Agenda item

To consider the 2018/19 Work Programme and areas for review.

Members considered the draft Scrutiny work programme for 2018/19. 

It was suggested the list of topics be re-drawn in a way which did not indicate priorities, leaving it open for members to identify what they wished to consider at the next two meetings. 

Councillor Davies said no topics should be dropped, but that Day Centres had already been the subject of a scrutiny review, as had the topic of Litter and others.

Councillor Light said she wished to add a proposal that the Scrutiny Committee work alongside the process for Stansted Airport’s application for planning permission to increase the maximum passenger throughput, as many concerns had been expressed that there was a lack of transparency about the process.

Councillor Chambers said no member should speak about the planning process. 

Councillor Light said her concern was not about the application but about the planning process, as public mistrust needed to be countered by robust and visible scrutiny. 

The Assistant Director – Legal and Governance said members consider in this discussion whether they should declare an interest if they were a member of Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) or other relevant organisations. 

Councillor Dean declared a personal interest as a member of SSE. 

Councillor Chambers declared a personal interest as a member of the Planning Committee.

Councillor Lemon said there had not been sufficient time for people to respond to the consultation on the Airport application. 

The Assistant Director – Legal and Governance said there was limited scope for the Committee to scrutinise the process of the planning application, and that the Planning Committee had the authority to make the decision.  He offered the assurance that the consultation period would be extended until the end of April.  Any concerns could be taken up via the political route, or in person with officers or the Chairman of the Planning Committee.  There was some merit, however, after determination, in looking at how the public were engaged at the pre-application stage, in order to draw lessons from the process.  It was inadvisable, however, to do so in parallel at the same time. 

Members agreed to close this part of the discussion.

Councillor Howell suggested it would be helpful to have the Committee’s observations on areas of strategy and governance, to add value to the work of the Council.  Areas which could benefit from such observations could include the Investment Strategy.

Councillor Dean said the most pressing area was social/affordable housing, as the Local Plan would soon be concluded.  A scoping report should be prepared on this topic, with the Assistant Director – Legal and Governance, the Planning Policy Manager and the Director of Finance and Corporate Services. 

In response to a question regarding the impact on the Council’s recycling rates of the global economic situation for the recycling industry, Councillor Howell said there would be a need to plan for the financial impact over the next four to five years. 

The Director of Finance and Corporate Services reminded members that the Council was not a disposal authority. 

Councillor Barker said there were three strands for discussion in relation to recycling:  disposal, the reasons for variances in rates of recycling across different areas, and the economics. 

The Chairman summed up the discussion, confirming that the topics to be considered next would be social and affordable housing; recycling; and the scrutiny review report.  Other topics would be kept on the programme for members to consider in due course.