Agenda and decisions

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

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 9^th April 2025 and 14^th May 2025.

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.

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.

To consider any petitions received from members of the public.

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.

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

To receive an update from Anglian Water on sewage outflows in the District.

Members were requested to submit questions in advance for this session. Questions were not limited to sewage outflow but should be directly linked to water issues that fell within Anglian Water’s remit.  

Agenda item 10: Anglian Water Briefing - Update on Sewage Outflows in the District

Decision

RESOLVED:

1.     That a letter be prepared on behalf of the Committee and sent to the Secretary of State and Local MPs requesting that the following be considered and addressed:

                         i.         Water companies should be required to review their current business plans and ensure that they reflect the impact of new housing developments on service supply and demand, including the management of surface water drainage and run-off

                        ii.         The possibility of a change in the legislation regarding the status of water companies as statutory consultees in the planning process.

2.     That written responses to the questions raised by the Committee are provided by Anglian Water within 2 weeks and that the following additional information be included:

                         i.         Data for North Norfolk regarding ‘dry day’ spills, including dates, location, rainfall levels and the reasons for the spill.

                        ii.         Data regarding leakages in North Walsham for the last 12 months

                       iii.         Information setting out how Anglian Water consults and engages with landowners regarding nature-based solutions for dealing with overflows and spills – such as reed beds.

3.     That Anglian Water should attend in 6 months’ time to provide an update to the committee.

4.     To support Anglian Water’s campaign on preventing blockages by sharing information with local communities.

To note the upcoming Cabinet Work Programme.

To receive an update from the Scrutiny Officer on progress made with topics on its agreed work programme and outcomes from previous recommendations and actions.

Agreed the following:

Action Tracker

-        To request that the NZAP report comes to the committee within the next 3-4 months and to be added to the work programme

-        That the Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth circulates via email to members, the data collected regarding mobile phone coverage in the District. This will then be reviewed ahead of inviting telecoms providers to attend a meeting to respond to questions.

-        To explore options for a review of substance abuse support services in the District and prepare a scoping report for members to consider and feed into.

-        To contact British Telecom (BT) and request that they provide a presentation to all members on their digitisation programme.

Work Programme:

-        To add the NZAP report to the work programme within the next 3 months

-        To add Anglian Water’s attendance in 6 months’ time

To add attendance by Telecom providers by the end of

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.”