Agenda item

Recommendation:

That the Committee review the Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions to enable the identification of appropriate matters for the overview and scrutiny work programme and the overview of specific decisions proposed to be taken over the period of the plan.

Article 6 (Overview and Scrutiny) of the Constitution requires that the Committee review the Executive’s programme of Key Decisions (the Cabinet Forward Plan) at each meeting, to enable the identification of appropriate matters for the overview and scrutiny work programme and to provide an opportunity for the overview of specific decisions proposed to be taken over the period of the plan.

The Constitution (Article 14 (Decision Making)) defines a Key Decision as an executive decision which:

(a)       involves expenditure or savings of £250,000 or above which are currently within budget and policy;

(b)       involves expenditure or savings of £100,000 or above which are NOT currently within budget and policy;

(c)       is likely to be significant in terms of its effect on communities living or working in an area comprising two or more wards;

(d)       raises new issues of policy;

(e)       increases financial commitments (i.e. revenue and/or capital) in future years over and above existing budgetary approval;

(f)        comprises and includes the publication of draft or final schemes which may require, either directly or in relation to objections to, the approval of a Government Minister; or

(g)       involves the promotion of local legislation.

Wherever possible, Portfolio Holders will attend the Committee to present forthcoming key decisions, to answer questions on the forward plan and to indicate where appropriate work could be carried out by overview and scrutiny on behalf of the Cabinet.

The Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions of 1 May 2021 is attached as an Appendix to this report.

Cabinet’s Key Decision List (KDL) updated to the 1 June 2021 was scrutinised by the Committee and the following points were raised.

(a)          Leader Portfolio

Regarding the Qualis Four-Year Business Plan, Councillor S Murray, commented that a consistent approach on when items were going to scrutiny in the KDL would be helpful, so it did not have to be cross-referenced with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme. Councillor S Murray also asked how progress was going with partnerships within the Civic Offices. Councillor C Whitbread advised this was going well, and more information would be reported shortly.

(b)          Planning and Sustainability

It was noted that A Blom-Cooper no longer worked for the Council, so the officer’s name needed to be updated.

(c)          Finance, Qualis Client and Economic Development Portfolio

The Town Centre Regeneration of Loughton, Epping and Buckhurst Hill, which was being pre-scrutinised at an extra meeting of this Committee on 8 June 2021, would be the first opportunity for members to review. Councillor S Murray continued that the report on the sale of Pyrles Lane site to Qualis also needed to be looked at carefully on 8 June as he did not like the tone of the report. The Portfolio Holder, Councillor J Philip, replied that these were independently commissioned reports on the town centre regeneration and the consultant/report author had consulted with local members, and apologised if he had not been consulted. Not all the options in the reports would be taken forward. Councillor J Philip had a different view of the reports to Councillor Murray. When planning permission lapsed for the Pyrles Lane site the Council did approach Qualis, as Qualis was there to help work with the Council and it must be for the benefit of our residents and of benefit to Qualis.

Councillor A Lion asked about regeneration for Chigwell and local businesses. Councillor J Philip replied it was being rolled out to four town centres so would be returning early to this committee to be scrutinised and would include large rural town centres and North Weald. It was about partnerships working with the Council. Also, anything that was put in place had to be sustainable and to get businesses involved was the right way forward.

(d)          Environment and Technical Services Portfolio

The Overview and Scrutiny work programme had ‘tbc’ for the pre-scrutiny of the business case for the transfer of MOT, Fleet and Grounds Maintenance services to Qualis yet the KDL showed the Cabinet decision was due on 13 September 2021. Would an extra meeting of this Committee be arranged? The Portfolio Holder, Councillor N Avey, replied that he would advise the Executive that the Committee should be able to consider the business case before Cabinet took any decisions.

(e)          Housing Services Portfolio

Councillor S Murray emphasised that there were three items that needed to be pre-scrutinised by a scrutiny committee – the Council’s Allocations Policy, Tenancy Policy and Housing Strategy. All had been allocated a decision date by Cabinet of 7 March 2022. Councillor M Sartin replied that it was expected that these three items would go to a select committee but the select committees’ work programmes within this agenda were for last year. Councillor H Whitbread, Housing Services Portfolio Holder, advised that Stronger Communities Select Committee would be undertaking this pre-scrutiny. Also, Councillor H Whitbread advised that the Waltham Abbey Community and Cultural Centre came under Councillor A Patel, who was the Community and Regulatory Services Portfolio Holder.

Councillor J H Whitehouse queried the following items:

·      Use of the wording ‘taken through Governance structure’ for the Council’s Allocations Policy, Tenancy Policy and Housing Strategy as the wording should be clearer and that it would be coming to the Communities Select Committee, as the Portfolio Holder had confirmed at tonight’s meeting;

·      How the Review of Tenancy Strategy, tied up with the Tenancy Policy item; and

·      Corporate Aims & Key Objectives 2019/20 for the select committees did not align with the current Terms of Reference of those scrutiny committees, which they should, and how this could be achieved perhaps by being reviewed by the Constitution Working Group. Councillor J Philip advised that the select committees had the authority to change their Terms of Reference, provided this was approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and did not need to go to the Constitution Working Group.

            RESOLVED:

(1)          That the Committee reviewed the Executive’s current programme of Key Decisions of 1 June 2021;

(2)          That under the Planning and Sustainability Portfolio the officer’s name needed to be updated;

(3)          That pre-scrutiny of the business case for the transfer of MOT, Fleet and Grounds Maintenance services to Qualis be facilitated to meet the Cabinet decision deadline of 13 September 2021; and

(4)          That Stronger Communities Select Committee would be undertaking pre-scrutiny of the Council’s Allocations Policy, Tenancy Policy and Housing Strategy.