Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Julia Berry and Kim Snape.

To confirm the enclosed minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 3 September 2012.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 3 September 2012 be held as a correct record for signing by the Chair.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

No declarations of any interest were received.

There were no questions from any member of the public.

To consider the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel meeting held on 17 September 2012 (enclosed)

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel meeting held on 17 September 2012 be noted.

To consider the enclosed minutes of the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 13 September 2012.

There were no issues raised by any member of the Committee for the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 13 September 2012.

Report of the Director of People and Places (enclosed)

The Committee received a report of the Director of People and Places that provided an update on the implementation of the actions agreed following the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group inquiry into highway issues.

The first six monthly update received by the Committee on 12 March 2012 had reported that all of the agreed recommendations had been actioned and this report provided further update on those actions that included:

·         The street cleaning schedules and other highways information continued to appear in ‘intheknow’ and members had the opportunity to discuss and issues at the six monthly Neighbourhood meetings.

·         Discussions regarding a longer term five year arrangement were currently taking place to continue the Council undertaking the highway verge cutting, previously done by LCC, in the outer Chorley area

·         Arrangements for the Council to undertake the initial stages of overhanging vegetation onto the highway are also now in place.

·         The gritting of the Council’s car parks had now been incorporated into a Severe Winter Weather Action Plan (SWWAP) that had been produced to outline the operational arrangements during the winter period and all Members would be invited to a Winter Maintenance presentation on the 6 November to be presented by officers from both Chorley and Lancashire County Council that would provide information of the strategies to be put in place.

Members asked if the County Council could replenish the gritting bins more frequently around the Borough in the winter months, particularly after a hard frost and if their criteria on the allocation of grit bins could be looked into. It was also thought that more publicity was needed on the appropriate use of grit for residents to deter them from using it on their footpaths and driveways.

These were the types of issues that could be discussed at the Member Learning Session in November as officers from Lancashire County Council would be in attendance and Members of the Committee were urged to attend.

RESOLVED – That updated information in the report be noted.

The Head of Governance will deliver a presentation to the Committee.

The Monitoring Officer, Chris Moister delivered a presentation that gave some information on the role and responsibilities of the Police and Crime Commissioner ahead of the forthcoming elections on 15 November 2012.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 had introduced (amongst other things), the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Police and Crime Panel.

The role of the Commissioner would be:

·         holding the chief constable to account for the delivery of the force

·         setting and updating a police and crime plan

·         setting the force budget and precept

·         regularly engaging with the public and communities

·         appointing, and where necessary dismissing, the chief constable

There were currently three confirmed candidates for the Election that was being co-ordinated by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. The Election would be using a Supplementary Vote system whereby the elector can chose first and second preferences, the candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote or the most after the second preference count will be elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The role of the Police and Crime Panel is to

·         support the Police and Crime Commissioner

·         review and make recommendations on the Police and Crime Plan

·         review the Annual Report

·         power of Veto over the Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposed precept.

·         power of Veto of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Chief Constable candidate

The constitution and appointment will consist of the following:

·         each authority in the police authority area of Lancashire will appoint one member to the Panel

·         to achieve political balance, additional members (up to a maximum of three) can be co-opted.

·         Two independent co-opted members (non-political) will be appointed.

The Monitoring Officer explained that there would be a local Count held at Chorley on Friday 16 November and all Members would be invited to attend.

RESOLVED – That the Committee note the information received in the report.

To consider the current notice of ‘key’ decisions (enclosed)

The Committee received the current notice of ‘key’ decisions for information.

RESOLVED – That the notice of ‘key’ decisions be noted.

To consider the enclosed Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2012/13.

The Committee received the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2012/13.

RESOLVED – That the Work Programme be noted.

Adoption of Housing Estates - Task and Finish Group

To receive the scoping document for the review and a verbal update on the inquiry from the Chair, Councillor Matthew Crow (enclosed).

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group – Adoption of Estates, Councillor Matthew Crow updated the Committee on the work that had taken place to date on the review and submitted the scoping document for approval.

The Task Group has held its first meeting and has agreed the following terms of reference:

·         To receive information on the number of un-adopted roads across the Borough, to understand the extent of the problem.

·         To understand the process for adopting roads on new housing estates.

·         To hear from residents through public consultation on the Gillibrand, Kittiwake, Buckshaw and Fairview Farm estates and to engage with Parish Councils and representatives of these sites.

·         To talk to Developers, Chorley and Lancashire County Council and United Utilities Officers.

The Group’s main objective would be to look at past performance, to identify areas where the process of adoption of estates had been both successful and less successful to learn from those experiences and to make recommendations to the Executive Cabinet as to how the process may be improved for the future.

RESOLVED – That the scoping document be approved.