The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of the Council's performance and finances, the annual report of the elected Mayor, cycling safety concerns, and the work programme of the Committee and its sub-committees.

Performance and Finances

The Committee was scheduled to receive the latest bi-monthly Performance and Financial Management Report, based on information as at 30 September 2024. This included a report on the forecast budget position for both revenue and capital to 31 March 2025. It also included an update on the position on schools’ finance, the Council's Investment Plan, developers’ contributions, treasury management and prudential indicators. The report was scheduled to be introduced by officers, before the Chair invited Committee Members to ask questions.

The report states that service delivery overall across the Authority and specifically delivery of the Our North Tyneside Plan 2021-25 priorities remains strong. In particular, it says that the Council is on track to achieve its commitments to become carbon net-zero by 2030 and to deliver 5,000 affordable homes. It says that the Council continues to manage high levels of demand and complexity in a number of areas, including Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)¹, children in care, children in need, home care provision, and residential and nursing care placements, all of which have financial implications. The report suggests that North Tyneside Council is continuing to experience challenges, and that the forecast net pressure on the General Fund for the year as at 30 September 2024 is £9.525m.

Annual Report of the Elected Mayor

The Committee was scheduled to receive the Annual Report of the Elected Mayor, Dame Norma Redfearn DBE.

Cycling Safety Concerns in Tynemouth - Bus Stop Bypasses

The Committee was scheduled to receive a report on Cycling Safety Concerns in Tynemouth - Bus Stop Bypasses. This follows a motion to full Council on 18 July 2024 which stated that careful attention needed to be paid to the design of new bus stop bypasses, to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable residents. The report is in response to concerns that have been raised about the design of the bus stop bypass on Grand Parade, Tynemouth, which forms part of the Sea Front Sustainable Route.

The report describes the design of bus stop bypasses as being defined in Local Transport Note LTN 1/20 which describes this type of infrastructure as an area at which a cycle track is taken around the rear of the bus stop. The report suggests that the potential for conflict at well-designed bus stop bypasses is very low and it found that there have been no recorded personal injury accidents at any of the five bus stop bypasses that are located on the Council's highway network.

The report also describes a consultation that was undertaken to understand the views of a number of stakeholder groups. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) recommended that cycle lanes at bus stops should be avoided whenever practicable and that robust research should be undertaken to mitigate the disadvantage bus stops with cycle tracks pose to blind and partially sighted people. They also recommended that the design of bus stops with cycle lanes should be nationally standardised. The consultation also involved Difference North East, Pearey House, North Tyneside Parent Carers Forum, Nexus, North East Public Transport Users Group (NE PTUG), Cycling UK, Street Life North Tyneside and the Green Party.

Scrutiny Work Programme

The Committee was scheduled to consider a report on its Work Programme, and that of the five Scrutiny Sub-committees, for the remainder of 2024/25. The report is a summary of the topics that have been suggested for discussion by the Committee and its sub-committees, and it suggests that the summary should be kept updated and included as part of the standing Work Programme item at each future OSCFC meeting. The report also suggests that the Chairs of the five Scrutiny sub-committees should provide a brief overview of the work being performed by their respective sub-committees, as a standing agenda item on OSCFC.

The report suggests that where a topic has been identified by OSCFC and is also within the remit of a sub-committee, that the sub-committee would be best placed to undertake the scrutiny work in that area. However, it says that OSCFC may wish to commission the sub-committees to look at specific topics within that sub-committee’s remit, or ask that the sub-committee includes specific objectives within the scrutiny of existing topics which have been identified by the sub-committee.

The report highlights a number of areas where there is potential duplication of work topics, and it asks OSCFC to decide which Committee will lead on this work. It also suggests that a ‘time budget’ be introduced, as an aid to each committee in planning its work programme, and in prioritising the work of each committee.

The report also asks the Committee to examine the indicative items of business that have been identified for the remainder of 2024/25 and to confirm whether these remain the work areas on which the Committee wishes to focus.