Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The previous meeting of the Committee was a Special Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 11 January 2023, 5 days before the publication of the agenda for this meeting. The Minutes of the 11 January 2023 meeting will be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee being held on Tuesday 14 March 2023.

The Chairman advised the Committee that the Minutes of the 11 January 2023 meeting would be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee being held on Tuesday 14 March 2023.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

There were no items of urgent business.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber, and the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, John Campbell, will be in attendance virtually to address the Committee. Members will then have an opportunity to ask questions, please submit questions in advance of the meeting to the Democratic and Elections Team.

All Members of the Council are invited to attend the meeting for this item

The Chairman welcomed the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber, Chief Constable John Campbell and Detective Inspector James Holden-White, Thames Valley Police, to the meeting and invited them to update the Committee regarding policing in Thames Valley.

The Police and Crime Commissioner updated the Committee on officer numbers, community policy and work being undertaken to improve response times on the non-emergency 101 police contact telephone service.

The Chief Constable and Detective Inspector gave a presentation which provided a summary of force activity across Thames Valley from April to September 2022, and a more detailed update on the Cherwell and West Oxfordshire Local Police Area from April 2022 to January 2023.

Following the presentation, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable and Detective Inspector answered questions from Members.

The Chairman thanked the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Chief Constable and Detective Inspector for their attendance.

The Assistant Director Wellbeing & Housing will give a presentation detailing the new strategy proposed by the Integrated Care Partnership to enable Cherwell District Council to formally respond to their consultation.

Recommendation

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To consider and comment on the presentation to enable a formal response to the Integrated Care Partnership.

Resolved

(1)      That the following points raised by the Assistant Director Wellbeing & Housing be endorsed to form the basis of Cherwell District Council’s consultation response:

·      Monitoring and evaluation/measurement of objectives

·      More focus on activity

·      Reference to infrastructure for health and housing

·      Improved focus on good parenting

·      Reference to dying well

·      Improving transitions

·      More reference to partnership working and system resources

The Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing gave a presentation detailing the new strategy proposed by the Integrated Care Partnership, that was currently out for consultation.

The Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing advised the Committee that the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group was being replaced by the Integrated Care System (ICS) that would cover Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and West Berkshire. The ICS was overseen by an Integrated Care Partnership and Board.

The Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing explained that the Strategy included five areas of focus with 18 priorities in total. The five areas of focus were promoting and protecting health, start well, live well, age well and improving quality and access to services.

The Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing highlighted the good points of the Strategy and areas which, it was considered, would improve the Strategy. This was proposed for inclusion in the council’s consultation response.

In response to Members’ questions regarding the proposal to recommend reference to dying well in the consultation response, the Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing advised that this was to make sure that those coming to the end of life could die the way they wished. The Portfolio Holder for Healthy Communities advised that although the Council did not have the direct responsibility for care provision, end of life was not mentioned in the draft Strategy which would be highlighted in the consultation response. 

The Chairman thanked officers and Members for the work that had been done at short notice on the item.

Resolved

(1)      That the following points raised by the Assistant Director Wellbeing & Housing be endorsed to form the basis of Cherwell District Council’s consultation response:

·      Monitoring and evaluation/measurement of objectives

·      More focus on activity

·      Reference to infrastructure for health and housing

·      Improved focus on good parenting

·      Reference to dying well

·      Improving transitions

·      More reference to partnership working and system resources

Report of Assistant Director – Customer Focus

Purpose of Report

To give the committee an update on the council’s progress towards delivering its Business Plan priorities for 2022/23 up to December 2022.

Recommendations

Officers recommend the committee:

1.1       To note the monthly Performance Report for December 2022 and provide any comments for the Executive Committee to consider on the 6 February 2023 meeting.

Resolved

(1)      That, having given due consideration, the monthly Performance Report for December 2022 be noted and no comments be passed to the Executive for consideration at their 6 February meeting.

The Assistant Director – Customer Focus submitted a report which updated the Committee on the council’s progress towards delivering its Business Plan priorities for 2022/23 up to December 2022.

In introducing the report, the Performance and Insight Team Leader reported that out of the 33 monthly performance measures, 26 had reported green for October 2022, with 2 reporting amber and 4 reporting red. Data would not be available for one measure until later in the month. With regards to the measure, “Number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation” that was reporting red, the Performance and Insight Team Leader explained the Housing team were working hard but due to continued increase in demand and delays in moving clients to permanent accommodation,  the number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation had increased. The Housing Team has secured five more placements for temporary accommodation to meet the specific needs of survivors of domestic abuse and other vulnerable women.

In relation to the measure “Number of affordable homes delivered including CDC and Growth Deal targets” which was reporting red, the Committee was advised that December was a quieter month for developers by for year to date, the figures were green and delivering ahead of the yearly target.

Regarding the reduction of waste recycled and composted, which was reporting amber, the Committee was advised that the Waste Services team monitored performance nationally and there was a downward trend nationally for less recycling of packaging. It was thought this could be an indication that people were moving towards ‘use your own packaging’ style services.

Resolved

(1)      That, having given due consideration, the monthly Performance Report for December 2022 be noted and no comments be passed to the Executive for consideration at their 6 February meeting.

A written update on work undertaken so far by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Food Insecurity and Climate Action working groups.

Recommendation

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To consider and comment on the work undertaken to date.

Resolved

(1)      That the Working Group updates be noted.

The Principal Officer – Scrutiny and Democratic Lead advised that all of the working groups, Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion, Food Insecurity and Climate Action had suggested dates for their next meetings, and arrangements would be confirmed with each working group shortly. 

Resolved

(1)      That the Working Group updates be noted.

There are two documents for the Committee to consider:

Appendix 1 – indicative work programme 2022/23.

Appendix 2 – update on items previously considered.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To consider and agree the indicative work programme 2022/23.

1.2         To consider and comment on the items previously considered by the Committee. 

Resolved

(1)      That the Work Plan be noted.

(2)      That the update on items previously considered by the Committee be noted.

The Principal Officer – Scrutiny and Democratic Lead advised that at the 19 January 2023 Extraordinary meeting, the Executive had deferred consideration of the Draft Local Plan 2040 (Regulation 18) to allow officers to consider comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the 11 January 2023 meeting. The Committee was advised that a revised timetable regarding the Local Plan Regulation 18 consultation was being considered by officers and the Committee work programme would be updated accordingly.

In response to questions raised by the Committee, the Principal Officer – Scrutiny and Democratic Lead agreed to discuss with relevant officers the Housing matters and Wellbeing Strategy items that were listed as ‘items to be allocated’, and the possibility of a Castle Quay item being added to the Work Programme.

Resolved

(1)      That the Work Plan be noted.

(2)      That the update on items previously considered by the Committee be noted.