Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Grimston.

There were no disclosures of interests.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 March to be submitted and signed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2017 were submitted and signed.

To consider any executive decisions which have been called in by the requisite number of councillors.

It was noted that no executive decisions had been called in.

Report of Head of Community and Environmental Services.  There will be a presentation from the organisations which operate Holywell and Meriden Community Centres.

The Contract Monitoring Officer informed the scrutiny committee that it was in the second year of the three-year cycle.  Representatives from the community centres would be present at this and subsequent meetings to speak about their centres and the work they were carrying out as part of the commissioning framework. 

Meriden Community Centre – Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust

Rob Smith and Steve Williams from Watford FC Community Sports and Education Trust gave a presentation about Meriden Community Centre and the work of the Trust.  They set out the aims and objectives and the five key themes.  They outlined the Trust’s range of partners and the funding that had been obtained.  The long term aim was to make the centre a sustainable community hub.  Steve Williams advised that the next step was to source funding for the play area located at the centre, which would be the third phase of the development.

Councillors were invited to put questions to the representatives.

Steve Williams and Rob Smith explained about the Trust’s role in ‘Employability’.  It was noted that it was a county-wide scheme which was aimed at the long term unemployed who possibly had other challenges.

Steve Williams expanded on the information in the presentation about targets, which were set by the different funding partners.  He outlined some of the local groups the Trust was working with at the community centre, including Meriden Residents Association and Watford and Three Rivers Trust. 

Rob Smith stressed that Sport England had awarded the Trust the maximum grant of £500,000 as the aim was for the centre to be used by the community and to promote health and well-being. 

Steve Williams informed councillors that the Trust did not have its own football teams.  It arranged ‘turn up and play’ sessions which were open to young people, with sessions for under 8’s ranging up to under 19’s.  The Trust had relationships with local youth football clubs.  If attendees to the casual sessions wanted to play with a regular club, the Trust could direct them to relevant local teams.  The Trust had held a girls’ school tournament and a football festival at the community centre.  The Trust also had an outreach programme at Westfield Academy; a BTEC programme for 16-19 years old.  The Trust had been quite successful with BME groups.

Rob Smith provided a breakdown of the staff, including the number of full-time and part-time and ethnicity.  It was recognised that the ethnic make up of staff was an area that needed to be addressed.  Almost 50% of staff were female.  15% of the 80 sessional staff were from BME groups. 

Steve Williams stated that the Trust was proud of its venue and would continue to maintain it to a high standard.  He said that the site in Harrow had started five years ago and looked as good now as it did on the first day.

Steve Williams also referred to the music gym which met at Meriden Community Centre.  Whilst families were waiting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Report to follow

This item was deferred to July.  The Chair advised that Heads of Service had been invited.

The scrutiny committee received a report setting out the progress that had been achieved on implementing the task group’s recommendations.

Councillor Martins, who had chaired the task group, said that he was disappointed with the latest updates.  There appeared to be no noticeable progress since the final report had been published and considered by Cabinet in March 2016.

Following a discussion it was agreed that the officers would be contacted about the delays in implementing the recommendations, informing them that Overview and Scrutiny Committee was concerned about the lack of progress.  At a future meeting officers would be asked to provide a timeline for implementing the recommendations.  The portfolio holder responsible for planning, Councillor Sharpe and the chair of Development Management Committee, Councillor Jeffree, would be invited to the meeting.

RESOLVED –

1.      that officers be asked to provide a timeline for the progress on implementing the task group’s recommendations and report back to the next available meeting.

2.      that the Portfolio Holder and the Chair of Development Management Committee be invited to attend the meeting.

The scrutiny committee received a report setting out the progress that had been achieved on implementing the recommendations contained in the Parking Strategy and updated by the task group. 

Again the scrutiny committee was disappointed with the responses.  It was agreed that officers would be contacted and asked for an explanation for the delays.  They would then be invited to a future meeting to explain to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was suggested that the explanation should include information about the High Street Public Realm Enhancement scheme which was referred to in the update.

RESOLVED –

that officers be asked to provide an explanation for the delays in implementing the recommendations and report back to the next available meeting.

The Scrutiny Committee received the latest edition of the Executive Decision Progress Report for 2017/18. 

RESOLVED –

that the updated report be noted.

Councillor Hastrick, the Council’s appointed representative to the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee to provide an update.

Councillor Hastrick provided the scrutiny committee with an update on the county’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

The scrutiny committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer including a scrutiny proposal submitted by Councillor Mauthoor.  The proposal had been the subject of a motion discussed at Council in March 2017. 

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer informed members that since the publication of the agenda, Councillor Stephen Bolton had said that he was interested in taking part in the task group.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the scrutiny proposal submitted by Councillor Mauthoor, ‘Tackling Loneliness’, be agreed and a task group established.

2.      that the following councillors be appointed to the new Tackling Loneliness Task Group –

·             Councillor Bilqees Mauthoor

·             Councillor Stephen Bolton

·             Councillor Stephen Cavinder

·             Councillor Kareen Hastrick

·             Councillor Rabi Martins

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee there have been no Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel meetings.  The next meeting is scheduled for:

·             4 July 2017

The minutes for all Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel meetings are available on the council’s website.

Councillor Williams, chair of Outsourced Scrutiny Panel, informed the scrutiny committee that the first meeting for 2017/18 was scheduled to take place Tuesday 4 July.  He outlined some of the items included on the draft work programme.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee there have been no Budget Panel meetings.  The next meeting is scheduled for:

·             27 June

The minutes from all Budget Panel meetings are available on the council’s website.

Councillor Asif Khan, chair of Budget Panel, informed the scrutiny committee that the panel’s first meeting was due to take place on Tuesday 27 June.  Training would be provided at the first meeting and he invited all councillors to attend.

The scrutiny committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer which required members to approve the Community Safety Partnership Task Group’s membership, appoint a chair and agree the updated terms of reference.

It was noted that there had been an over-subscription to the task group.  There had been eight people nominated for seven places.  The chair suggested that each councillor be contacted, informed of the situation and asked whether they wished to withdraw their nomination.  This was agreed.

Councillor Williams proposed that Councillor Grimston be appointed as the task group’s chair if she remained a member.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the Committee and Scrutiny Officer contacts all nominated councillors for the Community Safety Partnership Task Group about the over-subscription to ask if anyone wishes to withdraw their nomination.

2.      that Councillor Amanda Grimston be appointed as chair of the Community Safety Partnership Task Group, if she continues to be a member of the task group.

3.      that the updated terms of reference be agreed as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

The latest work programme.

The scrutiny committee received a draft work programme for 2017/18.  It was noted that several items at this meeting had been proposed to be included in July’s programme.  Members were asked to contact the Committee and Scrutiny Officer and chair if they had items for the work programme.

·             Thursday 20 July 2017

·             Thursday 28 September 2017

·             Thursday 26 October 2017 (For call-in only)

·             Thursday 20 July 2017

·             Thursday 28 September 2017

·             Thursday 26 October 2017 (for call-in only)