A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6HP

Contact: Governance  Email: governance@rutland.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

WELCOME AND APOLOGIES RECEIVED

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Peter French, Co-Opted Member and Jane Narey, Scrutiny Officer.

 

2.

RECORD OF MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 26th January 2023 are not yet drafted due to the change in meeting schedule and will be taken to the March meeting for approval.

 

Minutes:

It was noted the minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2023 were not available by the publication of the agenda due to the change in meeting date.  The minutes would be presented to the next scheduled meeting of the Committee on 9 March 2023.

3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

4.

PETITIONS, DEPUTATIONS AND QUESTIONS

To receive any petitions, deputations and questions received from Members of the Public in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 25 and 159.

 

The total time allowed for this item shall be 30 minutes.  Petitions, declarations and questions shall be dealt with in the order in which they are received.  Questions may also be submitted at short notice by giving a written copy to the Committee Administrator 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.

 

The total time allowed for questions at short notice is 15 minutes out of the total time of 30 minutes.  Any petitions, deputations and questions that have been submitted with prior formal notice will take precedence over questions submitted at short notice.  Any questions that are not considered within the time limit shall receive a written response after the meeting and be the subject of a report to the next meeting.

Minutes:

No petitions, deputations or questions were received.

5.

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE FROM MEMBERS

To consider any questions with notice from Members received in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule No 161 and 162.

Minutes:

No questions with notice with notice were received from Members.

6.

NOTICES OF MOTION FROM MEMBERS

To consider any Notices of Motion from Members submitted in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule No 163.

Minutes:

No notices of motion had been received.

7.

CONSIDERATION OF ANY MATTER REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE IN RELATION TO THE CALL-IN OF A DECISION

To consider any matter referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to call in of a decision in accordance with Procedure Rule 149.

Minutes:

No call-ins had been received.

8.

PORTFOLIO HOLDERS' UPDATE pdf icon PDF 165 KB

To receive an update from Councillor S Harvey, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Care on access to GP services.

Minutes:

A presentation was received from Councillor S Harvey, Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Care (copy attached), regarding the latest progress towards implementation of the recommendations of the Primary Care Task and Finish Group.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       The Rutland Memorial Hospital Feasibility Study had been completed and would be presented to the Rutland Health and Wellbeing Board on the 21st March 2023. 

·       The Estates Strategy for Rutland had also been completed but not to the standard requested by the Integrated Care Board so the process had been re-commissioned resulting in the estates strategy being delayed.

·       The patient survey had been delayed slightly but would be progressed by the Rutland Health and Wellbeing Board after the county elections in May 2023.

·       The Portfolio Holder confirmed that she would ask the Primary Care Network if patients were charged for the call whilst waiting on hold and would notify members of the response.

ACTION: Councillor Harvey

·       The Portfolio Holder also agreed to ask the Primary Care Network about the possibility of the GP practices in the future pooling their individual phone services into one combined service and feedback the response to the committee members.

ACTION: Councillor Harvey

·       It was noted that although there had been an increase in the number of appointments available across the four surgeries since before the COVID-19 pandemic, these included appointments other than those by doctors and that the demand for appointments had also risen.

·       The use of online consultation and appointments was being promoted to patients by the Primary Care Network but it was suggested that the Integrated Care Board should also communicate these matters to help increase public understanding of the issue facing the practices.

·       It was queried if any change had resulted from the recommendation to find a mechanism where assets, if added through public funds, were retained on the public balance sheet.  The Portfolio Holder confirmed that it was national policy for Section 106 or CIL funding for GP practices to be allocated through the Integrated Care Board but that she would raise the matter with the Board.

9.

GROUP AND PANEL UPDATES

9a

CULTURE / ASSET REVIEW TASK AND FINISH GROUP pdf icon PDF 60 KB

To receive an update from Councillor A Walters

Minutes:

A written update was received from Councillor A Walters, Chair of the Culture/Asset Review Task and Finish Group.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       Given the uncertain position with several directions of travel being assessed by officers, the committee was asked to advise on the Task and Finish Group as follows:

 

1.    Should the Task and Finish Group review stop pending further information and then restart after the elections in May with revised terms of reference?

 

2.    Should the Task and Finish Group continue under the same terms of reference but in the knowledge that circumstances have changed?

 

3.    Regardless of the above, should the delegated member (Councillor Baines) continue to seek advice from educational establishments as to how the culture offer could be of most benefit to students, and how they might become more involved?

 

·       Councillor Baines confirmed that he would continue to seek information from educational establishments with the support of Governance, who would assist with the distribution and collation of the information so that it was stored in a central location. 

ACTION: Councillor E Baines and Governance

 

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

 

a)    AGREED that the Culture/Asset Review Task and Finish Group should cease.

b)    AGREED that Councillor E Baines would, with the support of Governance, continue to seek information from educational establishments as to how the culture offer would be of most benefit to students and how they might become more involved.

c)    AGREED that, after the elections in May 2023, the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider re-commencing the Culture/Asset Review Task and Finish Group with updated Terms of Reference following the outcome of the Council’s transformation programme.

9b

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TASK AND FINISH GROUP

To receive an update from Councillor Begy

Minutes:

A verbal update was received from Councillor Begy.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       Councillor Begy confirmed that he had resigned his membership of this and other groups due to personal circumstances.

·       He proposed that the Customer Experience Task and Finish Group should be:

 

  1. Postponed until after the Council’s transformation programme.

 

  1. Re-considered by the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee for  re-commencing with updated Terms of Reference following the elections in May 2023.

 

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

 

a)    AGREED that the Customer Experience Task and Finish Group should cease.

b)    AGREED that, after the elections in May 2023, the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider re-commencing the Customer Experience Task and Finish Group with updated Terms of Reference following the outcome of the Council’s transformation programme.

9c

ECONOMIC STRATEGY TASK AND FINISH GROUP

To receive an update from Councillor A Brown

Minutes:

A verbal update was received from Councillor A Brown.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       A further meeting of the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group had been arranged for Tuesday, 21st February 2023 at 5.30 p.m.

·       The framework of the Council’s Economic Strategy would be considered plus any emerging intervention and policy issues.

·       A further update would be given at the next meeting.

9d

HIGHWAYS AND SPEEDING

To receive an update from Councillor P Browne

Minutes:

·       Councillor P Browne was unable to attend the meeting so there was no update for the Committee.

·       The Chair requested that updates should either be provided in writing or in-person at future Committee meetings.

9e

HOMELESSNESS EVIDENCE PANEL pdf icon PDF 206 KB

To receive the final report from the Homelessness Evidence Panel presented by the Chair, Councillor G Waller.

Minutes:

The final report from the Homelessness Evidence Panel was presented to the committee.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       Councillor Waller thanked members and officers for all their hard work in the production of the report as there had been a lot of information to research, collate and understand. 

·       It was confirmed that Table 1 showed the number of people who had been assessed as homeless over the period of time stated and not the actual number of homeless people in Rutland.

·       Councillor Harvey informed members that the Council’s Armed Forces Officer worked with all charities and outreach services to assist and support ex-military personnel as well as the families of current military personnel.

·       The Portfolio Holder for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Care queried the wording in recommendation 6.2 and its implications regarding safeguarding as both adults and children could be classed as a victim of domestic abuse.  Councillor Waller stated that the recommendation was for an overview of domestic abuse placements e.g. Were they placed quickly? Did services stay connected with them?  If children were involved, had their education provision been sorted?  It was agreed that Councillor Waller would meet with the Portfolio Holder to re-word the recommendation for discussion/approval at the meeting of the scrutiny committee on the 9th March 2023.

ACTION: Councillor Waller and Councillor Harvey

·       It was noted that these were purely recommendations for Cabinet and that Cabinet could refuse and/or rephrase the recommendations.

·       Consideration was then given to the remaining recommendations of the report as follows:

 

6.1 That the Leader of the Council designates one ‘Portfolio Holder’ to take the lead on housing and for that person to actively engage with his/her colleagues, as appropriate, on housing matters.

 

6.3 That RCC explores with its registered social landlords the possibility of increasing the number of homes in Rutland available for temporary accommodation.

 

6.4 That Cabinet, as part of the Council’s Asset Review, explores the options for developing new temporary accommodation in Rutland to house those who have been made homeless.

 

6.5 That RCC reconsiders the development of a ‘Choice Based Lettings Policy,’ using learning from other councils’ policies and in consultation with registered social landlords, to better meet current needs.

 

6.6    That the Housing Allocations Policy be reviewed so that it is transparent and easy for applicants to use, with a user-friendly ‘Customer Guide’ and that it takes into consideration aspects highlighted in this report e.g. ‘Means Testing’ and the needs of the over 60’s in the context of an increasing elderly population in Rutland and the type of accommodation they could be considered for.

 

6.7 That Cabinet review the contract with Peterborough City Council for the provision of services in relation to private landlords with a view to improving data collection on the private sector in Rutland.

 

6.8 That Cabinet review the ‘Housing Services Review—Strategy and Operations Group’ ensuring that it, or any successor group, has clear terms of reference and appropriate membership.

 

 

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

 

a)    ACCEPTED the report of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9e

9f

MINERALS AUTHORITY CONTRACT EVIDENCE PANEL pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To receive a scoping document for the Minerals Authority Contract Evidence Panel from Councillor N Begy.

Minutes:

A scoping document for the Minerals Authority Contract Evidence Panel was received from Councillor N Begy.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       Councillor Begy informed the committee that the aim was to review the performance of the minerals authority contract after it had been in place for a  year and that, following a discussion with the Strategic Director of Places, it had been agreed that a working group would not be the best way forward but that an update report would be more appropriate.

·       The report would cover the issues listed in the scoping document but  members were invited to add any other issues for consideration.

·       The Committee requested that Mark Chant, Head of Planning Services, Minerals and Waste from North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) should be invited to the April scrutiny meeting as he was the only member of staff at NNC who had dealt with the minerals authority contract from its inception.

10.

REVIEW OF THE FORWARD PLAN AND ANNUAL WORK PLAN pdf icon PDF 97 KB

To consider the current Forward Plan and identify any relevant items for inclusion in the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Work Plan or to request further information.

 

The Forward Plan is available on the website at: https://rutlandcounty.moderngov.co.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=133&RD=0

 

Minutes:

The Forward Plan and Annual Work Plan were discussed. During the discussion, the following points were noted:

 

·       Homelessness Evidence Panel: final report – 9th March 2023

Recommendation 6.2 of the report would be re-worded and submitted to the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 9th March 2023 for discussion/approval.

·       Minerals Authority Contract – 20th April 2023

An update report on the Minerals Authority Contract would be prepared for consideration at the meeting of the Committee on the 20th April 2023.

·       Culture/Asset Review Task and Finish Group – 15th June 2023

After the elections in May 2023, the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider re-commencing the Culture/Asset Review Task and Finish Group with updated Terms of Reference following the outcome of the Council’s transformation programme.

·       Customer Experience Task and Finish Group – 15th June 2023

After the elections in May 2023, the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee should consider re-commencing the Customer Experience Task and Finish Group with updated Terms of Reference following the outcome of the Council’s transformation programme.

11.

ANY URGENT BUSINESS

To receive any items of urgent business, which have been previously notified to the person presiding.

 

Minutes:

There was no urgent business for consideration.

 

12.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Thursday, 9th March 2022 at 7 pm in the Council Chamber, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP.

Minutes:

Thursday, 9 March 2023 at 7.00 p.m.