Agenda 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 10 October 2017.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 October 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

Lead Member for Estates and the Economy, Councillor Lynn Pratt, will attend the meeting to give an overview of her areas of responsibility.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Lynn Pratt, Lead Member for Estates and the Economy, to the meeting, to give an overview of her portfolio.

Councillor Pratt explained that the portfolio was extremely diverse, and involved working closely with the Head of Strategic Planning and the Economy and the interim Property Investment Manager.

Due to the level of economic growth across the district, Councillor Pratt explained that it was an exciting time to be involved with the portfolio.

The recent Banbury Business Improvement District (BID) process had returned a yes vote, meaning that further work would be undertaken in the coming months to establish the BID board.

In addition to the economic growth, Councillor Pratt explained that Cherwell District Council was the headline sponsor for the 2018 Cherwell Business Awards, which had been officially launched in October.  

The Committee thanked Councillor Pratt for the overview.

Resolved

(1)       That the overview be noted

Report of Director – Strategy & Commissioning

Purpose of report

To provide an update on the Cherwell Business Plan progress to the end of Quarter Two 2017/18.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Note the exceptions highlighted

1.2         Identify any performance related matters Overview and Scrutiny Committee would like to refer to Executive.

The Committee considered a report from the Director – Strategy and Commissioning that detailed the Council’s performance during Quarter Two, 1 June to 30 September 2017.

With regard to indicators 3.2.2 a to c, average time taken to process new Housing benefit claims, change of circumstances, and new claims and changes to Housing benefit, the Committee asked for further information regarding the length of time customers had to wait and what the longest wait was. The Chief Finance Officer agreed to circulate the information.

In connection with indicator 3.3.1, deliver the actions identified within the revised Homelessness prevention strategy, the Committee asked if there was any homelessness provision within the district. The Director – Strategy and Commissioning agreed to find out and circulate information to the Committee.

With regard to the Equalities Action plan sunburst, ‘to ensure Cherwell District Council meets all government requirements’, the Committee asked for more information concerning the areas reporting as amber, and which government requirements were not being met. The Director – Strategy and Commissioning agreed to circulate the information.   

Resolved

(1)       That the exceptions highlighted be noted

(2)       That no performance related matters be referred to Executive

Report of Director of Operational Delivery

Purpose of report

To provide the committee with an opportunity to review the draft Cherwell District Council Section 11 return ahead of its submission to the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB).

To receive feedback and approval for submission.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To approve the draft Cherwell District Council Section 11 return to be submitted alongside the results from the staff survey currently underway. 

The Committee considered a report from the Director of Operational Delivery, which detailed the draft Section 11 return for the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board.

The Community Services Manager explained that the Council was submitting a good return, and good progress had been made since the last audit return in 2016. A part time safeguarding officer had been appointed at the start of the year, and work was well underway regarding training for all staff and Members.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Community Services Manager confirmed that a formal information sharing agreement and procedure was in place with all of the relevant partners, and the procedure would be reviewed to ensure it was up-to-date.  

The Committee asked if taxi drivers were covered by the requirement for safeguarding training. The Community Services Manger confirmed that they were, and agreed to gather further information from the Licensing Manager regarding the numbers of those who had and had not been trained.

Resolved

(1)       That the Cherwell District Council Section 11 return be noted and endorsed for submission, alongside the results from the staff survey currently underway

Report of Assistant Director – Transformational Governance

Purpose of report

To give an update on the Overview and Scrutiny work programme for 2017-2018

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         To review the draft work programme (Appendix 1).

1.2         To determine a timetable for the Mobile Phone Signal Survey

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

1.4         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.

The Committee considered the draft work programme.

With regards to the Mobile Phone Signal review, it was agreed that the survey should be sent to parish councils, with a request for it to be further distributed amongst residents. It would be sent in January for a period of 6 weeks, with completion being encouraged via Survey Monkey in the first instance.

Resolved

(1)       That the work programme be noted

(2)       That the Mobile Phone Survey Signal be distributed to parish councils in January 2018, for a 6 week completion period

Please note that it had been anticipated that this report would be public, however following legal advice it is exempt from publication.

Report of Chief Finance Officer

***Please note that the report will be to follow, as due to the timescales and size of the project, the report is still being finalised***

The Chairman advised the Committee that in light of legal advice this item was exempt and therefore would not be considered in the public part of the meeting.

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

3– Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

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 3 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

(1)       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, Paragraph 3 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 .

***Please note that the appendices will be to follow, as due to the timescales and size of the project, they are still being finalised***

Exempt report and appendices

Please note that it had been anticipated that the report would be public, however, following legal advice it is not for publication

The Chief Finance Officer submitted an exempt report on the Acquisition of Castle Quay Shopping Centre.

Resolved

(1)       As set out in the exempt minutes.

(2)       As set out in the exempt minutes.

(3)       As set out in the exempt minutes