Agenda item

The Committee Support Officer submitted the work programme report and drew Members’ attention to the list of potential items for scrutiny detailed at paragraph 2.3 of the report. Members were invited to consider this list and determine the work programme going forward.

The Committee Support Officer reminded Members to complete the scrutiny proposal form. He said that the Parking Engagement Strategy was in the work programme for the January meeting and the March meeting was for Housing.

Councillor Buckmaster said that heat pumps could probably be removed from the work programme, as council policies had been adjusted since the outcome of an appeal. He thought that the residents who were concerned about this were more satisfied than they were.

Councillor McAndrew referred to the item entitled IT and Cyber Security and he had thought from earlier discussions that this was IT and digitalisation of the council services. The Chair invited the Members to complete the scrutiny proposal form to formulate the questions and refine this topic.

Councillor Nicholls mentioned that the matter of IT and cyber security came up regularly at the Audit and Governance Committee where there were quarterly risk reports. The Chair said that Members needed to complete the form to construct an argument for this matter to be considered by Overview and Scrutiny.

Councillor Horner said that he noted the inclusion of the anti-racism charter, and he had noted that the Executive forward plan included the Equalities Strategy coming to Executive in February 2025. He commented on whether these two matters could be consolidated into one topic for the Overview and Scrutiny meeting in January 2025.

The Chair said that the Head of Communications, Strategy and Policy had offered to report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in respect of the UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF), which had been extended. He had offered to give an update on how this funding was being spent. The Chair said that he would welcome that and this topic could be included on the work programme in either January or March 2025.

The Committee were supportive of the above suggested changes and additions to the work programme. Councillor Jacobs proposed and Councillor Horner seconded a motion that the 2024/25 Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme in Appendix 1, be agreed subject to the following changes:

·               The topic of Heat pumps be removed from the work programme;

·               UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) considered on either 14 January 2025 or 4 March 2025;

·               Scrutiny proposal forms be submitted to refine the topic relating to IT and Cyber Security and the digitalisation of council services;

·               The anti-racism charter and the Equalities Strategy be consolidated into one topic for the meeting in January 2025.

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

RESOLVED – that the 2024/25 Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme in Appendix 1, be agreed subject to the following changes:

·               The topic of Heat pumps be removed from the work programme;

·               UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) considered on either 14 January 2025 or 4 March 2025;

·               Scrutiny proposal forms be submitted to refine the topic relating to IT and Cyber Security and the digitalisation of council services;

·               The anti-racism charter and the Equalities Strategy be consolidated into one topic for the meeting in January 2025.