Agenda and minutes

To receive details of any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from:-

Cllr Graham Wright (Chairman)

Cllr Christine Crisp, who was substituted by Cllr Peter Fuller

Cllr Howard Greenman, who was substituted by Cllr Roy While

Cllr John Walsh

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 6 June 2017 and 21 June 2017.

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minus of the meetings held on 6 and 21 June 2017.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman made the following announcements:-

(1)          Message from Cllr Graham Wright  The Chairman reported that the Cllr Graham Wright was away on leave on a holiday he booked prior to being elected to the post of Chairman and read out a message from him sending his sincere apologies and thanking both Members and officers for the support he had received since his appointment to this post.

(2)          DCLG Enquiry The Chairman announced that in January 2017 the Department for Communities & Central Government launched an enquiry looking at whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England were working effectively and whether local communities were able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils. The Management Committee received Wiltshire Council’s response to the call for evidence in March.

Following pauses from all parliamentary select committee work during the General Election period, the Committee had now been reconstituted and its Members had agreed that the enquiry should be resumed and would be considering oral evidence in October.

This Committee would be updated in due course.      

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 19 September 2017 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm 21 September 2017. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

There were no statements or questions submitted.

To receive updates from the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Select Committees in respect of the topics under scrutiny in their areas, including any recommendations for endorsement by the Management Committee.

A report outlining a proposal from Children’s Select Committee’s Traded Services Rapid Scrutiny Exercise will also follow.

The Forward Work Programmes for the Select Committees and updates on previous work was received. Additional updates were received as follows:

Children’s Select Committee

Cllr Jon Hubbard Chairman of the Select Committee informed Members of recent activity, including the provision of SEND in schools. There had not been complete agreement between the Local Authority and the schools involved but the Committee had agreed to recommend to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee that a task and finish group be formed to consider the future provision of education for SEND children and young people, specifically working with Officers, Schools and Parents to identify and consider the challenges outlined in the Wood Report and other associated documents. In order to proceed with this task and finish group without delay, permission to start had been sought and obtained from the Chairman of this Committee and approval was now being sought retrospectively.

The Committee also received a report by Cllr Anna Cuthbert, Chairman of the Rapid Scrutiny – Traded Services for Schools in which she set out their findings.

Environment Select Committee

Cllr Matthew Dean, Chairman of the Select Committee, gave an update of work undertaken so far by that Committee. In particular he drew attention to the Resident Engagement Strategy for which a draft report was likely to be presented to the Select Committee in early 2018.

Cllr Dean also highlighted work which was continuing on the Municipal Waste Management Strategy and proposed changes to the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy.

Members noted that the Select Committee at its next meeting would receive a report on the joint working between the Council and train operating companies to consider the transport outcomes for Wiltshire residents and to assess the economic benefits of Wiltshire train stations.  

Health Select Committee

Cllr Gordon King, Vice-Chairman of the Select Committee provided an update on the work of the Select Committee. He highlighted the impact of the Adult Care Charging Policy, a further report on which was likely to be presented to the January 2018 meeting of the Select Committee.

A report on Wiltshire CCG’s commissioning intentions would be considered at the next meeting of the Select Committee. In particular, proposals would be presented about care proposals in Chippenham, Melksham and Trowbridge.

O & S Management Committee    

The Chairman reported that the previous week he and Cllr Graham Wright had received a briefing from the Head of the Programme Office on the Council’s key corporate programmes. It was pleasing to note that all of the most significant six programmes were already receiving some form of scrutiny engagement.

In consideration of the Council’s new Business Plan, at the meeting of this Committee on 21 June 2017, mention was made of the Council’s Community Asset Transfer Policy, it being noted that the Leader had expressed a wish that the Policy be revised in order that the process of transferring assets could become faster and more cost effective.  The Committee had resolved that the new Policy be scrutinised before being presented to Cabinet, which had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To receive any updates on recent activity for the following Task Groups:

• Financial Planning Task Group
• Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership Task Group
• Digital Strategy and Implementation Task Group
• Military-Civilian Integration Partnership Task Group

The Committee received an update on the activity of the following Task Groups:-

·         Financial Planning Task Group

·         Digital Strategy and Implementation Task Group

·         Military and Civilian Integration Project Task Group

·         Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership Task Group

·         Planning Committee System Task Group – The Chairman suggested that the terms of reference of this Task Group should be widened to include a review of the planning committee system.  Cllr Jon Hubbard did not support this addition as he was concerned that members of the public might find it difficult to attend meetings should the Task Group recommend a reduction in planning committees.    

Resolved:

1.               To note the memberships of OS Management Committee’s task groups, as appointed by the Chairman and Vice-chairman following Committee’s request in June.

2.            To note the updates on Task Group activity provided.

3.            To endorse the terms of reference for the Planning Committee System Task Group as follows:

a.   To explore the extent to which the Council’s current development control processes meet the needs and objectives of Wiltshire’s residents and communities, to potentially including consideration of:

·      The public’s and applicant’s experience, including digital access

·      Communications and liaison with local councillors and their role

b.     To investigate whether the present planning committee structure is best suited to delivering an efficient, effective and sustainable service; with particular reference to the number of and geographical areas covered by the existing area committees, their agendas and meetings.

c.      To suggest any recommendations for improvement of the planning committee system as appropriate.

(Note: Cllr Jon Hubbard requested that his vote against the Motion be recorded.)

To consider a receive a presentation and a report on the preparation and review of emergency plans in Wiltshire.

Consideration was given to a report by the interim Director, Public Health which provided a synopsis of recent actions and testing of the Council’s preparedness to the response and recovery of an emergency, paying special attention to actions and lessons identified in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Attention was drawn to Exercise Concido which took place on 6 July 2017 at the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Training Centre in Devizes. This exercise tested the recovery processes in the aftermath of the structural collapse of a four story block of residential flats and it was found that Wiltshire Council’s plans were robust. However, lessons identified from both the Grenfell tower fire and Exercise Concido would be reviewed closely and changes would be made to Wiltshire’s plans as necessary.

During discussion, whilst Members applauded action taken, it was considered that buildings lower than four stories, particularly three story buildings, should be investigated in due course.  

Resolved:

1.         To note the contents of the report.

2.         To support a continuing programme of training and exercising for emergency response and recovery across the organisation and increased engagement with partners in the voluntary sector.

3.         To receive a progress report on the council’s emergency planning and management arrangements in six month’s time.

To confirm the date of the next meeting as 28 November 2017.

Resolved:

To note that the next meeting was scheduled to be held on Tuesday 28 November 2017 in the Kennet Room at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.