs being based on yearly exams and as such she felt that it would be too much inconvenience for the school to have to remove and replace the chairs and tables for these exams every day. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that whilst the draft agreement had been reached, contracts had not been signed by BAM. In light of this the Council was now looking at a number of options, including the potential to build a sports hall or to refurbish the current hall. An option appraisal would be brought to Cabinet and then on to Council, it was hoped in January when all available options would be considered in detail.
The Executive Director, Finance and Resources advised Members that this change was advised by the School and BAM to officers on 2nd November via an email, when it was explained that the daily removal and then set up of the desks for the exams was not acceptable for the environment that the students need for their exams. The Executive Director, Finance and Resources had looked at a number of options and offered the School support in this matter in order to mitigate the loss of use to the Council, however after much discussion and ... view the full minutes text for item 74/17 |
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