There was a change of membership for this meeting: Councillor Grimston replaced Councillor Rindl and Councillor J Johnson replaced Councillor Williams.

There were no disclosures of interests.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 June 2016 to be submitted and signed.

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 June 2016 were submitted and signed.

Councillor Dhindsa took the Chair for the next part of the meeting.

The following decision taken on 4 July 2016 by Cabinet has been called in:

Investment in Watford’s Adventure Playgrounds

The reason for call-in, signed by 3 Members, is as follows –

“A lack of consultation for residents and users of the Adventure playgrounds and other options and alternatives.”

The following documents are attached –

(a)    Report of the Head of Community and Customer Services

(b)    Appendix A to the report (Overview of the designs for the new Adventure Playgrounds)

(c)     Appendix B to the report (Outline timetable)

(d)    Appendix C to the report (Examples of some of the specific equipment proposed)

(e)    Extract of the minutes of Cabinet on 4 July 2016

(f)     Proforma requesting the call-in of the decision signed by Councillors Bell, Joynes and Mills

(g)     Call-in procedures to be followed

The Cabinet decision taken on 4 July 2016, minute reference 18, regarding ‘Investment in Watford’s Adventure Playgrounds’ had been called in by Councillors Bell, Joynes and Mills.  The reason for the call-in had been included in the agenda.  The scrutiny committee had received a copy of the report to Cabinet, the minutes from Cabinet’s meeting on 4 July, the completed call-in request and the call-in procedures.

Following a brief introduction by the Chair, Councillor Dhindsa, the Legal and Democratic Section Head was asked to explain the role of the committee.

The Legal and Democratic Section Head explained about call-in and the scrutiny committee’s role in considering the call-in request.  The procedures were included with the agenda.  He reminded members that there were two possible decisions that could be made.  The first would be to ratify Cabinet’s original decision and the other was to refer the decision back to Cabinet giving reasons why Cabinet should re-consider its decision. 

Councillor Bell was invited to present his reasons for calling in Cabinet’s decision.

Councillor Bell quoted the original reason for calling in the decision.  There had been a lack of consultation and lack of alternative options put forward by the Mayor and her Cabinet.  The playgrounds had a unique history and had experienced and trusted staff.  The loss of these playgrounds would destroy unique cultural safe areas within the town.  He referred to the savings that had been included in the budget in January, but the details had not been revealed until the report to Cabinet in July.

Councillor Bell asked why there had been no consultation in the months leading up to the report to Cabinet.  He questioned that if Cabinet strongly felt the supervised playgrounds had to go why they had not spoken to children, parents and staff, including their union representatives to find a consensual way forward.  He referred to the 2010 play review, which was six years old.  He asked why there had been no effort in using staff and parents to look at other councils and their play services.

Councillor Bell said that the Mayor had commented about getting more families using playgrounds and that removing the current provision would encourage more families to access the sites.  The new proposal may create a more ‘open’ facility, but it would mean the loss of the supervision, which was trusted by parents.

Councillor Bell commented that it would be said that children’s services and play were not the council’s responsibility.  The Government and county council’s policy was early intervention.  He suggested the council could have used the expertise of the county’s children’s services and other authorities to see how a plan could be put together to keep these unique facilities open.  He said that cutting these services could lead to vulnerable families being disadvantaged.

Councillor Bell finished by saying that he would speak about financial matters later.  He advised that there were three people he had invited to speak about the matter.

The Chair invited Councillors Joynes and Mills to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

At this point the scrutiny committee was adjourned for five minutes.

Councillor Hastrick took the Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

Report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head

The scrutiny committee received a report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head setting out the results of the key performance indicators for in-house services at the end of 2015/16.

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head advised members that if they had any other areas they would like included in future reports they should let her know.  She would work with the services to provide that information.  Following a request the information had been set out in a new format.

In response to a question from Councillor Khan about the number of households in bed and breakfast, who were pregnant or with dependent children, the Partnerships and Performance Section Head explained that the council had a statutory duty to ensure that these applicants should not been in this type of accommodation for more than six weeks.  The council was looking at innovative ways of finding accommodation.  The Housing Section Head and the previous officer were looking at new ideas.

Councillor Dhindsa questioned whether the council would be able to meet the proposed target for the number of households living in temporary accommodation.

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head advised that the council was looking at ways of acquiring accommodation including outside the borough and working with private sector landlords.  It was a challenging area.  The council had agreed that housing was one of its objectives and this showed its importance.

Councillor Dhindsa referred to some casework he had and how the person had been offered accommodation in London, even though the children went to school in Watford and the person worked in Watford.

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head assured members that officers did consider people’s needs as much as they could; however, they had to take into account the level of demand and the availability of properties.

The Chair mentioned how she had raised the matter of an empty housing association property close to where she lived.  This property was now being brought back into use.  She urged all councillors to speak to officers about any empty properties they were aware of in their wards. 

In response to a question from Councillor Martins about the revenues and benefits response times not being included in the results on indicator 10, the Partnerships and Performance Section Head advised that she would obtain this information for the scrutiny committee.  It was not felt that revenues and benefits response times should be included as the enquiries were usually more complicated.  It would not be fair to set the same target.

Councillor Martins was concerned as he had received complaints that people were passed from one officer to another.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the performance of the identified in-house service indicators at the end of quarter 4 (January – March 2016) be noted.

2.      that the proposed targets for 2016/17 be noted.

3.      that the committee informs the Partnerships and Performance Section Head if there are any other areas / indicators that need to be included in the 2016/17 suite of indicators.

4.      that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

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

The Scrutiny Committee received the latest edition of the Executive Decision Progress Report for 2016/17. 

RESOLVED –

that the report be noted.

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

Councillor Hastrick informed the Scrutiny Committee that the county’s Health Scrutiny Committee had met recently.  She would ask the Committee and Scrutiny Officer to ensure that all members of this committee were provided with access to the minutes.

RESOLVED –

that Overview and Scrutiny Committee be provided with the minutes of the recent Health Scrutiny Committee.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Budget Panel has met on the following occasion –

·             28 June 2016

The minutes are available on the Council’s website – www.watford.gov.uk/budgetscrutiny

The Chair of Budget Panel to provide an update to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair stated that the Committee and Scrutiny Officer would circulate the minutes of Budget Panel’s last meeting for information.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel met on the following occasion –

·             7 July 2016

The minutes are available on the Council’s website - http://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=223

The Chair of Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel to provide an update to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair stated that the Committee and Scrutiny Officer would circulate the minutes of Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel’s last meeting.

The first meeting of Community Safety Partnership Task Group is scheduled to take place on Thursday 13 October 2016.

Minutes for previous meetings are available on the Council’s website - http://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=209

It was noted that the first meeting of the Community Safety Partnership Task Group was not due to take place until October.

The Chair to provide an update on the work of the Task Group.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer informed the scrutiny committee that the Parking Strategy Task Group had met on two occasions.  The members had discussed proposed recommendations to changes to several parking arrangements in the town centre.  There were approximately 11 recommendations which looked at shared parking arrangements for different users and new allocated parking areas for specific users.  The task group’s final report was currently being drafted for inclusion with the Transport and Infrastructure Section Head’s report to Cabinet in September.  It was agreed that the final report would be circulated to Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to it being presented to Cabinet.

The Chair stated that she would be attending Cabinet and asked members to review the final report and let her know if there were any issues that they wanted her to raise with Cabinet.

Members were concerned that a precedent was being set, by Cabinet receiving the report prior to it being agreed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer assured members that she would always try to present the report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the first instance.  However, on this occasion the Transport and Infrastructure Section Head needed to present his report to Cabinet in September in order to meet the timescale to introduce any new parking arrangements before April next year.  If the officer’s recommendations were agreed by Cabinet, traffic regulation orders would need to be advertised inviting comments from local residents, businesses and councillors.

The Chair to provide an update on the work of the Task Group.

The Chair informed the scrutiny committee that the task group had held its first meeting and had elected Councillor Stephen Cavinder as Chair.  The aim would be to present the report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee with its recommendation about Neighbourhood Forums.

·             Wednesday 28 September 2016

·             Thursday 27 October 2016 (call-in only)

·             Thursday 24 November 2016

·             Wednesday 28 September 2016

·             Thursday 27 October 2016 (for call-in only)

·             Thursday 24 November 2016