Agenda and minutes

To elect the Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

RESOLVED: that Councillor Moulton be elected as Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2023 – 2024

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 10 August 2023 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED: that the minutes for the Committee meeting on 10 August 2023  be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Committee considered the report of the Scrutiny Manager which enabled the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to examine the content of the Forward Plan and to discuss issues of interest or concern with the Executive.

HOLCROFT HOUSE

The Committee considered the briefing paper attached to this item detailing the forthcoming Cabinet Decision regarding Holcroft House.

Keith Morrell, Linda Hayse, Chris Hodgson, Amanda Guest and other representatives of Holcroft House residents and their families, Councillor Powell-Vaughan; Hayley Garner, Unite Branch Secretary and representatives of staff at Holcroft House; Councillor Fielker, Cabinet Member for Health, Adults and Housing;Paula Johnston, Head of Quality, Governance & Professional Development, Adult Social Care; and Paul Ring, Finance Business Partner, Adult Social Care were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

Councillor Moulton moved that the Committee request that the Cabinet Decision is delayed in order to enable the Committee to scrutinise the plans and the views of residents.  Upon being put to the vote this motion was not passed on a recorded vote.

RECORDED VOTE to support the Motion by Councillor Moulton to delay the Cabinet Decision:

FOR: Councillors Moulton and Galton

AGAINST: Councillors Evemy, A Frampton, Paffey, and Quadir

The Committee unanimously agreed the remaining recommendations as set out below.

RESOLVED: on consideration of the briefing paper relating to the forthcoming Cabinet Decision Holcroft House the Committee recommended:

1)  That, for the Cabinet meeting on 19 September, clarity should be provided around the specific works that had been identified as being required that have necessitated the increase in both the costs of the project and the timescales involved.

2)  That the questions raised by Unite relating to Holcroft House would be circulated to the Committee.

3)  That the Committee would be provided with written clarification with regards to the suggestion that resources may have been transferred from the Holcroft House budget to support the maintenance of the Glen Lee building.

4)  That the Committee would be provided with an audit trail of the decision made by the Cabinet Member for Health, Adults and Housing to halt the fire safety remediation works in January 2023.  The audit trail should include the forum for the decision, and how the decision was made.  

The Committee considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport which recommended that the Committee reviewed and provided feedback on the Council’s draft Climate Change Strategy.

Councillor Keogh, Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration; Steve Guppy, Service Manager: Sustainability; Melanie Roberston, Interim Sustainability Projects Officer were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1)  That, to improve understanding and potentially raise revenue, consideration should be given to offering Carbon Literacy Training to Green City Charter partners.

2)  That, to change behaviours, consideration should be given to opportunities to discuss sustainable transport options with religious leaders in the city.

The Committee considered the report of the Scrutiny Manager which recommended that the Committee considered and approved the draft terms of reference for the scrutiny inquiry.

Councillor Windle and Mark Pirnie, Scrutiny Manager were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1)  that the Committee approved the draft terms of reference for the scrutiny inquiry

2)  that authority was delegated to the Scrutiny Manager, in consultation with the Chair of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel, to finalise the inquiry plan.

The Committee received and noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager which enabled the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to monitor and track progress on recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings.