Agenda item

Members discussed the Work Plan and Scrutiny Proposals submitted.

Performance and service provided to customers and stakeholders of Stagecoach South West in Exeter

The Chair advised that she had met the Managing Director of Stagecoach, adding that, although she was one of the proposers, her personal preference would be for this item to go the Transport Working Group first. Councillor Moore welcomed the proposal to invite Stagecoach to the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee and made reference to:-

·         the Bus Impact Plan; and

·         the fact that the new Combined County Authority would have Transport in its remit.

Councillor Holland remarked that Transport was still currently a County matter and wondered if someone from HATOC should be invited. Councillor Wardle clarified that, while Stagecoach representatives could be invited, they did not have to accept the invitation.

It was moved by Councillor Parkhouse and seconded by Councillor Rees that the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee agree in principle to add this Scrutiny proposal to the Work Plan, with timescale and scoping to be confirmed at the next meeting of the Committee. Following a vote, the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.

Update on Exeter Community Lottery first year of operation, amount raised for good causes

Members noted that Exeter Community Lottery was on the agenda of the September meeting of the Executive and felt that the November meeting of the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee (instead of October) would allow for more precise scoping for this piece of work.

It was moved by Councillor Parkhouse and seconded by Councillor Rees that this item be put on the Work Plan for 27 November 2024, with timescale and scoping to be confirmed at the next meeting of the Committee (3 October). Following a vote, the recommendation was CARRIED.

Anti-Social Behaviour in the City Centre – its causes and possible solutions

While Councillors Read and Moore supported the proposal, with Councillor Moore singling out street attachment as an issue of importance, Councillor Wardle felt that the proposal would add little to what had been presented earlier in the meeting. Councillor Holland agreed with him and reminded Committee members of the importance of the Police Neighbourhood Meetings. Councillor Miller suggested a March 2025 slot as an option for this item.

Councillor Wardle proposed, and Councillor Pole seconded, an amended to defer any discussion on the subject until the January 2025 meeting of the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee. Following a vote, the amendment was CARRIED.

Budget Scrutiny proposal

Councillor Moore referred to the recent meeting of the Combined Customer Focus and Strategy Committee and sought clarity on how to progress the scrutiny of the budget process. She proposed that the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee should receive a report from relevant Portfolio Holders on options for approaches to achieve a balanced budget, followed by three spotlight reviews (i.e. one meeting) to consider each of the following:

1.    HR: staff pay, skills gaps, use of contractors and use of apprenticeship levy

2.    Progress of income generation strategy/income generations

3.    Impact of options on environment, inequality and protected characteristics

The Chair made the point that, while she agreed that Scrutiny should exercise finance monitoring, the remit of this committee was to scrutinise process; she also reminded Members to be mindful of the capacity of the Democratic Services team.

The Interim Monitoring Officer remarked on the complexity and the operational nature of the areas of scrutiny proposed by Councillor Moore. He further felt that the timescales were not realistic and called on Committee members to look at Scrutiny in the longer term.

Councillor Rees called on members of the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee to share their ideas and suggestions with the Chair, stressing the need to have a robust plan in place after the October meeting.

It was moved by Councillor Parkhouse and seconded by Councillor Wardle that this item be put on the agenda for the 3 October 2024 meeting for further scoping and to allow for more clarity. Following a vote, the recommendation was CARRIED.

External witnesses

Councillor Rees called on members of the Committee to email the Chair and Deputy Chair if they wished to propose external witnesses and, in instances of witnesses who could be perceived as either partial or non-neutral (e.g. from pressure groups), provide a short biography of the person(s). Councillor Moore expressed unease at this last point, making the point the definition of what constitutes a pressure group may change from one person to the next.

It was moved by Councillor Parkhouse and seconded by Councillor Rees that the Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee approve the Work Plan as submitted, with the Six-monthly update on Homelessness Strategy to be added to the 27 November 2024 agenda. Following a vote, the recommendation was CARRIED unanimously.