To note the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker.

Members were referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker, pages 175 to 222 of the Agenda refer. Members were invited to review the tracker and put their comments and questions forward.

 

Overview Standing Reference Group - Sutton on Sea Colonnade Project

 

Recommendation No 3 ‘To work with Lincolnshire County Council to improve the surfacing of Broadway’, page 175 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member commented on the lack of collaboration with Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) and highlighted that the work was behind schedule, and that part of the car park was being used as a worksite.  In response, the Policy and Scrutiny Officer advised Members that an update would be sought from the Interim Consultant for Culture and Regeneration.

 

Further to a discussion, it was agreed that the Recommendation on the tracker would be removed and the failure to effectively liaise with LCC was noted.

 

N.B Councillor Neil Jones left the Meeting at 12.49pm.

 

• Councillor Alex Hall requested it be noted that he was a Lincolnshire County Council Councillor.

 

Recommendation No 4 ‘Explore opportunities with museum services and universities to develop the exhibition space’, page 177 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member commented that securing an operator early in the project was crucial to the success of the development and that it was hoped that an operator came forward soon.

 

• The Chairman highlighted that the MP for Louth and Horncastle had shown a visible presence in recent weeks at the Sutton on Sea Colonnade.

 

To explore the issues surrounding caravan licensing and enforcement

 

Recommendation No 1 – ‘To recognise the need to make Caravan Enforcement a priority for the new Council, with the first priorities dealing with the issue of unauthorised occupancy and to review and strengthen licence conditions’, page 181 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member expressed concern for the future progress of caravan enforcement in light of the news of local government reorganisation.   In response, the Chairman assured Members that ELDC had until April 2028 to make significant progress before changes occurred.

 

How can ELDC help improve the design, quality, and choice of new and existing housing in the district?

 

• A Member queried the lack of response from the Place Manager (Economic Growth), page 192 of the Agenda refers.  In response the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that the Place Manager (Economic Growth) was no longer with the organisation and that one of his roles had included Town and Parish Liaison meetings in conjunction with the Clerk. 

 

The Scrutiny and Policy Officer further advised Members that the change presented the opportunity for the scrutiny panel to examine ways to improve engagement with town and parish councils.

 

Partnership Task Group - Public Transport in the S&ELCP area, page 196 to 202 of the Agenda refer.

 

• The Scrutiny and Policy Officer informed Members that Recommendations 2 to 11 had not been previously agreed as official recommendations.

 

Further to a discussion it was agreed to remove the recommendations that the Council was unable to action.

 

• A Member queried whether work was being duplicated by Lincolnshire County Council.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that the Assistant Director (Strategic Growth and Development) was working toward better liaison to improve working relationships and to avoid duplication of work.

 

To review the running of Invest East Lindsey Limited, with a particular focus on Kingfisher Caravan Park.

 

Shareholder Supervisory Board meetings to be scheduled on Council meetings programme and stop being ad hoc.

 

At this point in the Meeting, the Chairman asked that it be noted that she was on the Shareholder Supervisory Board for Invest East Lindsey.

 

Recommendation No 5 – ‘Shareholder Supervisory Board meetings to be scheduled on Council meetings programme and stop being ad hoc’, page 212 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member queried whether the action had been completed.  In response, the Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that the Assistant Director (Governance) and Monitoring Officer had advised that the recommendation was not supported as it was not a statutory committee meeting.  Members were further advised that Audit and Governance Committee could request the information as part of the six-monthly update received.   In response, the Chairman stressed the importance of Committee’s requesting regular updates.

 

Recommendation No 6 – ‘Steps to be taken to keep all Councillors better informed of the activities of Invest East Lindsey and aware of who sits on the associated Boards, page 213 of the Agenda refers.

 

• The Chairman wished to see the recommendation remain amber to obtain regular updates.

 

Recommendation No 12 – ‘Future ELDC business cases should have extra pre-decision scrutiny in addition to Overview Committee, to enable a fully informed decision to be made by Full Council’, page 215 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member emphasised the need for early awareness of decisions and future business cases.  In response, the Chairman advised Members that it should be stressed to the Executive Board to provide advance notice alongside monitoring on the Forward Plan.

 

• A Member commented that pre-decision scrutiny was difficult to achieve.  In response, the Chairman advised Members that pre-decision scrutiny had been undertaken successfully in the past.

 

• The Scrutiny and Policy Officer explained to Members of the differences in the structuring of the individual Forward Plans at the Partnership Councils and that alignment of the Forward Plan and Work Programmes was being considered.  In response, the Chairman supported the benefits of learning from other Councils and requested future progress updates on alignment of the Forward Plan.

 

Recommendation No. 15 – ‘Presentation to Council about Invest East Lindsey with a business case to justify its future’, page 216 of the Agenda refers.

 

• A Member commented that Invest East Lindsey should be required to present business cases to Council as it was the Council’s money.  In response, the Chairman advised Members that it was not Invest East Lindsey’s role to present business cases as was a private company.   The Scrutiny and Policy Officer further advised Members that the Audit and Governance Committee was able to request further detail on any proposals.

 

The Scrutiny and Policy Officer advised Members that Internal Audit had requested for Invest East Lindsey updates to be presented to Audit and Governance Committee and Executive Board at six monthly intervals as part of risk management. 

 

• The Chairman stressed that the Council needed to be mindful not to duplicate work by requesting reports that would be presented to Overview Committee in addition to Audit and Governance Committee and the Executive Board.

 

The Chairman thanked everyone for their comments.

 

No further comments or questions were received.

 

Following which it was,

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracker be noted.

 

N.B Councillor Dick Edginton left the Meeting at 13.13pm.