Issue - meetings

The report of the Director for Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

The Service Manager –Corporate Services presented the report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services which asked the Group to create and receive feedback on the scrutiny group work programmes for 2021/22 based on the Cabinet Forward Plan, Corporate Strategy, Medium Term Financial Strategy, Investment Strategy and Transformation Plan. The Group were also asked to consider potential topics for scrutiny which were submitted by Councillors and officers.

The Group first considered the requests for scrutiny items submitted by either Councillors or officers using the scrutiny matrix. The Chairman informed the Group that she had submitted the item ‘planning communications’ which would address the consistency of the planning application process. It was explained that the public perception and reputation of the Council had been damaged due to parish council’s and residents not being informed about submitted planning applications and therefore, the planning process and its communications method needed to be thoroughly scrutinised. It was agreed that the item should be added to this year’s work programme despite the officer’s recommendation of adding the item to the work programme of 2022/23 due to expected changes in government legislation and recruitment of additional resources to the planning team. Members of the Group made some suggestions which should be included in the scrutiny of this item such as circulating additional information to residents about material and non-material planning conditions and redesigning envelopes so that residents understand the importance of the contents of the letter regarding planning applications. This item was scheduled for April 2022 for consideration by the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group and the Service Manager – Corporate Services was asked to ensure that the list of additional issues mentioned in the matrix was forward to the Head of Planning to inform the preparation of his report.      

It was agreed that the Community Infrastructure Levy would be scrutinised in October in order for the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group to develop protocols in regard to how the money generated from the levy is spent. The Service Manager – Finance and Corporate Services was mindful that this was a timely issue and that a framework needed to be developed in order for decision to be made and for the money to be spent Rushcliffe’s communities.

It was noted that Councillor Bansal had requested that the Council’s community facilities and assets be scrutinised following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was also suggested that the success of the Rock Church’s management of Lutterell Hall and the use of Gamston Community Hall as a vaccination centre should also be discussed. It was agreed that the item would not be scrutinised and instead, the Group would be provided with a briefing note addressing the key lines of enquiry outlined in the matrix and that this issue be subsumed into a broader piece of work outlining the Council’s response to Covid-19 to be scheduled after the pandemic. 

The Corporate Overview Group agreed to maintain the rolling work programme which was outlined in the report. The Service  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5