Agenda item

LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS AS REQUIRED BY LAW

(Papers relied on to write the report, which do not contain exempt information and which are not published elsewhere)

Contact Officer, telephone number and email:

Matt Stembrowicz – Scrutiny Officer

Email: matthew.stembrowicz@north-norfolk.gov.uk Tel: 01263 516047

The DS&GOS introduced the item and informed Members that as the municipal year had started during lockdown, a Work Programme had never been formally set. As a result, gaps were beginning to appear as Covid related reports began to subside, and it was now necessary for the Committee to agree new items of business. It was reported that three key items had been suggested by Committee Members which included; the affordable housing strategy, development planning performance, and a preventative maintenance schedule for the Council’s beach huts and chalets. In addition, there were several regular items that were expected, such as enforcement board updates, waste contract monitoring, and the crime and disorder briefing. The DS&GOS noted that Committee Members should also bear in mind how to approach each item, such as pre-scrutiny or a more in-depth approach utilising working groups.

  i.         Cllr L Withington stated that whilst she agreed with the proposed items, she asked whether the beach huts preventative maintenance issue should include all Council assets. Cllr G Mancini-Boyle stated that he had requested that the Council look at preventative maintenance, as in the long-term it would likely work out cheaper for the Council.

 ii.        The DSM suggested that some items listed for discussion would be covered by the corporate and delivery plan, which meant that timing and outcomes required careful consideration.

iii.        Cllr P Heinrich suggested that the Council had good survey data on its assets, but he had never seen a maintenance schedule and agreed that the item should cover maintenance of all Council assets.

iv.        Cllr N Housden stated that looking at the performance management data using the Inphase system could generate too many questions for meetings, and asked whether a system was required for managing these questions. It was suggested that both submitting questions in advance of meetings and the use of corporate plan themed scrutiny panels could be a means of addressing any increase in workload.

 v.         Members agreed that they were happy to progress the items submitted for inclusion on the Work Programme, subject to further discussion once the required work had been completed. Members also confirmed that enforcement board updates should return to the Work Programme.

vi.        In reference to the crime and disorder update, Cllr L Shires noted that during his last briefing the PCC had referenced the seriousness of domestic violence in the County, and suggested that this could be a suitable item for the next briefing, with reference to the impact of Covid. On the planning performance item, Cllr L Shires suggested that this should coincide with a report on the outcome of the planning point of contact trial.

vii.        On discussion of website functionality, the DS&GOS suggested that some areas of the Council’s website could be improved in conjunction with the digital by design proposals, and encouraged Members to raise this at the briefing.

viii.        Items considered suitable for the Scrutiny panels were discussed and the DS&GOS suggested that if Members were keen to pursue this approach, then he would prepare a draft terms of reference for the Committee to review, as a resolution would be required to formally establish the panels. It was noted that membership of the working groups would also be open to non-committee Members, so long as they were chaired by Scrutiny Members.

ix.        It was proposed by Cllr J Toye and seconded by Cllr G Mancini-Boyle to add the items stated within the report to the work programme.

RESOLVED

1.    To agree the following substantive items be added to the Overview & Scrutiny Work Programme for the remainder of the 2020-21 municipal year:

·         Affordable Housing Strategy.

·         Development Planning Performance Review.

·         Council Property Assets: Preventive Maintenance Strategy.

2.    To agree to include any appropriate items from the potential items list that could fall within the scope of the OSC Working Groups, established to scrutinise the themes of the Corporate Plan, once the Terms of Reference for the Working Groups had been agreed.