Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Peter McDonald.

There were no declarations of interest. Councillor Shrobona Bhattacharya informed the committee that she was a member of the faith strategy group, which had worked with officers on the proposed allocation policy for the distribution of faith/community land at Northstowe (agenda item 6).

To authorise the Chairman to sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no public questions.

The committee received an update on the work of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

The committee heard about how the CSP had worked hard to make sure it remained fit for purpose in a changing landscape. Examples were given of CSP work that had delivered benefit, such as work on modern slavery and intervention projects to raise awareness across the district of county lines. The benefits of the relationships that had been developed between organisations through their involvement in the CSP were outlined. The committee was informed that measuring impact and success could be difficult. Changes to Home Office definitions of crimes had made measuring data and success challenging.

The committee was informed that it was not the purpose of the CSP to hold the Police to account.

Officers explained to the committee that South Cambridgeshire District Council was the lead partner on the CSP and that it was a shared partnership with shared responsibilities. Health and the Probation Service were given as examples of partners that could often not attend CSP meetings as they were very stretched services.

The committee agreed that it would invite the CSP Chairman to attend Scrutiny and Overview Committee meetings more regularly, to provide updates on the work of the CSP.

The Deputy Leader (non-statutory) and Northstowe Healthy New Town Programme Lead, presented the proposed allocation policy for the distribution of faith/community land in the new community of Northstowe. They informed the committee of the following:

·         The potential ways a bidding process for land may work were set out. The committee was informed that option B, which would involve bidding rounds with community consultation and a Council decision, was preferred by community groups. Groups had indicated that they valued the district council’s objectivity.

·         The selection criteria would need to make clear that any eligible group should be willing to provide a broader community function, so that protected groups could equally share in the community facilities. It was important that no single faith group was privileged over other groups.

·         It was anticipated that the community would be consulted on eligible bids and that Oakington and Longstanton would be included in consultation.

·         The council decision would be an officer decision.

·         There was a strong design code for Northstowe and any building coming forward would have to conform with this.

·         It was anticipated that there would be more than one bidding round.

·         It needed to be ensured that the group selected, was able to deliver.

The Leader of the Council indicated commended this as a model piece of work in which other councils may be interested. The Scrutiny and Overview Committee endorsed the Leader’s comments, noted the report and supported the continuation of this work.

The Deputy Leader (non-statutory) presented the Council’s Quarter Three position regarding its operational key performance indicators. He highlighted that there was a continuing issue regarding bed and breakfast accommodation; the performance indicator table set out the measures being undertaken to bring the KPIs under control. The Lead Cabinet Member for Housing informed the committee that HMOs would help free up hostel places and would take away the need for additional temporary accommodation. It was anticipated that a benefit would be seen by the end of the year.

The Contact Centre’s average call answer time had continued to improve as a result of continued recruitment to the Contact Centre; it was recognised that seasonality was a factor regarding performance in this area. Members commented that a target call answer time of 100 seconds was too long. The Deputy Leader informed the committee that reviewing this would be looked at. He informed the committee that abandoned calls were monitored and that performance in relation to this was not bad when compared to the industry standard.

Regarding CC305 percentage of formal complaints resolved within timescale, a new digital complaints process had been introduced in January 2020, which would improve the tracking and management of complaints.

The committee noted that staff sickness in the Shared Waste Service continued to be in the red, but that the overall performance of the service was extremely good.

The Deputy Leader informed the committee that from next year, long term sickness figures would be separated out in the staff sickness data.

Committee members noted the very good performance in relation to bins collected on schedule and tenant satisfaction with responsive repairs.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee NOTED the report.

The Lead Cabinet Member for Finance presented the latest monitoring data and trends in respect of the 2019/2020 revenue and capital budgets and emerging budget issues.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee noted that the income from second green bins had surpassed expectations and members were pleased that this had been such a success.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee was content that performance was on track and NOTED the report. 

The Conservative Group Leader presented the Conservative Group budget proposal, which would be proposed at the full Council meeting on 20 February 2020.

Regarding the proposed ‘Olympic Hopefuls’ Grant, the group leader informed the committee that the Council used to have a grant scheme for elite athletes from the district. Funding for youth athletes was very important and could be a barrier. Some concern was raised by committee members about the potential for privileging a small number of people with this grant, over a wider group of people.

Regarding the reduction to the budget for the South Cambridgeshire magazine, the group leader informed the committee that this would not affect the budget for delivery of the magazine.

Regarding the proposed long service award, the group leader informed the committee that this was a proposed gift rather than a bonus.

The committee NOTED that the budget proposal would be considered by full Council on 20 February 2020, but did not record its support for the proposal. 

The law allows Councils to consider a limited range of issues in private session without members of the Press and public present. Typically such issues relate to personal details, financial and business affairs, legal privilege and so on. In every case, the public interest in excluding the Press and public from the meeting room must outweigh the public interest in having the information disclosed to them. The following statement will be proposed, seconded and voted upon:

“I propose that the Press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following agenda items 11, 12 and 13 in accordance with Section 100(A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that, if present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.”

Paragraph 3 relates to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

If exempt (confidential) information has been provided as part of the agenda, the Press and public will not be able to view it. There will be an explanation on the website however as to why the information is exempt.

The committee agreed that the Press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of agenda items 11-13 in accordance with the provisions of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) (exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act). Paragraph 3 refers to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Leader of the Council, Chief Executive and Head of New Build presented the report. The Scrutiny and Overview Committee raised some concerns but after an in-depth discussion, committee members indicated their support for the proposals which they considered were needed in order to deliver the facilities that the new community of Northstowe needed.

The Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, Head of Commercial Development and Investment and Head of Finance presented the report. Following an in-depth discussion, the Scrutiny and Overview Committee indicated its support for the proposals.

To authorise the Chairman to sign the confidential Minute of the meeting held on 21 January 2020, as a correct record.

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2020, were agreed as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

·         Inclusion of the word ‘district’ in paragraph 3.

·         Inclusion of ‘developers of West Cambourne’ under the first bullet point.

For the committee to consider its work programme which is attached with the Council’s Notice of Key and Non-Key Decisions. When considering items to include in the work programme, the committee is requested to refer to the attached Scrutiny Prioritisation Tool.

The Scrutiny and Overview Committee NOTED its work programme.

The Chairman of the Community Safety Partnership would be invited to a future committee meeting.

The Vice Chairman requested the committee revisit the Council’s work on ICT. The committee agreed that the Head of ICT would be invited to a future committee meeting to provide an update on this. The Chief Executive requested that members provided a list of questions in advance of the Head of ICT’s attendance at a meeting. The Scrutiny ICT Working Group would draft a list of questions.

Thursday 12 March 2020 at 5.20pm.

The next meeting would take place on Thursday 12^th March 2020, at 5.20pm.