Agenda and decisions

Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.

Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting.

There were no apologies for absence from Members.  

To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 4 February 2025.

RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 4 February 2025 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair.

Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.

There was no other business notified.

Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda.  Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.

(1)     The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.

(2)     The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.

(3)     The Chair advised that for the purposes of clarification clause 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution does not apply to this meeting.

(4)     The Chair reminded Members of the adopted North Herts Scrutiny Charter and the need to ensure that the meeting was conducted with independence, initiative and integrity. The full Charter was available to Members via the Scrutiny Intranet pages.

(5)     The Chair advised of a change to the order of the Agenda and Agenda Item 14 would be taken after Agenda Item 7.

To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.

There was no public participation at this meeting.

The Chair to report on any urgent or general exception items which required their agreement. At the time of printing the agenda, the Chair had not agreed any urgent or general exception items.

The Chair noted two urgent items in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan Referendum for Barkway and Nuthampstead and Local Government Reorganisation – Interim Plan Submission. The Chair provided details for their urgency and advised that the full Urgency Notices for both items had been published on the Council website.

To receive and respond to any questions from Members either set out in the agenda or tabled at the meeting.

No questions had been submitted by Members.

To consider any matters referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to a call-in of decision.

At the time of publication, one item had been accepted as a Call-In, under 6.3.11 of the Constitution, regarding the Cabinet decision taken on 11 February 2025 on Proposed Parking Tariffs for 2025/26.

Following agreement from the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, it was agreed this item would be considered within this scheduled meeting, rather than as an extraordinary meeting.

The Chair advised that one item had been accepted as a Call-In, under 6.3.11 of the Constitution, regarding the Cabinet decision taken on 11 February 2025 on Proposed Parking Tariffs for 2025/26. The decision was called in by Councillors Ralph Muncer, Martin Prescott, Joe Graziano, Steven Patmore and David Barnard.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommends that:

(1)     Cabinet reconsiders the proposed on-street and off-street charging tariffs in Royston and Knebworth in light of the information received at the meeting.

(2)     Cabinet considers the increase in parking charges based on the updated modelling, specifically around the 4% increase in charges, where this had not been applied to all charges.

(3)     Cabinet notes the importance of Overview & Scrutiny in supporting Cabinet in reaching robust policy decisions and works with the Chair of the Committee to effectively facilitate this.  

REPORT OF THE SERVICE DIRECTOR – REGULATORY

At the February meeting of Overview and Scrutiny it was agreed to trial focusing meetings based on areas of Executive Member responsibility. This report provides the Committee with an update on the Planning and Transport Portfolio, supported by the latest updates on the relevant projects, risks and performance indicators within this area.

RESOLVED: That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee note the report and its appendices.

REASON FOR DECISION: This report was following the request of the Committee for an update on the Planning and Transport portfolio.

To consider passing the following resolution: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended)

REPORT OF THE CULTURE AND FACILITIES SERVICE MANAGER AND PRINCIPAL ESTATES SURVEYOR

To consider the proposed acquisition of Unit 1, City Park, Letchworth Garden City on a long leasehold basis at a peppercorn rent (i.e. zero) for the Museum Storage Facility on the terms set out in the Part 1 and Part 2 reports.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommends that: Cabinet approve the acquisition of Unit 1 City Park, Letchworth Garden City on the terms set out in the Part 2 report and noting the detailed Budget Cost Plan for adapting, fitting out and upgrading the building for museum storage at Appendix A.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: Alimited number of modern buildings of this age and size become available to purchase or lease in Letchworth Garden City and surrounding area, particularly one on a long lease at a peppercorn rent for the full term, with an expiry date in 2150. Unit 1 includes land fronting Works Road and to the side of the unit, plus a large part of the car park with the ability to erect a fence to separate the area from the rest of the car park used by adjoining units. In addition, the Council already owns the long leasehold interest in Unit 3 City Park, Letchworth Garden City, having acquired it in June 2016 with that building being used for general archive storage, IT servers, offsite disaster recovery, careline business continuity and legal department storage.

REPORT OF THE CULTURE AND FACILITIES SERVICE MANAGER AND PRINCIPAL ESTATES SURVEYOR

To consider the proposed acquisition of Unit 1, City Park, Letchworth Garden City on a long leasehold basis at a peppercorn rent (i.e. zero) for the Museum Storage Facility on the terms set out in the Part 1 and Part 2 reports.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend: That Cabinet approve the acquisition of Unit 1 City Park, Letchworth Garden City on the terms set out in the Part 2 report and noting the detailed Budget Cost Plan for adapting, fitting out and upgrading the building for museum storage.

REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: Alimited number of modern buildings of this age and size become available to purchase or lease in Letchworth Garden City and surrounding area, particularly one on a long lease at a peppercorn rent for the full term, with an expiry date in 2150. Unit 1 includes land fronting Works Road and to the side of the unit, plus a large part of the car park with the ability to erect a fence to separate the area from the rest of the car park used by adjoining units. In addition, the Council already owns the long leasehold interest in Unit 3 City Park, Letchworth Garden City, having acquired it in June 2016 with that building being used for general archive storage, IT servers, offsite disaster recovery, careline business continuity and legal department storage.

REPORT OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR

The Council recently undertook a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) between 4 and 7 November 2024, where we were visited by a peer team supported by the Local Government Association. The peer team met with a large number of staff and councillors, as well as external stakeholders such as contractual partners, neighbouring authorities and members of our community. The peer team produced a feedback report, attached at Appendix A, which was reported to Cabinet on 14 January 2025. An Action Plan has now been developed, attached at Appendix B.

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the content of the Corporate Peer Challenge report and its recommendations be noted.

(2)     That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee comment on the proposed Action Plan, to be considered by Cabinet on 18 March 2025.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Council responded to the matters identified within the CPC report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.

REPORT OF THE LEGAL MANAGER AND DEPUTY MONITORING OFFICER

This Report provides an update on the Council’s current use of RIPA and reports on the annual policy review. The Report also provides an update on the proposed amendments to the Council’s RIPA Policies following its annual review.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the content of the report.

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: The adoption of the amended RIPA Policy (Appendix A).

REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION: To comply with the best practice guidance and the Committee’s terms of reference.

REPORT OF THE SCRUTINY OFFICER

This report highlights items scheduled in the work programme of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2024-25 civic year. It also includes items that have not yet been assigned to a specific meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the Committee prioritises topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determines the high-level form and timing of scrutiny input.

(2)     That the Committee, having considered the most recent iteration of the Forward Plan, as attached at Appendix B, suggests a list of items to be considered at its meetings in the coming civic year.

(3)     That the Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan as attached at Appendix C be considered.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

(1)     To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focused Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effective policy development and meaningful policy and service change.

(2)     The need to observe Constitutional requirements and monitor the Forward Plan for appropriate items to scrutinise remains a key aspect of work programming.