Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P I Carter, S C Manion and M Rose.

There were no substitute members appointed.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

Please note that in accordance with the agreed Protocol for Public Speaking at Overview and Scrutiny, the right to speak only applies to agenda items 11.

The right of the public to speak does not apply to the following agenda items: Apologies, Appointment of Substitute Members, Declarations of Interest, Minutes, the Forward Plan, the Scrutiny Work Programme, any agenda item that is not accompanied by a written report and items that are exempt business.

Members of the public wishing to speak must register to do so by no later than 2.00 pm on the second working day before the meeting.

The Democratic Services Manager advised that no members of the public had registered to speak on items on the agenda to which the public speaking protocol applied.

There were no decisions taken by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 4 June 2018 in respect of recommendations from the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee.

Members received the decisions of the Cabinet relating to recommendations made by the Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the Cabinet decisions relating to recommendations from the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee be noted.

There were no items of business.

(a)    Items placed on the agenda by a Member of the Committee or any individual Non-Executive Member

       Any individual Councillor may request that a matter is placed on the agenda of one of the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees by providing Democratic Support with notice of the matter prior to the agenda being published.

       There are no items for consideration.

(b)    Items the subject of Call-In

       Executive Decisions may be called-in by the Chairman or Spokesperson of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee or any three non-executive members.

       There are no items for consideration.

(c)    Public Petition

       There are no items for consideration.

There were no items of business.

The Democratic Services Manager presented the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions to the Committee for its consideration.

RESOLVED:   That the Notice of Forthcoming Key Decisions be noted.

The Democratic Services Manager presented the Scrutiny Work Programme to the Committee for its consideration.

It was agreed to defer the update on the St James development (DTIZ) to the autumn so that Councillor R J Frost could attend the meeting.

Councillor K Mills requested that an item would be added to the work programme covering BREXIT preparations.

RESOLVED:     That the Work Programme be noted subject to the change to the scheduling of the DTIZ item and the addition of an item on BREXIT preparations.

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment and Corporate Assets.

The Head of Parks and Open Spaces and the Principal Infrastructure and Delivery Officer presented the report on General Repairs to Parks, Gardens and Churchyards.

Members were advised that the current open spaces strategies had successfully delivered a number of priority projects, such as the restoration of Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens. The transfer of the grounds maintenance service in-house also provided the Council with the opportunity to deliver smaller scale projects such as repairs to uneven footpaths in the Council’s strategic parks.

It was now necessary to review the open space strategies to ensure that the identified priorities were up-to-date and reflected the Council’s current capabilities. To that end Cabinet had allocated £60,000 identified within the Medium Term Financial Plan towards the cost of updating the strategies, and addressing the most urgent repairs to structural features within the Council’s parks, cemeteries and churchyards. The list of urgent repairs had been drawn up in consultation with the Council’s Health and Safety Officer.

Members raised the following points:

·         The need for increased provision of dog waste bins.

·         The need for a strategic assessment of play area need.

·         The disposal of grass cuttings at Markwood. In response the Head of Parks and Open Spaces highlighted the costs of collecting and disposing of grass cuttings from parks and issues with capacity at the waste sites.

·         The provision for dog exclusion zones at play areas. In response it was confirmed that all play areas were dog exclusion zones.

·         The importance of maximisingrevenue for the Council from events on Council land.

The Principal Infrastructure and Delivery Officer urged councilors and members of the public to respond to the consultation on the updated open space strategies when it was launched.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.