Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies for absence were received.

All Members who believe they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting must declare that interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3 Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore all Members with a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting should consider whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, consider whether it is appropriate to leave the meeting while the matter is discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in any matter considered at the meeting they must declare that interest at the time of the relevant debate and, having regard to the circumstances described in Part 3, Paragraph 1.5 of the County Council's Members' Code of Conduct, leave the meeting while the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with Paragraph 1.6 of the Code. Furthermore Members were mindful that where they believed they had a Non-Pecuniary interest in a matter being considered at the meeting they considered whether such interest should be declared, and having regard to Part 5, Paragraph 2 of the Code, considered whether it was appropriate to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, save for exercising any right to speak in accordance with the Code.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 January 2017.

The Minutes of the Committee meeting held on 16 January 2017 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any deputations notified under Standing Order 12.

No deputations were received.

To receive any announcements the Chairman may wish to make.

The Chairman welcomed new and returning members to the Select Committee.

The Chairman was pleased to inform members that the Royal Victoria Country Park Chapel building works were making good progress and other improvements at the Park had been very popular with visitors. Members heard that an £880,000 grant had been obtained for the new visitor centre at Lepe Country Park and that the transformation project was progressing well. The Chairman noted that both projects had an anticipated completion date of summer 2018.

The Chairman announced that the newly refurbished Fareham library had opened and that this had been very well received by library customers. The Chairman paid credit to the team who had facilitated the refurbishment and highlighted the amount of hard work that had gone into the project. Members heard that Fleet library had also recently re-opened and that an update on this would hopefully be provided for the next Select Committee meeting.

To receive a presentation from the Director of Transformation and Governance on scrutiny legislation and the role of scrutiny.

The Committee received a presentation (Item 6 in the Minute Book) from the Director of Transformation and Governance – Corporate Services.

Members heard:

·         About the role of scrutiny at the Council, its background and purpose and the history of the legislation surrounding scrutiny.

·         That a key aspect of the Committee’s work would be to review and make recommendations to assist in the development of current and future policy.

·         The Committee was responsible for holding the Executive to account, as a critical friend, regarding the “pre-scrutiny” of decisions yet to be made and the “call-in” of decisions made but not yet implemented.

·         The presentation advised Members how they could set the work programme for future meetings.

RESOLVED:

That the Culture and Communities Select Committee notes the content of the presentation.

To receive a presentation from the Director of Culture Communities & Business Services on the functions and responsibilities of the services within the remit of this committee.

The Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services (CCBS) gave a presentation (Item 7 in Minute Book). The presentation outlined:

·         The number of key services which were under the remit of the Committee mainly including libraries, the community and grants team, countryside, country parks and outdoor centres.

·         The challenges and targets for the department including the impact of the Transformation to 2019 programme.

·         The emphasis placed on staff and volunteer development and members heard about some of the pathways in place to enhance development opportunities for staff.

·         The importance of the Department’s work to both the county’s residents and tourists, in addition to the need to maximise incomes where possible to protect services against challenging budgets.

RESOLVED:

That the Culture and Communities Select Committee notes the presentation.

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services reviewing the process for making appointments to outside bodies.

The Committee reviewed the report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services (Item 8 in the Minute Book) which outlined proposals for an updated criteria for appointing Members to the outside bodies within the Culture, Recreation and Countryside Executive portfolio.

Members heard of the work of the Task and Finish Group, consisting of C&C Select Committee members, who had reviewed grant funding and considered the list of outside body appointments.

It was reported that the outside organisations had been consulted on the review proposals and that the feedback received had highlighted the need to clarify the roles and responsibilities held by appointed representatives.

The report outlined the proposed criteria for appointment and the clarified the role for each type of County Council representative.

Discussion was held regarding the legal responsibilities and the personal liability of members when representing the Council on an outside body. The Legal Advisor confirmed that, for those members who were appointed to a trustee role, the member would have to act negligently and/or significantly beyond their role and responsibilities to be held personally liable. For those appointed as an observer, it was not possible for members to be held personally liable in any circumstance. It was noted that the Member Indemnity Scheme applied where a member is either representing the Council or undertaking the role as part of their duties as a County Councillor; and that if a member was not appointed by the Council and acting in an individual capacity, the Scheme would not be applicable.

RESOLVED:

That the Culture and Communities Select Committee recommends to the Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside that he approves the proposals set out in section 6 of the report, including the changes that are set out in Appendices 4 and 5, for appointments to the outside bodies delegated to the Executive Member in the County Council’s Constitution, from June 2017.

To consider a report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services with an update on the National Libraries Taskforce.

The Committee received the report of the Director of Culture, Communities and Business Services (Item 9 in the Minute Book) summarising the new national vision for libraries.

It was reported that, in December 2016, the national Libraries Taskforce published ‘Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England 2016-2021’. Members heard how the County Council, through its Library Strategy to 2020, was already delivering on many of the key aspect of the Taskforce’s vision. Members were pleased to hear of this success and praised the Library Service for its achievement in meeting these key aims.

RESOLVED:

That the Culture and Communities Select Committee endorses the Libraries Taskforce’s ‘Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England 2016-2021’ and recognises its good fit with Hampshire’s Library Strategy to 2020 and recommends to the Executive Member for Culture, Recreation and Countryside that he does the same. 

To consider the Committee’s forthcoming work programme.

The Committee received a report from the Director of Transformation and Governance - Corporate Services (Item 10 in the Minute Book) which set out the Committee’s work programme.

It was agreed that an update from Energise Me and from the Hampshire Cultural Trust, incorporating information on the Flagship Galleries Network project, would be requested for the 18 September 2017 meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Work Programme be noted and items added as outlined above.