Agenda and minutes

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.

There were no declarations of interest received.

AGREED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 30 March 2017 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

To note the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 22 June 2017 (enclosed).

AGREED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel on 22 June 2017 be noted.

There were no public questions for consideration.

To consider the Executive Cabinet minutes of the meeting on 22 June (enclosed).

AGREED – That the minutes of the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 22 June 2017 be noted.

To view the latest notice of Executive Decisions click here.

Members considered the Notice of Executive Decisions published on 30 June 2017 which gave notice of key and other major decisions which the Executive Cabinet and Executive Members were expected to make.

In response to questions raised about the extent of changes to be made to the Select Move Policy update which was included on the Notice, the Director of Policy and Governance did not consider that major changes to the policy would be made but that he would contact the Council’s Housing Options and Support Manager for clarification.

AGREED – that the Committee receive confirmation to the extent of the Select Move Policy Update.

To consider the annual report of the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in 2016/17 (enclosed).

Members received the annual report that summarised the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Performance Panel and the task groups which had taken place in 2016/17. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had scrutinised a number of topics as part of their meetings in 2016/17 which included -

·      Monitoring reports from the following task groups

-        Neighbourhood Working

-        Public Transport Issues in Chorley

-        Single Front Office

-        Staff Sickness Absence

·      Financial Scrutiny of the 2017/18 budget and forecast for the following two years to 2019/20

·      A&E Services at Chorley Hospital

·      Flooding across the borough

·      Section 106 update

The Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel had worked positively with the Executive Leader and the Executive Cabinet in scrutinising their proposals, which included the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) 123 list.  The Performance Panel also challenging the performance of –

·      Community Development

·      Customer and Digital

·      Review of PCSOs

·      Shared Services

·      Business, Development and Growth

Overview and Scrutiny Task Groups taken place in 2016/17 were -

·      Child Sexual Exploitation

·      Rollout of Superfast Broadband

The Chair of the Committee thanked all members and officers who have contributed to the work undertaken in the previous year.

AGREED – That the annual report be noted and forwarded to the next Council meeting on 25 July as required in the Council’s constitution.

Members of the Committee received the final report of the Overview and Scrutiny Task Group which reviewed the Rollout of Superfast Broadband.

Councillor Snape, Chair of the Task Group presented the report, summarising key findings of the review and the agreed recommendations (as detailed in the report) to be presented to the Executive Cabinet for their consideration and implementation at its meeting in August 2017.

Issues relating to Superfast Broadband had been raised by residents over a number of years and the topic had been identified as a potential task group review on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme for some time.   The Task Group, which met twice in March and April, interviewed officers from the Council and representatives from Lancashire Superfast Broadband.

Through the review, the Task Group –

·         was able to gain an understanding of how areas were prioritised and the timescale for completion on the rollout.

·         was informed of other initiatives that Lancashire County Council were exploring for those residents who would not qualify for superfast broadband.

At the conclusion of the review the Task Group made a number of recommendations based on the evidence presented to them and in line with the Council’s Digital Strategy. 

AGREED – That the report be noted and presented to the Executive Cabinet for consideration and implementation at its meeting on 3 August 2017.

The Director of Early Intervention and Support produced a report at the request of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel on 22 June 207, that provided monitoring information on the progress of the recommendations of the CCTV Provision and Infrastructure Task Group review which took place in 2014.

The Head of Early Intervention and Support presented the report and summarised its findings which include -

·      Technology Solutions was awarded the contract for the delivery and installation of the scheme. The company subsequently delivered a three year replacement programme within 18 months.

·      In the last project review at the end of March 2017, the project was on time and within budget.

·      Further snagging work had to be undertaken on 5 cameras spread throughout the borough.  It was expected that this work would be completed by 31 August 2017.

·      The requirement of three additional cameras had been identified as being required an addition to the project (two on Steeley Lane as part of the regeneration on this area and one at Tatton Community Centre due to repeated anti-social reports to the authority and police).  Members would consider a business proposal for these additions to continue under one additional scheme of work.

During debate, the Head of Early Intervention and Support confirmed that the police had provided positive feedback on the quality of the pictures which had helped in the detection of crime and subsequent prosecutions.  

The CCTV policy was expected to be updated in January 2017, and published on the Council’s website.

It was agreed that the Task Group review had been extremely worthwhile with positive recommendations being implemented.

The Chair thanked the Head of Early Intervention and Support for attending the meeting.

AGREED –That the report be noted.

Councillor Alistair Morwood, Chair of the Council’s Leisure Contract Task Group provided an update on the progress made from the first meeting held on 29 June 2017.

The scope of the review had been agreed with the objectives being –

·      To understand the current contract and performance of the leisure centre contract with Active Nation.

·      To understand the broad range of leisure services model options that could be delivered, and consider the best model for Chorley.

·      Consider broadening the aims of the leisure services model with a view to incorporating a package of health and wellbeing initiatives for users to access.

Witnesses to provide information to the Task Group will include officers from the Council, representatives from Active Nation (the current service provider), and an officer from the Lancashire Health Care Foundation Trust (LHCFT).

The review was expected to conclude in October, at which point the final report would include a list of leisure service models available, and the Task Group’s preferred model.

Councillor Debra Platt left the meeting.

To consider the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2016/17 (enclosed).

Members of the Committee considered the Work Programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Performance Panel and task group topic areas for 2017/18.

There was some debate as to whether the monitoring reports relating to the recommendations from the Child Sexual Exploitation Task Group would fulfil the Council’s obligation to scrutinise an element of crime and disorder in 2017/18. In response, the Director of Policy and Governance would seek clarification and report back to the next Committee meeting.

AGREED – to update the Work Programme as follows –

In response to comments raised at its last meeting in March 2017, the Chair sought the Committee’s opinion as to the start time for future meetings.

AGREED – That the scheduled time of future Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings would remain at 6.30pm.