Minutes from 14 January 2025

Recommendation: That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2025 be APPROVED as a true and accurate record.

Minutes to be published as part of a supplement to the agenda.

The Work Plan is driven to a very large extent by the Cabinet Forward Plan, a summary of which is attached. The Scrutiny Committee agrees its priorities for items coming onto the Forward Plan, which then form part of its Work Plan.

The Committee is recommended to confirm its agreement to the Work Plan, or agree any amendments as required.

At its meeting on 22 January 2025, Cabinet considered the following reports from Scrutiny and made responses to the recommendations:

·       Governance changes to address the increase in Urgent Key Decisions

·       Council of Sanctuary Framework

·       HRA Rent Setting

·       Flood Management

The Committee is asked to:

1.     Note Cabinet’s responses to its recommendations.

2.     Note any updates from Panel meetings.

The reports will be published as part of a supplement to the agenda.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 5 February 2025, will consider a report from the Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and Customer Services, seeking approval for Grant Allocations to Community & Voluntary Organisation for 2025-2026.

Councillor Linda Smith, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Tom Hook, Deputy Chief Executive – Citizen and Customer Services, and Paula Redway Culture and Community Development Manager have been invited to present the report and answer questions.

This report will be published as part of a supplement to the agenda.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 5 February 2025, will consider a report from the Head of Business Improvement, seeking approval for Equalities Update.

Councillor Nigel Chapman, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services and Council Companies, Helen Bishop, Director of Communities and Citizens, and Gail Malkin, Head of People, have been invited to present the report and answer questions.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 5 February 2025, will consider a report from the Deputy Chief Executive – Place, seeking approval for Reopening the Cowley Branch Line.

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Planning, Councillor Ed Turner, Deputy Leader (Statutory), Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, Tom Bridgman, Deputy Chief Executive – Place, and Rui Marcelino, Regeneration Manager – Green Transport have been invited to present the report and answer questions.

Cabinet, at its meeting on 5 February 2025, will consider a report from the Deputy Chief Executive – Place, seeking approval for Revised Masterplan and Business Case for the Covered Market Masterplan.

Councillor Ed Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management, Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Cabinet Member for Business, Culture and an Inclusive Economy, Tom Bridgman, Deputy Chief Executive – Place, and Andrew Humpherson, Regeneration Manager, have been invited to present the report and answer questions.

Appendix B to this item includes exempt information pursuant to Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. If the Scrutiny Committee wishes to discuss matters relating to the information set out in Appendix B to the report, it will be necessary for the Scrutiny Committee to pass a resolution to exclude the press and public from the meeting (as set out at agenda item 12).

The Scrutiny and Governance Advisor has submitted a report on behalf of the Chair of the Budget Review Group, following endorsement from the Finance and Performance Panel on 21 January 2025.

The Committee is asked to approve the report and recommendations of the Budget Review Group for submission to Cabinet.

The report will be published as part of a supplementary agenda.

Scrutiny Committee

·       03 March 2025

·       26 March 2025

Standing Panels

Housing & Homelessness: 06 March 2025

Finance & Performance: 07 April 2025

Climate & Environment: 26 February 2025; 27 March 2025

All meetings start at 6.00 pm.

If the Committee wishes to exclude the press and the public from the meeting during consideration of any aspects of the preceding or following agenda items it will be necessary for the Committee to pass a resolution in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 specifying the grounds on which their presence could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in specific paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act if and so long, as in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

(The Access to Information Procedure Rules – Section 15 of the Council’s Constitution – sets out the conditions under which the public can be excluded from meetings of the Council).