Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor S Barnes and Councillor S Poole.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record.

None.

Report of the Democratic Services Officer.

The Committee was informed that Councillor Clarke and Payne were unable to attend this meeting.  It was agreed that an additional meeting would be arranged for them to attend to discuss their areas of responsibility.

RESOLVED to:

·         Invite Councillors Clarke and Payne to a future Committee meeting.

Report of the Director of Organisational Development and Democratic Services.     

The Director of Health and Community Wellbeing presented a report, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting,  informing the Committee about the positions against Improvement Actions and Performance indicators in the 2017/19 Gedling Plan at the end of 2017/18.

He explained that performance is assessed using a range of mechanisms including the Gedling Conversation, customer complaints and employee feedback.  Benchmarking, although still considered, is less important than previously as not all local authorities participate in the process.

There are some areas that need improvement but in many areas performance was very positive.

Examples of particularly positive improvement include:

·         The overall subsidy to Leisure has been reduced by £230K

·         Achieving 1 million visitors to the leisure centres

·         Doubling  the number of visits to the Bonington Theatre.

·         A great improvement in the time taken to process planning applications

·         £1million of adaptions to support people with disabilities in their own homes

·         88% of One Stop customers seen within 15 minutes.

Whilst overall performance is positive particular attention needs to be directed towards

·         Crime

·         Homelessness

·         Recycling

·         Housing delivery.

Members requested that additional information relating to these issues to be available at a future meeting.

Following additional questions from Members the following points were discussed:

·         Fly tipping

Although 96% of fly tips were removed within 4 days this is a growing problem.  Netherfield and Colwick plus rural laybys are areas for concern.  Members, requested additional information regarding numbers of incidents, prosecutions and if there has been an increase since the County Council registration scheme for household recycling sites has was introduced.

·         Housing Development

The need for a policy to consider the impact of new housing developments.  Members were informed that better internal conversations between departments are taking place and this should result in a more coordinated process.

RESOLVED to:

·         Note the report against actions and performance indicators in the 2017/19 Gedling Plan

·         Request additional information regarding:

o   Crime

o   Homelessness

o   Recycling

o   Housing delivery and

o   Fly tipping

Councillor Parr left the meeting at 6.00pm

Report of the Democratic Services Officer.

Members agreed that the programme of Portfolio Holder attendance at Committee should continue.

Members had previously identified twenty possible issues for review in the upcoming year and had been asked to choose three to take forward.  The three areas identified as the most requested were:

·         Waste management and recycling rates

·         Bringing empty houses back into use

·         Health and wellbeing of young people.

After discussion it was decided to set up working groups to examine:

·         Waste management and

·         The health and wellbeing of young people. 

Additional information regarding empty homes was requested to be available at a future Committee

Waste management and recycling working group Councillors Feeney(Chair) Paling, Truscott and Weisz.  A representative from Gedling Climate Change Group would be invited to the join the working group.

Wellbeing of young people working group Councillors McCrossen (Chair) and

Paling.

Members of Gedling Youth Council would be invited to be included in both of these reviews.

The wider membership of the Council will be invited to be part of these working groups.

Meetings to scope these reviews will be arranged shortly.

Issues not chosen for review but about which Members would like additional information include:

·         Universal Credit, are we ready and has a system been developed that will support claimants with budget management.

·         Rolleston Drive, what progress has been made to develop this site?

·         Universal Credit, has any support mechanism to assist claimants with budget management been introduced

·         Homelessness

·         Parish Councils, Do we work well with them  and what can be done to improve relationships

·         The Induction Programme for 2019

·         Obesity, revisit the recommendations made by the earlier review.

RESOLVED to:

·         Set up working groups to examine:

o   Waste Management and

o   The Health and Wellbeing of Young People. 

·         Request additional information relating to:

o   Universal Credit,

o   Rolleston Drive, what progress has been made to develop this site?

o   Homelessness.

o   Parish Councils.

o   The Induction Programme for 2019.

o   Obesity, revisit the recommendations made by the earlier review.

Report of the Democratic Services Officer.

Members considered the Scrutiny Annual Report which had been circulated in advance of the meeting.

Members discussed the report and agreed it should be submitted to Council.

RESOLVED to:

·         Refer the report to Cabinet.

Report of the Democratic Services Officer.

COMPLETED SCRUTINY REVIEWS

·         Gedling Councillor Standard

·         The Effectiveness of Scrutiny

Members discussed the Cabinet response to the recommendations made by both these working groups and requested a six month progress report on the implementation of recommendations

·         Income Generation

The six month progress report on the implementation of agreed recommendations made by the working group was discussed.

INFORMATION UPDATES FROM PREVIOUS COMMITTEES

Members discussed and noted the information updates relating to

·         The Recording of Meetings

·         The Carlton Contact Point.

RESOLVED to:

·         Note the information relating to the completed scrutiny reviews and request a six month update.

·         Note the information relating to the Income Generation recommendation

·         Note the information relating to Recording of Meetings and Carlton Contact Point.

None.