Agenda and minutes

In accordance with Rule 8, paragraph c, Part 3 – Rules of Procedure, Section 3, the Chair and Vice Chair shall not be members of the largest political group which has Councillors serving on the Cabinet. 

It was proposed by Councillor Brett Cooper, seconded by Councillor Martin Gawith and unanimously agreed:-

“That Councillor Jack Lennox be appointed Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year.”

Resolved:-

That Councillor Jack Lennox be appointed Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year. 

Minutes of the Meeting held on 8^th March 2023 (attached). 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 8^th March 2023 were signed by the Chair as a correct record. 

There were no Items of Urgent Business. 

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

Councillors advised that they would declare interests as set out below if there were discussions on the Town Councils referred to:

Councillor Brett Cooper - Morecambe Town Council. 

Councillor Chris Hanna - Carnforth Town Council. 

Councillor Paul Hart - Morecambe Town Council. 

The Chair has invited the Leader of the Council to attend this meeting. 

The Chair advised that the Leader had given his apologies for this meeting.  The Leader had advised that as the administration was based on a cooperative arrangement between Labour, the Greens and the Lib Dems the LGA had offered to assist the new administration in bringing together the ambitions of these three groups to revise and update the Council's Corporate Plan, strategies and priorities.  In view of this the Leader felt it would therefore be premature to brief the Committee as requested at its first meeting.  The Leader would however gladly do so once this work had been undertaken. 

Report of Chief Officer – Governance. 

The Committee was requested to appoint a Pre-Scrutiny champion. 

It was moved by Councillor Brett Cooper, seconded by Councillor Jack Lennox and resolved as follows. 

Resolved:-

That Councillor Martin Gawith be appointed the Pre-Scrutiny Champion for the Municipal Year. 

Report of Chief Officer – Governance.  

The Chief Officer – Governance submitted a report regarding the statutory guidance on Overview and Scrutiny in Local and Combined Authorities.  It was noted that the Chair has requested this item to be placed on the agenda to enable Members to be aware of the statutory guidance.  The guidance sought to ensure local authorities and combined authorities were aware of the purpose of overview and scrutiny, what effective scrutiny looked like, how to conduct it effectively and the benefits it could bring. 

The guidance had previously been provided to the Committee in 2019. 

Members discussed various parts of the guidance, in particular, the annex referring to the creation of an Executive - Scrutiny Protocol.  It was unanimously agreed and resolved as follows. 

Resolved: -

(1)        That the report and guidance be noted. 

(2)        That Officers be requested to report back on an Executive – Scrutiny Protocol for consideration by the Committee. 

The List of Forthcoming Key Decisions can be viewed here

The Committee was provided with details of the list of forthcoming key decisions. 

The Committee discussed the process for pre-decision scrutiny, considering the guidance provided earlier in the meeting and training prior to the meeting. 

It was agreed that the Chair with the pre-scrutiny champion, Councillor Martin Gawith, would look to pre-scrutinise the following items from the key decision list:

·            Disposal of council owned assets

·            Canal Quarter appointment of a developer.

Resolved: -

That it be noted that the Chair and the pre-scrutiny champion, Councillor Martin Gawith, will look to pre-scrutinise the items listed above from the key decision list. 

Report of Chief Officer - Governance. 

The Chief Officer – Governance submitted a report that provided Members with an updated on the Work Programme for 2023/24. 

Members were informed that Rule 9 of the Constitution, set out within the report, advised of the process to be undertaken to consider and prioritise the Committee’s Work Programme.  It was noted that an email had been sent to all Councillors and the Chief Executive and a media release sent out to ask the public for issues that should be considered for inclusion in the Scrutiny Work Programme.  A meeting would be arranged with the Chair of this Committee, Chair of Budget and Performance Panel, the Pre-Scrutiny Champion and members of the Council’s Leadership Team. This meeting would allow a preliminary prioritisation of submissions to be conducted and reported back to the Committee. 

At the meeting Members discussed the items they had already submitted and provided more detail on those issues.  The Committee also requested that items from the previous Work Programme and other items that had recommended a report back to the Committee be added to the list of items for consideration. 

Resolved: -

(1)        That the report be noted and that the list of items contained within the 2022/23 Work Programme and other items that had recommended a report back to the Committee be added to the list for consideration. 

(2)        That arrangements be made for a meeting with the Chair of this Committee, Chair of Budget and Performance Panel, the Pre-Scrutiny Champion and members of the Council’s Leadership Team, to allow for a preliminary prioritisation of submissions to be conducted and reported back to this Committee.