You're alive, Chad.
Good evening, and welcome to this overview and scrutiny committee.
On Thursday, the 25th of April.
My name is Councillor Simon Morgan, and I'm the chairperson of this committee.
Members, we are streaming this meeting live, as well as recording.
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turn it off when finished.
Please reference a page or paragraph number when referring to the agenda papers, and
keep your contributions as clear and concise as possible.
So item two, apologies for absence.
Do we have any apologies at all, Sean?
Good evening, Chair, yes, we have apologies from Councillors in all moments, and Councillor Whitman, I can share.
Thank you.
Moving on to item three, minutes of the last meeting, it is recommended that the minutes of the meeting held on the 5th of March, 2024, and found on pages five to 36 are approved as a true and accurate record.
Do I have a seconder, so so moved?
Councillor Morley, can we take that by acclimation as grid?
Agreed.
Thank you, right.
Okay, item four, declarations of interest, to disclose the existence and nature of any discloseable
pecuniary interests, other registerable interests, and non-regital interest relating to items of business on the agenda, having regard to paragraph nine and appendix B of the code of conduct for members.
Members are reminded that they are also required to disclose any such interest as soon as they become aware should the need arise through the meeting.
Are there any declarations of interest?
Nope, okay.
So item five, public participation, I can advise, unless somebody's got any other alternative, that we have not received any submissions from members of the public, is that right?
That's correct, Chair.
Okay, good, in that case, moving on to agenda item six, found on pages 37 to 42, and this item brings to the attention of the committee, a member scrutiny request submitted by Councillor Fluka.
In line with the agreed process, an S working group has looked at this, both to make an initial assessment, and also to gain a fuller understanding of the various issues raised to be able to now report to the committee.
As the report indicates, the conclusion of the working group is forward looking, and recommends consideration of the lessons learned report compiled by the project team when it is finalised and able to be shared with members.
Unfortunately, that report is not ready for this meeting.
So taking into account the working group's recommendations, it would not be helpful for there to be a fragmenting to consideration at this stage.
So I wish to propose from the Chair that the committee agrees simply to add this item to its scrutiny work plan, and allow this matter to go back to the working group to look at the lessons learned report when it is available,
together with any other outstanding related issues, and bring its recommendations back to this committee.
I so move to have a second.
Councillor Spencely, thank you.
Is that agreed? Agreed. I would also wish to add and advise members that this report has quite properly been presented in open session.
And of course, transparency of process is an all important feature of the committee's work.
But given the commercially sensitive nature of the content of certain background documentation and information, and the confidential nature of the working group's proceedings,
future discussion on any elements of this at the committee may well have to be conducted in private session.
So if I can, members, ask you, please be mindful of this sensitivity when considering the report and discussing it going forward.
Thank you.
Does anyone anything else they wish to add?
Good.
In which case we will move on to item seven, which can be found on pages 43 to 48.
I believe it's used. We're going to give us an introduction here.
So this item, a scrutiny request was raised by Councillor Stevens, and that sort of review of various issues relating to sexual housing provision and availability, and in particular around three bed accommodation.
The working group have reviewed the detail that's been supplied by officers, and they're confirmed of reassurance that the item did not require adding to the work plan.
It was considered that any further discussion around the points raised could also be pursued at the meetings of the strategic housing board.
Detail of the item is found in appendix eight of your report, so page 45 of your agenda pack, and the report itself recommends supporting the working group conclusion that this item is not needed to be added to the work plan.
Thank you, Richard. There's some, in fact, I don't think we've got any housing officers here anyway, have we?
Does anyone anything they wish to add or comment? Yes, Councillor Spitzley.
Thank you, Chair.
So, having looked over this information in the way that we have and having reflected on it as well, subsequent to the working group meetings, I think there are items there that raise questions.
And I do think they're appropriate for the strategic. I'm not suggesting we take it on as a work plan item, but I do think they're appropriate questions that the strategic housing board would look at.
And I don't know if officers can advise what the process would be around.
I mean, I'll give you two examples. One is around the part where we look at the three bed properties and the fact that if we ask for more three bed properties, that could have an impact on the number of other bedroomed properties.
But has a calculation been made to show the churn? So in other words, you know, how beneficial or otherwise was it be if we had more three bed properties, presumably it would release more two and one bed properties.
And if there's a calculation around, you know, because we could easily presume that by having less one and two, that's it's automatically just advantageous, but it could be that the three as they're in such short supply.
I'd like to see that calculation. I'd like to see how it was worked out. And the other thing is really that around what the strategy will be going forward to address the issues, because if we think of the item that we've just looked at and the whole affordable housing question.
It's about members being sort of involved in that strategy. And obviously that will come through both the strategic housing board, one would imagine also through planning policy and the work on the LDP.
So it was just really share, particularly, I wondered if, you know, how we would, how we would make that a note to the strategic housing board in some way to to look at perhaps to have, you know, to note that we think those would be items or matters that would
need consideration. Otherwise, in saying that the strategic housing board can look at it, especially as that's likely to change considerably in the next or may do in the next few weeks, it's how, you know, would it, would it actually be picked up?
I would hate us to have looked at this and it just to fall. That's my thought. Anyway, thank you.
Because presumably, Cheryl, that could be added as a gender item on the next strategic housing board meeting. I presume.
So as a committee, you can make a referral to the strategic housing board and refer the paper on with that recommendation.
Right. Okay.
Council morning. Yeah, thank you, Chairman. I'm just following on for that. That's quite an interesting observation, actually, because that would help with single parent families as well, wouldn't in things like that, because they must find it a heck of a job.
To, you know, three bed might be too big for them. And the cost of living and things like that. So I think that's a good idea of sort of free it up for the single parent families.
I think smooth between two. Right. Okay.
Okay. Well, in that case, is that a proposal? Yes, I'd like to propose that we do.
Okay.
Right.
Right. In which case, I'm assuming that's all agreed.
Agreed. Okay. Good. Right.
We still have a recommendation in regard to this agenda item at the committee notes.
The working groups can conclusion that the matters raised in this scrutiny request can be pursued elsewhere within the council.
And agrees that there is no need to add this item to the scrutiny plan. So I move, do I have a seconder? Okay.
In which case, is that agreed? All agreed? Agreed. Right. So this is going to be quite a swift departure.
So I'm going to go on to item eight. Any other items of business, the chairperson of the committee decides are urgent. I suppose we could.
The motion with the guarding the is going to go.
Yes.
Well, in which case, I don't have anything in which case I therefore closed the meeting at 1941. Thank you, members.
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