The Scrutiny Committee will meet on 2 December 2024. The Climate and Environment Panel met on 20 November 2024, and the Housing and Homelessness Panel met on 27 November 2024. The following reports are expected, together with any recommendations from those meetings:

• Thriving Communities Strategy Update
• Authority Monitoring Report and Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/24
• HRA Asset Management Strategy and 5-Year Investment Programme
• Tenancy Engagement and Management
• Eco-moorings Update
• High-level challenges and constraints impacting on the deliverability of solar opportunities at Council car parks

Councillor Miles presented reports from the Scrutiny Committee.  

The committee met for an extraordinary meeting on 18 November 2024 to consider a call in of a Cabinet decision from 16 October 2024 regarding the entering of an options agreement for Foxwell Drive. The Committee discussed concerns relating to the length of the agreement, risks, and concerns around the separation of planning and land disposal processes. The Committee upheld the original Cabinet decision. 

The Scrutiny Committee convened on 2 December 2024 to consider the Thriving Communities Strategy Update and the Authority Monitoring Report and Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/24. 7 recommendations were proposed. On the first item, the Committee raised the need for data reporting to be more outcome focused and comparable, the need for more member engagement in locality plans, and the success of the EPAU at Rosehill. Councillor Miles pointed to the recommendations in the pack and Councillor Brown confirmed that all had been agreed. Councillor Munkonge thanked all involved with the strategy and echoed the acceptance of the recommendations. In relation to The Authority Monitoring Report and Infrastructure Funding Statement 2023/24, the Scrutiny Committee discussed concerns over the loss of family homes to students, the use of existing student accommodation, and the effect of increasing student numbers on the private rented sector in the city. The Committee requested more detailed data relating to student housing demand and considered whether land options for student housing demand could be sought outside of the city centre. This discussion resulted in 2 recommendations, as noted in the report. In response, Councillor Upton explained that the report is focused on presenting data and measuring policy performance. As such, not all aspects of the recommendations could be incorporated into this report and some of the data requested already exists. She did however note her agreement with the sentiment of the fist recommendation. On the second recommendation, she assured Councillor Miles that engagement with universities already takes place to encourage them to facilitate student housing on their own land; little more can be done.  

The Climate and Environment Panel convened on 20 November 2024 to discuss updates around the UK Moorings Project and the deliverability of solar opportunities in Council car parks. This produced 4 recommendations, three of which related to the Council car parks project which have been agreed to. Councillor Railton noted that the recommendation regarding eco-moorings will be accepted only in part as there is not sufficient budget for letter drops to surrounding residents.  

The Housing and Homelessness Panel convened on 27 November 2024 for an extraordinary meeting to discuss the HRA Asset Management Strategy and 5-Year Investment Programme and the Tenancy Engagement and Management report. Councillor Smith noted her support for the first recommendation relating to engaging young people as tenants in council properties. The recommendation was accepted. Councillor Smith noted a second recommendation regarding tenant satisfaction which focused on a discrepancy between corporate KPIs and the report. This recommendation was also accepted.  

The Finance and Performance Panel convened on 4 December 2024 but made no recommendations.  

Councillor Brown thanked Councillor Miles for her work within the Scrutiny Committee.