Agenda and minutes

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest in any item on the agenda.

There were no Declarations of Interest at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To consider any matter referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to the call in of a decision.

There were no call-ins to be considered.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee are asked to consider the following reference from Licensing and Appeals Committee to add to its work programme.

Licensing and Appeals Committee

10 September 2024

Members were advised of the response to the consultation on the Council’s draft revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles for 2025-2027. The Committee noted a number of comments that had been received following the consultation and agreed the recommendations from GamCare within Appendix 1 be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee RECOMMENDS that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee consider the recommendations within Appendix 1 from GamCare at a future meeting.

Members were asked to consider the response from GamCare in relation to the reference from the Licence and Appeals Committee 10 September 2024 of the response to the consultation on the Council’s revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles for 2025-2027. The Chair of the Licensing Committee put the suggestion to the Committee that within the responses it was vital that the Council developed a local picture of the level of gambling harms, in order to best target resources and tailor service provision and that this could be achieved by gathering data from the National Gambling Helpline, as well as those already providing services in the area. In addition, in the in the absence of Cumulative Impact Assessments as a method by which the aim to permit approach can be challenged, The Council should continue to pursue a Local Area Profile approach that specifically analysed gambling risk, and use this data as a basis from which to scrutinise and possibly oppose a licensing application.

The Committee discussed the request to consider if topic be scoped further. A request for the data from the National Gambling Helpline was suggested at a future meeting. It was noted that there had been an increase in male suicide related to gambling in the media recently.

RESOLVED to request for the data from the National Gambling Helpline to decide if to further develop a local picture of the level of Gambling harms to best target resources and tailor service provision and to use this data as a basis to scrutinise further.

Members will receive a presentation on the review of Markets in the Borough at the meeting.

Members welcomed a presentation for the Spotlight Review on Markets. A further update was provided from the recommendations presented to Cabinet. Members would like to review the Markets topic again in six months.

To provide this Committee with an early opportunity to scrutinise and input into the Council’s annual budget setting process, in particular with regards to the Business Strategy and the approach to the setting of fees and charges for 2025/26.

Members considered the early budget setting review 2025/26 and welcomed the early opportunity to scrutinise and input in the Council’s annual budget setting process. The Head of Finance Services reported that there were a number of significant issues concerning local government finance, that would have a major impact upon the financial impact of inflation on pay and prices, uncertainty on the outcome of financial settlements from central government, and the delayed Fair Funding Review that intends to review the level of Business Rates retention. Members recommended that the lifeline payments be frozen in respect of the winter fuel payments being cut, consider removing the early payment option on Environment Enforcement, if garden waste collections were value for money if returning to collect missed bins, and to check if Environmental Health licence charges were fixed by policy or legislation.

The Committee welcomed the findings within the report from the Overview and Scrutiny Working Group. The group reviewed the topic with the purpose of developing recommendations to support improvements, and to improve the overall Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the Council. Discussions ensued with all Members agreeing how wonderful the parks within the Borough were. The programme Improvements highlighted how expensive the replacement of the play flooring was along with the completion time frame for the individual parks. Members wondered if funding opportunities could be further explored.

RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that the following recommendations be CONSIDERED and to RESOLVE accordingly.

1.             That all entrances to parks are audited, to allow wheelchair/mobility access where possible.

2.              Where a play park is fenced around, to ensure the access gate for a wheelchair is close to any accessible/inclusive play equipment or to consider the surface for the travel to the equipment.

3.              Where possible, that every play park in the Borough has access to a minimum of one piece of accessible/inclusive play equipment.

4.              To introduce further sensory play panels to the parks with some possibly away from climbing frames in quiet areas.

5.              When replacing play equipment that a double slide be provided instead of a single slide option.

6.              Exploring options to provide sensory gardens in parks and, where appropriate, to provide a sensory experience for all users to touch, smell, hear and see. To consider utilising parks already established with garden areas in the first instance.

7.              To provide signage across all parks for users to establish areas of rewilding, butterfly and bee planting, sensory and park areas. 

8.              To consider the toilet options in large multi-use parks that are not near town centre facilities.

9.              To consider accessibility/inclusive benches as standard across all parks in the Borough and investigate the triangular benches with back supports as the standard park bench.

10.           The results from the Parks Survey are made available to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

To inform the Committee of items on the Cabinet’s work programme, from which items for scrutiny may be identified.

The Cabinet Work Programme was noted.

The Committee is asked to approve its Work Programme, including identifying topics for scrutiny, that will help to achieve the Council’s key priorities and associated objectives.

The Committee considered the Work Programme and agreed to wait for the Environmental Enforcement data to be provided within the next 6 to 12 months to consider if to scrutinise the topic further.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme be approved with the Environmental Enforcement to be reviewed in 6 to 12 months’ time.