Agenda, decisions and minutes


Venue: Virtual meeting

Contact: Emma Faulkner / Lesley Farrell, Democratic and Elections  Email: democracy@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk, 01295 221953 / 01295 221591

Media

Items
No. Item

17.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

18.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 205 KB

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2020.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 September 2020 were confirmed as a correct record, to be signed by the Chairman in due course.

19.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive communications from the Chairman.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

20.

Urgent Business

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

21.

Monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring report pdf icon PDF 512 KB

Report of Director of Finance, and Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes

 

Purpose of report

 

This report summarises the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance monitoring position as at the end of the first quarter.

Recommendations

 

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1      To note the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring Report.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring report for July 2020 be noted

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report from the Director of Finance and the Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes which detailed the Council’s Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring position as at the end of the first quarter of 2020/2021.

 

The report showed that performance had maintained a relatively stable position in light of the covid-19 situation.

 

With regard to the four indicators reporting as red – number of affordable homes delivered; maintaining a 5-year land supply; percentage of business rates collected; and percentage of non-major applications overturned at appeal -  the Head of Insight and Corporate Programmes advised the Committee that all four had improved during the course of quarter two. 

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That the monthly Performance, Risk and Finance Monitoring report for July 2020 be noted

22.

Including Everyone - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Framework pdf icon PDF 521 KB

Report of Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development

 

Purpose of report

 

This paper for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee outlines the joint approach to equalities, diversity and inclusion being taken by Cherwell District Council in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council.

 

Recommendations

            

1.1      Overview and Scrutiny are recommended to:

 

a)         Comment on the draft policy document;

 

b)         Make suggestions for its associated action plan, which will be recommended to Executive for agreementby on 2 November 2020;?

 

c)          Advise on an effective performance monitoring approach for the policy. 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That the draft policy document be noted

 

(2)       That digital inclusivity and community integration of non-English speakers be included in the associated action plan, which will be considered by the Executive at their meeting of 2 November 2020

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report from the Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development which gave details of a proposed new inclusion framework.

 

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Customers and Transformation explained that a partnership approach had been undertaken with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to draft the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion framework ‘Including Everyone’.

 

A number of engagement sessions had been held with staff at both Cherwell District Council (CDC) and OCC, with information gathered relating to experiences of inequality. Further staff sessions had then been held during August, to discuss the draft framework and seek feedback, which would shape the final policy.

 

The policy would be accompanied by individual action plans for CDC and OCC to take account of the unique circumstances and actions needed in each council.  

 

The Executive were due to consider the draft Framework and the associated Action Plan at their meeting in November.

 

The Committee congratulated officers for the work that had been undertaken, and supported the draft framework.

 

With regards to suggestions for the CDC action plan, the Committee commented that not all residents had access to IT equipment or the internet at home, and in some areas of Banbury Polish speaking residents accounted for a large proportion of the electorate. It was therefore requested that digital inclusivity and community integration of non-English speakers be included.

 

The Committee also requested that consideration be given to anonymised job applications during the recruitment process. 

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That the draft policy document be noted.

 

(2)       That digital inclusivity and community integration of non-English speakers be included in the associated action plan, which will be considered by the Executive at their meeting of 2 November 2020.

23.

Constitution Review pdf icon PDF 434 KB

Report of Corporate Director – Commercial Development, Assets and Investment

 

Purpose of report

 

This report invites the Committee to consider and recommend to Full Council a set of ‘areas for further consideration’ in the Council’s Constitution as part of a focused Constitution Review.

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1      to consider and endorse, as areas for further consideration, the suggestions outlined in paragraph 3 and recommend Full Council agree these areas.

 

1.2      to recommend to Full Council to agree the establishment of a politically balanced, informal cross-party working group to review proposed changes.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

That full Council be recommended to agree:

 

(1)       the areas for further consideration outlined in paragraph 3 of the report (annexe to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book)

 

(2)       the establishment of a politically balanced, informal cross-party working group to review proposed changes

 

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report from the Corporate Director – Commercial Development, Assets and Investment that detailed potential ‘areas for further consideration’ in relation to a review of the Council’s Constitution.

 

Feedback from members, officers and the wider review of local authority constitutions, supported by Bevan Brittan, had identified the potential for positive change in several areas. Full Council would consider the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including the establishment of a cross-party Member working group, at its meeting later in October.

 

In considering the areas for review, Members of the Committee expressed concerns relating to the proposed review of the time limit for public addresses and the possible introduction of a limit on the total number of public speakers permitted to register per item. It was felt that these could be seen as ways of restricting public input into the democratic process.

 

The Corporate Director – Commercial Development, Assets and Investment assured the Committee that all areas for review would be discussed in full by the working group who would make proposals for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee before final consideration by Full Council.   

 

Resolved

 

That full Council be recommended to agree:

 

(1)       the areas for further consideration outlined in paragraph 3 of the report (annexe to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book).

 

(2)       the establishment of a politically balanced, informal cross-party working group to review proposed changes.

 

24.

Work Programme 2020/2021 pdf icon PDF 109 KB

Democratic and Elections Officers will give an update on progress regarding subjects raised at previous Committee meetings (appendix 1, attached).

 

The Committee to consider the indicative work programme (appendix 2, attached).

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)       That, subject to the inclusion of a Constitution Review update and Community Nature Plan at the December 2020 meeting, the indicative work programme be noted

Minutes:

The Committee considered the indicative work programme for 2020/2021.

 

Democratic and Elections Officers advised the Committee that an update on the Constitution Review would be scheduled for the December 2020 meeting, along with an update on the action plan relating to the Community Nature Plan.

 

Resolved

 

(1)       That, subject to the inclusion of a Constitution Review update and Community Nature Plan at the December 2020 meeting, the indicative work programme be noted