At its meeting on 13 September 2023, Cabinet considered the following reports from Scrutiny and made responses to the recommendations:

·       Delivery of a New Burial Space

·       The Leys Pools & Leisure Centre – Youth Hub

·       City-wide Smoke Control Area Declaration

·       HRA Energy Efficiency Projects 2023/24

Since the Scrutiny Committee’s previous meeting on 05 September 2023, the following Panels have met:

·       Finance and Performance Panel (06 September 2023)

·       Climate and Environment Panel (12 September 2023)

·       Housing and Homelessness Panel (05 October 2023)

The Committee is asked to:

1.       Note Cabinet’s responses to its recommendations.

2.       Note any updates from Panel meetings.

The Chair presented the report back on recommendations.

The Committee noted that on 13 September 2023, Cabinet considered recommendations relating to four reports, responses to which were set out in the agenda pack:

·       Delivery of a New Burial Space

·       The Leys Pool & Leisure Centre – Youth Club

·       City-wide Smoke Control Area Declaration

·       HRA Energy Efficiency Projects 2023/24

The Chair of the Finance and Performance Panel provided an update of the Panel’s first meeting of the municipal year held on 06 September 2023.  The Panel was attended by Cllr Fry, Cllr Jarvis and Cllr Smowton; Cllr Fry thanked Cllr Turner and officers for their attendance to answer questions.  At this meeting the Panel agreed their work plan, and considered the following three substantive reports; Integrated Performance Report Q1 2023/24, Treasury Management Annual Report 2022/23 and Scrutiny Performance Monitoring.  The Panel was due to meet next on 06 December 2023 and it was expected to be a busy agenda, including initial consideration of the 2024/25 budget ahead of the Budget Review Group meetings which would commence in January.

The Scrutiny Officer provided an update on the Climate and Environment Panel which had met on 12 September 2023.  The Panel held a wide-ranging discussion culminating in the formulation of six recommendations to Cabinet, two on the HRA Energy Efficiency Projects 2023/24 report, two on the City-wide Smoke Control Area Declaration report, and two on the Scrutiny-commissioned Air Pollution report.  The recommendations on the HRA Energy Efficiency Project 2023/24 and City-wide Smoke Control Area Declaration reports were agreed by Cabinet in September, and the Air Pollution report would be submitted to Cabinet in October for a response.

The Chair of the Housing and Homelessness Panel advised the Committee that the Panel had met on 05 October 2023 where they considered reports on Housing First progress and outcomes, with representation from St Mungo’s, A2Dominion and Council officers, and the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code Self-Assessment; no recommendations were made.

The Committee noted the updates from Panel Chairs and the Scrutiny Officer.