Agenda item

Report of Chief Officer (Governance). 

Members were requested to consider the Committee’s updated Work Programme.

It was noted that the update that had been requested on the Licensing Scheme for Private Sector Rented Properties would be provided in the Autumn as part of the Neighbourhood Wellbeing Project that was to be undertaken in the West End of Morecambe.

It was suggested that the Committee request a briefing note on the implications for this Council of the 2015/16 Housing and Planning Bill that was to become law, which included enforcement for private sector landlords.

The Committee was requested to consider two suggested additions for the Work Programme that had been submitted by Members of the Committee in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

Councillor Jackson introduced the first topic which was to establish a Resilience Commission for the Lancaster District. It was reported that the Commission would draw together all the agencies involved and the community to prepare for floods/power cuts in the future. The aim would be to facilitate and enable the district to build the resources that could save money, loss and hardship by mobilising the social capital of our communities.

It was noted that, at its meeting on 17^th December 2015, the County Council had resolved to seek to involve residents and civic society viewpoints in any Resilience Commission that was set up. This would look at how communities could be better placed to respond to flooding or other local emergencies in their neighbourhood as well as looking at how such floods could be mitigated.

The Committee discussed the value of such a Resilience Commission and the possibility of a Task Group to take this work forward.

It was unanimously agreed :

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee :

(1)  Agree to include consideration to establish a Resilience Commission for the Lancaster District on the Committee’s Work Programme.

(2)  Request the Chief Executive to investigate if Government or other funding is available.

(3)  To work jointly with the County Council on this issue.

(4)  That the Community Fund for Lancashire be requested to support the proposal.

(5)  That scoping for a Task Group be undertaken following the gathering of evidence for the Special meeting of the Committee to look into Flooding issues.

It was noted that Councillors would be reminded to provide any flooding information from their own wards to assist in evidence gathering for the Special meeting to look into flooding issues.

The second topic put forward was introduced by Councillor Whitaker. Members were requested to consider the issue of derelict and unsightly buildings within the district.

It was agreed to request a Briefing Note on the issue of derelict and unsightly buildings to include :

·         Regent Road/Yorkshire Street, Morecambe burnt down property

·         Bailrigg Lane, Lancaster

·         Megazone, Morecambe

·         Shop on the corner of Peddar Street and Morecambe Promenade

·         Land opposite Pizza Hut, Lancaster

The Committee went on to discuss the potential Task Group to investigate the promotion of the local economy. 

It was agreed that the Committee would be focusing on the existing Informal Task Group and the possible Resilience Commission Task Group and therefore could not take on this work and, in view of this, it should be removed from the Work Programme.

Members were reminded that the February 2016 meeting would include a Dementia Friends session and it was agreed that substitute Members for the Committee should be invited to attend along with the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Older People.

Resolved :-

That the actions, as set out above, be agreed.