Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: By Teams. View directions

Contact: Wyn Richards, Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services  Email: wyn.richards@powys.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

2.

Disclosures of Interest

To receive any disclosures of interests by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting

3.

Declaration of Party Whips

To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

 

(NB: Members are reminded that under Section 78 Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.)

Minutes:

The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

4.

Corporate Risk Register pdf icon PDF 136 KB

To scrutinise those elements of the Corporate Risk Register which fall within the remit of the Committee.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Documents Considered:

·                 Corporate Risk Register

 

Issues Discussed:

·                 The document sets out how strategic risks are managed across the Council. There are 12 strategic risks.

 

·                 Questions:

Children's Services – Is the Portfolio Holder confident that the team has access to appropriate controls to manage risk in the Service Area.

It is an unpredictable, high level and complicated service. However, there is confidence in the workforce and the leadership doing all they can to reduce those risks, but it needs to be kept under constant oversight.

 

·                 Compliance – housing stock. There is detailed work and an action plan behind this area. There is also a programme of remedial work behind the compliance work. A compliance 100 Team has been established since December 2019. The Housing Service is also looking to redesign the whole service and part of that new structure will include a compliance team to ensure that standards are embedded and maintained for the future.

 

·                 Questions:

The target dates in the risk register have been changed. Does this provide the mitigation required.

The works referred to in the register is the remedial programmes which needs to be clarified in the document. As the compliance work is undertaken it will also highlight remedial works which are necessary, and these remedial works are ongoing up to the end of 2021. 

What challenge is the Head of Service and Corporate Director – Economy and Environment giving the risk owner in relation to the inherent and residual risk rating. What assurances are being given that the ratings are appropriate for the risk.

The Executive Management Team reviews the risk register and the Director of Economy and Environment sits on the Corporate Improvement Board and is sighted on Service issues, working closely with the Head of Service and is content with the rating for the risk.

The Head of Service indicated that the compliance 100 team reports to a Compliance Board which oversees and challenges the team on progress. There is also a Housing Improvement Board which monitors progress as well.

HOWPS is a risk on its own on the register, but the work it does impacts on the Housing Service. Is there a reason why these risks are separate.

This is a practical issue as both the Housing Service and HOWPS are separate entities. There are also issues with HOWPS which do not directly relate to the Housing Service. The Housing Service also use other contractors for compliance work in addition to HOWPS.

The Council's housing stock is quite aged. How much impact does this have on the risk and is this taken into account separately from the overall risk. In some areas the stock is fragmented due to the previous right to buy provisions. Does this cause issues for the Housing service where there might be common issues in a row of houses e.g. asbestos, where only some of the houses are Council properties.

The Council does have relatively aged stock as does many other Councils, so this is part of the Council's risk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Scrutiny Work Programme

 

The next meetings of the Committee will be held as follows:

 

19-11-20

14.00 – 16.00

Risk Register

07-12-20

10.00 – 12.00

Freedom Leisure

 

 

18-01-21

 

Performance Q3 + Risk

Options for Improving Broadband Structure - Head of Digital Services

(Provisional – Confidential Report – Housing)

28-01-21

 

Budget

01-03-21

 

Digital Strategy 2021-25

12-04-21

 

 

03-06-21

 

Performance Q4 + Risk

12-07-21

 

Performance Q1 + Risk

06-09-21

 

 

18-10-21

 

Performance Q2 + Risk

29-11-21

 

 

 

Potential items for consideration:

·       Regulatory Services

·       Recycling rates – what advantage is being taken of the increases in recycling rates and how can we maintain recycling rates.

·       Economic Impact Study / Town Centre Focus Group

·       County Farms

·       Review of removal of Pest Control Service (added by Co-ordinating Committee)

 

Update Information arising from previous meeting:

·       Car Parking Charges review – second meeting held 13 October 2020.

 

Minutes:

The Committee noted that forthcoming meeting of the Committee were scheduled as follows:

 

07-12-20

10.00 – 12.00

Freedom Leisure

 

18-01-21

 

Performance Q3 + Risk

Options for Improving Broadband Structure - Head of Digital Services

(Provisional – Confidential Report – Housing)

28-01-21

 

Budget

01-03-21

 

Digital Strategy 2021-25

12-04-21

 

 

03-06-21

 

Performance Q4 + Risk

12-07-21

 

Performance Q1? + Risk

06-09-21

 

 

18-10-21

 

Performance Q2? + Risk

29-11-21

 

 

 

Potential items for consideration:

·       Regulatory Services

·       Recycling rates – what advantage is being taken of the increases in recycling rates and how can we maintain recycling rates.

·       Economic Impact Study / Town Centre Focus Group

·       County Farms

·       Review of removal of Pest Control Service (added by Co-ordinating Committee)

 

Update Information arising from previous meeting:

·       Car Parking Charges review – second meeting held 13 October 2020.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Environment commented that the proposals from the Car Parking Working Group were now being considered by officers. As a Service there needs to be a wider review of car parks provision which includes a car park asset review, usage, capacity. On street parking needs to be included in the review, as well as overnight parking, resident parking permits. Any trial of new arrangements needs to be undertaken outside of the pandemic so that the new "normal" can be assessed. More than one trial will be required so it is intended to have one north, mid and south of the county.

 

The Portfolio Holder suggested that this work is suspended and reviewed at the end of the financial year.

 

The Chair asked for clarification that the Portfolio Holder was intending to ask the Service to bring forward proposals for consideration by scrutiny by the end of the financial year. The Portfolio Holder indicated that the intention would be to delay any further work until there was a clearer picture of the usage of car parks after the pandemic, but if it is possible to bring an update to the Committee before the end of the financial year, then that would be provided. The Leader suggested that the Portfolio Holder could bring an interim report to the Committee in March / April 2021.

 

·                 Questions:

Could the Portfolio Holder make sure the review takes account of changes to government policy particularly regarding the increased use of electrically powered cars and the potential for the Council in having an income stream by providing charging points in car parks.

The Cabinet Portfolio Holder indicated that she would include this in the review.

 

·                 Members commented:

·                 There is a decreased use of car parks at present. However, traffic wardens are not patrolling estates and other locations where the Council has implemented double yellow lines, and drivers are parking in these locations rather than using car parks.

·                 Why cannot the Council offer free car parking for a number of days in a week to support local businesses as the loss of income during the winter would be negligible.

·                 Could the Committee receive a plan of what the review will be considering. The Chair agreed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.