Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies were received from Cllrs M Haines, M Earl, L Fear, R Maidment and P Miles

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications. 

Notification had been received from the appropriate group leaders of the following changes in membership for this meeting of the Board:

Cllr L Williams substituted for Cllr M Haines

Cllr T Johnson substituted for Cllr M Earl

Cllr D Kelsey substituted for Cllr L Fear

Cllr M Cox substituted for Cllr R Maidment

Councillors are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 and the Council's Code of Conduct regarding Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

Councillors are also required to disclose any other interests where a Councillor is a member of an external body or organisation where that membership involves a position of control or significant influence, including bodies to which the Council has made the appointment in line with the Council's Code of Conduct.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest.

Councillors made other declarations for the purpose of transparency in relation to the agenda item on Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), as follows. They remained in the room and spoke and voted on the item:

Cllr M Brooke declared that he was Chairman of Broadstone Neighbourhood Forum.

Cllr M Anderson reported that he was a member of the Queens Park Neighbourhood Forum.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/documents/s2305/Public%20Items%20-%20Meeting%20Procedure%20Rules.pdf 

The deadline for the submission of public questions is Friday 27 September 2019.

The deadline for the submission of a statement is 12.00 noon, Thursday 3 October 2019.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 12.00 noon, Thursday 3 October 2019.

The Board received the following statement presented by a local resident, Susan Chapman:

“Today's Board must scrutinise the upcoming Cabinet Agenda which means public questions should be in by 27th Sept for a matter discussed nearly two weeks later. Please address this democratic handicap.  My question for Cabinet queries the word "None" regarding number 30, "Summary of Equality Implications" of the BCP Public Report "Response to Climate Change Emergency". 30 years of global climate inaction will impose huge so-far hidden and disproportionate costs on both poorer members of society as well as subsequent generations. Such inequity needs to be addressed.”

The Chairman on behalf of the Board acknowledged the issue raised by Mrs Chapman in relation to the deadline for submitting public questions. This was considerably earlier that the deadline for submitting statements and petitions. In this instance the deadline had been prior to the publication of the Cabinet reports which were due to be considered by the Board at this meeting. The Board agreed that the deadline should be reviewed through the appropriate channels to promote better public engagement.

RESOLVED that the Audit & Governance Committee be asked to review the deadline for public questions, and take into account the Board’s view that there should be a later deadline (which could be the same as that for statements and petitions), to enable members of the public to access reports on the agenda prior to submitting questions.

Voting: Unanimous

The Board was advised that a number of people had responded to the invitation to address the Board about the Community Infrastructure Levy. The Board agreed to hear these representations when the matter was considered at agenda item 6.

To consider the following corporate reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 9 October:

·         Corporate Strategy

·         Equality and Diversity Strategy

·         Transforming Cities Fund Strategic Outline Business Case (Note:  this item falls under the remit of the Portfolio for Transport but will be covered by the Leader of the Council in his absence).

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Vikki Slade, Leader of the Council.

The Cabinet report will be published on Tuesday 1 October 2019 and available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=3722&Ver=4

The Chairman introduced the item, the purpose of which was to enable the Board to scrutinise three forthcoming Cabinet reports on corporate related issues. He invited the Leader of the Council to present each of the reports.

Corporate Strategy

The Leader explained that the draft Corporate Strategy set out the Council’s longer-term priorities and high level objectives. She reported that it had been subject to stakeholder engagement between 5 August and 6 September 2019.  This had included a range of public and partner events across the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole area and a survey. The Leader of the Opposition had been consulted on the direction of the strategy. It was hoped that the strategy could be adopted by the Council unanimously. She thanked councillors for their engagement individually and in their wards.

The Leader provided a summary of feedback received and some suggestions for improvement which had been incorporated into the revised strategy now circulated. These included:

• Widening the lens of the strategy to acknowledge the importance of working in partnership with the voluntary/third sector and with the local economy.
• Changing the title of the document from ‘plan’ to ‘strategy’, as a better reflection of its purpose, with a more detailed plan now being developed.
• The reference to a dynamic ‘region’ had been changed to dynamic ‘places’, to recognise that there were individual dynamic areas within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Once the strategy was adopted the delivery plan would follow, to set out in detail the priorities for each area and how these aligned with the budget to ensure they were delivered.

The Leader of the Opposition confirmed that he had met with the Leader and was in agreement with the priorities and general direction of the strategy.  He was glad to see that feedback from the engagement process had been incorporated into the revised document, particularly the points made in relation to the voluntary sector and the local economy. A number of Board members commented positively on the engagement process. The opportunity for the public and councillors to be consulted in the development of the corporate strategy at the beginning of the process was welcomed.

The Leader responded to questions and comments on the report from members of the Board:

• How would any additional public engagement on the detail of the plan take place? It was explained that no further public engagement was anticipated. It was now the Council’s responsibility to develop and adopt the delivery plan, having taken into account the views of the public provided at the formative stage of the process.
• When was the strategy likely to be reviewed, bearing in mind its need to evolve alongside the new council?  The Leader explained that although there was no set date for a review, this could be programmed at an appropriate time once the plan had been given the opportunity to achieve some of its aims. She agreed to recommend that the strategy be subject to regular refresh when she presented the report to Cabinet.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

Following a request for scrutiny of the current use of the BCP Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) the Board is asked to receive a representation from the ward councillor bringing the request.  A CIL is a charge on new developments which can be used by the Council for community improvements. 

Residents, community groups and other councillors with views on the CIL are invited to also address the Board and to submit a request to speak to scrutiny@bcpcouncil.gov.uk by 12 noon Thursday 3 October 2019.   The Board is asked to consider the representation of the ward councillor and any other views put forward, and to make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate. 

The Board received a representation from Cllr D Farr, a ward councillor who had submitted a request to scrutinise the current use of the BCP Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The CIL was a charge on new developments which could be used by the Council for community improvements.  Cllr Farr explained that this funding was meant to be available for local groups to apply for, but currently no applications were being accepted by the Council. He referred to a request for a defibrillator to be purchased for the local community in his ward. He asked that the CIL funding be unlocked as soon as possible so that it could be used as intended, for the benefit of residents.

The following residents and community groups also addressed the Board with their views on the issue:

Mark Elkins, Co-ordinator, Springbourne and East Cliff Residents Meetings, explained that local residents wished to use some of their unused CIL money of £69,000 to fund a dedicated street warden to address crime and anti-social behaviour in the ward. The ward suffered from some of the highest crime figures in the area according to police records, and there were individuals living in the ward with high levels of multiple needs who required specialist support. The request for this much needed resource was supported by all three ward councillors and Operation Galaxy.

Graham Whitehall, Treasurer, Dorset Lake Residents Association, explained that a previous application by local residents to have a village sign had been refused. It was hoped that this could be redressed by using CIL funding but nothing had been progressed to date.

Chris Allenby, Trustee, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, Poole Quays Forum, spoke about the nature of the forum and its role in being the voice of the community. He explained that many parts of the area were of high density, including the Twin Sails area which was earmarked in the Local Plan for 2,500 additional dwellings (an increase of 31%) at a rate of zero CIL. He cited a number of major developments in the area which had achieved planning permission and then reported that they were unviable. He spoke about not being able to tap into the overall neighbourhood CIL pot to proceed with the Maypole Square project, and highlighted that the Broadstone Neighbourhood Forum was in a similar position. He asked that a more transparent and fairer CIL arrangement be put in place.

John Sprackling, President - Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs District Residents Association, spoke about the need for more control over how CIL was spent. He referred to the huge amount of development and associated CIL collected in his local area, but appreciated the position of other areas with less development. There was a need to address speeding in his area and CIL could be used to undertake a traffic survey to support this.

Cllr M Anderson read out a statement on behalf of the Queens Park Neighbourhood Forum, which opposed any proposal to remove the percentage of CIL from local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

To consider the following regeneration related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 9 October:

·         York Road Car Park

·         Heart of Poole Regeneration Scheme

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Mark Howell, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Culture.

The Cabinet report will be published on Tuesday 1 October 2019 and available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=3722&Ver=4

The Board was advised that reports on York Road Car Park and Heart of Poole Regeneration Scheme originally scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 9 October 2019 had taken off the Cabinet agenda after the publication of the Board’s agenda.

As the previous agenda item had been withdrawn the Chairman suggested that the Board to use the time remaining in the meeting to consider items for inclusion its agenda for November.

The Board agreed to consider the following Cabinet reports (with approximate timings noted):

·       Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan – To consider and approve homelessness and rough sleeping action plan (Up to 1 hour)

·       Smart Places Strategy - To seek approval to develop a business case and options and to continue with the LEP project to develop a pilot in Lansdowne
(30 mins)

·       Organisational Design and Transformation Business Case - To consider and approve the recommended option for the future design of the Council and the associated High Level Business Case. (Up to 1 hour)

·       Budget and Performance Monitoring Report - 2019/20 Quarter 2 -  
To receive the second quarter (July to September) budget and performance monitoring report. (30 minutes)

·       Corporate Performance Management Update - To provide a quarterly update on corporate performance based on a suite of key performance indicators, and target outcomes. (30 minutes)

·       Community Engagement Strategy (Up to 1 hour)

The Board agreed that no value would be added in scrutinising the reports on the adoption of Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Dorset Waste Plan and Minerals Sites Plan, as both documents had been through the formal Inspection stage with limited opportunity to make changes at this stage.

The Board was mindful that the two Cabinet reports on York Road and Heart of Poole due to be considered by the O&S Board might be rescheduled for the November Cabinet. The Board had also previously agreed to consider further the issue of 5G at its next meeting on 11 November and the date for this had already been notified to those interested in participating.

The Board was advised that the current date of the Cabinet meeting on 13 November could change, which may impact on the date of the O&S Board. 

In view of number of items and amount of time likely to be spent on them, the Chairman asked the Board whether it would prefer to hold one daytime meeting or split business across two evening sessions. Views differed, as some members were unable to attend in the day due to work and while others had family commitments in the evening. The Chairman agreed to discuss it further with the Vice Chairman and confirm arrangements as soon as possible.

The Chairman asked Board members to email him with suggestions for future scrutiny items. For reference it was agreed to circulate the priorities for future scrutiny which had been signed off the Shadow Authority O&S Committee.