Agenda and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was submitted from Councillor S Marlow.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2025.

Councillor Horner proposed, and Councillor Nicholls seconded, a motion the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 4 November 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair, subject to the following amendment:

Delete in minute 224 – ‘Councillor Nicholls declared an interest in the matters referred to in minute 220, on the grounds that she had participated both of Development Management Forums as a local district ward councillor’.

Replace with – ‘Councillor Nicholls declared an interest in the matters referred to in minute 226, on the grounds that she had participated both of Development Management Forums as a local district ward councillor.’

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 4 November 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to the following amendment:

Delete in minute 224 – ‘Councillor Nicholls declared an interest in the matters referred to in minute 220, on the grounds that she had participated both of Development Management Forums as a local district ward councillor.’

Replace with – ‘Councillor Nicholls declared an interest in the matters referred to in minute 226, on the grounds that she had participated both of Development Management Forums as a local district ward councillor.’

The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the meeting. He reminded everyone present to use the microphones when speaking as the meeting was being webcasted. The full webcast of the meeting can be viewed here: Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 20 January 2026.

To receive any Members’ Declarations of Interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing submitted a report in respect of the current grounds maintenance contract that was due to expire on 31 December 2027. She explained that Glendale were in year 6 of an 8-year grounds contract with the option of reprocuring or extending for a further 5 years.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing said that should the council wish to retender the contact, the process would need to begin in 2026 and would likely take approximately two years to complete. She said that there were financial implications for that option estimated at approximately £70k to cover the cost of potential external consultants and also for substantial officer time.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing set out the maintenance activities covered by the contract. She said that with local government reorganisation on the horizon, an alternative was to extend the existing contract for up to a further 5 years. Part of this extension could include potential improvements such as around the use of Glyphosate.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing welcomed suggestions around alternative options and said that she was aware that Members were keen to explore what other options maybe available. The Executive Member said that she was keen to hear Members’ further thoughts on the ground’s maintenance contract and the use of Glyphosate.

Members asked questions in respect of the following:

·               Tendering arrangements and removing Glyphosate from the contract

·               Outcomes of research into alternatives to Glyphosate as the only available research is out of date

·               Not using Glyphosate in parks and alternatives for parks and open spaces

·               Local Government Reorganisation review and break clauses in the grounds’ maintenance contract

·               Alternatives being used by other councils e.g. Hackney (mulches and wildflower planting to encourage wildlife)

·               Residue of Glyphosate in children’s playgrounds

·               Private members’ bill going through parliament calling for councils to ban the use of Glyphosate in public areas.

·               Health and Safety Executive review of Glyphosate licensing and a public consultation

·               Harm of Glyphosate being used in the wrong place (chalk rivers/streams in East Herts)

·               Harm to wildlife and a collapse in biodiversity for a number of insect species populations

·               What the Council was doing to reduce and eliminate the use of Glyphosate (might have to be the odd exception - i.e. to control Japanese Knotweed)

·               If the period of contract extension could be for two years instead of up to 5 years into the new unitary authority

·               Further detail around the meeting of monthly key performance indicators (KPIs)

Members heard that there was scope when the contract was extended for Officers to have discussions with the contractor around key elements, which could include the use of Glyphosate and other areas of concern or where the council wanted to see some improvements. There was a strong consensus in line with 1.3 of report to eliminate the use of glyphosate from the grounds’ maintenance contract across East Herts Council–owned parks and open spaces.

The Director for Place advised that she would be looking for the team to take these issues  ...  view the full minutes text for item 297.

Councillor Sue Nicholls, Chair of the Task and Finish Group, submitted a report from the task and finish group that was set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review communication methods used by registered providers of housing in the district.

Councillor Nicholls thanked the registered providers that had engaged in the process. She also thanked the Members of the Task and Finish Group and the East Herts officers that had supported the work of the Group. Councillor Nicholls thanked Jane Wilson from East Herts Citizens Advice and Elizabeth Lil and Jonathan Munge from SNG for attending the meeting in December.

Councillor Nicholls said that the establishment of the Task and Finish Group was intended to review the methods of communication used by registered providers to engage with their tenants, elected members and council officers.

Councillor Nicholls said that the scrutiny proposal was driven by a wish to identify actions that could result in tangible improvements not only for residents when dealing with their registered housing provider but also changes for officers - to aid communication and opportunities to develop better working practices, and for Members to enable them to advocate on behalf residents in a more effective and timely manner.

Councillor Nicholls set out when Task and Finish Group meetings were held and referred Members to the minutes from those meetings. She referred to the varied engagement from the registered providers and said that this served to highlight the difficulties with communication experienced by some residents and Members.

Councillor Nicholls said that Members of the Task and Finish Group were impressed by the information that was shared by those who did engage in the process and enabled  a greater understanding and insight into the processes used by registered providers, the council and partners to provide services and support for residents.

Councillor Nicholls said that many examples of best practice were shared, and these had been used to inform the recommendations. She summarised the suggestions for changes to working practices and arrangements to help improve communication between officers, registered providers and other stakeholders. Other issues were also identified such as scope for improvements in communication between the council and the East Herts Citizens Advice. Members were advised that this issue was being taken forward separately from the recommendations.

Councillor Nicholls said that it was worth noting that the housing ombudsman’s 2023 spotlight report on attitude, respect and rights had identified that communications were a key issue in around 68% of complaints investigated by the ombudsman. Members were advised that as part of their call for evidence, 58% of respondents had a disability and 58% of those respondents said that no reasonable adjustments had been made to help them with their complaints.

Councillors Nicholls stressed the importance of establishing and maintaining good communications between residents and housing providers as well as other stakeholders. She said that it was important to consider the needs of all residents to avoid exclusion and the unnecessary escalation of issues affecting tenants. Members were advised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 298.

There were no items for Executive feedback.

The Assistant Director for Democracy Elections and Information Governance submitted the work programme report and Members were invited to consider and determine the work programme going forward.

The Assistant Director for Democracy Elections and Information Governance set out the two matters that were coming forward for the meeting on 10 March 2026. She said that these were AI and its use by the council and the parking strategy progress report.

Members were advised that there were some additional items to be included which were the council's approach to achieving net zero carbon by 2030 and a scrutiny proposal form had been submitted by Councillor Hoskin on the

9 January 2026. This document had been shared with the committee and the leadership team and could be considered for the March 2026 meeting.

The Assistant Director for Democracy Elections and Information Governance said that the sustainable transport topic was still awaiting a proposal form, and this would be required before possibly being brought before Members in June 2026.

Members were advised that a proposal form had been received from Councillor Cox which was on the back of the motion to council in October around sewage discharge into the rivers. This form had also been circulated to members and Democratic Services were now following up on this as a possible topic for June.

The Assistant Director for Democracy Elections and Information Governance said that two proposal forms had been submitted in relation to LGR and the Chief Executive, Helen Standen, had confirmed it would be premature for Overview and Scrutiny to consider this at the at the present time. Members were advised that this matter would therefore be brought before the committee in due course.

Councillor Jacobs said that Members should consider whether a workshop should be held March, as per the approach taken for the last two years, to shape the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme in more detail beyond June.

Councillor Horner proposed, and Councillor Clements seconded a motion that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme, as amended, be agreed. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme, as amended, be agreed.

To consider such other business as, in the opinion of the Chairman of the meeting, is of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration and is not likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information.

There was no urgent business.