Agenda and minutes

Decision: That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 28 June 2018 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chair.

Decision: That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel held on 20 September 2018 be noted.

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.

There were no public questions for consideration.

To consider the Executive Cabinet minutes of the meeting held on 2 August.

Decision: That the minutes of the Executive Cabinet meeting held on 2 August 2018 be noted.

To view the latest notice of Executive Decisions click here: https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=115&RD=0&bcr=1.

The document is also attached and correct as of 2 October. 

Members considered the Notice of Executive Decisions and noted that a report relating to the control of Invasive Non-Native Species is due to be considered at the Executive Cabinet meeting on 15 November. 

Decision: That the Notice of Executive Decisions be noted.

To receive a presentation from Human Resources on the recent changes to the Absence Policy.  The Policy is enclosed for your information. 

The Chair welcomed Jane McDonnell, HR Services Manager, and Hollie Walmsley, HR and OD Consultant, to the meeting to give a presentation. 

The presentation can be found here: https://democracy.chorley.gov.uk/documents/b22965/Presentation%2011th-Oct-2018%2018.30%20Overview%20and%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=9

Members noted that the target the Council has set itself is challenging and that Chorley is 6 out of 32 for the days lost per employee for 2017/18 across Councils in the surrounding area. 

Recent changes to the Policy have been made in consultation with Senior Management Team, the Union and staff.  Staff have undertaken training on the revised Policy and positive feedback has been received.  Monitoring information will be undertaken on a quarterly basis at Executive Cabinet.   

Members noted that the Absence Policy is used in conjunction with the Emotional Wellbeing Policy to assist in managing stress.  This is a holistic approach and takes into account issues outside of work.  Staff can be referred to Occupation Health for assistance and can also attend funded six counselling sessions.  Cognitive Behaviour Therapy can also be accessed and the Big White Wall which is a support network for emotional health.  It was clarified that industrial injuries are not be dealt with under this Policy.

There are five members of staff within the Policy at the current time and as the revised Policy was only implemented in September it is too early to tell if the revisions are having a positive impact. 

The Chair thanked officers for the presentation. 

Decision: That the presentation be noted.

To consider the report of the Director (Customer and Digital). 

Asim Khan, Director (Customer and Digital), presented a report which updates Members on the impact of changes to garden waste collections.

A charge of £30 per bin was introduced on 1 May 2017 for residents who wished to participate in the council’s garden waste collection service. Prior to that date collections had been free at point of use if residents wished to participate in the scheme.

Currently there are 23,386 grey bin subscriptions generating an income of £702,616.  Participation in the scheme for those properties with gardens is around 55%. 

Members noted that the recycling rate has reduced by 5% since the change to garden waste collections, but that there has been no increase in fly tipping of garden waste following the introduction of a charge for this service. 

Councillor Paul Leadbetter queried the figures in paragraph 10 showing the changes in the recycling rate over the last four years.  Officers undertook to confirm the figures outside the meeting.  Members noted that the waste authority are monitoring the recycling figures and that there is some work to be done to improve recycling rates.  The new contractor for waste collection will be introducing WEE collections and bulky waste collections. 

It was clarified that only garden waste bins with the right coloured label displayed on the bin are collected to ensure that payment is made.  

Decision: That the report be noted.

To receive the report of the Director (Business, Development and Growth).

Gill Barton, Economic Development Officer, and Mark Lester, Director (Business, Development and Growth), presented a report which updates the Committee on the implementation of the recommendations made by the inquiry which reported to Executive Cabinet in August 2017.

The Council is investigating an online digital skills platform and is looking for volunteers to test this.  Councillors gave positive feedback on the training delivered by Simon Charnock, the Council’s Digital Transformation Officer.  There are now four digital hubs in Council owned community centres.  An additional nine access points takes the total number across the Borough up to 26, including the more rural areas of Mawdesley and Charnock Richard.

Members noted that the broadband is now considered the fourth utility that residents rely on.  Difficulties arise when it is not commercially advantageous for providers.  The Council have submitted a bid to the Government in relation to LFFN- Local Full Fibre Network which aims to address some of the areas of poor broadband coverage in Chorley.

There is now an Senior Business Engagement Officer (Digital), who will be based at the Digital Office Park, to give advice to businesses. 

Decision: That the report be noted.

To receive the report of the Director (Early Intervention and Support).

The Director (Policy and Governance) presented the report of the Director (Early Intervention and Support) which updates the Committee on progress made in responding to the recommendations made by the Overview And Scrutiny Task and Finish Group on tackling Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

Members considered the action plan and noted that training is ongoing for officers and Members in relation to CSE.   There is extensive work with partners on this issue.

Decision: That the report be noted.

To consider the Work Plan of Lancashire County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.  The Council’s representative on the Committee, Councillor Alistair Morwood, will give a verbal update. 

Councillor Alistair Morwood invited Councillor Steve Holgate to update the Committee, as he had been at a conference during the last meeting at County. 

Councillor Holgate explained that a presentation had been given by the “Our Health Our Care” at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  South Ribble Borough Council has invited Chorley and Preston Councils to be involved in a joint scrutiny of “Our Health Our Care”. 

Decision: To support the principle of participating in a joint scrutiny of “Our Health Our Care” and to appoint representatives at the next Council meeting. 

Overview and Scrutiny Task Group - Quality of housing provided by social landlords

To receive a verbal update on the inquiry from the Chair, Councillor Matthew Lynch.

Councillor Matthew Lynch, Chair of the Task Group, reported that the results of the tenants survey will be presented to the Registered Providers and the Task Group the following week. 

The final report of the Task Group will be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 24 January and Executive Cabinet on 14 February.  

Decision: That the report be noted.

To consider the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2018/19.

Members considered the work programme.

Decision: That the work programme be noted.