Issue - meetings

Scrutiny of Portfolio Holders

 

 

Meeting: 06/12/2017 - Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee (Item 21)

21 Scrutiny of Portfolio Holder - Transformation pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Minutes:

Cllr Colin Dougan, the Transformation Portfolio Holder, reminded the Committee of the areas covered by his Portfolio and gave a brief description of each of the following services and functions:

 

·       ICT/Information Governance/Reprographics

·       Economic Development

·       Community Safety & Community Partnerships

·       Performance

·       Building Control

·       Corporate Property

 

Cllr Dougan responded to questions relating to:

 

1.               Freedom of Information requests -

 

a)               the reason for the increase in the number requests;

b)               the subject areas of enquiries made;

c)              how the Council would address the resourcing issues should the increase be maintained; and

d)               where FOI responses were published.

 

2.               The process used to ensure that the Building Control Service were sufficiently rigorous.

 

3.               The factors which determined the length of the leases to Bowls Clubs.

 

4.               The resourcing impact to the Council of the General Data Protection Regulations and the impact of Brexit on this legislation.

 

5.               The number of new businesses attracted by the Open for Business Scheme and how its success was gauged.

 

6.               The number of new retailers brought into the Square and the London Road Block in the last year which were not restaurants and the number expected in the new year.

 

7.               The number of businesses given grants from the Kevin Cantlon Fund. 

 

8.               The public consultations which had or would be undertaken to ensure that the public agreed with the Council's self-evaluated reviews.

 

In a supplementary question Cllr David Allan enquired as to whether it was possible to see all FOI requests received and the responses and Councillor Colin Dougan undertook to respond by email.

 

(Note: in accordance with the Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct Cllr Katia Malcaus Cooper declared a non pecuniary interest as the Chairman of the Briars Centre Management Committee.)