Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Watford

Contact: Ishbel Morren  Email: democraticservices@watford.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

59.

Apologies for Absence/Committee Membership

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Stiff.

60.

Disclosure of interests (if any)

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

61.

Minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2019 to be submitted and signed.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 28 November 2019 were submitted and signed.

62.

Other scrutiny meetings - minutes

The following scrutiny committees and task groups have met since the last meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee –

 

·      Finance Scrutiny Committee on 26 November

Minutes:

The scrutiny committee noted the minutes of the Finance Scrutiny Committee, which had taken place on 26 November 2019. 

63.

Call-in

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

Minutes:

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

64.

End of year 6 waste, streets and parks contract with Veolia pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Presentation from Veolia with particular reference to improved street and environmental cleanliness, levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting.

Minutes:

The committee received a presentation by Veolia with particular reference to improved street and environmental cleanliness, levels of litter, detritus, graffiti and fly posting.  Copies of the presentation had been sent to the committee in advance of the meeting. 

 

Members observed that the standard of service provided by Veolia had improved over time.  It was commented that operatives were routinely attentive of residents’ needs, anticipating difficulties and solving individual problems as they arose.  They welcomed Veolia’s actions to reinvigorate the company’s staff recognition scheme which provided an opportunity to reward deserving individuals.

 

In a discussion about Veolia’s gully cleaning and individual street deep cleans, scrutiny members requested additional information about the schedules for these activities.  This would enable ward councillors to work with residents to help publicise the works and, on a practical level, assist with improving access for operatives.  Further information was also requested about the barrow beat schedules.

 

The committee considered the work undertaken by Veolia with local schools to promote waste awareness and recycling to young people.  It was requested that the list of local schools to be targeted during 2020 be shared with members.  Veolia also agreed to provide information about its proposed schools environmental champion initiative.

            

The Contract Manager highlighted the “report it” on-line form which was accessed through the front page of the council’s website.  This provided a means to report routine problems, which were forwarded to Veolia directly for action.  A planned update to the form would give individuals an update on progress.  It was agreed that a link to the “report it” form would be sent to members.

 

There followed a short review of the protection equipment provided to operatives and the assessed risk of the work undertaken.

 

RESOLVED –

            

that the presentation be noted.

            

Action: Contract Manager – Parks and Streetcare

 

65.

Executive Decision Progress Report pdf icon PDF 418 KB

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the latest edition of the Executive Decision Progress Report and consider whether any further information is required.

 

Minutes:

The scrutiny committee received the 2019/20 Executive Decision Progress Report.

 

RESOLVED –

 

that the 2019/20 Executive Decision Progress report be noted.

66.

Hertfordshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee

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

 

Minutes:

It was reported that Councillor Grimston, the Council’s appointed representative to the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, had been unable to attend the last meeting on 17 December.  It was agreed that a link to the papers for the meeting on Hertfordshire County Council’s website would be circulated to committee members.

 

Action: Senior Democratic Services Officer

67.

Work programme pdf icon PDF 401 KB

The scrutiny committee is asked to review the latest edition of the work programme and consider any additional areas councillors wish to scrutinise

Minutes:

The scrutiny committee received the updated draft of its work programme, incorporating the suggestions from the previous meetings. 

 

It was agreed that a review of the recent closure of Watford Colosseum should be included on the work programme.  This would be scheduled for the meeting on 27 February.  In order to accommodate this new addition, it was agreed that the discussion on Revenues and Benefits should be brought forward to 6 February, which would complement discussions on the council’s quarter 3 key performance indicators.

 

The scheduled discussion on sickness absence should be deferred to the 2020/21 work programme.

            

RESOLVED –

 

that the work programme be updated as discussed during the meeting.

 

Action: Senior Democratic Services Officer

68.

Exclusion of press and public

The Chair to move: that, under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act

1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during consideration of the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Section 100(1) of the Act for the reasons stated below in terms of Schedule 12A.

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of proceedings, that if members of the public were present during consideration of the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Section 100(1) Schedule 12A of the Act for the reasons stated in the reports.

69.

Watford Colosseum Task Group - final report

Report of the Democratic Services Officer and the Watford Colosseum Task Group, presenting the task group’s final report.

 

Please note, this report contains commercially sensitive information.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The scrutiny committee received the report of the Democratic Services Officer and the Watford Colosseum Task Group presenting the task group’s final report.  Councillor Richard Smith, Chair of the Task Group, introduced the report and with the Head of Leisure and Environmental Services, responded to members’ questions.

 

RESOLVED –

            

that the final report and recommendations of the Watford Colosseum Task Group be agreed.

70.

Dates of Next Meetings

·           23 January 2020 (call-in only)

·           6 February 2020

·           27 February 2020

Minutes:

           23 January 2020 (call-in only)

           6 February 2020

           27 February 2020

 

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