Meeting documents

Members are reminded of the need to consider whether they have a disclosable pecuniary, prejudicial or other (personal) interest to declare in any of the items on this agenda.  Details of any interest must be declared at the start of the meeting or as soon as any interest becomes apparent during the meeting. The attached form must also be completed.  Any advice required should ideally be sought before the day of the meeting.

No declarations of interest were received.

To approve and sign as correct records, the minutes of the former Overview and Scrutiny Board meetings held on 21^st October, 11^th November and 18^th November, 2020, attached

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meetings held on 21 October, 2020 and 11 and 18 November, 2020 be approved as correct records and signed by the Chairman.

(Councillor Roberta Swiers abstained from voting on all three sets of minutes as she was not a member of the former Overview and Scrutiny Board when these meetings were held.  Councillors Mike Cockerill and Paul Riley abstained from voting on the 21^st October, 2020 set of minutes when they were not Members of the former Overview and Scrutiny Board at that meeting).

To consider any public questions submitted, of which due notice has been given and which are relevant to the business of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman reported that no public questions had been received.

Cllr Phil Trumper, the Chair of the Climate Change Task Group will provide a verbal update regarding this review and the important role it will play moving forward in ensuring an environmentally sustainable recovery whilst building on real climate change and sustainable positives resulting from the pandemic, as described in the Council’s Covid-19 Recovery Strategy approved by the Cabinet in July, 2020. The Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Officer will also give a power-point presentation on progress at the meeting.    

Councillor Phil Trumper, the Chair of the Climate Change task and finish group provided a verbal introduction and update on progress and meetings of the Group since he last attended the meeting of the former Overview and Scrutiny Board on 21^st October, 2020.

The recently appointed Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Officer attended the meeting, introduced himself to the Committee and explained his role and principal duties and responsibilities to Members. He informed the Committee that his post of Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Officer was a joint appointment between the Council and the North York Moors National Park Authority, and he worked 2½ days a week for each organisation.

The Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Officer then provided a more detailed overview of the work he had undertaken for the Council to date, especially in-house; intended future actions; and outlined the support and input he was giving to Members of the Climate Change task and finish group’s work, which included assisting the group to draw up a set of draft strategic objectives for approval, to be underpinned by an action plan.  He then also responded to the Committee’s questions and comments on the climate change and carbon reduction work, including the need to embed the recommendations with solid data. The three main strands the task and finish group were looking at, the Council, the community and government & others were highlighted.  He also shared with the Committee, a document which showed details of the Council’s carbon footprint.  Carbon reduction, new homes and the greening of the Council’s fleet were also raised and discussed.

Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, Cabinet Member with portfolio responsibility for climate change addressed the meeting. She referred to the Council’s declaration relating to the Climate Emergency of 2019 and looked forward to the Climate Change task and finish group’s final report being presented to this Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the earliest opportunity it was available.  She complimented the work done to date and talked about plans for fleet transition and electric vehicles.

The Principal Coastal Officer also attended the meeting and provided Members with a comprehensive update on climate change coastal protection, coastal erosion and shoreline monitoring matters.

He outlined his role working for the Council, and in partnership with other bodies, including the Environment Agency and North East Coastal Group.  He talked about climate change, coastal erosion, rising sea levels and the risks of coastal flooding.  He also outlined the biggest risk he could foresee was the impact of undefended former landfill sites scattered along the coast. In addition, he mentioned the importance of sea walls.  The coast was managed by shoreline management plans, these were regional plans, which covered all coastal areas of the United Kingdom.  He then responded to the Committee’s questions and comments thereon the matters he had raised.

A number of Members of this Overview and Scrutiny Committee, who were also members serving on the task and finish group, also spoke about the work they had undertaken to date. They further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider, agree and approve the Places and Future Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s initial programme of work (reference 21/74), along with a copy of the latest published version of the Cabinet’s Forward Plan for consideration. 

The Democratic Services Officer presented the Places and Futures Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s first draft work programme (reference 21/74) for Members’ consideration, along with the most recent copy of the Cabinet Forward Plan.

A new scrutiny structure, of two thematic Overview and Scrutiny Committees had recently been agreed by full Council to replace the former Overview and Scrutiny Board and memberships subsequently appointed at the 26^th February, 2021 meeting of Council.

The respective responsibilities of the "Places and Futures" and "Lives and Homes" Overview and Scrutiny Committees were aligned to the strands of the Council’s corporate plan, "Better Borough, Brighter Futures", which was adopted at the full Council meeting held on 7^th September, 2020.

The Committee discussed the draft work programme submitted and a number of items were put forward for addition thereto, including from the Forward plan in relation to the Scarborough Masterplan; Cemeteries Provision; Playing Pitch Strategy and Housing Strategy.

The Chair and the Democratic Services Officer responded that some of the suggestions put forward for consideration fell under the remit of the Lives and Homes Overview & Scrutiny Committee. These suggestions would be brought to the attention of that Committee for consideration.

RESOLVED: that the draft work programme, as presented, be approved subject to the following changes:-

(1)  the item in relation to the Yorkshire Coast Destination Business Improvement District (YC DBID) be dealt with as single item agenda topic at special meeting on a date to be determined;

(2)  the item in relation to Transpennine Express (TPE) partnership report be dealt with at the Committee’s meeting to be held on 30^th June, 2021 or alternatively as a single item agenda topic at special meeting on a date to be determined;

(3)  that an early update on when public conveniences would reopen be included in the Covid-19 recovery update and scheduled for consideration at the 30^th June, 2021 meeting of the Committee;

(4)  a detailed report on dog fouling – update, be scheduled for consideration at the 30^th June, 2021 meeting of the Committee.