Agenda and minutes

Members and officers must declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to

any business on the agenda. Declarations should also be made at any stage such

an interest becomes apparent during the meeting.

If in doubt contact the Legal or Democratic Services representative for this meeting.

There were no declaration of interests

Cllr Kevin Jenkins declared a substitution for Cllr Heather Mercer

To approve the minutes of the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of

held on 17 March 2022, copies of which have been previously circulated.

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting of the 22 March 2022 be confirmed as the correct record

So as to provide the best opportunity for the Committee to provide the public with the fullest answer, questions from the public should be submitted by 12.00pm Tuesday 7 June 2022

Where relevant notice of a question has not been given, the person presiding may either choose to give a response at the meeting or respond by undertaking to provide a written response within three working days.

Questions should be submitted to Democratic Services democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

(Note: Public Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes.)

There were no questions from the public

To consider any items the Chairman of the meeting considers to be urgent

There were no urgent items

There were no call-ins

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, copy attached as item 7.

Before the Committee was a report by the Interim Director for Communities, a copy of which had been circulated to all members, a copy of which is attached to a signed copy of these minutes as item 7. The report before members set out the draft Annual report for the Committee covering the 2021/22 Municipal year in accordance with the terms of the Councils’ constitutions.

Members discussed the report and the ‘closing of the loop’ when it came to reports and the monitoring of recommendations from Scrutiny. Member were told that this could be included in the Work Programme for the future.

Resolved:

a)     That the committee approve the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report for 2021/22;

b)     That the Annual report be submitted to the Adur and Worthing Council meetings in July 2022 for approval.

To consider a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, a copy of which is attached as item 8

Before the Committee was a report by the Interim Director for Communities, a copy of which was circulated to all members, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as item 9. The report before Members outlined progress in implementing the work contained in the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) Work Programme for 2022/23.

The Scrutiny Officer introduced the report and explained that there was currently work ongoing to review the Constitutions (via the Joint Governance Committee) and the outcomes from this work may impact the role of JOSC and the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees. Members were also made aware of the amendment to arrangements of the Joint Strategic Committee. It was proffered that a report could be brought to the Committee in July on potential changes.

Member discussed the potential of a report coming before the Committee in July but it was agreed that this would be premature in that the work of the Joint Governance Committee would not have progressed significantly enough by that time.

Members discussed the arrangement of interviews with Executive / Cabinet Members and it was agreed that although numbers / portfolios did not match interviews could be added to the work programme on an individual basis. The Committee also agreed that Executive / Cabinet Member should be invited to attend the Committee when items relevant to their portfolios cam before the Committee.

There was a vacancy on the Adur Homes working group and it was agreed that the place should be taken by Cllr Ann Bridges

A Member noted that the shared prosperity fund was providing new funding and that the Scrutiny Committee could review the councils’ approach how the money was dispensed and spent. It was agreed that a scrutiny request should be put forward in the usual manner.

Resolved: That JOSC note the progress in delivering the JOSC Work Programme for 2022/23 and consider and confirm appointments to JOSC Working Groups as referred to in Paragraph 4.3.

At the conclusion of the item all Adur members aside from Cllr Loader left the meeting.

To consider a report by the Director of Digital, Sustainability and Resources, a copy of which is attached as item 9

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Digital, Sustainability and Resources, a copy of which was sent to all members, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as item 9. The report before members set out the recommendations from the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) Working Group which was created as part of the JOSC Work Programme to review the Worthing Business Improvement District (BID). 

The Chairman of the Working Group introduced the report to members and sought questions on the matter.

A Member asked if the Town Centre Initiative and the BID were co-terminus and was told that the two bodies were now one rather than two separate entities.

A Member asked if there was communication between time for Worthing and the Town Centre Initiative. Members were told that the Chair of the Business Improvement District was now a part of the management committee of Time for Worthing.

A Member pointed out factual inaccuracies within the report relating to the request for the review and some comments attributed to members in relation to interviews given as part of the review. Members were told that this information could be changed.

Resolved: That JOSC has consider the report and recommendations from the Worthing Business Improvement District (BID) Working Group and refers the recommendations to the appropriate Executive Committee or Sub-Committee (JSC) for consideration in due course.