It was proposed, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:  that Councillor Joyce Barrow be elected Chairman for the ensuing municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor William Parr.  Councillor Roy Aldcroft attended as Substitute for Councillor Par.

It was duly proposed, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:  that Councillor Paul Milner be appointed Vice-Chairman for the ensuing municipal year.

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they have a disclosable pecuniary interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Councillor Simon Harris asked that it be noted that he was Deputy Portfolio Holder for Transport and would not take part in any decision made on Item 9, North West Relief Road.

To consider the minutes of the Place Overview Committee meeting held 28^th March 2019.

RESOLVED:  

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28^th March 2019 be approved as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any questions or petitions from the public of which notice has been given.  The deadline for notification for this meeting is 10.00am, Wednesday 5^th June 2019.

Mr Malcolm Andrew of the Trefonen Rural Protection Group submitted the following questions to the Committee

Why has scrutiny of the “Local Plan Review” now disappeared completely from scrutiny work programme?

As scrutiny of the “Local Plan Review” has disappeared from your Work Programme how will the commitment made by members to us on 15th November 2018 to scrutinise these issues be fulfilled?

The chairman gave the following response:

As Chairman, I review the Committee’s work programme in between each meeting, following consultation with Committee Members and Council Officers. The revised work programme is then presented to the Committee for approval.

The incoming Chair of the Committee [myself], after consulting with officers, decided that the Committee could not contribute to the detail of the local plan, above and beyond the scrutiny offered by the Planning Inspectorate. I therefore decided to remove the item from the work programme. The Committee agreed this change at its meeting on 26 March 2019.

At its meeting on 15 November the Committee agreed that it could scrutinise this matter as part of its scrutiny of the Local Plan. However, the Committee did not explicitly commit to scrutinising this matter. I, as the Committee Chair, having met with officers, concluded that the Planning Inspectorate is best placed to determine this matter, and that the Committee could not add value to the Local Plan or the Inspectorate’s work.

Mr Andrew expressed concern that the Place Overview Committee would not scrutinise the Local Plan before it was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate and suggested that without scrutiny the Council risked submitting an unsound plan.  The Chair assured Mr Andrew that she had taken advice on the matter and was satisfied with the advice that she had received from Officers, but she agreed to again speak to Officers to confirm this advice, and should she considered it necessary, to invite the Planning Manager to the next meeting of the Committee to answer Members’ questions on the issue.  

To receive any questions of which Members of the Council have given notice.  The deadline for notification for this meeting is 5.00pm on Monday 3^rd June 2019.

There were no Member questions.

A petition has been received from Mr D Harvey of Alverley, Bridgnorth for the retention of the 297 Bus Service on Saturdays.

Officers will be in attendance to outline the issues and respond accordingly to the petition.

The Chairman accepted the petition submitted by Mr D Harvey of Alverley pertaining to the retention of the 297 Bus Service on Saturdays. 

The Interim Head of Infrastructure and Communities advised that a report regarding bus service subsidies would be considered by Cabinet Committee at its meeting on 12^th June 2019.  This report would recommend that further consultation work be undertaken over the summer months with regard to bus service subsidies and the Council position be reviewed in the autumn. He continued that the petition would be included in the consultation.

To consider the proposed governance arrangements for the construction of the proposed Shrewsbury north-west relief road.  Report to follow.

Contact:  Steve Brown, Interim Head of Infrastructure and Communities  Tel: 07990 085581

The Interim Head of Infrastructure and Communities advised Members that the report on the Governance Arrangements for the construction of the proposed North West Relief Road had been delayed and would now be considered at the Committee at its meeting on the 18^th July 2019.

To consider the future work programme of the Committee. [Report attached, marked 10]

Contact: Danial Webb, Scrutiny Officer, Tel 01743 258509

Members noted that there would be a work programme workshop held at 3pm on Wednesday 10^th July 2019, and the Chairman urged all to attend.  She continued that Scrutiny Chairs would be meeting with Portfolio Holders and Directors sometime in July to discuss the Scrutiny and Overview Committees’ work programmes.

A Member requested that the Committee should add consideration of biodiversity across the Council estate and the promotion of biodiversity with partner organisations and stakeholders, to the work programme. 

RESOLVED:

That the topics detailed on the proposed work programme be approved for consideration at the July 2019 and September 2019 meetings of the Committee.

The Committee is scheduled to next meet at 10.00am on Thursday 18^th July 2019.

Members noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held at 10am on Thursday 18^th July 2019.