Agenda item

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

• Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) Task Group
• Evolve Programme Task Group
• Asset Transfer Policy Rapid Scrutiny

A report was received on the Task Groups and Panels established by the Management Committee.

Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) Panel

In relation to the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) Panel there was no update to be received and no questions received from the Members.

Evolve Programme Task Group

In relation to the Evolve Programme Task Group, Cllr Jon Hubbard stated that the group meets quarterly and had therefore not met since the last meeting but had a meeting scheduled and that currently there was nothing to report.

Asset Transfer Policy Rapid Scrutiny

The Chairman stated that in November 2021, an update was requested by the Committee and it was reported that the planned consultation with town/parish councils on the Policy would now be replaced with a town/parish council conference to be held in January 2022.

Cllr Phil Alford, as the Cabinet Member for this area, was invited to provide an update on the latest position. Cllr Alford updated the Committee that the town/parish council conference had been delayed and would now not take place until 27 May. It was noted that the aim is to put together a new policy by Autumn to enable parishes to plan their budgets for the following financial year.Cllr Alford requested that a rapid scrutiny exercise be undertaken to look at the  benefits and draw backs of the current policy as well as how a new policy could make improvements. It was envisaged that this feedback could then be incorporated alongside the views of the Cabinet as well as towns and parishes. It was requested that this be completed within the next 6 weeks in order to be completed before the conference on 27 May.

The Chair invited members to ask any questions arising from the request. Comments were received on what was wrong with the previous policy and that it seemed as though the process was experiencing another delay, when arguably the previous policy had worked successfully for some towns. It was also stated that the previous policy wasn’t sufficiently resourced with not enough officers to review the legal aspect of transfers. It was therefore stressed what assurances would be provided in relation to resources required for a new policy. It was also identified that one of the issues of the previous policy was that for many of the assets maintained by the Council, the type of ownership was not established. The example of Pewsey was raised, which experienced a transfer that took 2 years and 7 months with the main problem experienced having been legal resource. Further concern was expressed from the Committee, with it stated that a new policy could potentially place greater burden on town and parish councils, with it previously stated that the process would be revenue neutral.

Following the comments and questions, Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the Council and Cllr Phil Alford were invited by the Chairman to provide responses. It was noted by the Leader that in regard to the previous policy there were elements that would now be considered to be transferred that had not been initially considered, such as libraries. Regarding resources it was stated that the previous policy had been resourced until the beginning of the pandemic, when resources had to be diverted towards dealing with Covid-19. It was stressed that the views of Overview and Scrutiny would be appreciated in order to gain feedback as to whether or not the previous policy had been appropriate or not as the administration did not want to rush into the creation of the new policy. Cllr Alford noted that the resources required would depend on the new policy, with it recognised that the previous policy had been resource intensive due to complex land ownership issues with covenants over various assets. Regarding the issue of the policy being a revenue neutral process, Cllr Clewer stated that it had never been guaranteed that the process would be revenue neutral as the issues from town to town would vary.

The Chairman noted that the membership of the rapid scrutiny exercises had already been decided and the exercise was ready to start work. It was also requested to be recorded within the minutes that there was an overall feeling from the Committee that resources had had a big impact on the previous policy.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

1.     Following a request from the Executive, to ask the rapid scrutiny exerciseto review the existing Asset Transfer Policy and its delivery, providing recommendations to support development of a new the Policy prior to a town and parish council conference scheduled for 27^th May 2022.

2.     To note the Committee’s concerns regarding delivery of the existing Policy, and to emphasise the importance of allocating sufficient resources to delivering the new Policy once it is agreed.

3.     To note the update on Task Group activity.