Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Resources, (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Director of Resources confirming the Committee’s Work Programme for 2018/19, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

Following receipt of the report Members made comments on the following items:

·         Provision of Healthcare Services - It was agreed that the CCG would be invited to provide an update at a future meeting of the Committee.

Residents within the Maldon District had received a letter from Nick Alston, Chairman of the Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust (MEHT).
It was agreed that a copy of the letter was to be provided to the Director of Resources, and Councillor N R Pudney will report back to a future meeting of the Committee following his next meeting with the Trust.

·         Internal and External Communications – A briefing with the Deputy Monitoring Officer is being arranged, Councillors S J Savage and M W Heard would be invited to attend as email communications would be discussed.  The Director of Resources advised that this will take place over the weeks following this meeting.

·         Staff Sickness – this item was discussed and noted under Minute 280 of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, 17 July 2018.

Members were requested to suggest new items of scrutiny for future meetings of this Committee, and it was agreed that the following items would be considered for the Programme of Work:

·         Review on the Provision of Fire Services - Concern was raised that the Fire Authority was looking into closing fire stations within the Maldon District, i.e. Tillingham and Burnham-on-Crouch.  It was noted that were this to happen the closest Fire Service to the Dengie would be located at South Woodham Ferrers.

·         Provision of Car Parking - Members raised concern over the lack of car parking within the town centre and noted the recent impact that this had on residents within the vicinity of Promenade Park.  The Director of Resources advised the Committee that this was being looked into and on the agenda for a future meeting of the Asset Management Working Group (AMWG).

·         Crematorium - The Director of Resources advised members that a report was to be provided to a future meeting of the Council meeting in August.

·         Waste Disposal within the District - In response to Members questions the Director of Resources advised that the contractor was being scrutinised following issues surrounding the reliability of vehicles and the impact on the delivery of service.  A report would be provided for a future meeting of the Committee, and include feedback on the size and reliability of vehicles.

·         Delivery of Tourism - Following a query on the pending closure of the Burnham Tourist Information Centre (TIC), it was requested that the delivery of tourism within the Maldon District was added as an item for scrutiny and the best strategic and operational delivery looked into. 
The Director of Resources to confirm this would not be a duplication of work undertaken by other Committees before adding this as an item for scrutiny.

Members complimented the Burnham TIC  ...  view the full minutes text for item 279