The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Tunbridge Wells Council met on Monday, 17 June 2024. The meeting focused on the annual report, the work programme for the upcoming year, and potential future discussions with key stakeholders.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report

The committee reviewed the 2023-24 Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report, which summarises the activities and achievements of the past year. Caroline Britt, Senior Democratic Services Officer, introduced the report, highlighting its role in documenting the work of task and finish groups, items called in, and member attendance. The report was agreed to be presented to the full council in July.

Councillor Brendan raised a question about the feedback loop for ensuring that suggestions and comments from governance presentations are followed up. The committee agreed that there should be a process for monitoring the implementation of these suggestions, and it was decided that the Chief Executive would be approached for further clarification.

Work Programme

The committee discussed the Work Programme for June 2024, noting that it is the start of the municipal year and there are currently few items on the agenda. Councillor Alex Richard Allen suggested inviting Town and Country Housing to give a presentation on their performance as the major social housing provider in the borough. This suggestion was well-received, and it was agreed that Town and Country Housing would be invited to a future meeting.

Councillor Brendan also suggested inviting Kent Highways to discuss their responsibilities and performance, particularly regarding pothole repairs, pedestrian crossings, and their responses to planning applications. Additionally, there was a proposal to invite Southern Water to discuss their services.

Task and Finish Groups

The committee discussed the formation of task and finish groups to address specific issues. One group will focus on council accessibility and communication, examining how the council listens to and responds to residents. Councillor Alex and Councillor Martin volunteered to participate in this group.

Another task and finish group will explore the Joint Transportation Board (JTB) and its effectiveness. The group will consider how the JTB operates and how it can be improved, particularly in terms of communication and decision-making. Councillor David offered to gather information from parish councils on their highways improvement plans to support this group's work.

Future Meetings

The committee agreed to invite Kent Highways to the July meeting and Town and Country Housing to the September meeting. Following these discussions, the task and finish groups will be formed to further explore the identified issues.

The next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled for Monday, 29 July 2024.