Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no declarations of interests.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 23 September 2025.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting on 23 September 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee noted the meeting procedure.

The Head of Democratic Services presented a report setting out the background to the call-in and supporting documents.

The decisions taken by Cabinet, taken on 16 October 2025, in relation to outdoor play provision had been subject to a valid call-in. The call in applied to the following decisions:

RESOLVED

1.         The Strategy for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Outdoor Play Provision 2025 be approved.

2.         The site-specific recommendations, subject to financial approvals of the additional £150,000 pa contained within the 2026/27 MTFP report to be presented in February 2026 be approved. This would enable 23 Council-owned play areas to be prioritised for retention, development or redevelopment, ensuring high maintenance standards and delivering good play value. A further 9 play areas will also be retained subject to availability of resources, while 11 sites would be subject to phased decommissioning and repurposing.

3.         The series of additional cross-cutting actions relating to the development, design and management of play provision be noted.

The following Members and officers attended the meeting:

·         Councillor Nigel Cooke, Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture

·         Ged Morton, Director of Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer)

·         Reuben Kench - Director of Community Services, Environment and Culture

In addition, Members who had signed the call-in request had been invited to attend the meeting.

The following documents has been included with the agenda for the meeting for consideration by the Executive Scrutiny Committee:

·         Call in Form

·         Cabinet Report

·         Cabinet Decision Record

·         Report of the Monitoring Officer

On behalf of the Councillors who had submitted the call-in request of the Cabinet decision, Councillor Shakeel Hussain urged the Committee to refer the matters back to Cabinet for reconsideration, explaining the rationale for the call-in, which related to:

·         The decision had not been made in accordance with the Council’s decision-making principles

·         No consultation had been carried out with ward Councillors, Parish Councils and families affected

·         The financial rationale was unclear

·         Cabinet’s decision ignored the Select Committee’s recommendation which gave a clear instruction to consult and engage

Questions from Committee Members and responses included:

1.         Why was there no consultation and engagement prior to Cabinet making the decision?

The Cabinet Member commented that the Cabinet Report had been based on the work of the Community Safety Select Committee undertaken during 2024. He felt that there seemed to be some confusion about the process and that the decision was not to close play areas. The proposals would be subject to phased decommissioning. Once a play area was nearing decommissioning, timescales and consultation and engagement would take place. This might result in the play area being transferred to local ownership at that time or being re-purposed. Only one site was scheduled for decommissioning during the next four years. This process met the principles set out in the Cabinet report in July 2025.

2.         If a decision had already been made, it didn’t matter if a site was scheduled for decommissioning tomorrow or in five years’ time. Should not consultation and engagement have taken place prior to the decision being made?  ...  view the full minutes text for item ESC/28/25

The Head of Democratic Services presented a report setting out the background to the call-in and supporting documents.

The decisions taken by Cabinet, taken on 16 October 2025, in relation to the Powering our Future -Transformation Review: Children in our Care -Therapeutic Residential Care for Children Experiencing Mental Health Challenges and Behavioural Distress had been subject to a valid call-in. The call in applied to the following decisions:

RESOLVED 

1.         Inclusion in the Capital Programme be approved of a scheme to deliver two Council-run children’s homes (one solo and one dual) providing three places in total, based on current estimated total capital costs of £1.467 million.

2.         The Council’s match-funding requirement of £733,500 be met from the existing Council Wide Investment Fund approved by Council in February 2025, utilising prudential borrowing already authorised within that approval, with associated borrowing costs to be met from within Children’s Services budgets through reduced reliance on external placements.

3.         The Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, the Director of Regeneration and Inclusive Growth, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Director of Corporate Services be authorised to:

a)    identify and acquire two suitable properties within the approved budget envelope;

b)    procure and let contracts for design, refurbishment, fit-out and equipment; and

c)    take all necessary steps to register and operationalise the homes in line with the grant conditions and regulatory requirements.

The following Members and officers attended the meeting:

·         Councillor Clare Besford, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People

·         Ged Morton, Director of Corporate Services (Monitoring Officer)

·         Majella McCarthy, Director of Children’s Services

In addition, Members who had signed the call-in request had been invited to the meeting.

The following documents has been included with the agenda for the meeting for consideration by the Executive Scrutiny Committee:

·         Call In Form

·         Cabinet Report

·         Decision Record

·         Report of the Monitoring Officer

On behalf of the Councillors who had submitted the call-in request of the Cabinet decision, Councillor Shakeel Hussain urged the Committee to refer the matters back to Cabinet for reconsideration, explaining the rationale for the call-in, which related to:

·         The decision had not been made in accordance with the Council’s decision-making principles

·         Expenditure was not proportionate to the issue

·         There were no clear aims or information

·         The options appraisal was weak

Questions from Committee Members and responses included:

1.         How could £1.4m be justified for such a small number of children when there were 25 children in unregulated care?

The Cabinet Member commented the some of the children cost that much in revenue so it was proportionate to provide accommodation in-house with the wide range of services in place.

2.         Could the Cabinet Member confirm that children with complex needs would be served by this proposal and that the expenditure was therefore justified?

The Cabinet Member commented that the proposals were trauma informed and there was place based evidence that we would deliver better outcomes in Stockton. She stressed that there was an aspiration to look after  ...  view the full minutes text for item ESC/29/25

Following Council agreement of the Stockton-on-Tees Plan in 2024, it was agreed that Executive Scrutiny would receive bi-annual performance updates of the Tier 1 outcomes.

The indicators presented provided Executive Scrutiny Committee with an update on the Council’s progress against the high-level outcomes identified in the Stockton-on-Tees Plan.

AGREED that the report be noted.

AGREED that the Forward Plan be noted.

AGREED that the progress updates be noted.

AGREED that the work programme be noted.