To elect a Chair from the Panel Membership for the 2023/24 municipal year.

Councillor Douglas proposed that Councillor Taylor be elected Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the 2023/24 municipal year. This was seconded by Councillor Cross.

Councillor Story proposed that Councillor Carole Da Costa be elected as Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the 2023/24 municipal year. This was seconded by Councillor Carole Da Costa.

A named vote was taken on the first nomination which was for Councillor Taylor to be elected as Chair.

The result was 7 for and 2 against and therefore Councillor Taylor was elected as Chair, with a named vote not occurring on Councillor Story’s nomination.

AGREED: That Councillor Taylor be elected Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the 2023/24 municipal year.

To elect a Vice Chair from the Panel Membership for the 2023/24 municipal year.

Councillor Douglas proposed that Councillor Devon Davies be elected as Vice Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the 2023/24 municipal year. This was seconded by Councillor Brar.

Councillor Carole Da Costa then proposed herself as Vice Chair. This was seconded by Councillor Story.

A named vote was taken on the first nomination which was for Councillor Devon Davies to be elected as Vice Chair.

The result was 7 for and 2 against, therefore Councillor Devon Davies was elected as Vice Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel. A named vote did not occur on Councillor Carole Da Costa’s nomination.

AGREED: That Councillor Devon Davies be elected Vice Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the 2023/24 municipal year.

To receive any apologies for absence from Panel Members.

Apologies were received from Councillor Shaw, with Councillor Gurch Singh attending as a substitute.

Apologies were also received from two Co-Optees of the Panel, Mark Jervis and Tony Wilson.

To receive any declarations of interest from Panel Members.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider and approve the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2023.

The Panel noted and agreed to the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th April 2023.

To consider what topics the Panel would like to consider over the course of the municipal year.

An example scoping document has been added to the work programme, these are used to understand the scope of a topic and what the review will try and achieve. A scoping document needs to be agreed by the Panel once it has been completed.

Two existing scoping documents have also been attached for proposals on Task and Finish Groups. The Panel need to decide whether they would like to continue with these suggestions.

Mark Beeley, Principal Democratic Services Officer – Overview and Scrutiny, explained that the work programme was a plan of items which would be considered by the Panel over the course of the municipal year. There were a few suggestions which had been carried forward from the previous year, there were also two task and finish groups which the Panel needed to decide a course of action on.

The domestic abuse task and finish group had been arranged following the adoption of the RBWM Domestic Abuse Strategy, with the group having an initial meeting to decide a way forward. However, two of the three Councillors on this group were now part of the Cabinet. There was also a proposed task and finish group on air pollution, following the topic being referred by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Panel. This would look to consider the monitoring of air pollution performance across the borough and whether targets in this area were being achieved. Mark Beeley added that Panel Members could bring forward items of interest by filling out a scoping document.

Councillor Carole Da Costa said that the domestic abuse group had agreed that it would look to continue its work following the election. The RBWM domestic abuse coordinator was part of the group and they had gathered a significant amount of information which could be provided to members of the group. She was keen to continue the task and finish group.

Councillor Devon Davies and Councillor Brar confirmed that they would be interested in being part of the group.

ACTION – Mark Beeley to work with Councillors and officers to arrange a meeting of the domestic abuse task and finish group.

Councillor Story felt that air pollution performance should be monitored periodically by the Panel.

Councillor Carole Da Costa believed that the item was best considered as part of a task and finish group, depending on how many Panel Members were interested in being part of the group it could be worth opening it up to Councillors on either the Corporate or Place Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor Cross said that she chaired a meeting on Bray Parish Council where air pollution had frequently come up as a key issue, she was keen to see this area scrutinised.

Councillor Cross and Councillor Douglas highlighted that they would like to be part of the group.

Councillor Carole Da Costa suggested that Councillor Wisdom Da Costa would also be interested.

ACTION – Mark Beeley to speak to Councillors on the Corporate and People Overview and Scrutiny Panels to see if there was interest in being part of the task and finish group on air pollution.

Councillor Brar asked if any work had taken place previously on this group.

Mark Beeley confirmed that no additional work had yet taken place, the scoping document had been drafted and agreed by the Panel.

Councillor Gurch Singh commented on the consultation currently ongoing about sound pollution from flights paths heading into Heathrow.

Councillor Story said that the main  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.