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 item and deferred to Corporate Governance Project Officer to provide the detail the detail. The pro-forma based on the Member request together with the initial Officer response briefing paper were attached at Appendices A and B to the report. The Working Group had been reassured by the information received without identifying the need for further scrutiny.

Although Members felt reassured by the improvement work completed by the Cemeteries Team however, there was still some concerns over on-going maintenance at the cemetery sites. Councillor P L Spenceley suggested that it would be good practice to have this item kept on a watching brief to ensure that the arrangements for and standards of maintenance were continuing satisfactorily.

The Assistant Director - Customer Services and Operations took Members through a presentation showing the improvements at Maldon Cemetery made between April and September 2024.

Councillor Spenceley proposed that the item be kept on a watching brief requiring two reports back (including reference to Burnham-on-Crouch cemetery) to the Working Group in the next six months.  This was duly seconded.

Councillor Stephens proposed by way of an amendment that the watching brief be extended to a twelve-month period to include the next growing season.

The Chairperson then moved the amended proposition which was agreed by assent.

RESOLVED that the Committee accepts the Working Group’s conclusion and that this item be kept as a watching brief for two reports to the Working Group over the next twelve months.

At this point in the meeting the Assistant Director - Customer Services and Operations, wanted to provide a point of clarification for Members regarding agenda item 9 (Sensory Garden Project, Promenade Park, Maldon). She made Members aware that whilst there is provision in the budget for this project within this financial year it was the delivery of the project that would be subject to approval by Council as part of the Capital Programme for next year.