Issue - meetings

Reporting Person: Councillor Ayesha Azad

Councillor Azad introduced the report on the updated Work Programme, drawing the Committee’s attention to the key changes since the document had last been received.

Subsequent to publication, the agenda for 23 January 2023 had changed.  The Committee was to receive a presentation from Affinity Water on their proposed Water Resources Action Plan.  The JWS Performance Review item had been broadened to include a Forward Plan and Interim Strategy Presentation.  Members requested that JWS and Amey provide an update on the renewal of garden waste disposal as part of the presentation.

The Committee requested that Thames Water be invited to the 23 January meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Officers undertook to extend an invitation.

To accommodate the additional items, it had been proposed that the Noise Complaints Update and Overview and Scrutiny Committee Communications Plan be postponed to March 2023.

Giorgio Framalicco, Strategic Director of Place, updated the Committee on the Suggested Additions to the Work Programme.  It had been recognised that Members wanted the Annual Review of Complaints Report structured in such a way to provide Members with more details about the complaints received by the Council.  It was noted that several other reports covering complaints and department-specific caseloads were regularly submitted to Committees and Working Groups of the Council. Officers therefore confirmed that in response to Members’ comments, a review of the operational management of complaints, as well as the structure and process of the Complaints reports, was being undertaken and Members would be updated as soon as a unified approach had been formulated.

It was recognised that Surrey County Council’s Bus Strategy proposal, as part of the National Bus Back Better Policy, could not be scrutinised at Overview and Scrutiny.  This was due to the consultation process ending before the next meeting of the Committee.  The Committee agreed that a response would be drafted by Officers and presented to both the Portfolio Holder and members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee outside of the meeting and submitted to Surrey County Council as part of their consultation.

Resolved

That the report be noted.