Agenda item

Report by the Assistant Chief Executive.

4.1       The Senior Democratic Services Advisor introduced the report (a copy of which is included in the minute book and is available on the Council’s web site). The Place Scrutiny Committee has a remit which includes the Council’s services which were formerly scrutinised by the Economy, Transport and Environment (ETE) and Audit, Best Value and Community Services (ABVCS) Scrutiny Committee’s. This report provides the opportunity for the Place Committee to agree the items for its future work programme. The work programme is a focus for the Committee’s work and is comprised of work carried forward from the ETE and ABVCS Scrutiny Committees and new topics for consideration.

Past Scrutiny Work

4.2       The Committee discussed the work of the previous Scrutiny Review Boards outlined in paragraph 2.3 of the report.  The Committee RESOLVED to:

• Re-establish the Waste Review Board comprised of Cllr Daniel, Cllr Taylor (Chair), to consider the outcomes of the public consultation and proposals for changes to the Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS) Service.

• Establish a Scrutiny Review Board to examine proposals for the future management of countryside sites, which forms part of the implementation of the Countryside Access Strategy. The Review Board will be comprised of the current Committee members who were involved in the previous reference group who are Councillors Claire Dowling, Pat Rodohan, Richard Stogdon and Barry Taylor, plus Councillors Martin Clarke and Stephen Shing. It was proposed to hold the first Review Board meeting on 13 September 2018, following the Place Scrutiny Committee meeting.

• Include an update report in the work programme on the implementation of the Libraries Strategic Commission Strategy LSCS). The Committee asked the Assistant Director, Communities what would be the most appropriate timescale for the report. It was agreed that the report will be added to the work programme for the Place Scrutiny Committee meeting to be held in March 2019.

Scrutiny Reviews

Scrutiny Review of Road Repairs

4.3       The Chair outlined the investigation work that had been undertaken by himself, Councillor Taylor and Councillor Rodohan on the issue of road repairs and in particular pot hole repairs in the rural areas of the County. It is proposed to undertake a Scrutiny Review of Road Repairs to examine this issue in line with the draft terms of reference that has been circulated to the Committee. The Committee agreed that the scope of the review should include urban areas as well.

4.4       The Committee RESOLVED to establish a Scrutiny Review Board to undertake the proposed review, and the Review Board members will be Councillors Richard Stogdon, Barry Taylor, Pat Rodohan, Simon Elford, Nigel Enever, Claire Dowling and Stephen Shing.

Scrutiny Review of the Effectiveness of School Travel Plans

4.5       Councillor Godfrey Daniel outlined the reasons for suggesting a review of the effectiveness of School Travel Plans. Often when the Planning Committee is asked to consider applications for the expansion of schools, there is a requirement to update or provide a School Travel Plan to mitigate the impact on local residents of additional vehicles dropping pupils off at the school and to promote sustainable methods of transport. The proposed lines of enquiry include an examination of whether these plans make a difference, how they are monitored, and do they have the impact that they should have. The proposal does not have a financial implication as it is likely that any recommendations can be implemented without the need for additional expenditure.

4.6       The Assistant Director, Economy responded that it may be useful for the Committee to meet with Officers who can inform them about current situation regarding School Travel Plans and is happy to support the Committee’s work in this area.

4.7       The Committee RESOLVED to add this topic to the work programme and that a small group of Committee members will investigate the scope of the Review with Officers. It was agreed that Councillors Godfrey Daniel, Claire Dowling and Darren Grover will undertake this work on behalf of the Committee.

Work Programme

4.8       The Committee reviewed the planned reports on the draft work programme contained in Appendix 1 of the report. The Committee asked if it would be possible to have a report back on the implementation of the changes to highways grass cutting towards the end of the grass cuttings season. This is to enable the Committee to examine what the impact of implementing the changes has been, the public response, and whether any further changes are proposed in the light of this feedback.

4.9       The Committee agreed the reports for future Place Scrutiny Committee meetings as follows:

13 September 2018

• East Sussex Road Safety Programme
• Dropped Kerbs
• Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR)

15 November 2018

• An update report on Highways Grass Cutting
• A further report on the work of the Emergency Planning Team
• Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR)

March 2019

• An update report on the implementation of the Libraries Strategic Commissioning Strategy (LSCS)
• An update report on the Dutch Elm Disease (DED) Strategy (Anthony Becvar/AndyArnold)
• Adaptation to Climate Change – The Director of Communities, Economy and Transport (CET) commented that this report would be timely as the Government will have published the second National Action Plan for Local Authorities.

March or June 2019

• An update report on the implementation of the Scrutiny Review of Superfast Broadband will be included on the agenda of either the March 2019 and June 2019 Place Scrutiny Committee meeting.

Potential Future Scrutiny Work

4.10     The Committee identified that it will need briefings on the some of the service areas that have been included within the remit of the Place Scrutiny Committee in order to identify topics for scrutiny. In particular all the service areas covered by Orbis.

4.11     The Chief Executive responded that the best way to cover this may be to have two briefings, one to cover Orbis business services, and the other to cover the Chief Executive’s Office and Governance Services. The Chief Executive clarified that although Orbis and Orbis Public Law share the same branding, the partners and services are different.

4.12     The Committee RESOLVED to request briefings on these services, to be provided at a time separate from the formal Committee meetings.

4.13     The Committee asked if there is any work coming forward on Economic Development that the Committee could get involved in. The Director of CET agreed to arrange a presentation on Economic Development activity for the Committee meeting on 15 November 2018.

Forward Plan items

4.14     The Committee reviewed the Forward Plan and noted that an update report on Transport for the South East (TfSE) is being presented to Cabinet on the 26 June 2018. The Committee requested a report on TfSE to cover what this will mean for East Sussex and what benefits there will be for East Sussex residents.

4.15     The Director of CET outlined that although some of the improvements may occur outside of East Sussex, there will benefits to East Sussex at a strategic level. Once the Committee has had a chance to consider the Cabinet report on the 26 June, it can then determine how it wants to bring this into the work programme. The Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Development added that the strategic planning of transport infrastructure and services that TfSE will undertake will bring benefits and have an impact on East Sussex. The most effective way of influencing the way Government funding is spent in the South East is by working with other Local Authorities so that there is a stronger voice. In addition, once TfSE is formally established the Government will have to have ‘due regard’ to the proposals put forward by TfSE.

4.16     Councillor Stephen Shing asked if there was an update on the A27 upgrade. The Director of CET responded that Highways England is finalising the strategic business case at the moment for the construction of a dual carriageway along the A27 between Polegate and Lewes. The only decision that has been taken so far is the Department for Transport (DfT) funding for the project to deliver smaller improvements along the route of the A27 between Polegate and Lewes.

4.17 The Committee RESOLVED that it would like to receive a report on TfSE and what it means for East Sussex, at the Committee meeting to be held on 13 September 2018.