Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group (the Working Group) that brought to the attention of the Committee, a Member scrutiny item request and the conclusions of the Working Group.

The Chairperson introduced the report and deferred to the Corporate Governance Project Officer to provide the detail, in particular the conclusion of the Working Group that sufficient requests for information had been made and questions asked for Members to gain a clearer understanding of the issues raised.  The Working Group was mindful of the outcomes identified in the ‘lessons learned’ report commissioned by the project team in the hope that these would inform and assist the process of similar projects in the future.

The Chairperson said that this scrutiny request raised issues which if discussed in detail might lead to the disclosure of confidential information and he proposed that the meeting moves to private session to allow this discussion to take place.  This was not agreed by the Committee, the view being that a move to private session should only occur if required.

Councillor A S Fluker then spoke to his request and the reasons behind it given the history of this project. He made particular reference to the nature of the approach to local landowners, the changing ambition of the project, and the involvement of Members throughout, concluding that it should have been closed much earlier.

A debate ensued with particular focus on the initial contact with local landowners. Some Members felt that there should be deeper investigation into this matter to provide further clarity as to the processes that were followed and felt that greater project governance needs to be in place in the future.

Councillor E L Stephens proposed that this item be referred back to the Working Group for further investigation/clarification of the initial engagement with local landowners, and to provide a range of financial milestones associated with the project, and that a report be brought back to the Committee for discussion as necessary in private session.  This was duly seconded.

The Chairperson then moved the proposal of Councillor Stephens and when put to the Committee this was agreed.

RESOLVED that the item is referred back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group for further investigation/clarification on the points mentioned above, and that a report be brought back to the Committee for discussion as necessary in private session.

The Chairperson brought Members’ attention again to the PMO presentation found attached at Appendix C to agenda item 10, Member Scrutiny Item Request – Non-Provision of Improved Facilities, Sensory Garden, Promenade Park, Maldon.