Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the forthcoming year,

Nominations were sought for a Chairman for the forthcoming year. On the nomination of Councillor Alan Hill, seconded by Councillor Christine Crisp, it was,

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Graham Wright as Chairman for the forthcoming year.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Nominations were sought for a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year. On the nomination of Councillor Graham Wright seconded by Councillor Chuck Berry, it was,

Resolved:

To elect Councillor Alan Hill as Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

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

Apologies were received from Councillors Stewart Dobson and Jon Hubbard. Councillor Dobson was substituted by Councillor Suzanne Wickham.

It was noted that following the meeting of Full Council on 16 June 2020, Councillor Mary Douglas had been removed as a member of the Committee, and Councillor Kevin Daley had been added as a member of the Committee.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Daley, and the Committee expressed its thanks and appreciation to Councillor Douglas for her work across Overview and Scrutiny.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 June 2020 were presented for consideration. In response to a query it was confirmed that Councillor Suzanne Wickham had been appointed to the South West Adoptions Panel. It was then,

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes as a true and correct record.

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

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman noted that at its meeting on 6 June 2020 it was agreed that the streamlined approach to Overview and Scrutiny during the Covid-19 pandemic would be reviewed in July, and therefore there would be a discussion on the current approach under the Forward Work Plan item.

Access the online meeting

Public Guidance on Accessing Meeting

In accordance with Protocol 13 of the Constitution:

Statements

If you would like to provide a statement for this meeting on any item on this agenda, please submit it in writing to the officer listed above no later than 5pm on 3 July 2020.

Questions 

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 1 July 2020 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 3 July 2020. 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 questions or statements submitted.

To receive an update from the Task Group.

The Chairman introduced a report as detailed in the agenda supplement from the Wiltshire Covid-19 Response Task Group, of which he was also Chairman.  The Task Group had met on 7 July 2020 to consider the latest reports on Covid-19 which would be presented to Cabinet, including financial update reports, and an individual Cabinet Member decision on the options for reopening of libraries, to enable a decision to be made at the end of July following a public consultation.

The Committee received and noted the report from the Task Group. The impact of Brexit, in conjunction with the unanticipated impact of Covid-19 was raised and was then acknowledged by the Leader of the Council who was present.

It was then,

Resolved:

To note the update on the meeting of the Wiltshire COVID-19 Response Task Group held on 7 July 2020.

To receive an update on the updating of the Business Plan.

On 26 November 2019 a motion was received by Full Council on proposed amendments to the council’s Business Plan 2017-2027. The motion was referred to the Leader of the Council following his comment that work would be undertaken on the next draft of the Business Plan to give prominence to the Climate Emergency, and there would be discussion with the Global Warming and Climate Emergency Task Group.

Ahead of the review of the Business Plan, which would in any case be required due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, an addendum to the current Business Plan had been prepared pending development of the plan for 2021 onwards.

As the Environment Select Committee was not presently meeting, the Committee was asked to receive the proposed addendum as detailed in the agenda supplement.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, with responsibility for response to the Climate Emergency, Councillor Richard Clewer, along with the Leader of the Council, Councillor Philip Whitehead, presented the addendum to the Business Plan, detailing the steps that had already been undertaken by the council to seek to make the council area carbon neutral by 2030 and other actions and objectives.

The Committee discussed the draft addendum, which would be considered by Full Council on 21 July 2020. There was discussion of recent announcements on insultation schemes, the timeframe of 6-9 months for a baseline carbon calculation, the level of ambition in the addendum and any updated Business Plan, that implementation plans would be discussed with Overview and Scrutiny and the significant steps toward carbon reduction which had already taken place.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

To note the draft Business Plan 2017-27 Climate Emergency addendum, which will be considered by Full Council on 21 July 2020, and the input of the Global Warming and Climate Change Task Group in its development.

To receive and note the Forward Work Programme.

The Committee received the latest Forward Work Programmes and then discussed reviewing the current streamlined approach to Overview and Scrutiny during the Covid-19 pandemic, wherein the Select Committees and Task Groups were not meeting, but the Management Committee and the Wiltshire Covid-19 Response Task Group were undertaking necessary Overview and Scrutiny.

Noting the resolutions at its last meeting to review the situation, in particular in relation to the Financial Planning Task Group, the Committee debated whether there was sufficient Executive and officer capacity to recommence the Task Group, whether this would duplicate work which could be undertaken at the Wiltshire Covid-19 Response Task Group which included the Chairman of the Financial Planning Task Group, and noting the level of engagement with and information provided to Members on the developing situation. It was suggested the Financial Planning Task Group could meet with its Members only, and refer items of concern or interest to the Covid-19 Response Task Group which would be supported by senior officers and Members.

Members debated the suggestion, with contributions from Members of the Executive, with some supporting the suggestion but others considering that the approach would duplicate work, and that an alternative approach would be to expand the number of those attending the Covid-19 Task Group for specific groups of Members, to enable greater depth of Overview and Scrutiny without increasing the burden on resources.

It was also agreed that scheduled meeting dates for Select Committees to resume in September 2020 should be retained, though if it proved necessary these could be amended.

At the conclusion of debate, it was,

Resolved:

1)  The Wiltshire Covid-19 Response Task Group and Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to continue to meet and consider reports to Cabinet, with the relevant Executive Member and Directors attending.

2)  Members of Financial Planning Task Group to be invited to attend future meetings of the Covid-19 Response Task Group, and to hold additional, separate meetings as necessary.

3)  To note the intention to recommence meetings of the Children’s, Environment and Health Select Committees in September, taking into account developments in the covid-19 situation, with further discussion to take place between the select committee chairmen and the Executive.

To confirm the date of the next scheduled meeting as 29 September 2020.

The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed a 20 September 2020. However, all meeting dates would be flexible given the ongoing COvid-19 situation.

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

There were no urgent items.