Council and Democracy

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1, Town Hall, Chesterfield

Contact: Rachel Appleyard/Charlotte Kearsey  01246 345277/5326

Items
No. Item

13.

Declarations of Members' and Officers Interests relating to items on the Agenda

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received.

14.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Barr, Callan, Dyke, Falconer and Sarvent.

15.

Cabinet Member for Governance - Scrutiny pdf icon PDF 270 KB

5:05pm to 5:20pm

Minutes:

The Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer attended to provide a further report on the Communities and Local Government Select Committee (CLGC) report on the Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview Scrutiny Committees.

 

The Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer advised the Committee that guidance from the Government was due out at any time.

 

The Select Committee inquiry provided an opportunity to review the effectiveness of Overview and Scrutiny at Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC). In light of this the Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer provided an example of a questionnaire that would be sent to every scrutiny member to obtain their feedback. The questionnaire would be emailed and posted out to members. It was hoped that the all responses to the questionnaire would be received by the end of October, 2018.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.   That the report be noted.

 

2.   That the questionnaire results be brought to a future Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum meeting by the Senior Democratic and Scrutiny Officer.

16.

Cabinet Member for Business Transformation and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth - Digital Strategy

5:20pm to 6:05pm

Minutes:

The Assistant Director – Customers, Commissioning and Change attended to provide a progress update on the development of the Digital Strategy.

 

The strategic direction for the development of the ICT Improvement Programme had been approved by Cabinet. The strategic direction aimed to:

·        Continue development of digital council services;

·        Implement platform infrastructure;

·        Take a cloud first approach to hosting;

·        Undertake replacement of the Council’s core network;

·        Undertake a programmed refresh of the Council’s systems and ageing hardware;

·        Implement improved productivity tools.

 

The Members were informed that the programme would provide a number of benefits which included an increased resilience, improved performance, increased data security and effective digital customer services provision.

 

Negotiations had been completed with Arvato to return ICT and some HR services in house, with no additional budget requirement to do so. The transfer date for the service transition had been scheduled for 18 October, 2018 and the deed of variation for each service had been completed. 

 

A transition plan had been developed and was being implemented. An interim transition manager had been recruited for six months to support the work.

 

The affected staff within the ICT and HR service areas would TUPE transfer on their Arvato terms and conditions. Trade Union briefings and initial staff engagements had taken place.

 

Members enquired whether there would be a smooth transfer of services and were advised that this would depend on the information received from Arvarto. Members also enquired whether salaries been budgeted for in the improvement plan and were advised that they had been.

 

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for providing the update and for carrying out the work required to bring the services in house.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.   That the update be noted.

 

2.   That an update on the Digital Strategy be brought to the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum on 19 March, 2019.

17.

Forward Plan

Please follow the link below to view the latest Forward Plan.

 

Forward Plan

 

6:05pm to 6:10pm

Minutes:

The Forward Plan was considered.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That the Forward Plan be noted.

18.

Scrutiny Monitoring pdf icon PDF 82 KB

6:10pm to 6:15pm

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Monitoring Schedule was considered.

 

RESOVLED –

 

That the Scrutiny Monitoring Schedule be approved.

19.

Scrutiny Project Group Progress Updates pdf icon PDF 151 KB

-      Report of the HS2 Scrutiny Project Group

 

6:15pm to 6:30pm

 

Minutes:

HS2 Scrutiny Project Group

 

Lead Member of the project, Councillor Flood, presented the report of the scrutiny project group and asked Members to approve the recommendations and delegate authority to amend the wording of a recommendation to include reference to Local Enterprise Partnerships.

 

The scope for the project was approved by the OPSF on 27 June, 2017. The scope set out the aims of the project group which were to ensure the Council worked in partnership with others to ensure a joined up cohesive approach to future changes and to contribute to a shared vision for the opportunities that the HS2 development would bring to the borough and the wider area.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.   That the recommendations of the Scrutiny Project Group’s review of HS2, as detailed below, be approved to be recommended to Cabinet:

 

                     i.        That a Skills Scrutiny Project Group be established.

 

                    ii.        That the Skills Scrutiny Project Group examine how schools are proposing to work in partnership with the National Rail College and other education providers to better equip pupils to enter the work place.

 

                   iii.        That the Enterprise and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee obtain a report from the Skills Scrutiny Project Group regarding the impact of mental health issues affecting the employability of 18-24 year olds.

 

                  iv.        That the number and impact of Local labour Agreements in maximising opportunities for growth of jobs connected with HS2 be monitored.

 

                   v.        That the Skills Scrutiny Project Group encourage the East Midlands Councils to lobby HS2 Ltd to include specific recommendations for the employment of Ex-Armed Forces personnel with relevant skills in their Local Labour Agreements.

 

 

                  vi.        That a report be brought to Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum before and after the Hybrid Bill has passed and the report will include detail on delivery bodies and infrastructure plans.

 

                 vii.        That a report be brought to Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum after the Hybrid Bill has passed to address how evolving effects on properties will be monitored and include plans for dealing the negative impacts of construction work on the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot spur, including traffic management.

 

               viii.        That an annual report be brought to the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum about the progress of the cohesive approach between the Council and partners.

 

                  ix.        That coordinated and overarching Public Relations be put in place to minimise the negative impacts of HS2 and to ensure that residents are kept fully informed about the mitigating process taking place.

 

                   x.        That the way social media and digital innovation is used to improve communications and reinforce the positive impacts of HS2 be monitored.

 

                  xi.        That a report be brought to the Enterprise and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on the plans and progress of the construction phase and remediation of the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot site to ensure scrutiny monitoring of the process. 

 

                 xii.        That the HS2 Scrutiny Project Group support the development of a Visitor Economy Strategy.

 

               xiii.        That continuing Cabinet Member and Officer support for any future adhoc Scrutiny input relating to HS2 be provided.

 

               xiv.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Work Programme for the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum pdf icon PDF 83 KB

6:30pm to 6:35pm

Minutes:

The Work Programme for the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum was considered. The Chair noted that there were no changes to the Work Programme.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That the Work Programme be approved.

21.

Joint Overview and Scrutiny

6:35pm to 6:40pm

Minutes:

The Joint Chairs had attended a meeting of the Sheffield City Region Scrutiny Board to meet the new Mayor and a new Chair of the Board had been appointed.   

22.

Overview and Scrutiny Developments

6:40pm to 6:45pm

Minutes:

There were no updates.

23.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 60 KB

6:45pm to 6:50pm

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum held on 3 July, 2018 were presented.

 

RESOLVED –

 

That the Minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.