Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs. R. L. Dent and Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths.

No declarations of interest or whipping arrangements were received.

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview Board held on 31st August 2010 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The Head of Environmental Services and the Portfolio Holder for Community Services had sent their apologies as they were unable to attend the meeting.  The Executive Director, Finance and Resources gave a detailed explanation of the current position in respect of the Pay On Foot Scheme.  Members were informed that a report would be presented at the Cabinet meeting to be held on 3rd November 2010 which would ask Cabinet to make recommendations to Full Council.

The Board noted that the Council’s charges were comparable with other districts and that Wychavon Council had recently increased car parking charges.  Officers were not aware of any other operator currently using an incremented tariff.  Members were of the view that, as the losses were significant and that in light of the Comprehensive Spending Review, it would be inappropriate for the Council to meet this from balances for 2010/11.  It was also felt that, if an increase in charges was anticipated for 2011/12, this should be including within the VAT increase which would take effect from 1st January 2011.  The Executive Director, Finance and Resources undertook to feedback the Board’s views to the Cabinet meeting to be held on 3rd November 2010.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that the Cabinet do not implement the incremented car parking tariff;   and

(b)       that the Council incorporate any increased charges within the VAT       increase to take effect from 1st January 2011.

The Chairman advised that the Executive Director, Planning and Regeneration, Regulation and Housing Services had sent his apologies but had provided the following information:

“The County Council received a letter from the Department of Transport on Wednesday (27th October 2010) informing us that there would be no capital funding for the Bromsgrove railway station project from the Department of Transport.  We are welcome to bid for funding from future funds released by the Department for Communities and Local Government but there is no guidance on any of these funds at the current time and competition is likely to be intense for any limited funds released.  As a result no further work is to be done on the railway station project until such time as any funding is available.”

The Board was disappointed that the letter from the Department of Transport appeared to preclude development of the Railway Station in the future.  The possibility of funding being available through the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was discussed.  Officers agreed to ask the Executive Director, Planning and Regeneration, Regulation and Housing Services, whether this had already been explored.

Members queried whether there would be any implications for the Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework, as the Railway Station was an integral part of the Town Centre Redevelopment, and what effect this would have on the Council’s priorities.

Officers reminded Members that at the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting to be held on 23rd November 2010, Members were due to receive a further presentation from the Head of Planning and Regeneration and that this matter could be discussed in more detail at that meeting.

The Chairman invited Councillor L. J. Turner, as Chairman of the Task Group, to introduce this item.  Councillor Turner gave background information on the Transition Town Bromsgrove group and explained that he had attended one of their meetings and felt that the work that they hoped to do was of a similar nature to that of the Task Group.   It was felt that it would be useful to co-opt two members of Transition Town Bromsgrove on to the Task Group.  An informal meeting of the Task Group had been held, to which the potential co-optees had been invited and it was felt that they were enthusiastic and committed to the work and would be an asset to the Task Group.  Councillor Turner confirmed that the first meeting of the Task Group would take place on 11th November 2010.

RESOLVED:

(a)               that Councillors S. R. Colella, C. R. Scurrell and D. McGrath be appointed as members of the Task Group;

(b)               that Ms. A. Horton and Mr. M. Draper be co-opted as members of the Task Group;

(c)               that the terms of reference of the Local Food Economy Task Group as submitted now be agreed; and

(d)               that the Task Group commence its investigation as soon as possible.

The Board considered the Quarterly Recommendation Tracker report and was disappointed that detailed updates had not been received from Officers.  Members agreed that it was important that recommendations, which had been agreed by Cabinet, were tracked to find out what outcomes had been achieved and when the agreed recommendations (Cabinet decisions) had been implemented, and that officers and relevant Portfolio Holders were requested to provide details of these.  The Executive Director, Finance and Resources advised Members that she would bring the Overview Board Recommendation Tracker Report to the attention of the Corporate Management Team at their next meeting and ensure that responses were brought back to the next meeting of the Board to be held on 4th January 2011.

It was noted that an action update had been received in respect of the Community Involvement In Local Democracy Task Group, but unfortunately this was not in the required format and did not cover all aspects of the recommendations.  It was noted that Councillor G. Denaro had been suggested as the Council’s Democracy Champion.  The Board felt that in view of his heavy workload as Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources and Deputy Leader, the Vice Chairman of the Council would be a more appropriate candidate as Democracy Champion.

The Board considered the Forward Plan of Key Decisions and discussed the following items in more detail:

• Garden Waste Service - Future Developments. 
• Worcestershire ‘Single Conversation’ and Investment Plan. 
• Longbridge – Memorandum of Understanding. 

The Board considered the Work Programme and Meeting Schedule and agreed that the item on Garden Waste – Future Developments and Civil Parking Enforcement Part 1 be carried over to the meeting to be held on 4th January 2011 and if a further meeting was required for the Implementation of Civil Parking Enforcement, this would be carried over to the 1st February 2011 meeting if necessary.

(example questions attached for guidance)

The Board considered the strategic questions which had been provided as a guide for Members to ask witnesses at the meeting to be held on 4th January 2011.

Members asked for the following points/questions to be put to the Head of Service and Portfolio Holder in respect of the Civil Parking Enforcement topic:

• Key deliverables
• Level of service
• Would the same service be delivered throughout the district?
• What was the deadline, if any, for this service to be in place?
• Was it possible to broaden the remit of the enforcement officers’ role i.e. to include litter, dog fouling and fly tipping.