Agenda and minutes

Executive Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 7th May, 2024 3.00 pm

Venue: Meeting Room 1, Jim Cooke Conference Suite, Stockton Central Library, Church Road, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1TU

Contact: Democratic Services Manager, Judy Trainer 

Items
No. Item

ESC/1/24

Evacuation Procedure

Minutes:

The Committee noted the evacuation and housekeeping procedures. 

ESC/2/24

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

ESC/3/24

Minutes pdf icon PDF 161 KB

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 5 March 2024.

Minutes:

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 March 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

ESC/4/24

Final Report of the Crime and Disorder Select Committee - Scrutiny Review of Outdoor Play Provision (Executive Summary for Information) pdf icon PDF 208 KB

Minutes:

Councillor Paul Rowling presented the Executive Summary of the Crime and Disorder Select Committee’s review of Outdoor Play Provision which would report to Cabinet in May 2024.

 

The review comprised three key elements.  Firstly, the Committee endeavoured to establish the distribution of the Borough’s existing outdoor play offer and identify any areas where provision was lacking.  The second strand focused on the key issue of responsibility for individual facilities and associated management / maintenance and sustainability requirements.  Finally, accessibility / inclusivity factors in relation to play provision were considered so practical and financial implications could be understood and factored into decisions around existing and future plans.

 

The Select Committee found that Councils were adopting different approaches towards their outdoor play provision, ranging from increasing provision / consultation on proposed investment in facilities to rationalising / removing existing sites.  For the Council, whilst there would be an understandable reluctance to compromise much valued resources for children / young people and their families across Stockton-on-Tees, it was clearly not sustainable to keep all existing play sites open, and difficult decisions would need to be made around removing / repurposing some sites.  Allied to this, longer-term thinking about the maintenance and replacement requirements of the Borough’s existing and planned future offer had to follow to ensure quality, accessible, and geographically balanced provision that lasted.

 

Key issues highlighted and discussed were as follows:

 

·         The important role of Section 106 agreements attaching to planning permissions to ensure adequate and timely provision

·         The need for equitable provision and replacement of play provision across the Borough

·         Councillors could play a role working with the community to draw in external support and funding

·         Ensuring that procurement delivered best value for money

 

AGREED that the Executive Summary be noted.

ESC/5/24

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 15 KB

Minutes:

AGREED that the Forward Plan be noted.

ESC/6/24

Chair's Updates pdf icon PDF 181 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members were provided with updates from the Chairs of each Select Committee. Updates and discussion included:

 

Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee

 

Members noted that following consideration of the latest Care Quality Commission (CQC) quarterly report (Q3 2023-2024) at its meeting in February 2024, the Committee had invited the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) Lead Governor to the April 2024 meeting to question what the Governors’ view of this latest CQC report on the Trust was and how they were addressing the concerns outlined by the regulator.  Due to Cabinet changes made at the Annual Meeting, and following correspondence with senior TEWV officers, it was now anticipated that other relevant TEWV personnel would respond to the Committee at a forthcoming meeting.

 

It was suggested that it would useful for the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to attend that meeting.

 

Children and Young People Select Committee

 

Members noted the update from the Children and Young People Select Committee.

 

Community Safety Select Committee

 

Members noted the update from the Community Safety Select Committee which had recently changed its name following a recommendation from Executive Scrutiny Committee.

 

People Select Committee

 

Members noted the update from the People Select Committee.

 

Place Select Committee

 

Members noted the update from the Place Select Committee.

 

AGREED that the Chairs’ updates be noted.

ESC/7/24

Chair's Update and Executive Scrutiny Work Programme 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Minutes:

AGREED that the work programme be noted and, subject to other diary commitments, Executive Scrutiny Committee meeting dates be moved towards the end of the month to facilitate more timely reporting of the MTFP report from Cabinet to Executive Scrutiny Committee.