Agenda and minutes

to approve as a correct record the minutes of the Committee held on 20 January 2022;

O&S.58/21        

The minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (O&S) held on 20 January 2022 were confirmed as a correct record.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct, Members are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, Other Registerable Interests and Non-Registerable Interests including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting;

O&S.59/21

Members and officers were invited to declare any interests in the items of business to be considered during the course of the meeting, but there were none declared.

A period of up to 15 minutes is available to deal with issues raised by the public;

O&S.60/21           

In accordance with the Public Forum Procedure Rules, the Chairman informed that no questions had been received for consideration.

O&S.61/21

The lead Executive Member for Community Wellbeing explained that the representative from Fusion was unable to attend this Committee Meeting as he was unwell and that the presentation from Fusion would be moved to the next Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on 21 April, 2022.  The Member did introduce a report to the Committee that updated on Fusion’s annual report for 2021. 

It was clarified that while the Council had one operator across all four leisure centres within the District, the contract was different for Totnes Leisure Centre as Tadpool hired the building and contracted direct with Fusion.

It was noted that usage of the leisure centres had continued to rise month on month, and was approaching pre Covid pandemic attendance. 

Following a discussion regarding overview of the Fusion financial information, it was PROPOSED, SECONDED and CARRIED at the subsequent vote that:

RESOLVED

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive financial figures and a full report every six months, with a three monthly update being received from the Lead Executive Member for Leisure, to include all relevant financial matters. 

The Chairman then clarified that Fusion were not seeking further financial support from the Council, but were asking to extend the payment terms for management fees which were due to the Council.  The Officer confirmed that Fusion were not looking to alter the amount of the fees, nor the payment schedule timescale, but were looking to reduce earlier payments and increase later payments.

The Members of the Committee requested that they receive the complete list of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that were set out in Fusion’s contract, and to receive this list before the Full Council meeting on 31 March 2022 when a related item would be on the agenda.

It was confirmed that a report on solar panels on Leisure Centre roofs would be presented to the Executive in the near future.  Following questions from Members, it was confirmed that projects to reduce carbon emissions were being investigated, particularly as proposals required design and feasibility studies before there was any possibility of accessing government grants. It was confirmed that, as Fusion held the leases for leisure centres, it was Fusion’s choice over who provided the solar panels.  Following discussions regarding the potential of the Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) being used in Totnes, it was confirmed that this topic would be a high priority when Fusion representatives appeared at the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee, 21 April 2022.  A Member then asked about the recent price increases at the leisure centres and it was confirmed that these were accompanied by an increase in those able to apply for concessions.

It was then clarified that the four main areas for Fusion to respond to when they appeared at the next meeting were listed as:  activities in surrounding rural areas; KPIs; carbon reduction/solar energy projects; and pricing. 

Hearing of the report was then adjourned until the next Committee meeting.

It was then:

RECOMMENDED

O&S.62/21           

Following the Council’s adoption of the Better Lives for All Strategy in September 2021, the Committee was provided with an update on the Community Wellbeing strand of the Better Lives for All Strategy.

Each project, outlined in Appendix A of the attendant report, was then reviewed in turn:

CW1.1:  This item was rated as ‘amber’, ie off track but plan in place.  The officer outlined that the rating was due to the project’s initial stage having been very successful as they had sought to engage with a number of potential partners, these included, but was not limited to, Devon County Council, NHS, voluntary sector, and the Police.  Other statutory partners had shown a very positive wish to be involved and to ensure a joined up approach to issues of rural poverty.  Therefore initial conversations were on-going, hence resulting in the amber rating.  It was noted the importance of listening to communities and identifying what support the communities themselves identified.

Following discussions, it was requested that Ward Members were involved at the earliest opportunity.  It was noted that this was an ambitious and daunting project, and that the Council would not be able to resolve all issues, but a framework would ultimately be put in place to encourage community/partnership working.  This would be run as a pilot project initially.

It was then:

RESOLVED

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee WELCOMED this initiative but NOTED it was ambitious and the importance of local Ward Members being involved at the earliest opportunity was recognised.

CW1.2: Following the update on this action, the Executive Lead Member updated that Dartmouth Town Council was exploring the possibility of building key worker properties on the site of the old hospital to ensure that the new Health Hub had sufficient staffing resources.

It was then:

RESOLVED

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTED this action.

CW1.3: It was confirmed that Members would like to receive qualitative histories of Disabled Facilities Grants at this juncture of future reports.  The budget allocation from Devon County Council for 2021/22 was £1,196,498. 

It was then:

RESOLVED

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTED this action and thanked the officers for achieving a good performance alongside the astute negotiations, and that the Committee would welcome examples of good practice to be included in subsequent updates.

CW1.4:  This item had been covered above (minute O&S.61/21 refers).

CW1.5:  Officers wished to clarify what information Members of the Committee would like to receive in future updates.  It was reiterated that monies available through Section 106 agreements was reported regularly to the Executive and local Ward Members were reminded to review this to see what monies were available to be used, and consult with the local Parish/Town Council to see where the monies could be best spent.  It was reiterated that South Hams District Council were the administrators of the money but Parish and Town Councils were able to pull down the S106 monies.

It was proposed that, in respect of CW1.5, there be  ...  view the full minutes text for item O&S.62/21

O&S.63/21        

a)     Housing

Following the completion of the work of the Housing Task and Finish Group (T&FG), the Chairman of the Housing T&FG updated the Committee on the parameters that had shaped the Group’s work and then outlined the recommendations that were brought forward from the T&FG.

It was then:

RECOMMENDED

That the Executive be RECOMMENDED that:

O&S.64/21      

It was noted that:

·         The Adjourned fusion report would be presented to the next Committee meeting;

·         S106 monies review would be given further consideration;

·         Connecting Devon and Somerset, together with Airband, and Broadband officer should be invited to attend the next Committee meeting

·         The Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman to work with officers to review the 22 April 2022 meeting agenda so that it could fit with the time available.

·         A strongly worded letter to be sent to the Ambulance Service to ask why there had been no response to the invitation to come before a democratically elected body to explain why South Hams had one of the worst response times in the area.