Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 31 January 2023. The draft minutes can be viewed at: http://modgov.southsomerset.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=141&Year=0

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 31 January 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barbara Appleby, Paul Maxwell and Gerard Tucker. Late apologies were also received from Councillors Oliver Patrick and Robin Bastable.

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (as amended 26 February 2015), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting.

Councillors Lucy Trimnell and Sue Osborne each declared a personal interest for any matters on the District Executive agenda which may have an impact for the new Somerset Authority, as they are also members of Somerset County Council. It was noted this may also apply to other members.

There were no members of the public present at the meeting.

This is an opportunity for Members to question the progress on issues arising from previous meetings.  However, this does not allow for the re-opening of a debate on any item not forming part of this agenda.

There were no issues raised from previous meetings.

The Chairman noted this was the final meeting of the South Somerset District Council Scrutiny Committee, and noted it had been an award-winning Scrutiny Committee which had often been seen as an example of good practice. She felt privileged to have been involved with Scrutiny over many years, and thanked all officers and members for their support and diligence. Best wishes for the future were conveyed to everyone.

There were no verbal updates on reports considered by District Executive at the February meeting.

Members considered the reports within the District Executive agenda for 2 March 2023 and raised comments and questions as detailed below. Responses to most questions and comments were provided at Scrutiny Committee by the relevant officers – except any marked by an asterisk.

Corporate Performance Report 2022-23: 3^rd Quarter (Item 6)

·        Some members asked how the monitoring of the performance indicators would be monitored going forwards into the new authority?

·        Some members also asked post-April, how would performance on these (SSDC) indicators be reported so that members are aware of performance in their local area?

·        Para 16 – regarding fly tips – a member queried what the latest situation was and if collections had improved since December?

·        *Para 19 – there is reference to public realm works completed in Chard. A member commented a lot of building type work was still on-going in Chard and queried which part of the public realm works the paragraph referred to?

·        *PL1 – page 14 – a member queried if it was known how many developments were likely to come forward now that the phosphates situation and mitigation solutions was progressing?

Sale of Commercial Development Land at Lufton, Yeovil (Lufton 2000 Joint Venture) (item 7)

Scrutiny Committee proposed, and unanimously voted, to exclude the press and public from the room for consideration of the confidential appendix for this item.

CONFIDENTIAL – Exclusion of the Press and Public

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), the Committee resolved that the press and public be excluded from this item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, i.e. “Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

·        Members raised several comments in confidential session regarding information contained within the appendix to the report.

·        Scrutiny Committee were content in principle to support the recommendations in the report.

2022/23 Quarter 3 Capital Budget Monitoring Report for the Period Ending 31 December 2022 (Item 8)

·        Going forwards, some members queried how the quarter 4 budget would be reported? Would the quarter 4 budget monitoring be amalgamated with the other districts or would figures be identifiable as the former SSDC?

·        Para 16 – a member queried what was the latest status/progress was regarding the projects for decarbonisation of operational buildings?

·        Para 18 – a member noted and highlighted the positive outcome of the Salix grant funding.

·        Scrutiny Committee were content to support the recommendations in the report.

2022/23 Quarter 3 Capital Budget Monitoring Report for the Period Ending 31 December 2022 (Item 9)

·        No questions.

·        Scrutiny Committee were content to support the recommendations in the report.

Urgent Decision of the Chief Executive Relating to the Provision of Hostel Accommodation (Item 10)

·        On the general subject of hostel accommodation, a member queried going into the new authority how much would we be able to pool the facilities and provisions?

·        A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

There were no updates on matters of interest.

Before closing the meeting the Chairman thanked everyone for their attendance in what felt like the end of an era. She wished everyone the best of luck going forward.