Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J. D. Stanley.

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.

Councillor H. D. N. Rone-Clarke declared an other interest in agenda item no. 5, minute number 64/23, Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Update, in that he was employed by an NHS Acute Hospitals Trust. Councillor H. D. N. Rone-Clarke remained in the room and took part in the debate on the aforementioned item.

The minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 20^th November 2023 were considered.

Councillor R. J. Hunter raised an inaccuracy with the minutes of the meeting on 20^th November 2023. This related to an omission under minute item 52/23 – Agile Working Policy – Progress Brief on Addressing Queries Raised at the Last Meeting – of the record that Overview and Scrutiny Board Members recognised there were real benefits of hybrid working for the Council and that they supported its implementation.

RESOLVED that, subject to the amendment as in the pre-amble above, the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 20^th November 2023 be agreed as a true and correct record.

The Board considered a report on the Parking Enforcement Service Level Agreement with Wychavon District Council, containing a draft version of the service level agreement document.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration was invited to address the Board. In addressing Members, the Deputy Leader stated that at the last Cabinet Working Group meeting the draft parking enforcement contract was considered. It was the opinion of the Cabinet that further work needed to be undertaken on the Cabinet report and that the opinion of Overview and Scrutiny Board should be sought before the report was finalised.

It was commented that feedback from residents received by Councillors indicated that there was significant concern among residents about lack of parking enforcement within and outside Bromsgrove Town Centre.

The Deputy Leader noted that Overview and Scrutiny Board might wish to consider and offer comment on how Council car parks should be managed,  the length of any future parking enforcement contract and whether it would be appropriate for future contract to be awarded to Wychavon District Council, to go out to tender, or to have the service delivered in house.

Following this introduction, the Interim Head of Environmental and Housing Property Services addressed the Board and in doing so introduced representatives from Wychavon District Council (WDC) present at the meeting. It was noted that the WDC representatives currently managed Bromsgrove’s parking enforcement operationally. Members were asked to note that since March 2023, Bromsgrove’s parking enforcement service operated on a monthly cycle with the service agreement with Wychavon District Council extended on a month-by-month basis.

It was noted that parking enforcement service had struggled with staffing levels. The normal operating staffing levels for the service across Bromsgrove District was 5.5 Civil Enforcement Officer (CEO) posts (5 full-time and 1 part-time post). However, over the last financial year only 3 CEOs were employed and staff levels were down to 2 CEOs as of last week. A successful recruitment had taken place, however, meaning the team would be up to 4 Members of staff and to full capacity by later in the year. For the moment, however, the parking enforcement team remained understaffed. It was stated by Wychavon representatives that civil enforcement officers who had recently been recruited all resided in proximity to Bromsgrove District. During discussion of staff levels, it was clarified that the Council had only incurred costs for the Civil Enforcement Officers based on the actual staffing level in Bromsgrove.

It was stated that Wychavon District Council (WDC) currently had responsibility over management and enforcement of On and Off-Street Parking in Bromsgrove District in addition to administrative functions around enforcement. The report as presented proposed that Wychavon District Council (WCD) would continue to provide parking enforcement and management service for Bromsgrove for a period of 5 years from April 2024. The report also asked that the Council’s existing yearly budget for parking enforcement and management service of £242,000 be increased to £335,000 from April 2024. This increase would inclusive of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62/23

The Principal Democratic Officer introduced the report and in doing so noted that the Constitution Review Working Group (CRWG) had been meeting monthly and their next meeting is on 30^th January 2024. At that meeting, the Group is due to consider a comprehensive review of the Council’s constitution that was currently being undertaken on behalf of the Council. The outcomes of this meeting, including any recommendations, were to be reported for the consideration of the Overview and Scrutiny Board at the meeting scheduled to take place on 12^th February 2024.

It was recalled that in November the Group considered draft terms of reference for the Cabinet Advisory Group (CAG) and a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning cross party working. Recommendations in respect of these items were considered and, subject to small amendments, endorsed by Overview and Scrutiny Board at a meeting held on 20^th November 2023. These recommendations were subsequently considered and, subject to a few further amendments, endorsed at meetings of the Cabinet and Council held on 22^nd November and 6^th December 2023 respectively.

It was noted that in line with proposals detailed in the Governance Systems Task Group there were budget implications arising from this report to fund an additional Democratic Services Officer post at a cost of £40,000. Recruitment of this Officer was subject to approval of this budget bid in the Medium Term Financial Plan Tranche 2 report.

Following the update, it was noted that it was currently envisaged that the revised constitution would be presented to the Annual Council meeting in May 2024 and Overview and Scrutiny Board would receive an update on progress, including a draft version of constitutional changes at its March or April 2024 meeting.

RESOLVED that the Governance Systems Review – Implementation Progress Update be noted.

The Council’s Representative on the Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), Councillor B. Kumar, updated the Board on the matters discussed by HOSC on 9^th January 2024. Members were provided with a written copy of the update provided by Councillor B. Kumar.

It was noted that the Health Care System Plans to reduce inappropriate admissions to hospital were discussed. With respect to this, the hospital team present at that meeting explained about the pre-hospital programme, which was designed to focus on supporting the treatment of some medical illnesses in a person’s home and also focused on Urgent Community Response (UCR) which aimed to provide people with urgent assessments, care and treatment where possible to avoid unnecessary admissions.

The Council’s Representative observed that there was a significant challenge from Members of HOSC as it was noted that for example that in the current system it was impossible for many patients to avoid going to emergency department, even with the best will and effort of patients to avoid that route. It was noted that, for example, phoning NHS 111 often resulted in people being directed back to emergency department. It was commented that there was a need for more local treatment centres for minor illnesses as this would contribute to reducing demand on Accident and Emergency (A&E).

The Council’s Representative on HOSC took opportunity to thank Councillor H. D. N. Rone-Clarke on information regarding urgent care and demand on the hospitals. Councillor H. D. N. Rone-Clarke thanked Councillor B. Kumar for his comprehensive update on the inappropriate attendances at hospital and the underlying causes of this.

The Council’s Representative on HOSC reported that at the next meeting HOSC would consider the three-year audit of ‘never event’ cases, i.e. medical care cases that should not have happened.

RESOLVED that the Worcestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Update be noted.

The Chairman introduced the Finance and Budget Working Group update and in doing so noted that the last meeting of the Group took place on 12^th January 2024. It was reported that the Medium Term Financial Plan Tranche 1 paper following consultation was considered by Members. The Working Group was updated on the main implications of the Local Government Provisional Finance Settlement which were that all councils were again being allowed to increase Council Tax by up to 3 per cent, that planning application fees would increase by 35 per cent for large applications and 25 per cent for small applications from 1 April 2024. It was also noted that it was predicted that the finance settlement would provide around a 4.9 per cent rise in core spending power for Bromsgrove compared to previous year’s settlement. During discussion, it was noted that there was a pooling arrangement for business rates with other Worcestershire authorities.

The Chairman noted that a discussion concerning Ward Councillor Funds took place at the 12^th January Finance and Budget Working Group meeting and it was agreed by the Group that a proposal be put forward for discussion to Overview and Scrutiny Board regarding a fund of £62,000 per year to be established for Councillor Ward Budgets from 2024-25 financial year for a period of three years. The briefing paper containing a draft Bromsgrove Ward Councillor Fund pilot scheme was included in supplementary papers for this meeting, and paper copies were tabled for Members’ consideration.

It was explained by the Chairman that the proposed terms of reference for the scheme were copied from the criteria used by the County Council. Following the update, Members debated the Ward Councillor Fund scheme proposal.

Some Members expressed concern about the possible introduction of this fund, citing the fact that the County Council divisional ward funds were not being spent to their full capacity. It was suggested that the arrangement that existed at the Council via the New Homes Bonus (NHB) Community Grants Panel would be a more appropriate solution. Through the Grants Panel, members of the public were able to apply for funding for community projects directly and applications were examined by Members who sat on the Panel. It was noted that the proposal for ward budgets as tabled would provide funds directly to elected members to spend.

It was responded by other Members that as detailed in the draft Ward Councillor Fund pilot scheme, there would be stringent oversight of the funding requests by ward members and a clear audit trail would be kept and requests closely monitored. Any funding request under the scheme would need to be made in writing by the Member and would need to be approved before funds could be released. The funding requests would also need to clearly evidence what the funding provided would be spent on. Spending would be open to scrutiny by the public via the Council’s website.

Some Members expressed further points of concern about the scheme and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65/23

The Chair of the Food Bank and Community Supermarket Provision Task Group, Councillor E. Gray, provided an update on the work undertaken so far by the Task Group. It was reported that the Task Group had decided that it was necessary to visit food banks across the District, looking at disparity and accessibility of provision, and to possibly identify points of best practice. The Task Group aimed to complete the visits by the end of January or beginning of February 2024. It would then meet to discuss the findings before producing a report to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

RESOLVED that the Task Group Update be noted.

The Cabinet Work Programme was presented for Members’ consideration.

It was requested that the following items from the Cabinet Work Programme be added to the Overview and Scrutiny Board’s Work Programme for the subsequent meetings in this municipal year:

·       Termination of Shared Service Arrangement: North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration - scheduled for 12^th February 2024 meeting of Overview and Scrutiny

·       Local Heritage List Strategy – 12^th February 2024

·       Bromsgrove Play Audit and Investment Strategy – 11^th March 2024

·       Cost of Living Funding Proposal – Overview and Scrutiny date to be confirmed.

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Board be updated with the items from the Cabinet Work Programme as per the above.

The Overview and Scrutiny Board Work Programme was presented for Members’ consideration. It was confirmed that Cabinet Work Programme items requested for addition under the previous item would be added to the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme.

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Board Work Programme be noted.