Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Bob Banks and John Campion.

Other Disclosable Interests

Item 5 Member Update and Cabinet Forward Plan; Councillor Ken Pollock declared that he was a Member of the Federation of Small Businesses.

Item 6: Call-in Transfer of Kingsford Forest Park to the National Trust: All Councillors declared that they were Members of the National Trust.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Head of Legal and Democratic Services in writing or by e-mail indicating the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case 11 November 2014).  Enquiries can be made through the telephone number/e-mail address below.

None.

(previously circulated)

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 October 2014 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB) was asked to:

a)    Receive an update on emerging issues and developments within the particular remit of each Member of the OSPB, including an update on each Overview and Scrutiny Panel

b)    Consider the Council's latest Forward Plan in order to identify:

·         any items that it would wish to consider further at a future meeting; and

·         Any items that it would wish to refer to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Panel for further consideration.

The Board received the following updates:

Adult Care and Well-being Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Panel when they met on 11 November looked at the Corporate Strategy Planning proposals for the Adult Services Directorate. They agreed to look at the proposals in further detail and talk to user groups and social workers with a view to reporting back their findings to the OSPB in January 2015.

Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel had not met since the previous Board meeting and so there was no update to report. 

Economy, Environment and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Integrated Waste Joint Scrutiny Task Group was ongoing and the Panel would be looking at the Sustainable Transport Policy at its next meeting, whilst maintaining a continuing interest in flooding, highways and the BT Broadband Contract.

At its September Meeting, the Panel received an update on the challenges facing the Trading Standards Service.  There were some concerns about the potential risks of reducing funding, including impacts on capacity and effectiveness, the Panel would continue to monitor this.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC)

Over the previous year, the HOSC had been looking at the "Well Connected Programme".  This had however, been overtaken by concerns about the impact on Worcestershire residents following the University Hospital Birmingham (UHB)  temporary embargo on non-Birmingham residents being referred to UHB for some treatments and was discussed by HOSC at its meeting on 5 November 2014.

The HOSC was planning to focus on Mental Health issues at its next meeting and over the coming year and would also keep a watching brief on the Re-commissioning of Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Contract and The Care Act.

Localism and Communities

The Archives and Archaeology Scrutiny Task Group was on-going. 

Forward Plan

It was agreed that the Economy, Environment and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel would monitor developments in relation to Worcestershire Parkway Regional Interchange.

A question was asked at the last meeting about whether any indication had been received from the main operator on this line as to whether high speed trains would stop at Worcestershire Parkway.  The Chairman of the Economy, Environment and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel confirmed that it was the intention that high speed trains would stop at the station. 

Other issues for possible scrutiny to be considered as part of the Work Programme were:

·         Worcestershire Citizen's Advice Bureau

·         Update on the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Plan (LEP)

·         The role of the Lord  ...  view the full minutes text for item 829.

In accordance with the Constitution, the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB) were asked to consider the decision taken by the Cabinet on 16 October 2014 in relation to the Transfer of Kingsford Forest Park to the National Trust.  This decision was called-in by eight Councillors and a copy of the call-in was attached to the Agenda.

The Cabinet resolved that

(a)       the transfer of the freehold of Kingsford Park to the National Trust be approved; and

(b)       the authority to negotiate and agree the detailed terms and conditions of the transfer is delegated to the Director of Business, Environment and Community in consultation with the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Localism and Communities.

In accordance with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, a copy of which are available on the County Council's website, the following have been invited to attend the meeting:

·         Signatories to the call-in

·        Mrs L C Hodgson, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Localism and Communities

·         Mr J P Campion, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Transformation and Commissioning

·         Head of Community and Environment

·         Programme and Commissioning Manager

·         The Local Member

Once it had heard from all parties and considered the decision called-in, the OSPB would need to consider whether to:

(a) accept the decision without qualification or comment (in which case it could be implemented immediately without being considered again by the Cabinet); or

(b)  accept the decision (in which case it could be implemented immediately without being considered again by Cabinet) but with qualification or comment which the relevant Cabinet Member with Responsibility must consider and respond to; or

(c) propose modifications to the decision or require a reconsideration of the decision (in which case the implementation of the decision was delayed until the Cabinet had received and considered a report of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board);or

(d)  in exceptional circumstances ask the Council to consider whether option (a) (b) or (c) is appropriate (in which case the implementation is delayed until after the meeting of the Council to which it has been referred and, if Council resolves option (c), the Cabinet has reconsidered the matter having regard to the Council’s view).

The Chairman reminded Members that, to ensure (as far as possible) a structured approach to the consideration of the matter, the following order of proceedings had been suggested:

·         Presentation of the reasons for calling-in the decision

·         Questions and clarification

·         Response by the Cabinet Member/Officer

·         Questions and clarification

·         Any comments by the Local Member

·         Any closing remarks by the Cabinet Member/Officer

·         Any closing remarks by those Members calling-in the decision

Presentation of the reasons for calling-in the decision

Cllr P McDonald presented the case for the call-in and in doing so made the following main points:

·         By transferring Kingsford Forest Park as a gift to the National Trust, the County Council had potentially lost the opportunity for income from parking charges and also the opportunity of a capital receipt had the site been sold.

·         The 'soft marketing' carried out was not in depth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 830.