Agenda item

Any Items referred from other committees will be circulated as soon as they are available.

A – Item Referred from Overview and Scrutiny: 23 October 2019 - Review of Hitchin Town Hall and District Wide Museum Project

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Report of the Hitchin Town Hall Review Panel, (Appendix A) be noted and the recommendations, as contained in part D of the report, be accepted;

(2) That the following recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be accepted:

(i) That the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, particularly the way in which the Council works with Community Groups/Partners be noted;

(ii) That a robust system of mediation be established;

(iii) That an effective intervention process that results in suitable progressive remedial action following any mediation be put into place;

(iv) That dedicated Project Management that is adequately resourced, as recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be put into place;

(v) That a summarised version of the recommendations, (Part D of the Report) be incorporated into all large briefing documents to enable the production of a Code of Conduct which could inform any future projects;

(vi) That a clear Intervention Protocol be written and adopted within a reasonable timescale, and included within the Terms of Reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (a separate stand alone paragraph that the Committee will understand to be the process followed when it is deemed necessary for a decision regarding a project is “called in”); and

(vii) That the Council’s Procurement Procedures be reviewed as part of the review of the Constitution and continue to be followed and updated regularly to ensure it is adequately robust.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To enable Cabinet to comment on and consider the recommendations regarding the review into Hitchin Town Hall and District Wide Museum Project.

B – Item Referred from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee: 5 December 2019 - Draft Budget 2020/21

RESOLVED: That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding the Draft Budget 2020/21 be considered with Item 9.

C – Item Referred from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee: 5 December 2019 - Second Quarter Revenue Monitoring 2019/20

RESOLVED: That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding Second Quarter Revenue Monitoring 2019/20 be considered with Item 10.

D – Item Referred from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee: 5 December 2019 - Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) Mid-Year Review 2019/20

RESOLVED: That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) Mid-Year Review 2019/20 be considered with Item 11.

Audio recording – 14 minutes 37 seconds

A Item Referred from Overview and Scrutiny Committee: 23 October 2019 – Review of the Hitchin Town Hall and District Wide Museum Project

The Chairman advised Members that the report considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had an Appendix B – Comments of the Senior Management Team attached which, having discussed the matter with the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive and considered terms of reference and recent practice, was convinced that this was presented to the Committee in good faith based on the most recent practice. This was not a normal Task and Finish Group and therefore he felt that the appendix was inappropriate in this case and therefore would not be considered by Cabinet.

There was a more collaborative way of working and therefore it was not expected that this issue would occur again in the future.

The Terms of reference in respect Task and Finish Groups needed to be reviewed.

The two registered speakers had circulated a paper to Members of Cabinet which referred to the Appendix previously mentioned. As the Appendix was not being considered it was not appropriate to consider the circulated paper.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the referral from the meeting of the Committee held on 23 October 2019 regarding the Review of the Hitchin Town Hall and District Wide Museum Project.

He thanked the Panel members and the Independent Chairman for the work they had undertaken.

The Committee spent a great deal of time considering the report of the Panel and made the following recommendations:

1. That the Report of the Hitchin Town Hall Review Panel, (Appendix A) be reviewed and the recommendations, as contained in part D of the report, be accepted.

2. That the following recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be considered:

(i) When reviewing the recommendations of the Hitchin Town Hall Review Panel the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be taken into account, particularly the way in which the Council works with Community Groups/Partners;

(ii) Ensure that a robust system of mediation is established;

(iii) That an effective intervention process is put into place that results in suitable progressive remedial action following any mediation;

(iv) That dedicated Project Management is put in place that is adequately resourced as recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(v) That a summarised version of the recommendations, (Part D of the Report) is incorporated into all large briefing documents to enable the production of a Code of Conduct which could inform any future projects;

(vi) That a clear Intervention Protocol is written and adopted within a reasonable timescale, and included within the Terms of Reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (a separate stand-alone paragraph that the Committee will understand to be the process followed when it is deemed necessary for a decision regarding a project is “called in”); and

(vii) That the Council’s Procurement Procedures are reviewed as part of the review of the Constitution and continue to be followed and updated regularly to ensure it is adequately robust.

The Chairman invited Mr John Richardson (Independent Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Review of Hitchin Town Hall and District Museum) to address Cabinet.

The Independent Chair advised that:

· He was grateful for the generally positive response to both the process and the content;

· The Panel did not make judgements on some of the divisive issues;

· The recommendations were, in some ways, pushing at an open door and stating the obvious;

· The recommendations were based on evidence at the hearings taking into account perceptions, values and views.

The Chairman thanked Mr Richardson and the Panel for their work.

The following Members asked questions and took part in the debate:

· Councillor Ian Albert;

· Councillor Paul Clark;

· Councillor Judi Billing;

· Councillor Steve Jarvis.

Members were keen that the recommendations were carried forward and acted upon.

It was proposed by Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb, seconded by Councillor Paul Clark and:

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Report of the Hitchin Town Hall Review Panel, (Appendix A) be noted and the recommendations, as contained in part D of the report, be accepted;

(2) That the following recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be accepted:

(i) That the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, particularly the way in which the Council works with Community Groups/Partners be noted;

(ii) That a robust system of mediation be established;

(iii) That an effective intervention process that results in suitable progressive remedial action following any mediation be put into place;

(iv) That dedicated Project Management that is adequately resourced, as recommended by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be put into place;

(v) That a summarised version of the recommendations, (Part D of the Report) be incorporated into all large briefing documents to enable the production of a Code of Conduct which could inform any future projects;

(vi) That a clear Intervention Protocol be written and adopted within a reasonable timescale, and included within the Terms of Reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (a separate stand alone paragraph that the Committee will understand to be the process followed when it is deemed necessary for a decision regarding a project is “called in”); and

(vii) That the Council’s Procurement Procedures be reviewed as part of the review of the Constitution and continue to be followed and updated regularly to ensure it is adequately robust.

REASON FOR DECISIONS: To enable Cabinet to comment on and consider the recommendations regarding the review into Hitchin Town Hall and District Wide Museum Project.

B Referral from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee – 5 December 2019- Draft Budget 2020/21

RESOLVED:That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding the Draft Budget 2020/21 be considered with Item 9 (Minute 67 refers).

C Referral from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee – 5 December 2019 - Second Quarter Revenue Monitoring 2019/20;

RESOLVED:That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding Second Quarter Revenue Monitoring 2019/20 be considered with Item 10 (Minute 68 refers).

D Referral from Finance, Audit and Risk Committee - Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) Mid-Year Review 2019/20.

RESOLVED:That the referral from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting held on 5 December 2019 regarding Investment Strategy (Capital and Treasury) Mid-Year Review 2019/20 be considered with Item 11 (Minute 69 refers).

ITEMS REFERRED FROM OTHER COMMITTEES

Help improve this site by giving feedback

Give your feedback