Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies were received from Councillors Tony Trotman and Jon Hubbard. Councillor Trotman was substituted by Councillor Pip Ridout.

Apologies were also received from the Leader, Councillor Richard Clewer, and Chief Executive, Terence Herbert.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2021

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 May 2021 were presented for consideration, and it was,

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.

There were no announcements.

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 thisagenda,please register to dosoby 5pm on 13 July 2021. 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 suchquestions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on 8 July 2021in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questionsmust be submitted no later than 5pmon 12 July 2021 .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 a verbal update on the development of the council’s new Business Plan and the timescale for Overview and Scrutiny input prior to consideration by Full Council.

The Wiltshire Council Business Plan is a policy framework document approved by Full Council outlining the priorities for elected Members and how these would be delivered over time. It has included setting of goals to enable the measuring of success in achieving those goals. The current plan covers 2017-2027 and was updated in on 21 July 2020 with a ‘Climate Emergency Addendum’.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Laura Mayes, was in attendance to update the Committee on the early stages of reviewing the Business Plan so it could be updated by Full Council in October 2021. Cabinet had been in discussion with the Corporate Leadership Team on new or updated priorities. The Cabinet was planning for Overview and Scrutiny involvement through the development of the plan, with intention to present drafts to the Select Committees in September 2021.

Once approved by Council detailed service plans would be developed from the Business Plan. It was stated the approach to corporate risk management, performance measures and partnership strategies may be looked at.

The Committee thanked the Deputy Leader for the update and sought reassurance the draft Business Plan would be in place to be considered for its next round of meetings. Details were sought on potential changes of direction or focus, with it stated there may not be fundamental change, but that details would be provided as soon as possible.

Resolved:

To note the update.

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.

The Committee received verbal updates alongside the Forward Work Programmes of the Select Committees as set out in the agenda. Further meetings were being held with officers and the Executive to discuss priorities for each committee.

In relation to the Children’s Select Committee it was stated the regular briefings ahead of each committee meeting would now be recorded for later viewing for Members, engagement was ongoing with other groups such as Schools Forum and the Children in Care Council, and a further appointment to Adoption West would be made following Councillor Hubbard’s appointment as Chairman of Adoption West.

In relation to the Health Select Committee a rapid scrutiny exercise would take place in relation to housing related support, with future items on the capital programme of the Royal United Hospital and how this affected Wiltshire, as well as items on carer support and reablement.

In relation to the Environment Select Committee further updated would be received on the Local Plan Review, an update had been requested from the Cabinet Member on the insourcing of leisure services, and there would be items in relation to Community Area Transport Groups and bus strategies. The Global Warming and Climate Emergency Task Group had appointed two new members and would be meeting next on 23 July 2021.

In relation to the Management Committee it was stated that updates from the Financial Planning Task Group would receive their own agenda item in order to provide appropriate prominence.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

To note the updates and approve the Forward Work Programme.

To receive an update on the work of the task group since the Committee’s previous meeting.

A written and verbal update was provided by Councillor Pip Ridout, Chairman of the Financial Planning Task Group. The task group was seeking to appoint a Vice-Chairman to recognise the level of work being undertaken including work around budget flexing, latent demand, capital projects, treasury management and strategic procurement.

The Committee discussed the updates, with some raising whether the task group needed further members or a change in status, and the Cabinet Member, Councillor Pauline Church, welcoming the feedback provided by the task group.

It was then,

Resolved:

To note the update on Financial Planning Task Group activity provided.

To note that the following member have been appointed to the Financial Planning Task Group:

Cllr Gavin Grant (Vice-Chairman)
Cllr George Jeans
Cllr Gordon King
Cllr Charles McGrath
Cllr Pip Ridout (Chairman)
Cllr Elizabeth Threlfall
Cllr Derek Walters

To receive updates on recent activity by Management Committee’s other task groups and other ad hoc exercises.

A report was received on Task Groups and Panels established by the Management Committee. In relation to the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) Scrutiny Panel, this had agreed to seek information on the evaluation of outcomes from the Growth hub as a means of measuring value for money, to examine the governance arrangements for the Cyber Centre, a capital project driven by the LEP itself, and would be reviewing the governance arrangements in August 2021 once the draft annual report was prepared.

The Committee also considered membership of project boards.

It was therefore.

Resolved:

1. To note the update on task group and panel activity provided.

2. To note that the following councillors have been appointed to the
Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Scrutiny Panel:
Cllr Richard Britton (Chairman)
Cllr George Jeans
Cllr Ian Thorn

3. To note that the following councillors have been appointed as Overview and Scrutiny representatives on the bodies listed:
Cllr Jon Hubbard – Constitution Focus Group
Cllr George Jeans – Gigaclear Contract Board

To confirm the date of the next meeting as 21 September 2021

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 21 September 2021.

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

There were no urgent items.