Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

There were no apologies.

To elect a Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Nominations were sought for the position of Chairman for the municipal year 2021/22. Cllr Jerry Kunkler was nominated to be elected as Chairman.

On there being no other nominations, it was

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Jerry Kunkler as chairman of the Environment Select Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Nominations were sought for the position of Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2021/22. Cllr Bob Jones MBE was nominated to be elected as Chairman.

On there being no other nominations, it was

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Bob Jones MBE as Vice-Chairman of the Environment Select Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Environment  Select Committee meeting held on 3 March 2021.

Resolved:

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 3 March 2021 were approved.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Select Committee since the recent local elections. He thanked the select committee for electing him as chairman.

The Chairman also thanked the previous chairman (Cllr Stuart Wheeler) and vice-chairman (Cllr Bob Jones MBE) for supporting the select committee over the previous 12 months.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Guidance on how to participate in this meeting online

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 Tuesday 8 June 2021 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 Thursday 10 June 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 was no public participation.

The Environment Select Committee will receive a report detailing ongoing work recommended by the former Management Committee as part of the development of a work programme for the function in the new council.

The recommendations from the 2017-21 Council was considered and approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee on 25 May 2021.

The Environment Select Committee is asked to consider the scheduled activity outlined in the attached report.

The Select Committee received a report detailing the ongoing work recommended by the Management Committee as part of the development of a work programme for the function in the new council.

The Senior Scrutiny Officer introduced the report and explained that, in addition to the above, the report highlighted task group activity of the previous Select Committee and for the re-establishment of the Global Warming and Climate Change Task Group and appoint its membership; and the next steps in developing this Select Committee’s section of the single Overview and Scrutiny forward work programme.  The Select Committee noted that Appendix A to the report set out the priorities for 2021/25. However, this list will be refined in discussions undertaken by the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman with Executive and senior officers to gain a more informed understanding about Executive priorities, with outcomes reported back to Committee.

The following comments and queries were raised during the consideration of this item:

·       Additional financial help for businesses to aid economic recovery. A further statement is expected from the Chancellor very soon which will include detail about a further tranche of funding for the hospitality sector. See written response attached to these minutes.

·       Global Warming and Climate Change Task Group membership included as resolution 6 below

·       Monitoring of the Streetscene contract renewal.

·       Monitoring of the co-ordination of roadworks and impact on motorists. To provide an update at a future meeting.

·       Confirmation of regular updates and Select Committee involvement in the development and delivery of the new Leisure service model

Resolved:

1.    To note this council’s agreed core values for its OS function.

2.    To note OS’s key strengths and development areas as highlighted by the previous council and Management Committee’s resolution to include these in any review of OS’s approach and effectiveness in the new council.

3.    To note the forward work programme agreed by Management Committee, delegating authority to the Chair and Vice-chair to develop this further (including the timing of activities), with proposals brought back to Committee.

4.    To support early discussion between the Chair and Vice-Chair with Cabinet members, portfolio-holders and directors to gain a more informed understanding about Executive priorities, with outcomes reported back to Committee.

5.    To note this committee’s task group structure at the conclusion of the previous Management Committee as follows:

·       Global Warming and Climate Change Task Group

6.    To approve continuation of the above task groups and memberships, and to authorise the Chair and Vice-chair to name councillors to fill vacancies on task groups and other ad hoc activities following an opportunity for expressions of interest from all non-executive councillors.

To receive a report and update in relation to the council’s response to Covid-19.

The Chairman introduced the report from the Council’s Chief Executive which provided a summary of activity to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus in Wiltshire. The report was also considered by Cabinet on 1 June 2021 and by Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee on 25 May 2021.

It was noted that all of the council’s select committees would be receiving the COVID-19 update report and, to avoid duplication, members were invited to focus their questions and debate within this select committees’ remit only.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council and Cabinet member for MCI, Economic Development, Heritage, Arts, Tourism, Housing and Health & Wellbeing provided further in-depth detail on the Council activities undertaken since the last report to the Select Committee.

The Chairman thanked the Leader for attending the meeting and his comments.  It was noted that a number of questions were received in advance of this meeting and these, along with responses are attached in the appendix to these minutes.

Resolved:

To note the update.

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

There were no urgent items.

The next meeting of the Environment Select Committee will take place at 2:30pm on Wednesday 14 July 2021.

The Committee noted that the next scheduled meeting was due to take place at 2.30pm on 14 July 2021.