Apologies for absence were received from Councillor N Folkard (Vice-Chair) (Substitute: Councillor D Jarvis), Councillor B Beggs (Substitute: Councillor J Moyies), Councillor T Cowdrey (no substitute) and Councillor I Shead (no substitute).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(a)        Councillors L Burton, S George, K Mitchell and S Wakefield (Cabinet Members) - Interest in the called-in items; attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19 July 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011.

(b)        Councillor L Salter - Minute 254 (Annual Public Health Report) - Husband is a consultant surgeon at Southend Hospital; Daughter is a consultant at Basildon Hospital; Son-in-law is a general practitioner in Southend-on-Sea.

(c)        Councillor L Hyde – Minute 254 (Annual Public Health Report) – Mother works for EPUT.

(d)        Councillor K Mitchell (Cabinet Member) - Minute 254 (Annual Public Health Report) - Chair of Hamlet Court Road in Harmony Community Group working with ‘A Better Start Southend’ who are mentioned in the report.

(e)        Councillor K Murphy – Minute 254 (Annual Public Health Report) – Works for the NHS.

(f)         Councillor L Burton (Cabinet Member) - Minute 256 (Passenger Transport Services - Performance Monitoring) - Employed as a teacher at a school outside Southend-on-Sea.

The Committee noted the responses of the Cabinet Member for Children, Learning and Inclusion to questions by Maggie Cleary, who was not in attendance at the meeting, and the responses of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration to questions presented by David Webb.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the special meeting of the Committee held on 20 April 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

In response to a question regarding the action plan and monitoring of the Peer Review of SEND, the Executive Director (Children & Public Health) gave his assurances that an item would be included on the Agenda for the next meeting of the Committee.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 6 July 2022 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Minute No. 191 (Cabinet Agenda Item No. 7 refers)

Called-in by Councillors Cox, Davidson and Woodley

The Committee considered Minute 191 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 July 2022, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) presenting the updated summary Corporate Risk Register.

In response to a question regarding the omission of Vecteo and its performance from the risk register, the Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Parking undertook to provide a written response explaining why it had not been included.  He also gave his assurances that it would be included in the next edition of the risk register.

Resolved:

That the following decision of the Cabinet be noted:

“That the updated summary Corporate Risk Register and the position at July 2022, outlined in Appendix 1 to the submitted report, be noted.”

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor P Collins

Minute No. 192 (Cabinet Agenda Item No. 8 refers)

Called-in by Councillors Cox and Davidson

The Committee considered Minute 192 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 July 2022, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with a report of the Executive Director (Children and Public Health) presenting the Annual Report of the Director of Public Health for 2021.

In response to a question regarding the effect of the cost of living crisis on school meals, the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning undertook to investigate the possibility of writing off school lunch debts and to provide a written response on this matter.

In response to a question regarding air quality monitoring and the possibility of recording particulates and introducing a live monitoring system for rapid deployment in a similar way to Thurrock Council, the Director of Public Health gave his assurance that he would raise this issue with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Culture and Tourism.

Resolved:

That the following decision of the Cabinet be noted:

“That the content and recommendations of the 2021 Annual Report of the Director of Public Health be noted.”

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor K Mitchell

Minute No. 193 (Cabinet Agenda Item No. 9 refers)

Called-in by Councillors Cox and Davidson

The Committee considered Minute 193 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 26 July 2022, which had been called-in for scrutiny, together with a report of the Interim Executive Director (Strategy, Change and Governance) presenting the final report and recommendations of the joint In-Depth Scrutiny Project for 2021/22.

Resolved:

That the following decisions of the Cabinet be noted:

“1. That the recommendations arising from the in-depth scrutiny project, as set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report, be approved.

2. That the budget implications arising from the recommendations of the in-depth scrutiny project be considered as part of current and future years’ budget processes prior to implementation.”

Note: This is an Executive Function

Cabinet Member: Councillor S George

Report of Interim Executive Director (Neighbourhoods and Environment) attached. At its meeting on 25 November 2021, the Council requested that a report on the monitoring of the performance of the Vecteo contract be made to each meeting of the People Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee received a report in relation to the ongoing monitoring of the performance of the Vecteo Joint Venture Company established for the provision of passenger transport services.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny function.

To receive an update on the progress of the in-depth scrutiny project for 2022/23.

The Committee was reminded that, at its last meeting, it agreed that an in-depth scrutiny project be undertaken for the 2022/23 municipal year, on the theme of ‘Providing First Class Services for Families of Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.’

It was reported that officers were currently developing the possible scope of the in-depth scrutiny project, so that this could be considered by the Project Team appointed by the Council for the project alongside the preparation of an appropriate project plan and work programme, which would be presented to the Committee in October 2022 for agreement. Members were advised that an initial meeting of the Project Team had been arranged for 26 September 2022.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note: This is a Scrutiny function