Agenda and draft minutes

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

The Chair requested nominations for Vice-Chair of the Committee.

It was proposed, seconded and unanimously agreed:

“That Councillor Chris Hanna be appointed Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.” 

Resolved :-

That Councillor Chris Hanna be appointed Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. 

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9^th April 2025 (previously circulated). 

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 9^th April 2025 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. 

There were no Declarations of Interest. 

Heather Woodhouse, Integrated Place Lead – North Lancashire, Lancashire Place-based Partnership and Dr Tony Naughton - Clinical & Care Professional Lead - North Lancashire have been invited to attend the meeting for this item. 

Councillor Peter Jackson, the Cabinet Member for Communities, Well-Being and Partnerships, has also been invited to attend the meeting for this item. 

Heather Woodhouse, Integrated Place Leader - North Lancashire, Dr Tony Naughton, Clinical and Care Professional Lead, North Lancashire ICB, Sarah Baines, Lancaster Integrated Care Community Development Lead ICB, Anji Stokes, Bay Integrated Care Community Development Lead ICB and Neil Greaves, Director of Communications and Engagement ICB were in attendance at the meeting to  provide a presentation regarding improving health and wellbeing outcomes in the District.  Pete Linsley, Council Housing Manager, Lancaster City Council was also in attendance for this item. 

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions regarding work undertaken at Lancaster University, being able to sustain the good work being undertaken, changes in the way the NHS works, work being undertaken in neighbourhoods, poor quality private rented accommodation with issues such as damp and mould, ongoing work in Skerton East and Westgate, areas of deprivation within the District, partnership working on health issues with the City Council’s Council Housing Service, tackling obesity, health inequalities, projects highlighted in the presentation, commissioning models and setting of KPIs,

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, thanked all the representatives attending from the ICB for their informative presentation and also Council officers attending for this item and requested that the Committee be informed of various developments, set out in the presentation slides, at a meeting of the Committee to be scheduled for May 2026. 

Resolved :-

That the Committee be informed of various developments, set out in the presentation slides, at a meeting of the Committee to be scheduled for May 2026. 

Report and recommendations will be circulated following the meeting of Cabinet on 20^th May 2025. 

Published on 21.05.25. 

The Committee received a presentation and report from the Chief Officer - Environment and Place in order to consider the implications of the implementation of the Government’s waste strategy in their work programme and make appropriate policy recommendations to Cabinet. 

It was reported that, at its meeting held on 20^th May 2025, Cabinet had considered the waste strategy.  The report to Cabinet was appended to the reported submitted to the Committee.  After considering the report Cabinet had resolved:

(1)   That in order to deliver the outcomes required by the national waste strategy, and having taken into account a range of factors including the need to reduce waste, increase recycling, provide a service that meets the needs of our residents and that is financially viable, Option 2 as set out in the report, be agreed as the delivery model for waste collection from 31st March 2026.

(2)   That having approved Option 2 as the delivery model Cabinet approve the capital investment of wheelie bin recycling as included in the development section of the Capital Programme, with a provisional operation commencement date of 1st April 2026.

(3)   The proposals included in the report have been arrived at to ensure the Government’s waste strategy is implemented within the financial and operational context of the Lancaster District. They also seek to reduce the overall quantity of household waste, to increase the proportion of household waste that is recycled and to maximise our eligibility for relevant Government funding in the future.  They are underpinned by extensive analysis, due diligence and appropriate consultation.

It is very much recognised that prior to actual implementation, from April 2026, there will be a need for agreement of local policy with regard to specific waste collection issues. As such it is recommended that -

(a)        The Portfolio holder and Chief Officer lead the formation of a waste collection policy implementation group (consisting of cross party members and appropriate officers) to report back to report its recommendations back to Cabinet in the autumn. This group will develop a terms of reference that will include engagement and consultation with residents and service users. 

(b)        Overview and Scrutiny Committee will have a report and presentation on this matter at their meeting on 28^th May. Cabinet further invites Overview and Scrutiny to consider the implications of the implementation of the Government’s waste strategy in their work programme and make appropriate policy recommendations to Cabinet. 

Councillor Paul Hart, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, were in attendance at the meeting and together with the Chief Officer responded to questions from the Committee. 

Members of the Committee asked a number of questions regarding the areas to focus on to improve the collection of waste and recycling, how to make recycling more successful, ways to provide information and education, staff working with and visiting residents to help resolve issues including the collection of medical waste, work being undertaken on Lancaster University’s campus, suggestions that the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Report of the Senior Manager, Democratic Support and Elections.  Report originally submitted for the meeting on 9^th April 2025. 

Councillor Sally Maddocks, the Cabinet for Corporate Services, has been invited to attend for this item. 

This item was deferred. 

Report of the Chief Officer – Governance. 

Nominations were requested for appointments to the Pre-Scrutiny Champion, Homelessness Forum and the Lancaster, Morecambe and District Fairtrade Group.

It was proposed, seconded and unanimously agreed as follows :

Resolved :-

(1)        That Councillor Sue Penney be appointed as the Pre-Scrutiny Champion. 

(2)        That Councillor Chris Hanna be appointed to the Homelessness Forum. 

(3)        That Councillor Maria Deery be appointed to the Lancaster, Morecambe and District Fairtrade Group. 

Report of Chief Officer – Governance. 

The Principal Democratic Support Officer advised on updates to the Committee’s Work Programme. 

It was reported that, in accordance with the Constitution, emails had been sent to all Councillors and press releases issued inviting Councillors and members of the public to submit topics for discussion to be considered for inclusion in the Scrutiny Work Programme. 

The Council’s Senior Leadership Team was to provide comments on the suggestions provided prior to a meeting being arranged with the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Chair of Budget and Performance Panel, the Pre-Scrutiny Champion and members of the Council’s Senior Leadership Team.  This meeting will allow a preliminary prioritisation of submissions to be conducted and reported back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

The Committee was also asked to consider updates detailed within the report, re-establishment of various scrutiny groups and was also informed of training that had previously been provided by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS). 

Resolved: -

That the updates, including the re-establishment of the two Task Groups and Working Group detailed within the report, be agreed. 

The List of Forthcoming Key Decisions can be viewed here

The Committee noted the items to be considered.