Agenda and minutes

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 24 January 2022 and published on the Council’s website. 

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive apologies for absence and note substitutions.

Members who are unable to attend this meeting must submit apologies by the end of Monday 14^th March 2022 to enable a substitute to be arranged, if applicable.

Apologies for absence were given by Cllrs Kevin Deanus and Christine Baker.

To receive from Members declarations of interests in relation to any items included on the agenda for this meeting, in accordance with Waverley’s Code of Local Government.

There were no declarations of interest declared for items at this meeting.

The Chairman to respond to any questions submitted by members of the public in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.

The deadline for submission of written questions for this meeting is Monday 14^th March 2022.

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There were no questions submitted by members of the public for this meeting.

The Chairman to respond to any questions received from Members in accordance with Procedure Rule 11.

The deadline for submission of written questions for this meeting is Monday 14^th March 2022.

There were no questions submitted by members for this meeting.

The Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee is responsible for managing the Committee’s work programme.

The current work programme (attached) includes items agreed and takes account of items identified on the latest Executive Forward Programme (Annexe 2) as due to come forward for decision.

Recommendation

Members are invited to consider their work programme and make any comments and/or amendments they consider necessary, including suggestions for any additional topics that the Committee may wish to add to its work programme.

Mark Mills outlined areas of note in the committees work programme.

It was noted that, in part one, responses had been received from the Executive regarding the recommendations submitted by the Committee regarding the service Plans and Carbon Neutrality Plan.

In part 3 Mark Mills advised that currently there were a number of items scheduled for the June meeting but it was likely that a few would drop off before the agenda is published.

Mark highlighted that the report from the Housing Allocations Task & Finish Group was nearly ready to come back to the Committee.

The Chairman advised he was pleased to see version control used on this report.

The Corporate Performance Report, set out at Annexe 1, provides an analysis of the Council’s performance for the third quarter of 2021-22. The report is being presented to each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for comment and any recommendations they may wish to make to senior management or the Executive.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

1) considers the performance of the service areas under its remit as set out in

Annexe 1 to this report and makes any recommendations to senior management or the Executive, as appropriate

A copy of the Corporate Performance Report for quarter 3 of 2021/22 was circulated with the agenda. Members were invited to comment on each service area in turn and raise any queries.

Commercial Services

Members asked about Welfare activities – When does this start and will it include social prescribing? Officers advised that this should be in place by Q4 of this year. It will include social prescribing.

Members were please to see the works being carried out in Farnham Park and asked how many complaints/compliments had been received. This was taken away to be responded to.

Environmental and Regulatory Services

Officers were asked if the emergency planning officers NBOSH course still on schedule to be completed by 31 March and were advised it is on course for completion by the set date.

A member highlighted that there have been a lot of missed food waste bins in Cranleigh East and enquired if there was a reason for this? Officers advised this was due to staff shortages there have been a lot of temporary staff who are not familiar with the areas and have had issues, especially in rural areas.

Brightwells delays – Members asked for an update. It was explained that the delay was due to shortages of materials. Completion was due by end of the year.

Car Parking charges – Members asked how many complaints or comments had been received and was advised there had not been a significant number of complaints made and all queries had been dealt with in a timely manner.

Housing Operations

No queries were raised on this section and Members congratulated the team on their performance this quarter.

Housing Development and Communities

Members requested that ward councillors are included in consultations on applications.

Members noted that there had been a increase in homelessness and the report had highlighted a lack of resources. Officers advised that this lack of resourcing had been addressed through government funding.

Members asked how the Thriving Communities funding aligned with the old SLA’s.

It was highlighted this was a different mechanism which a previous task and finish group set up by the old Communities O&S committee had carried out work on and made recommendations to the Executive.

Planning and Economic Development

It was commented that the 5 year housing supply member briefing had been cancelled due to sickness and officers were asked for an update. Officers reported that Waverley still have not enough development to meet the 5 year housing supply but are working on how to rectify this. The issue is not around applications being approved but is with the developers delivering on their builds.  Officers also highlighted that there was a possible need to review LPP1 also.

Members felt that discharging conditions seemed to drag along and suggested that officers should be proactive and push developers to deliver rather than just sitting back and waiting.

Officers were asked for an update on Woolmead and were advised that officers were talking to the developers about starting works.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

The purpose of this report is to present to the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committees proposed changes to the current corporate performance indicators set for the financial year 2022-2023. The performance monitoring of these indicators takes place on a quarterly basis through the Corporate Performance Report which gets reviewed by the Senior Management Team (SMT), O&S Committees and Executive.

The details are set out in Annexe 1 to this report and these are reflected in the recommendations.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

1) Endorses the proposals put forward by the officers with regards to changes to the corporate performance indicators for 2022/23, as set out in Annexe 1, and

2) recommends approval to the Executive for the proposals to be implemented from 1 April 2022.

Louise Norie outlined the background to the report advising it had been agreed by Members that officers would review the KPI’s annually. She advised that the suggestions and proposed changes were set out in the report.

Members questioned the target for dwellings commenced. It was felt that as we were not meeting the target and therefore had a surplus from last year that officers should be given a stretch target to not only meet the quarterly target but also catch up on the surplus.  Officers highlighted the difficulties in getting delivery as this was in developers hands not the officers.  Members were also asked to keep in mind the difference between the Housing Delivery Test and the 5 year Housing Supply.

It was Recommended that the targets for P7 and P8 should be raised to take into account the surplus from the previous years as well as the current years number.

Members suggested that the KPI’s across all services appeared to miss out on what residents are asking us for.  Officers in Housing Operations advised they were planning on introducing tenant satisfaction KPI back in following responsive repairs. Louise Norie advised that the Resources O&S did have two KPI’s in their remit relating to this.

Members were advise that a question had been submitted in writing by Cllr Mulliner on the removal of these KPI’s (104b and 105b) and had been responded to by the Head of Service explaining that contractor performance was rigorously monitored by the Housing Operations Team and tenant experience indicators provided an overarching picture of the service.

It was Recommended that satisfaction KPI’s should be considered across services.

Members felt that targets should not be reduced to what we can achieve rather that pushing us to do better. They commented that targets should be 100% so we aim for the top even if it is not achievable.  It was felt we should be focussing on the percentage we do not achieve rather than the percentage we do.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive approve the proposals set out in the report subject to consideration of the additional comments and recommendations made by the Committee.

The purpose of this report is to seek the view of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on the draft Climate Change and Sustainability SPD so that these views can be fed through to the Executive which will be asked to authorise a public consultation on the draft SPD.

Recommendation

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee are requested to make observations and recommendations to the Executive on the draft Climate Change and Sustainability SPD.

Alice Knowles introduced the report and the background to its production.  She then introduced Chris Peachey of Land Use Consultants who had produced the draft SPD.

Members received a short presentation setting out the highlights and areas to note of the document.

Cllr Richard Seaborne advised that, although the SPD is thorough, the committee could add some additional recommendations to strengthen it. It was suggested that the document should set out what is enforceable and officers should then enforce when necessary.  Anything that is a requirement should be identified robustly as such and guidance should be set out clearly.

It was noted there was little mention of the impact on CO² emissions with poorly planned utility works. 

Members also commented on the lack of consistency in formatting of various SPD’s.  It was felt they should be consistent so users are familiar with whichever one they are reading.

The consultants advised they would take these comments on board and look at implementing the suggestions.

Members highlighted that Waverley had declared a Climate Emergency therefore the document needs to force a steep change in energy efficiency.  It was also suggested that flood defences be mentioned in the document.

Officers were also requested to include a glossary of terms in the document. 

Members put forward that actual figures should be set out in the document rather than generalisations such as ‘minimise’ ‘reduce’ etc

Members also suggested an emphasis on lessons learnt should also be included in the document, however Officers felt that they wished this to be a positive document rather than highlighting negatives.

It was suggested by officers that a small group be set up to provide recommendations and feedback to the Executive.

Members were reminded that the 4 week consultation period was also an opportunity for them to feedback any further comments.

Recommendation

The Committee Recommends that the Executive consider and respond to the committees observations and recommendations including:

a.    Demarcation of requirements and guidance.

b.    Good quality planning of utility works to reduce traffic congestion and CO² emissions.

c.     Consistent formatting of SPD’s

d.    Glossary of terms to be included

e.    Inclusion of figures to quantify ‘minimise’ and ‘reduce’.

To receive an update on the current council housing developments.

The Environment Act 2021 received Royal Assent on 9 November 2021 and is now in force. The Act is a wide-ranging enabling act which aims to protect and enhance our environment for future generations. It opens the door for further new legislation by allowing the relevant national authorities to make regulations, including provisions dealing with environmental governance, air quality and environmental recovery, water, nature, and biodiversity.

Recommendation

That the Services O&S Committee comment and ask the Executive to consider the report and identify areas where further reports are required to further identify the service delivery implications for the local authority.

The Committee NOTED the report.

The current leisure management contract, for our five leisure centres, expires on 30 June 2023 and the Council needs a new contractual arrangement to be in place for the 1 July 2023.

A Leisure Management Contract tender Project Working Group (PWG) has been established to maximise the tendering opportunity for the Council and ensure that the leisure portfolio is in the best possible position to deliver value for money for the council. The group consists of representatives from Leisure, Finance, Procurement and Legal.

In September consultants, Max Associates, were appointed to produce an options appraisal of alternate management arrangements.

Kelvin Mills outlined and summarised the report and options considered.  It was planned to go to tender in the late summer/early autumn and seek to appoint in winter.

The Committee was asked if they wished to set up a small sub-group to be kept up to date on progress.

It was agreed to set up a Task and Finish Group to monitor progress.  Members nominated were: Cllrs M Foryszewski,  J Else and M Wicks plus one member of the Resources O&S to be nominated.

Cllr Else also enquired about the extension of car park set out on page 207. She commented that this had been going on for a long time.  Kelvin Mills advised that they were just waiting for Secretary of State approval.

To update the Committee on matters arising from the Community Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny’s recommendations on ‘Mental Health in Waverley’ at its meeting on the Tuesday March 16, 2021.

Recommendation

That the Committee note the information provided in the Background section of this report.

Mark Mills outlined the report updating on the action plan.  He thanked everyone who had been involved in the drafting of the plan.

Cllr Baker had submitted apologies for the meeting but had put forward a proposal and a query.

a.    An annual update be provided to the committee

b.    Who from Waverley was attending the domestic abuse and suicide prevention team meeting.

The Committee Noted  the report and agreed the recommendations as long as the resources were there to action them.

To consider, if necessary, the following recommendation on the motion of the Chairman:

Recommendation

That pursuant to Procedure Rule 20 and in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items on the grounds that it is likely in view of the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during the items there would be disclosure to them of exempt information (as defined by Section 100I of the Act) to be identified at the meeting.

There were no items to discuss in exempt session so the Chairman closed the meeting.