To authorise the Chair to sign the Minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 25 April and 16 May 2022 as correct records of proceedings.

The Chair was authorised to sign the Minutes of the meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 25 April and 16 May 2022 as correct records of the proceedings.

The Chair to ask if any Member present is substituting for another Member and, if so, to declare his/her name as substitute Member and the name of the absent Member.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J. Barnes and Gray.

It was noted that Councillor Mrs Barnes was present as a substitute for Councillor J. Barnes and Councillor Thomas was present as a substitute for Councillor Gray.

To receive any disclosure by Members of personal and disclosable pecuniary interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the personal interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct. Members are reminded of the need to repeat their declaration immediately prior to the commencement of the item in question.

Declarations of interest were made by Councillors in the Minutes as indicated below:       

Thomas           Agenda Item 5 – Personal interest as Chairman and Company Executive Director of the Council’s Housing Company.

Consideration was given to the report of the Director – Place and Climate Change on the Performance Report of the Fourth Quarter 2021/22.  Members were given the opportunity to scrutinise progress towards the Council’s stated aims, outcomes and actions in the Corporate Plan and make any necessary recommendations to Cabinet for future service delivery. 

A summary of the Council’s performance against the selected Key Performance Indicators (KPI) areas (Housing and Communities, Economic Development and Poverty, Waste Collection, Additional Income and Planning Processing) at the end of the third financial quarter (1 January 2022 to 31 March 2022) was set out in the report.  Performance was compared to the previous quarter result and to the same quarter the previous year.

Housing and Communities:  During quarter four, one measure had met its target (Number of affordable homes delivered (gross) (supply target)) and four measures did not meet their target (Number of all Households in Temporary Accommodation (TA), Average Weeks in TA, Number of Households on the Housing Register and Net Additional Homes Provided Supply target). 

Economic Development and Poverty: During quarter four, one measure had met its target (Number of Council Tax Reduction Claimants) and two measures did not reach their target (Council Tax Collection Rates and Business Rates Collection Rates).

Waste Collection:  The reported figures were for quarter three as the data received was one quarter in arrears from Waste Data Flow.  This measure (East Sussex County Council  Waste re-used, composted and recycled) did not meet its target. The most recent Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) report dated 15 December 2021 stated that the recycling rate nationally fell by 1.5% for the year 2020/2021. Reasons why had not been given in the report, other than factors related to COVID lockdown. The report for 2021/2022 was due in December 2022.

Additional Income:  During quarter four, one measure met its target (Net Income from all investments assets) and one measure did not (Additional Income Generation).  The pandemic had had a negative effect on the Council’s ability to implement proposals for achieving additional income, but progress had been made and the situation was expected to improve markedly in 2022/23.  For example, the Planning pre-application advice service had been re-launched in the current financial year and rental income from the Amherst Road building was now being generated.

Planning Processing: During quarter four, both measures did not meet their targets (Major Applications days to process and Minor Applications days to process).  However, the last quarter had continued to see the reduction in the overall caseload, especially older cases, and a continued improving trend in terms of time taken to process planning applications. This was expected to continue into 2022/23 as the overall caseload and number of older cases continued to decline.

Members had the opportunity to ask questions and the following points were noted during the discussion:

•           Members were concerned that the waste re-used, composted and recycled rate had decreased and what the reasons were for this.  Detailed data was not available at  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSC22/7.

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Executive detailing the Annual Work Programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC).

An informal Annual Scrutiny Work Programming (ASWP) meeting had taken place on 17 May 2022, which afforded the opportunity for Members to discuss areas of concern and for officers to highlight the Council’s key priorities for 2022/23.  It was noted that the proposed items for inclusion on the Work Programme had originated from Members at various meetings held throughout the year and had been compiled for Members’ consideration and discussion at the informal meeting.  The notes arising from the meeting were appended to the report at Appendix B, with the proposed Work Programme detailed at Appendix 1.

Members were reminded that any Councillor could make a request for an item to be placed onto the Council’s OSC Work Programme.

The following additions to the proposed Work Programme were noted:

•           18 July 2022 – Affordable Housing Policy

Members requested that Healthy Living, to incorporate leisure facilities (inside and outside) and the skate park, as discussed at the ASWP meeting, be taken forward by the setting up of a Task and Finish Group.  Officers would therefore bring a report to the September meeting.

RESOLVED: That the Work Programme at Appendix A be agreed as amended.