Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall. View directions
Contact: Wyn Richards, Scrutiny Manager and Head of Democratic Services Email: wyn.richards@powys.gov.uk
No. | Item | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors M Barnes and R Harris and from Nina Davies (Head of Housing and Community Development) |
||||||||||||||
Minutes of Previous Meetings PDF 142 KB To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting(s) held as follows as a correct record: · 20 August, 2019 Minutes: The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 August, 2019 as a correct record. |
||||||||||||||
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: There were no disclosures of prohibited party whips in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011. |
||||||||||||||
Disclosures of Interest Any disclose of interests by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: There were no disclosures of interest from Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. |
||||||||||||||
Tenant Satisfaction and Customer First Action Plan PDF 341 KB To receive and consider the report of the Head of Housing and Community Development. Minutes: The Committee received the report of the Head of Housing and Community Development. (copy filed with signed minutes)
The Committee was advised that there were four sections to the action plan, namely Contacting the Council; Repairs and Maintenance; Listening to Tenants; and Clients and Keeping Everyone Informed. The action plan had been adopted by and would be monitored by the Housing Management Team. It was noted that some of the items e.g. establishment of a single call centre would take time to complete. The action plan had also been discussed with the Tenants Scrutiny Panel at its last meeting and those comments had been taken into account in finalising the action plan.
The Committee was advised that improvements had already been implemented such as improving the was that messages were distributed from first contact officers to housing officers. With regard to web-chat it was noted that there were licensing issues which were being discussed with the ICT Service so that this provision could be used more consistently during office hours.
|
||||||||||||||
Powys County Council Brexit Preparedness PDF 156 KB To receive and consider the report of the Project Officer (Events and Civil Contingencies). Additional documents: Minutes: The Council was required to make preparations for Brexit following guidance from Welsh Government and from Westminster. However, the outcome of national discussions are as yet unknown. The preparations which the Council were making was to respond to a no-deal Brexit. The Committee noted that three groups had been established to undertake the planning and co-ordination in preparation for Brexit.
Ninety nine risks had been identified by the Council’s Services arising from Brexit, which had been reduced to the eleven most significant risks as included on the Brexit Risk Register. Mitigation had also been identified for these eleven risks.
|
||||||||||||||
Working Groups Recommendations PDF 148 KB To receive a copy of the recommendations of the following Working Groups together with the Cabinet’s responses:
· ERCG Scrutiny Working Group – Public Toilets Strategy – April 2019 · Joint Scrutiny Working Group – Vision 2025 – June 2019 · ERCG Scrutiny Working Group – HAMP– July 2019 · ERCG Scrutiny Working Group –Winter Maintenance – July 2019 Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee received the recommendations of the following Working Groups together with the cabinet’s responses:
· ERCG Scrutiny Working Group – Public Toilets Strategy – April 2019 · Joint Scrutiny Working Group – Vision 2025 – June 2019 · ERCG Scrutiny Working Group – HAMP – July 2019 · ERCG Scrutiny Working Group – Winter Maintenance – July 2019
The Committee noted that it had asked the Portfolio Holder for Highways to write to Welsh Government relating to grants to Town and Community Councils for the provision of toilets on trunk roads. The Committee asked for an update as to whether the letter had been send.
In relation to a comment regarding the revised salting of roads, the Director of Economy and Environment commented that the Council was adhering to best practice in the revisions it was undertaking. With regard to trunk roads we conformed to the requirements of the Trunk Road Agency for salting of trunk roads. It was within the county roads network that the Council could make economies.
Outcome: (i) Scrutiny Manager to ask the Portfolio Holder for Highways whether the letter to Welsh Government had been sent.
|
||||||||||||||
Scrutiny Work Programme PDF 123 KB To receive a copy of the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme and to make any suggestions for items to be added or deleted for consideration by the Co-ordinating Committee. Minutes: The Committee received the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme.
A Member asked if scrutiny was to be undertaken of the Mid Wales Growth Deal and the Scrutiny Manager outlined what was proposed regarding the establishment of a new Joint Scrutiny Committee with Ceredigion County Council for the Mid wales Growth Deal.
Project Hornby – it was suggested that the Council should consider the scrutiny of the Joint project between the Council, Neath Port Talbot County Council and Welsh Government.
A Member reminded the Committee that he had made a request to the Co-ordinating Committee for the scrutiny of car parking charges. The Committee was reminded that this would be a review of charges across Powys, and the Scrutiny Manager advised the Committee that he would obtain background information in relation to the current scheme of charges, so that a meeting of the Working Group could be arranged.
Outcomes: (i) That a request be made to the Co-ordinating Committee to include Project Hornby in the Scrutiny Work Programme. (ii) Scrutiny Manager to obtain background information regarding current car parking charges, prior to calling a meeting of the Scrutiny Working Group. |