Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report on the six-monthly work programme and a PICK Form submitted by Councillor Neville.

(a)          Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Committee considered their work programme and noted current progress, no further comments were made.

(b)          Select Committees

(i)           Housing Select Committee

The last meeting of the Select Committee scheduled for 8 September was cancelled due to a lack of business.

(ii)          Governance Select Committee

In the absence of the Chairman, the Democratic Services Manager reported that at the last select committee meeting, members had discussed Section 106 Agreements from the 2014/15 period. However they felt that a complete overview of progress made on all agreements in preparation was required to allow for greater scrutiny. In addition it was advised that a thorough understanding of how and where monies from agreements were intended to be spent and associated timescales for collection of monies was also needed.

The Select Committee recommended that this function should be referred to the District Development Management Committee (DDMC) which, it was felt, was better placed for dealing with this.

The Chairman of the Resources Select Committee suggested that S106 reports would fit better within their remit rather than DDMC. Therefore the Committee agreed that the Governance Select Committee should be asked to refer this report onto the Resources Select Committee for responsibility.

The Democratic Services Manager concluded the Governance Select Committee report by advising that within the Key Performance Indicators 2015/16, major planning applications had achieved target performance. Finally, the select committee received a report about Public Sector Equality Duty, congratulating the Senior Performance Improvement Manager on her work.

(iii)         Neighbourhood and Community Services Select Committee

The Select Committee Chairman, Councillor M Sartin, advised that at their last meeting they received an interesting presentation on the Community Safety Partnership and also one on the work of Crucial Crew. They also received an update on the progress of the Local Plan. The Chairman advised that there would be a special meeting of the select committee on 17 December 2015 to review the Waste Contract. The meeting would be held in the Council Chamber and be webcast.

(iv)        Resources Select Committee

The Select Committee Chairman, Councillor G Mohindra, informed Members that they were looking for new pieces of work for their current programme.

(v)          Grant Aid Task and Finish Panel

The Committee noted progress made by this Panel.

(vi)        Youth Engagement Task and Finish Panel

The final report and recommendations from this Panel was supported by the Committee

(c)          Reserve Programme

(i)           PICK Form submitted by Councillor S Neville

The PICK Form supported the principle of moving to a default 20mph speed limit in the district, which, it was felt, would reduce the number of motoring accidents and generally improve public health. Councillor S Neville advised that there was a great deal of local support for a significant speed reduction within the district.

The Committee felt that this scrutiny request should be referred to the Neighbourhoods and Community Services Select Committee with an invitation to the Highways Authority to attend.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the monitoring of S106 Agreements be referred back to the Governance Select Committee with a view to onward process by the Resources Select Committee; and

(2)  That the scrutiny request submitted by Councillor S Neville for a speed reduction across the district be referred to the Neighbourhoods and Communities Select Committee.