Agenda and minutes

Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board - Tuesday 15th June 2010 6.00 p.m.

Venue: The Council House, Burcot Lane, Bromsgrove. View directions

Contact: Michael Carr Amanda Scarce

Items
No.	Item
1.	Election of Chairman View the background to item 1. Minutes: RESOLVED that Councillor S. R. Colella be elected Chairman of the Board for the ensuing municipal year.
2.	Election of Vice-Chairman View the background to item 2. Minutes: RESOLVED that Councillor D. L. Pardoe be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board for the ensuing municipal year.
3.	Apologies for absence Minutes: An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer.
4.	Declarations of Interest and whipping arrangements Minutes: Councillor Mrs. Griffiths declared a personal interest in item 6 on the agenda; Petitions – Alvechurch Multi-Usage Games Area, as she had been a Member of the Cabinet at the time the decision was taken to install the MUGA and was a Ward Councillor for Alvechurch.
5.	Minutes PDF 110 KB View the background to item 5. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 9th March 2010 were submitted. RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record.
6.	Petitions - Alvechurch Multi-Usage Games Area (MUGA) PDF 85 KB View the declarations of interest for item 6. View the background to item 6. Additional documents: MUGA - Cabinet Report 020610 , item 6. PDF 2 MB Minutes: The Board was presented with three petitions on the Multi-Usage Games Area (MUGA) at Swans Length, Alvechurch. The Chairman explained that one role of the Board was to receive petitions, to determine whether to hold an inquiry and to make recommendations to the Cabinet. He outlined the process for receiving petitions, whereby the petition organiser for each petition is allowed up to 5 minutes to present their petition. The first petition was presented by Mrs. Sarah Morgan. The petition was entitled “I, the below, wish the MUGA, at Swans Length Alvechurch, be dismantled and removed”. Mrs. Morgan explained that the petition was requesting removal of the MUGA facility and outlined the reasons for this. These included the anti-social behaviour reported to take place in and around the MUGA. The petition contained 90 signatures. The second petition was presented by Mr. Alex Cooke. The petition was entitled “I sign this digital petition to register my support for saving the Alvechurch MUGA”. Mr. Cooke explained that the petition was against demolition and removal of the MUGA facility and outlined the reasons for this. These included that the MUGA was a valued and much used resource for children and families in the area. The petition contained 108 signatures. The third petition was presented by Miss Emily Wightman. The petition was entitled “Join if you want to keep the MUGA in Alvechurch”. Miss Wightman explained that the petition was against demolition and removal of the MUGA facility and outlined the reasons for this. These included that the MUGA was a facility valued by children and young people in the neighbourhood. The petition contained 103 signatures. The Chairman thanked the petition organisers for presenting their petitions and asked the Head of Community Services to comment. The Board were advised that there had been an increase in reported anti-social behaviour and complaints from residents who lived in the proximity of the MUGA. Public engagement on the issue through a local resident focus group had been carried out to consider the issues and at a meeting of the resident focus group it had been decided that the removal of the MUGA was an option that the group would like the local authority to consider. The matter had been presented to Cabinet on 2nd June 2010, as outlined in Appendix 2 of the report. In the meantime, the petitions on the MUGA had been submitted and the Cabinet had referred consideration of the issue to the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board, in accordance with the Council Constitution. It was moved that an inquiry be carried out by the Board to consider the matter in detail and to interview key witnesses. RESOLVED: (a) that an inquiry be held into the future of the MUGA facility at Swans Length, Alvechurch and the matter be considered at an extra meeting of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Board on 22nd July 2010; that key witnesses be invited to this meeting, and the Head of Community Services be asked ... view the full minutes text for item 6.
7.	Overview and Scrutiny Work Planning PDF 364 KB View the background to item 7. Minutes: Members of the Board received a report of the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services which outlined the process and rationale for Overview and Scrutiny Work Planning for 2010/11 and were asked to consider and identify the priority issues for Overview and Scrutiny for 2010/11. The Scrutiny Officer gave a short presentation to outline the process for identification and allocation of topics. The potential topics for investigation by the Boards had been identified in the Quarterly meetings with the Leader, proposals by Members of the Council, consultation with the Corporate Management Team, and consultation with the Bromsgrove Partnership (LSP). Members had also been invited to submit topic proposals in advance of the meeting and one topic proposal had been received from Councillor L. J. Turner entitled “Local Food”. A list of potential topics had been drawn up and Members were asked to propose any further topics and to identify the top priority topics and refer these to the relevant Boards for inclusion in their work programmes. Members of the Board considered the proposal from Councillor Turner. The proposal on “Local Food” was: “To investigate the availability of locally sourced foods in local shops, supermarkets, restaurants, and in schools and elderly care homes, day centres etc. To actively promote local food. To ascertain the viability of encouraging additional Local Food/Farmers Markets in District Wards other than Bromsgrove Town. Reduction of carbon footprint in the local food economy”. Members of the Board considered the allocation of topics to each Board and each Member nominated up to 8 high priority topics. These were collated and it was RESOLVED: (a) that the proposal on “Local Food” be designated a high priority topic and referred to the Overview Board for inclusion in its Work Programme; and (b) that the Scrutiny Officer, in consultation with the Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Boards, be asked to schedule the topics prioritised around the remaining meetings of the Boards for 2010/11.
8.	Verbal Update on the Worcestershire Hub Joint Scrutiny Task Group (Councillor C. B. Taylor) View the background to item 8. Minutes: Councillor C. B. Taylor provided the Board with an update on the progress of the Worcestershire Hub Joint Scrutiny Task Group. He reported that there were some concerns about the planning and direction of the investigation. RESOLVEDthat the Chairman of the Worcestershire Hub Joint Scrutiny Task Group be invited, by Councillor Taylor, to a future meeting of the Board.
9.	To consider any other business, details of which have been notified to the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services prior to the commencement of the meeting and which the Chairman considers to be of so urgent a nature that it cannot wait until the next meeting View the background to item 9.