Agenda and decisions

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2023.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Future Oxfordshire Partnership Scrutiny Panel will meet on 21 November. The agenda is publicly available via the Vale of White Horse website.

The Cherwell District Council appointed representatives to the Scrutiny Panel – Councillors John Broad, Lynn Pratt and Sean Woodcock – will give a verbal update to the Committee on the outcome of the meeting.

Resolved

(1)      That the update regarding the Future Oxfordshire Partnerships (FOP) be noted.

Report of Assistant Director - Customer Focus

Purpose of report

To give the committee an update on how the council has performed against its performance indicators for October 2023.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommend:

1.1           To review the Council’s performance report for October 2023 and considers what, if any recommendations it would like the Executive to consider.

Resolved

(1)      That having given due consideration, the Council’s October 2023-24 performance be noted and no recommendations be submitted for Executive consideration.

Report of Assistant Director - Wellbeing and Housing

Purpose of report

To present to the Committee a new draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1     To consider and comment on the contents of the new drafted Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 and recommend adoption by the Executive.

Resolved

(1)        That having given due consideration, the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-2029 be recommended for adoption by Executive.

Verbal update by Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Housing

At its meeting in October, Executive considered a report that detailed a Cost of Living Crisis Action Plan (Appendix 1) to cover Winter 2023, that had been drafted following a motion to Full Council in July 2023.

Executive approved the development of an evaluation framework to track progress of the action plan, to form the basis of detailed updates to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Assistant Director – Wellbeing and Housing will present the update on progress of the action plan.   

Resolved

(1)      That the Cost of Living Crisis Action Plan update be noted.

Report of Assistant Director - Wellbeing and Housing

Purpose of report

To update the committee on how well the council is performing in delivering its safeguarding duties.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1     To consider self-assessment and actions

1.2     Consider actions for future safeguarding briefings for Members

Resolved

(1)            That having given due consideration, the Safeguarding Self-Assessment 2023 report be endorsed.

(2)            That political group leaders be kept informed regarding the number of members from their groups that have competed safeguarding training.

An update on work undertaken since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 24 October 2023 by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Food Insecurity and Climate Action working groups,including revised Terms of Reference for the Climate Action working group (Appendix 2 – to follow).

Recommendation

The meeting is recommended:

1.1  To consider and comment on the work undertaken since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 24 October 2023.

1.2  To approve the amended Climate Action Terms of Reference (Appendix 2 – to follow)

Resolved

 (1)     That the working group updates be noted.

An update on the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2023/24.

Recommendation

The meeting is recommended:

1.1 To consider and agree the indicative work programme 2023/24

Resolved

(1)            That the indicative work programme be noted.

(2)            That the Portfolio Holder for Housing, the Assistant Director Wellbeing and Housing, Councillor Parsons and the Principal Officer Scrutiny and Democratic Lead meet to discuss the format of future updates from Sanctuary Housing.

(3)             That the Chair, Vice-Chair, Chief Executive and Principal Officer Scrutiny and Democratic Lead meet to discuss the work programme for January 2024.