Agenda and minutes

None.

To receive questions / statements from the public, if any.

None.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 22^nd April 2026

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 22^nd April were proposed by Cllr Heinrich and seconded by Cllr Cushing to be approved as a correct record barring the following minor amendment.

Pg.2 The word manger be replaced with manager.

The Chair also queried if the Committee had seen the deprivation data and GIS. The DSGO confirmed the deprivation data had been circulated but would check that included the GIS.

To determine any other items of business which the Chairman decides should be considered as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

None received.

Members are asked at this stage to declare any interests that they may have in any of the following items on the agenda. The Code of Conduct for Members requires that declarations include the nature of the interest and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest.

None.

To consider any petitions received from members of the public.

None.

To consider any requests made by non-executive Members of the Council, submitted to the Democratic Services Manager with seven clear working days’ notice, to include an item on the agenda of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

None received.

To consider any responses of the Council or the Cabinet to the Committee’s reports or recommendations:

None received.

Overview and Scrutiny is invited to note the contents of the report and provide any feedback or comments to the Cabinet on any items they feel appropriate.

Cllr Adams introduced the report providing an overview of key items.

The climate emergency rating of green was a concern to Cllr Cushing as it appeared very high on the risk register and yet this report did not appear to reflect that risk. Cllr Adams explained the risk register was looking at a period in the past but agreed they could consider reviewing in the future. Cllr Adams went on to say that in providing vital services, such as purchasing new temporary accommodation for the homeless in the area, it had inevitably increased the council’s carbon emissions. Additionally meeting future challenges, such as the collection of food waste, and the increase in the authority’s property portfolio with such things as the new Fakenham leisure centre, also had a significant impact on carbon emissions. This meant balancing services and provision with the target of being net-zero. The Chair felt that the risk register and performance report needed to be in line with one another.

Cllr Penfold suggested, in connection with the Rural Position Statement (RPS), the Cabinet could consider including churches, as very often they provided services beyond worship, and were critical for many communities and acted like a hub. Going forward, Cllr Adams agreed, that any emerging unitary authority needed to be aware of the challenges ahead with the decline of the rural post office and the necessity for banking hubs etc. and churches had an important part to play in their communities.

When Cllr Hankins queried when they would be able to see an updated RPS, Cllr Adams explained that due to staff capacity they had not been able to analyse the data sufficiently so could not give a date as to when that would be available to view. He assured the committee they were talking about it at a corporate leadership level, and it would need to be in place before any new emerging authority was formed.

Cllr Adams welcomed the progress that was being made by local town and parish councils in developing their Neighbourhood Plans given the additional demands put on local authorities by central government who seemed to undervalue that work.

In response to a question by Cllr Cushing, the Leader was confident in reaching the Council’s target for affordable homes with there being significant demand for them on the housing list. Cllr Adams felt the Committee may wish to contemplate the suggestion made by the Chair at the possibility of looking at the net gain of affordable housing, as there was considerable loss of affordable housing, and any possibility to net that off against the new acquisitions could add clarity.

The leader updated the committee, at the request of the Chair, on developments at Benjamin Court and Bacton Energy Hub and would keep the committee updated when anything more substantial was agreed.

Cllr Adams agreed the Chair was right to highlight service reviews, as the authority went through Local Government Reform (LGR), and they had discussed the issue at Business Planning noting they would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

Progress report on AW actions following December Meeting

Update on flooding / drainage issues new housing developments

Grant Tuffs, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Lead (SPPAL) from Anglian Water (AW) updated the committee on key issues raised by members since their last visit, including storm overflow data and details on investment into their assets.

With the rise in summer temperatures, AW thanked the council after an amber heat health alert was announced and their communications team had assisted in getting that message across to residents. There had been a national water efficiency campaign and a local campaign called ‘Small Changes, Big Difference’ by AW to help preserve water resource at times of such high demand.

The SPPAL also brought to the committee’s attention AW Thriving Communities Fund, which was again open to applications for local projects, amongst other things, looking to support water sustainability and the environment. The SPPAL promised to send members details of how to apply.

Hannah Wilson, the AW Planning Manager (PM), outlined what their strategic site process entailed and what the criteria was for them to comment on new major planning applications. AW had worked closely with The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MCHLG) and the Environment Agency (EA) on this approach, and they would need the necessary investment to deliver their promise to deliver the infrastructure needed. DEFRA and AW had sent a guide to developers and planning authorities outlining the agreed approach.

AW said, in relation to many critical medium and smaller developments, they were actively working to enable that growth whilst protecting their customers and the environment. 

In response to a concern raised by the Chair, the PM advised AW would object to all applications where there was no Water Recycling Centre (WRC) capacity and overcoming issues at WRC was a long-term project. Answering Cllr Leith’s question, AW acknowledged where developers used their absolute right to connect was a cause for concern.

Cllr Hankins expressed some concern that temporary services might be installed during development, however the PM said they would not be adopted by AW.

Cllr Dixon felt that until Members visited a WRC they could not fully understand the scale, or cause, of the problem. Investment was not the sole answer, but they needed to identify and confront the underlying cause. He asked for NNDC to fully engage with the issue of foul and surface water as many applications were approved even when AW had objected. He asked that a stronger working relationship was forged between the NNDC planning team and the AW pre-planning department to ensure a greater weight was added to any objections raised.

Cllr Dixon requested the Committee adopt a recommendation that Members visit water recycling centres, and that the Committee look at the Strategic Flood Alliance at the County Council and the Norfolk Lead Local Flood Authority.

The PM explained that AW were not a statutory consultee but there could be an opportunity in future regulatory changes to be added.

In follow-up to a query by Cllr Gray, it was noted by Cllr Shires  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

Update from recent NHOSC meeting

The Committee noted the report but made no comments.

To note the upcoming Cabinet Work Programme.

No comments

To receive an update from the Scrutiny Officer on progress made with topics on its agreed work programme, training updates and to receive any further information which Members may have requested at a previous meeting.

The DSGO gave an update on recent answers received in response to the O&S Action Tracker and outlined the Committee work programme. The Committee discussed considering broadband as part of the mobile connectivity item but agreed that although this was just as important for local people and businesses it was a whole new work stream to emergency mobile phone signal. 

Action:

• Committee asked that the item around the Net Zero strategy be added back into the work programme.

The Committee agreed that Cllr Gray should liaise with the council Communications Team on a public survey for the Mobile Connectivity item to help inform them on their next action.

To pass the following resolution, if necessary:

“That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph _ of Part I of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Act.”