Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mulroney (substitute: Councillor McMullan), Councillor Terry (substitute: Councillor Wakefield) and Councillor Walker (no substitute).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:

(i) Cllr Hyde – Minute No. 12 (Official Feed and Service Plan 2023-24) ––  Primary employer is with the General Lighthouse Authority (Trinity House) which monitors the waterways; and is also a member of ‘Surfers Against Sewage’.

No questions were received by members of the public.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 June 2023 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The Committee considered the report of the Interim Executive Director (Environment and Place) by way of pre-Cabinet scrutiny, that provided and an update on the activities for the previous inspection year against the plan for 2022-23.

The Committee discussed the report in some detail and asked a number of questions which were responded to by the Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services.

Resolved: -

That the report to Cabinet be noted.

Note: This is an Executive function

Cabinet Member: Councillor Lamb

The Committee received the final report and recommendations from the in-depth Scrutiny project for 2022/23, entitled ‘Preparing Southend for the Electric Vehicle Revolution.’

As the relevant Cabinet Member was not present at the meeting to respond to questions, the Committee felt that the matter should be deferred to the next/future meeting.

The Head of Civil Engineering requested that any questions be submitted in advance of the meeting, to enable officers the opportunity to provide comprehensive responses. The Chair also requested that any questions from Councillors be submitted to the whole Committee for information.

Resolved:-

That consideration of the final report arising from the In-Depth Scrutiny Project for 2022/23 be deferred to the next/future meeting of Place Scrutiny Committee.

Note: This is a scrutiny function.

Report to follow

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director (Finance and Resources), proposing a review of the membership and representation on Outside Bodies as a potential topic as a joint Scrutiny project for 2023/24 and which proposed the establishment of a Task and Finish Group to undertake the review.

The Chair reported that, at the Scrutiny Chairs Forum held on 27 June 2023, all the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs present felt that resources should be directed to shorter Task and Finish reviews to drive specific areas of concern forward.

Subject to the agreement of the proposed approach, it was recommended that no additional topic(s) be selected by the Committee for in-depth scrutiny activity during the year 2023/24.

Resolved:-

1.     That an Outside Bodies Task and Finish Group be established:

-  in the proportion 4 Conservative, 3 Labour, 1 liberal Democrat, 1 Independent and 1 Residents First with appointments being made to ensure some representation from each of the scrutiny committees.  

- It is suggested that the Group Leaders submit their nomination(s) to the Executive Director (Finance and Resources) in line with the proportionality allocations.

2.     That the Terms of Reference (attached at Appendix 1) to the submitted report be approved.

3.     Each of the three Scrutiny Committees receive an update on the progress accordingly, before a final report is approved

Note: This is a scrutiny function.

A copy of the Scrutiny work programme to follow

The Committee received a draft Scrutiny work programme template, which set out the process for identifying suitable issues for scrutiny.

The following ideas were suggested as potential topics for inclusion on the work programme:

·       Fly-tipping strategies.

·       Congestion at Cuckoo Corner.

·       Air Pollution across the City.

The Chair requested that any suggestions for scrutiny topics be emailed to the Designated Scrutiny Officer and that these should be deliverable (time and funding available considered in scrutiny shortlisting process).

It was recommended that a procedural note be produced, clearly setting out the process how Councillors could suggest and influence items on the scrutiny work programme and the correct procedure for doing so.

Resolved:-

That a scrutiny work programming procedure note be produced setting out the process for submitting and determining suitable issues for scrutiny topics.

Note: This is a scrutiny function.