Agenda and minutes

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 7 April 2022 5.30 pm

Venue: Conference Room 1, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3AJ

Contact: Caroline Lovelock - 01264 368014  Email: clovelock@testvalley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

562.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Bailey, Baverstock, Hatley and Hamilton.

563.

Public Participation

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

564.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

565.

Urgent Items

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

566.

Minutes

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2022 be confirmed and signed as a true record.

 

 

567.

Call in Items

Minutes:

There were no call in items.

568.

Urgent decisions taken since last meeting

Minutes:

There were no urgent decisions.

569.

Climate Emergency Action Plan pdf icon PDF 143 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development which updated members on the delivery of the actions within the Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP).  This followed on from the previous report to the Committee in October 2021.

 

The annex to the report provided an action by action update on the CEAP.  This was collated through bringing together information from across the Council’s Services, reflecting the way we have been embedding climate change across the organisation.  It brings together key points from previous updates alongside the latest information.  This report focuses on the key changes since the last report to this Committee, in October 2021, and changes that are anticipated in the coming months.

 

In response to a query about the advertisement of the Thermal Imaging Workshop held on 4 November 2021, the Principal Planning Officer (Environment) responded that this was advertised on the Council’s website and shared through social media and appeared in the Members’ Information Bulletin.

 

Members discussed the following;

 

·  Tree Strategy being delayed and targets and milestones need better reporting.

·  Tree planting – Most of the trees are mixed species and are planted on Test Valley land by volunteers and staff.  The Council are also working with 3rd party land owners.

·  Fleet numbers and plan for replacement.

·  Requested sight of the climate emissions report.

·  Green Homes Grant and the approach to making the request for funding.

·  Number of charging points and the uptake – The use of the charging points is likely to be relatively low at present due to the number of electric vehicles and people charging at home. 

·  Handheld equipment batteries – in relation to the Council’s owned equipment.

·  Disposal of end of life vehicles – auction sites.

·  Hampshire Council’s Climate Officer’s Group.

·  Members would like to see greater communication regarding climate change across Test Valley - using social media and Test Valley News and looking at expanding content and branching out partnerships. Opportunity through survey on the new Corporate Action Plan.

 

Members were concerned on the lack of progress and also raised the issue of the Climate Emergency Action Plan Panel’s (CEAPP) endorsed Committee recommendations not being progressed through a review of the CEAP in the timescales sought.  The Principal Planning Officer (Environment) explained that a key source of information is from an external provider and together with the CEAPP’s recommendations this will bring the update together and move the CEAP forward.

 

Members appreciated the hard work by officers and the challenges they faced.

 

The Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development reported he will work together with the Head of Strategy and Innovation to explore how communication of climate change initiatives could be broadened.  He also reported that he will seek to bring a draft of the next iteration of the CEAP to the Committee in 6 months’ time. This would be dependent on a number of factors, including the timescales for the receipt of the external advice on emissions reporting and decarbonisation options

 

Resolved:

 

1.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 569.

570.

CIL/S106 Update Scoping Document pdf icon PDF 25 KB

To consider the updated CIL/S106 scoping document (15 minutes)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the S106/CIL Lead Member, Councillor Hamilton and presented by Councillor Brooks in her absence.  The Committee were requested to consider the amended scoping document for the S106/CIL Panel.

 

The scoping document for the Panel was considered by the Committee on 25 August 2021 where the Lead Member was requested to engage with the Head of Planning and Building, the Head of Planning Policy and Economic Development and the Head of Community and Leisure to further develop the scope for review.

 

The Chairman reported that there is a lot of discussion on New Communities and a link between that and the work being done on S106/CIL Panel is important. There will be a workshop on New Communities on Monday 23 May 2022 in Longstock Village Hall.

 

The suggested amendments to the scoping document were limited with the most significant being related to date range to be reviewed.

 

The Committee made a few minor amendments which will be added to the scoping document.

 

Resolved:

 

That the S106/CIL amended scoping document, with minor additions, be approved.

 

571.

Away Day pdf icon PDF 213 KB

To discuss the Committee’s Annual Away Day (15 minutes)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Strategy and Innovation which requested the Committee to discuss the options provided for the Away Day and consider alternative suggestions and ideas. 

 

Members were in agreement of the proposed programme and welcomed some suggestions from the Head of Strategy and Innovation for discussion/training.  Members were requested to let the Chairman or the Head of Strategy and Innovation have any further ideas or suggestions.

 

The Head of Strategy and Innovation will collate all the suggestions and date options and circulate to the Committee for comment.

 

 

572.

Chairman's Draft Annual Report pdf icon PDF 125 KB

To consider the Chairman’s draft Annual Report (20 minutes)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report of the Chairman which sought approval from the Committee on the Chairman’s Annual Report prior to submission to full Council on 8 June 2022.

 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is required to report to full Council on an annual basis to inform all Members of the work undertaken over the previous 12 months.

 

The Overview and Scrutiny process is an essential part of the Council’s democratic structure and governance framework.  It plays a key role in scrutinising the delivery and performance of Council services and holding decision makers to account through an approach based on positive pressure and constructive challenge.

 

Part of communicating the Committee’s role and purpose to the wider authority should happen through the formal public role of full Council – particularly given that the Committee will undertake valuable work to highlight challenging issues that an authority will be facing and subjects that that will be a focus of full Council’s work.

 

Members made a few minor amendments and these will be included in the Annual Report and the final report will be considered by the Committee at its meeting in May 2022.

 

Resolved:

 

That the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including minor amendments, be approved.

573.

Updates on Panels

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

Minutes:

Budget Panel – The next meeting of the Budget Panel will be held on 27 June 2022.

 

Audit Panel – The last Audit Panel was held on 14 March 2022 where it was reported that there will be a number of audits that will not be completed however all core audits are on track for completion by the end of March 2022.  A number of audits will be carried forward into the next year and there are contingency hours programmed in to ensure that all audits are completed.  Council has approved the sign up to the Public Sector Audit Appointments National Scheme to appoint a new external auditor for the 2023/24 financial year.

 

Enforcement Panel – The Enforcement Panel met on 6 April 2022 where they learnt of the challenges faced by the Enforcement Team.  The Panel worked through useful scenarios of cases dealt with.  The Lead Member, Councillor Burley, will meet with officers to see if there is any further information required.  The next meeting will be held mid May.

 

Communications Panel – The Communications Panel had circulated a briefing note to the Committee members to update them on what the Panel hasdiscussed and the next steps.  The Panel are looking at dates for communications focus groups in Andover and Romsey.

 

S106/CIL Panel – The S106/CIL Panel scoping documents was discussed earlier in this meeting.

 

Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill Panel – The Lead Member, Councillor N Lodge has seen the draft of the final report which will be sent to panel members for comment within a few days.  The final report will be considered by the Committee at its next meeting in May 2022.

574.

Programme of Work for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee pdf icon PDF 119 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee discussed and agreed the following changes to the work programme.

 

·  Revised Climate Emergency Action Plan including the recommendations from the Climate Emergency Action Plan Panel – November 2022

·  Authority’s Monitory Report – move from November to December. 

 

The Committee also noted the following:

 

·  The Head of Strategy and Innovation will set up a Teams meeting to discuss the draft Corporate Plan Survey – April/May.

·  There will be an Overview and Scrutiny sponsored round table to brief all members on the options for how the Joint Municipal Waste Strategy will be implemented.  This will be held on 15 June in Kings Somborne Village Hall starting at 5.30pm

·  There will be an Overview and Scrutiny sponsored workshop for all members on New Neighbourhoods on 23 May in Longstock Village Hall starting at 5.30pm