Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE, MEMBER AND SCRUTINY MANAGER

To consider the issues that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee plan to review at future meetings and the activities of its sub-groups.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the proposed topics for inclusion in the work programme and where appropriate, the high level form and time of scrutiny input, be determined and prioritised;

(2)       That the following items  be considered at its meeting on 17 March 2020:

•           Revised Animal Licensing Policy;

•           NHDC Draft Electric Vehicle Strategy; and

•           Environmental Crime Vehicles.

and;

(3)       That the Task and Finish Group Protocol be reviewed at the meeting due to be held on 17 March 2020.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focussed Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effective policy development and meaningful policy and service charge.

Audio Recording – Session 1 - 1 Hour 6 Minutes 50 Seconds

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager presented the report entitled Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2019-2020 and drew attention to the following:

Paragraph 8.1 (Appendix A)

·                She would bring a draft of the Annual Report to the next meeting for consideration;

Review of Hitchin Town Hall

·                The report of the Overview and Scrutiny Review of Hitchin Town Hall and North Hertfordshire Museum project and the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding that report were considered by Cabinet on 17 December 2019 and all the recommendations had been accepted

Task and Finish Protocol

·                The review of the Hitchin Town Hall had drawn attention to some anomalies regarding the current protocol for Task and Finish Groups and recommended that the Protocol be reviewed at a future meeting.

Forward Plan

·                The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager advised that the following items had already been selected from the Forward Plan to be considered at the March meeting:

·                Development Agreement for John Barker Place;

·                District Wide Survey; and

·                Greenspace Strategy 2021 - 2026 Scoping Document.

The Chair recommended that the following items be considered at the next meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

·                Revised Animal Licensing Policy;

·                NHDC Draft Electric Vehicle Strategy; and

·                Environmental Crime Vehicles.

In response to the Chair’s question regarding the draft design SPD, the Service Director – Regulatory informed Members that:

·                It was still the intention to bring the draft design SPD to Overview and Scrutiny; and

·                There was a Government consultation underway for the Future Homes Standard which had been extended until February 2020, this may impact upon the timing of the SPD.

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager provided a word of caution regarding the number of items placed on the Agenda of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and recommended that fewer items be scheduled for the next meeting on 17 March 2020.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the proposed topics for inclusion in the work programme and where appropriate, the high-level form and time of scrutiny input, be determined and prioritised;

(2)       That the following items be considered at its meeting on 17 March 2020:

•           Revised Animal Licensing Policy;

•           NHDC Draft Electric Vehicle Strategy; and

•           Environmental Crime Vehicles.

and;

(3)       That the Task and Finish Group Protocol be reviewed at the meeting due to be held on 17 March 2020.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focussed Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effective policy development and meaningful policy and service charge.