Agenda item

5:50 – 6:10pm

·        Progress report of Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing on Playing Pitches Strategy

·        Progress report of Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing on Hackney Carriage Licence Limit

The Committee considered an update on the implementation of approved Scrutiny recommendations.

Parks and Open Spaces Strategy: The Green Spaces Development Officer submitted an updated implementation plan that provided a progress update on the Scrutiny Review Panel’s recommendations on the council’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategy. The written update provided details of how the strategy was being implemented since the last progress report was received by the committee in October, 2015. The committee noted their approval for how the strategy had been implemented as well as for the actions being taken to address their concerns about the shortfall of junior teams and to increase interest in playing by young people, both boys and girls. The updated implementation plan did note that with regards to football, whilst the junior game continued to thrive in the area and across Derbyshire as a whole, a steady decline in the number of adult teams was of concern. Members asked why this was occurring and were advised by the Green Spaces Development Officer that this was due to the decline and closure of pubs which had always provided a strong foundation for local leagues, people choosing to spend their leisure time differently and clubs, despite flexible payment terms being offered, being unable to pay their subs to the council.

Hackney Carriage Licence Limit: The Licensing Manager submitted an updated implementation plan that provided progress on the Scrutiny Review Panel’s recommendations on the Hackney Carriage Licence Limit. The written update provided details of how the recommendations were being implemented since the last progress report was received by the committee in October, 2015. The committee noted that recommendations 2 and 3 and had now been fully implemented and were satisfied that a clear written process has been put together for the inclusion of the review of Hackney carriage licence limits on the council’s forward plan, and that the Appeals and Regulatory Committee were taking actions to resolve problems with the number of Hackney Carriage licences within the borough. The Licensing Manager provided members with details regarding the upcoming survey and review of the number of Hackney carriage licences that would be happening during autumn 2016 and noted that a report regarding the results was scheduled to be submitted to the Appeals and Regulatory Committee for consideration in December, 2016.

Members thanked the Green Spaces Development Officer and the Licensing Manager for attending and providing the progress updates on the committee’s recommendations.

RESOLVED –

1.   That the monitoring report be approved.

2.   That Playing Pitches Strategy item (EW5b), be removed from the monitoring schedule as the committee was satisfied that its recommendations had now been fully implemented.

3.   That Hackney Carriages Licence Limit item (EW4), be amended to remove the monitoring of recommendations 2 and 3 as the committee was satisfied that these recommendations had now been fully implemented.

4.   That the Licensing Manager be invited to the December, 2016 meeting of the Enterprise and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to provide a progress report on the Hackney Carriage Licence Limit Survey.