Venue: Exe Room, Phoenix House, Tiverton
Contact: Carole Oliphant Member Services Officer
Link: audiorecording
No. | Item |
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APOLOGIES AND SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS (0.03.58) To receive any apologies for absence and notices of appointment of substitute Members (if any). Minutes: Apologies were received from Cllrs G Barnell, E J Berry, P J Heal and F W Letch who was substituted by Cllr B Holdman |
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HYBRID MEETINGS PROTOCOL (0.04.32) PDF 324 KB Members to note the Hybrid Meetings Protocol. Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, the *Hybrid Meetings Protocol.
Note: *Protocol previously circulated and attached to the minutes. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST UNDER THE CODE OF CONDUCT (0.04.40) Councillors are reminded of the requirement to declare any interest, including the type of interest, and reason for that interest, either at this stage of the meeting or as soon as they become aware of that interest.
Minutes: Members were reminded of the need to make declarations where appropriate. |
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PUBLIC QUESTION TIME (0.04.55) To receive any questions relating to items on the Agenda from members of the public and replies thereto.
Note: A maximum of 30 minutes is allowed for this item. Minutes: There were no questions from members of the public present. |
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING (0.05.15) PDF 249 KB Members to consider whether to approve the minutes as a correct record of the meeting held on 13th September 2021.
The Committee is reminded that only those members of the Committee present at the previous meeting should vote and, in doing so, should be influenced only by seeking to ensure that the minutes are an accurate record.
Minutes: The minutes of the last meeting were approved as a correct record and SIGNED by the Chairman. |
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DECISIONS OF THE CABINET (0.06.44) To consider any decisions made by the Cabinet at its last meeting that have been called-in. Minutes: The Committee NOTED that none of the decisions made by the Cabinet on 28th September had been called in. |
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CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (0.06.54) To receive any announcements that the Chairman of Scrutiny Committee may wish to make. Minutes: The Chairman welcomed the new Monitoring Officer, Karen Trickey and thanked Members who had attended the recent Scrutiny Training.
The Chairman deferred item 13 until the November meeting. |
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CABINET MEMBER FOR FINANCE (0.09.06) PDF 85 KB Members to receive an update from the Cabinet Member for Finance Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a *report from the Cabinet Member for Finance outlining area’s within his portfolio.
The Cabinet Member explained that the previous 6 months had been a busy period for the Finance teams and that they had recently completed the annual closedown of accounts. Early indications were that the Audit was a sound report. He acknowledged the work of the teams in distributing the Governments Covid grant related schemes.
He explained that all Members were vital and needed to contribute to the Council’s budget setting process as they were currently looking at a £1m shortfall which may require reductions to make ends meet.
The Deputy Chief Executive (S151) explained that there were challenges over the late advice from Government on what level of funding the Authority would receive.
Consideration was given to:
· The measurable plans to increase revenue and decrease overheads · The Leisure services actively looking at ways to stimulate growth · The Waste service continued to exceed revenue expected · The building rationalisation programme · Healthy revenue stream from Market Walk, Tiverton which was now at 100% occupancy · Car parking machine breakdowns were reported remotely and were repaired on a timely basis, ensuring any loss of revenue was mitigated · Participatory budgeting where communities could build into the budget setting process to be investigated · Labour shortages and the need to use agency staff on occasions · The Housing Strategy was ambitious and some significant borrowing would need to be sourced along with contributions from Homes England · The Medium Term Financial Plan would be presented to the Cabinet which would set out the Council’s ambitions over the next 5 years and the Policy Development Groups would be tasked to prioritise them · The 3 Rivers Development bi monthly update would be reported at the next Cabinet
Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes |
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UPDATE ON CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS (0.45.58) PDF 368 KB To receive an updated from the Corporate Manager for Digital Transformation and Customer Engagement on the Customer Experience Working Group recommendations Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a *report from the Corporate Manager for Digital Transformation and Customer Engagement on progress against the Customer Experience Working Group recommendations.
The Corporate Manager for Digital Transformation and Customer Engagement gave an overview of the original recommendations and an update on the actions taken.
She explained that a recent customer survey was very positive and although the CRM had not progressed due to significant resourcing issues in the IT service, that a Project Manager was being recruited to enable the project to progress and develop a business plan.
Consideration was given to:
· A Member workshop held in March focused on customer service and Members would be surveyed on what additional training would be useful to them · The Planning Service had reinstated the telephone line for planning enquiries that are not dealt with under Duty Planning or PreApplication processes · Call waiting times had not improved due to ongoing staff vacancies and staff being redeployed to assist with the payment of Government Covid Grants during the pandemic but that there were no high levels of abandoned calls
Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes |
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ANNUAL REPORT OF COMPLAINTS AND COMPLIMENTS (0.58.43) PDF 583 KB To receive the Annual Report of Complaints and Compliments Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a *report from the Corporate Manager for Digital Transformation and Customer Engagement on Complaints and Compliments.
The Corporate Manager for Digital Transformation and Customer Engagement explained that the number of complaints were now at pre pandemic levels and had not risen significantly since then.
In response to a question asked about the investigation of who dealt with complaints at the appropriate level she explained that the Complaints Policy was coming to the Cabinet in November which would detail proposed amended procedure for transparency.
Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes |
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FORWARD PLAN (01.08.23) PDF 309 KB Members are asked to consider any items within the Forward Plan that they may wish to bring forward for discussion at the next meeting. Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, the *Forward Plan.
Note: *Forward Plan previously circulated and attached to the minutes |
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SCRUTINY OFFICER UPDATE (1.10.28) Minutes: The Scrutiny Officer provided the following update:
· An update on the S106 project would be provided shortly · The recommendations of the Planning Enforcement Working Group would be going to a future Cabinet · The spotlight review was being held on 28th October and more Member input was required · Connecting Devon and Somerset would be attending the November meeting |
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BIO ENERGY INDUSTRY PROPOSAL FORM (1.12.31) PDF 179 KB Members to receive a work proposal form on the Bio Energy Industry and to decide if this should be added to the work programme. Additional documents: Minutes: Item deferred until November meeting as outlined in the Chairman’s announcements. |
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WORK PLAN (1.12.37) PDF 129 KB Members are asked to note the current Work Plan for the municipal year.
Members to have the opportunity to discuss additional items to be investigated by the Scrutiny Committee and added to the Work Plan. Minutes: The Committee had before it, and NOTED, the *Scrutiny Work Plan.
It was RESOLVED that:
Scheduled Cabinet Member reports were no longer required and would be removed from the Work Plan.
(Proposed by Cllr A Wilce and seconded by Cllr L J Cruwys)
Note: *Work Plan previously circulated and attached to the minutes. |
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ACCESS TO INFORMATION - EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC (1.30.42) During discussion of the following item it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 12 12.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The committee will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
To consider passing the following resolution so that exempt information may be discussed.
Recommended that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
Minutes: The Chairman indicated that discussion of the following item, may require the Scrutiny Committee to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 12 12.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Scrutiny Committee would need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
RESOLVED that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).
(Proposed by the Chairman)
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CONTRACT DISPUTE SETTLEMENT 2020-2021 (1.34.24) PDF 186 KB To provide Scrutiny with an update on a specific payment made in the 2020/21 financial year. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Scrutiny Committee considered the information provided and were satisfied that the matter had been correctly dealt with at the time.
(Proposed by Chairman) |