Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 12th June, 2025 7.00 pm - Agenda and draft minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman/two Vice-Chairmen of the Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: That Cllrs. Nadia Martin and M.J. Tennant be appointed as Vice-Chairmen of the Committee for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 27th March, 2025 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 27th March, 2025 were agreed as a correct record.

To receive the Registered Providers Task and Finish Group Annual Report 2024/25. Report No. PG2515 is attached on the work of the Task and Finish Group during the 2024/25 Municipal Year. The Committee is asked to consider the recommendations.

The Committee welcomed Mrs Zoe Paine, Strategy and Enabling Manager, who was in attendance to provide the Annual Report on the work of the Registered Providers Task and Finish Group during the 2024/25 Municipal Year. Cllr Keith Dibble, Housing and Planning Portfolio Holder was also in attendance to answer Members questions.

Mrs Paine, advised on the purpose, membership, terms of reference and process of the Group. It was noted that the Terms of Reference had been amended to fit with the new Council priorities and Registered Providers (RPs) that had not been invited to meet with the Group had been asked to complete a questionnaire online, only three had completed this.

It was noted that the three invited RPs had been, Metropolitan Thames  Valley Housing Association (MTVHA), A2 Dominion and VIVID. Engaging with the largest provider of social housing in the area, VIVID, had been challenging, with them refusing to meet with the Group, but offering an all Member seminar instead. It was felt that the level of engagement achieved in a seminar would not be the same as achieved in a smaller meeting with appropriate representatives from the housing association. It was noted that Managing Director, Ian Harrison, would be meeting with VIVID’s Chief Executive, Mark Perry, later in June, and part of the agenda for the meeting would be to discuss engagement with the RP Group. In the cases on A2 Dominion and MTVHA, less senior members of staff had been sent to the meeting than in previous years, resulting in more operational conversations rather than the desired strategic discussions.

During the discussion, a number of comments/suggestions were made, these included:

·       establish a timetable that allowed more RPs to be seen more frequently – see those performing well, not just those that are not performing

·       explore the use of communications channels to raise awareness of issues raised/poor performance – “name and shame”

·       explore the option of working with the local MP to improve engagement

·       RPs should be responding to all councillors equally

·       address the work flow/process of the Task and Finish Group before calling out RPs on performance – important to retain good relationships

·       establish what we want the RPs to be doing in the Borough, by being more strategic and time efficient

·       establish a scoring system to rate RPs

·       work with the Task and Finish Group to revise the questionnaire to ensure relevance – currently very long and could be reason why response rates were low

·       work with neighbours linked through Local Government Reorganisation to strengthen voices and raise issues wider

·       review how we work internally

·       improve engagement on the wider community benefits/assets – open spaces, parking areas, playgrounds, community buildings etc.

In response, the Portfolio Holder advised that, together with the Leader of the Council and the Managing Director, he would be meeting with the top five social housing providers in the Borough to talk through the relationship with the Council and the importance of establishing good working relationships to help provide an acceptable service for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

(1)  Progress Group

To appoint the Membership of the Overview and Scrutiny Progress Group. The appointments are to be made on the basis of five/seven cross party Members including the Chairman (Cllr Halleh Koohestani), the Vice-Chairman/Chairmen, one/two further Labour Group Member(s) and one each from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Group Members.

(2)  Council Tax Support

To appoint the Membership of the Council Tax Support Task and Finish Group for 2025/26.This Group requires that the Membership includes either the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Committee. Nominations will be tabled at the meeting.

(3)  Registered Providers

To appoint the Membership of the Registered Providers Task and Finish Group for 2025/26. Nominations will be tabled at the meeting.

(4)  Farnborough Airport

To appoint the Membership of the Farnborough Airport Task and Finish Group for 2025/26. Nominations will be tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED: That the following Members be appointed to serve on the following Groups for the 2025/26 Municipal Year:

(1)  Overview and Scrutiny Progress Group

(2)  Council Tax Support Task and Finish Group

(3)  Farnborough Airport Task and Finish Group

*Cllr Jules Crossley would be invited to the meeting as and when appropriate

It was noted that any meetings of the Farnborough Airport Task and Finish Group, which was tasked to look at the environmental and economic impacts of the airport, would be adjourned until the outstanding planning application had been determined.

(4)  Review of Registered Providers Task and Finish Group

To consider the Work Plan for the 2025/26 Municipal Year (copy attached).

Members are invited to suggest suitable items for the 2025/26 work plan. In order to inform views, Members are invited to consider the following key documents:

• Council Plan, Performance & Risk Register Quarterly Update and Year End 2024/25 (Cabinet Report No. ED2501)
• Council Delivery Plan 2025/26

The Progress Group will undertake a review of the items identified to agree the Work Plan for 2025/26 at its meeting on 17th June, 2025.

The Committee noted the current Work Plan and the proposed items for the July and September meetings. In July, Ms Paine would provide a report on the Housing and Homelessness Prevention Strategy and in September, the Police and Community Safety Team would be in attendance.

The Committee considered the Council Delivery Plan 2025/26 and the Council Plan, Performance and Risk Register Quarterly Update and Year End 2024/25 Cabinet Report and identified a number of items for consideration, these included:

·       Leisure Centre

·       Finance

·       Communications Stratgey

o   Community Engagement

o   Youth Engagement

o   How we consult?

o   Transparency of the Council – decision making and communications

·       Environmental Services –

o   SERCO

o   Walk this Waste Pilot

·       Community Safety

·       Economic Development

o   Town Centre development (town square funding)

o   support for businesses

·       Local Government Reorganisation

·       Social Housing - allocation process

At the meeting of the Progress Group on 17th June, a discussion would be held on how to take these items forward and the potential of focussing items to sit within the five priority areas identified in the Delivery Plan.

In addition, it was suggested that, the Cabinet Champion reports could again be considered outside a meeting in the form of a written report from each Champion and that the voluntary sector organisations, Citizens’ Advice Rushmoor and Rushmoor Voluntary Services should not be required to attend during the 2025/26 Municipal Year.