To receive from Members any declarations of interest and of any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

Councillor Nigel Aldis declared a personal interest in Item 10, Leisure Facility Strategy, as a Member of Biggleswade Rugby Club.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

There were no Chairman’s announcements or communications.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18 October 2012 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18 October 2012 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

No petitions were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

The Committee were informed that three persons had registered to speak in relation to the Leisure Facility Strategy (Minute SCOSC/12/63 refers) in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.  With the agreement of those speakers they would be invited to speak during that item.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review  in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

The Panel was advised that no decisions of the Executive had been referred to the Panel under the Call-in Procedures set out in Appendix “A” to Rule No. S18 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

No items were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive for information verbal updates from the Executive Members for Sustainable Communities Strategic Planning and Economic Development and Sustainable Communities Services.

There were no updates to be provided to the Committee by the Executive Members.

To consider the draft Leisure Facilities Strategy prior to consultation for development as a Supplementary Planning Document.

The Committee heard from three members of the public who had registered to speak.  Letters were also circulated to Members of the Committee in support of the statements.  The speakers raised issues in relation to the following:-

·                 The current membership of the dry-side of Houghton Regis Leisure Centre.

·                 The previous closure of the swimming pool at Houghton Regis Leisure Centre had been to the detriment of the local community.

·                 The level of support locally for a new leisure centre on the existing site in Houghton Regis.

·                 The considerable amount of local support for reopening the swimming pool at Houghton Regis Leisure Centre.

·                 Specific issues relating to the distance that children of Houghton Regis Lower School and Hawthorn Park Schools have to travel to Dunstable to use a swimming pool.

The Deputy Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services presented a report that set out the methodology and key findings of an audit and assessment of leisure facilities in Central Bedfordshire and the emerging preferred options.  The Deputy Executive Member Cllr Dalgarno highlighted the purposes of the Strategy including the intention for it to be ultimately adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document and its importance to provide a strategic direction for leisure facilities in Central Bedfordshire.  In response to the report and further clarification provided by Cllr Dalgarno the Committee discussed the following issues in detail:-

·        Progress in relation to development of the strategy had been slow.  The process had not been run in an order that permitted the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) to consider the full proposals prior to their consideration by the Executive.  Concerns were raised that some information would be made available to the Executive in January that had not been made available for the OSC.  The Chairman suggested that the report was incomplete and as a result of the lack of information (including financial) the Committee could not comment in a meaningful way.  In response the Deputy Executive Member commented that the timeline for developing the strategy was on time.  There would be more time during the development of chapters 2, 3 and 4 of the strategy to provide additional supporting information to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·        Cllr Dr R Egan suggested that 8 lane swimming pools should be provided in new build leisure centres as they were more suitable for swimming clubs and allowed for more simple dual usage of the pool.  The Deputy Executive Member agreed to consider this principal and consider amending the report in relation to the emerging long term proposal of a new Houghton Regis Leisure Centre.

·        The Council needed to encourage the use of facilities throughout the opening hours of leisure facilities.  The Council should not seek only to address demand for court space at peak hours as this will lead to over-supply during non-peak hours.

·        A Councillor’s concern that some of the issues raised at the stakeholder workshops had not been included in the report (this included issues relating the use of sporting facilities in schools).  It was also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

To consider the CCTV Strategy for Central Bedfordshire.

The Committee receive a report from the Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Services that outlined a CCTV Plan for Central Bedfordshire covering the period 2013-17.  In response to the report and further clarification provided by the Head of Community Safety the Committee discussed the following issues in detail:-

·              Whether there was evidence of the benefits of using CCTV and how this might impact on the decision of local communities to invest in CCTV or Police Community Support Officers. In response the Head of Community Safety commented that evidence of the benefits of CCTV was difficult to determine but CCTV recordings are often used secure prosecutions.  It was felt that the police would support the use of CCTV as its removal may result in additional demands being placed on police resources.

·              Clarification was required regarding the number of CCTV cameras provided in Central Bedfordshire, particularly considering whether the Council system of 99 cameras included those in Shefford.

·              The importance of CCTV provision keeping up with the development of new technology to ensure that the quality of recordings were as high as possible.

Following discussion the Committee commented that it would be useful to consider any evidence of the benefits of CCTV.  The Head of Community Safety agreed to circulate information to Members outside of the Committee.

RECOMMENDED TO EXECUTIVE

1.                  That Executive adopt the proposed CCTV Plan 2013 - 17 for Central Bedfordshire

2.                  That delegated authority be provided to the Director of Sustainable Communities, in consultation with the Executive Member for Sustainable Communities (Services) to implement the actions as set out in the CCTV Plan.

The report highlights the Quarter Two performance from Sustainable Communities

The Acting Head of Service Development informed the Committee of the quarter 2 performance of the Sustainable Communities directorate.  In response the Committee discussed the following issues in detail:-

·              Excellent performance in relation to usage and satisfaction with the library service.

·              Performance in relation to the number of people in employment (aged 16 to 64) and whether the Council could provide assurance that local young people were prioritised for available jobs.

·              The commentary for performance in relation to resident satisfaction with road and pavement repairs should identify the activity underway to improve performance over the next 12 months.

NOTED the report

To receive the quarter 2 capital budget monitoring report for the Sustainable Communities directorate.

The Senior Finance Manager informed the Committee of the capital programme report of the Sustainable Communities directorate for quarter 2.  In response the Committee commented that the figures were historical in nature and as such did not provide a current position for the directorate.  The Committee stated it could not comment on the report as it was out of date. 

NOTED the report

To receive the quarter 2 revenue budget monitoring report for the Sustainable Communities directorate.

The Senior Finance Manager informed the Committee of the revenue position for the Sustainable Communities directorate for quarter 2.  The Committee queried whether the Executive Members were confident of achieving the £3.988k annual savings target for the directorate  The Executive Members commented that they were confident of achieving the savings required for the directorate.

In response to the report the Committee commented that the figures were historical in nature and as such did not provide a current position for the directorate.  The Committee stated it could not comment on the report as it was out of date. 

NOTED the report

To consider progress regarding the delivery of the Climate Change Strategy and the Carbon Management Plan and proposals relating to the LGA’s Climate Local initiative.

The Committee received a report from the Corporate Policy Adviser (Sustainability and Climate Change) in response to requests for clarification at a previous meeting.  In response the Committee discussed the following issues in detail:-

·              The ways in which the Council’s property was used to contribute to the carbon reduction target.  In response the Corporate Policy Adviser commented that the asset programme of works was currently considering the use of Priory House and how it could be used more efficiently.

·              The level of progress achieved by the Council in relation to several programmes including; car sharing; transport for staff between council sites and video-conferencing.

·              Whether the Council had a duty to encourage carbon efficiency in academy schools.  Members queried the ways in which the Council supported academies and whether they were included in the Council carbon reduction target.  In response the Corporate Policy Adviser commented that academies were not included in the savings figures.  The Council did not have a duty in relation to academies but did work with private companies to provide information and advice.

·              The benefits of signing up to the Climate Local initiative, which included access to forums and expertise.  Members considered that the benefits of the programme could be achieved by other means and signing up to this commitment was not necessary.

·              Whether the £70k cost to which the Council would be subject as part of the Carbon Reduction Committee attributed to street-lighting was accurate.  Members suggested that this figure would be higher.  In response the Corporate Policy Adviser agreed to clarify these figures.

RECOMMENDED that the Council not become a signatory of the Climate Local Initiative.

To consider the currently drafted Committee work programme for 2012/13 and the Executive Forward Plan.

The Committee received their work programme for 2012/13 and Executive Forward Plan.  Members commented that the performance and budget reports were received too late for the Committee to comment in a meaningful way.  This should be considered in relation to the presentation of future quarterly reports.  At the request of a Member an item on the review of bus services was agreed to be added to the work programme.

The Executive Member for Sustainable Communities Strategic Planning stated that all Members had been invited to attend a two day tour of the sites in the draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan for Central Bedfordshire in preparation for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) on 28 February 2013.  In advance of these site visits a list of all the potential gypsy and traveller sites that were being considered would be presented to the OSC in on 17 January 2013 for their information.  The Chairman stressed the importance of Members of the Sustainable Communities OSC attending both days of the tour in advance of the meeting in February 2013.

RESOLVED

1.                  That an item on the review of bus services be considered by the Committee at a future meeting.

2.                  That a list of the potential sites in the draft Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan for Central Bedfordshire be presented to the Committee at their meeting on 17 January 2013 prior to consideration of the shortlist of potential Gypsy and Traveller Sites at the meeting on 28 February 2013