Agenda item

Please see attached the draft work plan of future scrutiny items for noting.

Please see a link to the schedule of future business proposed for the Council which can be viewed on the Council's web site. This on-line document is a source for Members to raise issues at Scrutiny on forthcoming Executive agenda items:-

https://exeter.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-meetings/forward-plan-of-executive-decisions/

Should Members wish to raise issues in respect of future business please notify Sharon Sissons in advance of the meeting.

Members discussed the Forward Plan and updated business on the draft Scrutiny Work Plan with notable changes being the Live and Move Strategy to the November meeting. An invitation was also extended to the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological Crisis to attend the November meeting.

Councillor Moore wished to propose a working group to discuss a draft terms of reference document that she had put together to bring back to the Scrutiny Committee in respect of a Climate Change Sub Committee.  She commended the work of the Service Lead Net Zero and her team and stressed that the discussion should centre on consideration of the city wide work and options for resourcing and not of the City Council’s work.

The Chair referred to the status of the Standing Overview Group which had been proposed at a previous meeting of this Scrutiny Committee, and referred to it as a model more commonly used by the County Council as a limited information gathering group. She suggested that following an impending report to the Executive on the demise of Exeter City Futures that the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological Crisis be asked to attend the November Scrutiny meeting to discuss the merits of a city wide scrutiny of net zero work with other partners.

Members had a rigorous discussion on the status of the Standing Overview Group and of the proposals to re-engage this discussion.

Councillor Mitchell suggested that the Standing Overview Group was in effect a Sub Committee, but that the direction of the Council had changed in the intervening time particularly with the end of Exeter City Futures. It was important for the City Council to take a leadership role and provide a forum and draw the discussion on Exeter together.

Councillor Mitchell moved the following to have an in principle agreement of setting up a Sub Committee to act as a city wide forum to bring together partners with the aim of Exeter being Carbon Neutral by 2030, and a meeting be held as soon as possible with the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological Crisis, the Chair and Deputy Chair of this Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Moore as the original proposer, and the Chief Executive to discuss matters including a proposed terms of reference.

Advice would be sought on the route through the Committee process as some aspects of the proposal may be included in the forthcoming report to the Executive on Exeter City Futures and to ensure that this request accords with the Executive’s approach on this matter.

The motion was seconded, voted upon and carried. 

RESOLVED that the report be noted, and

RECOMMENDED to Council that in principle a Climate Change Sub Committee be set up to act as a city wide forum to bring together partners with the aim of Exeter  achieving Carbon Neutral status by 2030. The arrangements should include a meeting at the earliest opportunity to discuss the way forward including the Portfolio Holder for Climate and Ecological Crisis, the Chair and Deputy Chair of this Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Moore as the original proposer, and the Chief Executive to discuss matters, including a terms of reference and the route through the Committee process.