Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman until the first meeting of Annual Council in 2021.

Resolved:

That Councillor Lodge be appointed as Vice Chairman until the first meeting after Annual Council in 2021.

There was no public participation.

There were no declaration of interests.

There were no urgent items.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2020 be agreed as a correct record.

There were no call in items.

There were no urgent decisions taken since the last meeting.

To appoint members to the Audit and Budget Panels.

Resolved:

1.  That Councillors Borg Neal, Bailey, Burley, Coole, Cross and Gwynne and be appointed to the Audit Panel with Councillor Borg Neal as Lead Member.

2.  That Councillors Baverstock, Borg Neal, Brooks, Burley, Coole, Lodge, Parker and Ward be appointed to the Budget Panel with Councillor Lodge as Lead Member.

Lead Members to update the Committee on the progress of their Panels (10 minutes)

Councillor Baverstock reported that the Future of Health Provision in Andover and Romsey panel had not met due to the current situation.  Councillor Baverstock would contact the panel to agree an interim proposal to allow the panel to move on to the next phase.  Councillor C Dowden suggested that the panel request a briefing from health professionals on how they have coped with the Coronavirus emergency over the last few months.  

Councillor Borg Neal updated the Committee on the Armed Forces Covenant Panel.  The last meeting had been cancelled due to the current situation however a remote meeting was planned in the near future.  A questionnaire would be circulated to gather ideas.

A presentation by The Leader on the Corporate Action Plan (30 minutes).

The Leader, Councillor P North gave a presentation on how the Council had made progress through its Corporate Action Plan (CAP) over the last year on its ambitions as set out in the Corporate Plan 2019-23, Growing our Potential which was adopted by Council in April 2019.

The Corporate Plan is underpinned by a CAP which runs for the lifetime of the plan and is updated annually.  It shows in detail how the Council will make progress against its priority aims.  In year one (2019/20 the CAP consisted of fourteen projects.

In April 2019, the Council’s new Corporate Plan: Growing our potential was adopted.  The Plan is based around four key priorities; Town Centres, Communities, People and the Local Environment.

The Leader’s presentation reviewed each of the four areas and the work that has been taken forward in pursuit of these priorities through the first year of the CAP.  During the last year the Council has made significant progress against its strategic priorities through the delivery of major projects.

Members agreed it was an excellent document and thank the hard work of the staff that help to put it together.  The Chairman thanked The Leader for his informative presentation.

Resolved:

That the progress made through the Corporate Action Plan in year one of the Corporate Plan 2019-2023 be endorsed.

A summary of work undertaken in this area as requested by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of a bi-annual review of the safeguarding policy and practices (20 minutes).

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Community and Leisure which sets out the progress to date as detailed in the Safeguarding Action Plan following the adoption of the initial Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy in 2011. 

Louisa Rice, Community Engagement Manager explained that the Council continually reviews practices to ensure that they are compliant with their safeguarding responsibilities and incorporate emerging issues.  To enable staff, volunteers and Members to understand their role the Council continues to train and raise awareness of safeguarding and adapt procedures as necessary to ensure that there is a robust and effective system in place.

The Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy (2018 update) along with staff and Member training has ensured the Council remains compliant with the above duties.  The next review of the Council’s Safeguarding Policy will take place in September 2020.

Members discussed the following;

·  Supporting vulnerable children in the current climate.

·  ELearning on Safeguarding

·  County Lines

·  Referrals since COVID-19 lockdown

The Chairman thanked the Community Engagement Manager for her interesting presentation.

Resolved:

That the progress made with regards safeguarding be endorsed.

To enable Members to keep the Committee’s future work programme under review (10 minutes).

The Committee considered and agreed the Work Programme.

Councillor Dowden suggested that the Council’s representatives on Hampshire Crimestoppers and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Panel feed in to the next meeting where CI Thorne will give a presentation on local policing.

·  Add Finance Portfolio Holder presentation move from June to July to cover financial implications on the Covid response.

·  Add Update on the Covid 19 community response and recovery process to June.

·  Feedback on Climate Emergency Action Plan add to September.

Resolved:

That the Work Programme be approved.