Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to notify the Executive of recommendations from the March 2025 meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and to request an Executive Response. 

Recommendations

The Executive resolves:

1.1           To note the reports and recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1.2           To agree that an Executive Response be prepared for each set of recommendations, for consideration and agreement, within two months of this notice. 

Resolved

(1)            That the reports and recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(2)            That it be agreed that an Executive Response be prepared for each set of recommendations, for consideration and agreement, within two months of this notice.

The Assistant Director Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer submitted a report to notify the Executive of recommendations from the March 2025 meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), and to request an Executive Response. 

Councillor Chapman, Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, explained that four OSC working groups were constituted during the 2024-2025 Municipal Year, Food Insecurity, Climate Action, Planning Application Appeals, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (joint working group with Personnel Committee).

The Planning Application Appeals, Climate Action and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion working groups each produced a series of recommendations, that had been considered and endorsed by OSC. The Food Insecurity produced an end of inquiry report that provided commentary on their work but did not include any recommendations. In addition to the four working groups, following consideration of an item relating to the Cherwell Community Safety Partnership, OSC agreed a recommendation to Executive.

On behalf of Executive, the Chair thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the valuable work it undertook and confirmed that responses to the recommendations would be submitted to the December Executive meeting for consideration and agreement.

Resolved

(1)            That the reports and recommendations from Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(2)            That it be agreed that an Executive Response be prepared for each set of recommendations, for consideration and agreement, within two months of this notice.

Reasons

The recommendations ensure both Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Executive comply with requirements as detailed in Section 9F of the Local Government Act 2000. 

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to provide an Executive response. This is rejected, as it would be contrary to Section 9FE of the Local Government Act 2000. Regardless of Executive’s decision relating to the various recommendations, a response must be submitted to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.