Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 February 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s Announcements.

Report of Public Protection Manager

Purpose of report

To review the Air Quality Action Plan for Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington prior to consideration by Executive

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To review and comment on the Air Quality Action Plan for Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington prior to consideration by Executive for approval on the 3 April 2017.

Resolved

(1)       That the recommendations to Executive on the Air Quality Action Plan be noted and endorsed.

The Committee considered a report from the Public Protection Manager which detailed the Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) being submitted to Executive.

The Environmental Protection Manager advised the Committee that there was a statutory duty for the Council to produce an AQAP in areas where levels of Nitrogen Dioxide exceeded specified levels. Four areas in the district had been identified as requiring an AQAP, Hennef Way and Horsefair/North Bar in Banbury; Bicester Road in Kidlington; and Kings End/Queens Avenue in Bicester.

Officers explained that the AQAP would be a living document, and would be reviewed, assessed and updated each year as required.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Environmental Protection Officer advised that the AQAP listed actions that could be taken to improve Air Quality in the highlighted areas, and that in some cases they required joint working between a number of partners.  

Resolved

(1)       That the recommendations to Executive on the Air Quality Action Plan be noted and endorsed.

Lead Member for Housing, Councillor John Donaldson, will attend the meeting to give an overview of his areas of responsibility, including an update on the Empty Homes Project

Resolved

(1)       That the overview be noted

The Chairman welcomed Councillor John Donaldson, Lead Member for Housing, to the meeting, to give an overview on the role and responsibilities of the portfolio.

Councillor Donaldson explained that the portfolio consisted of several teams with different responsibilities – Housing Needs, Investment and Growth, Build! and Private Sector Housing.

Councillor Donaldson gave further details of the work being undertaken by each of the teams.

With regard to the Empty Homes Project, the Empty Property Officer advised that there were currently 37 active cases, and it was hoped that a third of those would be brought back into use in the next 12 months.

In response to questions from the Committee, Councillor Donaldson advised that the Council now had direct responsibility for a small number of homes under the Build! programme, but all other stock was maintained by Housing Associations.

The Committee thanked Councillor Donaldson for the overview.   

Resolved

(1)       That the overview be noted

Report of Head of Law and Governance

Purpose of report

This report presents the draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report for 2016/17. 

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To consider the draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual report 2016/17

1.2         To delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to finalise the areas highlighted in the report prior to its submission to Council

Resolved

(1)       That the draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual report 2016/17 be noted

(2)       That authority be delegated to the Head of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to finalise the areas highlighted in the report prior to its submission to Council

The Committee considered a draft of the Overview and Scrutiny Annual report for 2016/17.

Resolved

(1)       That the draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual report 2016/17 be noted

(2)       That authority be delegated to the Head of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to finalise the areas highlighted in the report prior to its submission to Council

Report of Head of Law and Governance

Purpose of report

To give an update on the Overview and Scrutiny work programme.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To identify any items from the Executive Work Programme to form part of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Indicative Work Programme for 2017/18.

1.2         To identify any other possible future topics for scrutiny and consider whether these topics should have scoping documents produced, based on the considerations of risk and what value scrutiny can add through considering the issue.

Resolved

(1)       That the work programme update be noted and no items from the Executive Work Programme or other items for review be added at this time.

(2)       That the invitations to Executive Lead Members be continued into the 2017/2018 Municipal Year

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Law and Governance regarding the indicative work programme for 2017/18.

Officers advised the Committee that performance monitoring information would be submitted at the end of each quarter.

Resolved

(1)       That the work programme update be noted and no items from the Executive Work Programme or other items for review be added at this time.

(2)       That the invitations to Executive Lead Members be continued into the 2017/2018 Municipal Year

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

This report will be presented to Committee ahead of its consideration by Executive on 3 April.

***The report will be available on 24 March 2017 as part of the Executive agenda for 3 April 2017***

Resolved

(1)       That the recommendations to Executive be endorsed

The Committee considered a report from the Director of Operational Delivery which detailed proposed improvements to the Council’s car parking service.

The Director advised that the report was due to be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 3 April, and any comments from the Committee would be reported.

The Director explained that the invitation to tender had been carried out using a competitive dialogue process. This allowed both the Council and any prospective bidders to discuss various aspects of the tender invitation, which proved useful with regards to the technical aspects and varied ways in which technology could be used for parking services.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Director confirmed that it was the intention for the two recently introduced parking promotions, relating to Small Business Saturday (December) and Free after Three (January) to continue.

Resolved

(1)       That the recommendations to Executive be endorsed

The following report(s) contain exempt information as defined in the following paragraph(s) of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

5– Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings

Members are reminded that whilst the following item(s) have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to resolve as follows:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 5 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Resolved

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraphs 3 and 5 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Exempt Appendix to the report of the Director of Operational Delivery

***The exempt appendix will be available on 24 March 2017 as part of the Executive agenda for 3 April 2017***

Resolved

(1)       That the exempt appendices be noted

The Committee considered the exempt report and appendices from the Director of Operational Delivery.

The Director answered detailed questions from the Committee.

Resolved

(1)       That the exempt appendices be noted