Agenda item

Report of Chief Officer – Governance. 

Members were reminded that, at the last meeting of the Committee, Members were advised that the Chair had agreed to postpone the three items that were scheduled for the September meeting. 

It was agreed that:

·        Remote monitoring of litter bins and route optimisation,

·        Lancaster District Allotment Review, and

·        the Draft Fly Tipping Strategy,

be deferred to a meeting later in the year as the Cabinet Member had not been available to attend. 

In view of the number of items already included on the Committee’s Work Programme Members were advised that they may wish to hold an additional meeting in November/December when the Cabinet Member, Chief Officer and LESS were available to attend. 

With regard to the scoping of the Tackling Obesity Task Group a meeting had been arranged and held with Councillor Gawith, the Chief Executive and Principal Democratic Support Officer on Tuesday, 1^st October.  It was reported that, since the last meeting of the Committee, the City Council has been informed of a programme of work that Food Active were undertaking on behalf of Lancashire County Council to create healthier weight environments – Lancashire Healthier Places.  Members had been invited to an online briefing on Wednesday, 9^th October.  Councillor Gawith had made arrangements for a meeting with Health and Wellbeing Officer(s) and would then make arrangements for the scoping of the Task Group. 

It was noted that arrangements were also being made for a date to scope the Neighbourhoods Task Group. 

At the meeting Members also agreed to form a Property Assets Working Group of interested Members of the Committee to report back to the Committee on the issues that the Committee requires more information on. 

The Committee resolved as follows. 

Resolved: -

(1)        That, if the Draft Fly Tipping Strategy was available, the items deferred at the previous meeting be considered at an additional meeting of the Committee on either 6^th or 27^th November 2024.  If the Strategy was not available, then the Lancaster District Allotment Review be considered at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee on 20^th November 2024.  These dates being subject to LESS, Councillor Joanne Ainscough, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services, and the relevant officers being able to attend. 

(2)        That the arrangements being made for the scoping of the Tackling Obesity Task Group be noted. 

(3)        That it be noted that arrangements were being made for a date to scope the Neighbourhoods Task Group. 

(4)        That, whilst the Cabinet – Scrutiny Protocol is being developed, a Scrutiny Briefing on the Corporate Repairs Programme be arranged on the Thursday evening prior to Cabinet making a decision.  Notes of the views of Members from the briefing to be produced to enable those views to be submitted to Cabinet for consideration in its decision-making process. 

(5)        That a Property Assets Working Group be created, with membership from interested Members of the Committee, to report back to the Committee on the issues that scrutiny Members require more information on.