To receive reports about and receive questions and answers on the business of any joint arrangements or external organisations.

      i.        Mr Dale - Rural Community Awards

Mr Dale stated that Mr Baines and the Lord Lieutenant accompanied him to the Rural Community Awards. The category for unsung hero had two nominations out of five that were from Rutland. Joyce Bird from Rutland won the award. The Council would send their congratulations to Joyce Bird and nominee Tracey Stewart.

    ii.        Mr Bool – Combined Fire Authority

A visit to the Oakham Fire and Rescue Station for members of the Council was planned for Thursday 17 October 2019.

   iii.        Miss Waller – LLR Joint Health Scrutiny

There is to be an additional meeting towards the end of the year as the Leicester Hospital Trust was one of the ones in the most recent Government announcements for potential funding. Once told they can have money, they would then start formal consultation.

   iv.        Mr Oxley – Rutland Fairtrade Steering Group

The Fairtrade Steering Group were pleased to hear that the Council supports Fairtrade across the county. The application has gone to the Fairtrade Foundation to renew Rutland’s Fairtrade status.

    v.        Mr Lowe – East Midlands Councils Scrutiny Conference

Seven Councillors and one officer attended the conference which was very informative. Further details would be circulated to members.

   vi.        Miss Jones – Rutland Access Group

Attended a meeting of the Rutland Access Group where a wide range of topics were covered, with long discussions on public and private transport to hospitals for people with accessibility issues. It was acknowledged that even though there was information out there it was found to be difficult to find and suggested information could be linked on the Council’s website.

It was also found that there was limited information regarding to accessibility on the Discover Rutland website. Wheelchair accessible hotels were listed but not necessarily those who had other accessibility features.

  vii.        Mr Baines – Rutland Water Partnership

At the meeting on 27 September 2019 there were two main items. Local opinion on parking at Rutland Water had been taken into consideration and will be fed into RCC’s parking review.

The Rutland Water area had not been looked at in 10 years. The alterations that were being suggested follow topographical features in the landscape.

viii.        Mr Baines – The Welland Catchment Partnership

The partnership now had full funding for the officer involved. If anyone was interested in becoming a local river warden, training would be available to them

   ix.        Mr Baines – Environment Agency Flood Defence

The impact of climate change was raised at the meeting and was debated considerably. Mr Baines hoped that the Environment Agency Flood Defence would come under the remit of the Biodiversity Task and Finish Group.

    x.        Mr Walters – Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) - Partnership Group (Shadow Board)

The purpose of the board was to support the good governance of the STP, providing non-executive and lay oversight and challenge to the delivery of the STP. The Terms of Reference had been drafted by the group and when finalised would be distributed to Councillors.

   xi.        Mrs Stephenson – Rutland Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)

At the most recent meeting, Mrs Stephenson had been voted as Chair of the Committee and Mrs Rosemary Powell voted as the Vice-Chair. The Committee was in the process of devising their Development Plan.