Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Southampton

Contact: Emily Goodwin, Democratic Support Officer  Tel:- 023 8083 2302

Link: Link to meeting

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies and Changes in Panel Membership (If Any)

To note any changes in membership of the Panel made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.

Minutes:

It was noted that following receipt of the temporary resignation of Councillors  Y Frampton , Dr Paffey, Rayment and Evemy from the Committee, the Monitoring Officer, acting under delegated powers, had appointed Councillors A Frampton, Lambert, Mintoff and M Bunday to replace them for the purposes of this meeting.

2.

Election of Vice-Chair

To elect the Vice Chair for the Municipal Year 2023-2024.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that:

 

(i)  Councillor Letts be elected as Vice-Chair for the Municipal Year 2023/2024  and

(ii)  as part of the next Annual Review of the Council’s Constitution, consideration is given to specifying that the role of Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee Vice-Chair should, by convention, be undertaken by a member of the opposition.

3.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting (including matters arising) pdf icon PDF 255 KB

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2023 and the final meeting of the Scrutiny Inquiry on the  20 April 2023 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED: that the minutes for the Committee meeting on 13 April 2023 and the final meeting of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel – Protecting, Preserving and Promoting the River Itchen in Southampton on the 20 April 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

4.

Draft Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies pdf icon PDF 297 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport recommending that the Committee review and provide feedback on the draft Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies prior to external consultation in July 2023.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of  the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport recommending that the Committee review and provide feedback on the draft Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies prior to external consultation in July 2023

 

Councillor Keogh - Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration,

Lindsay McCulloch – Natural Environment Manger, Steve Guppy – Sustainability Manager, Samantha Munslow – Ecologist, Ian Collins, Director of Environment and Councillor Barbour were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.

 

 

 

RESOLVEDthat:

 

1)  Reflecting the ongoing impact of climate change, consideration is given to the reviewing the wording within the Executive Summary of the draft Biodiversity Strategy to provide clarity to the term ‘halt the decline of biodiversity in Southampton.’

2)  As the strategies are developed, work is undertaken to refine the targets and metrics against which success will be measured.

3)  With the recent events relating to the Outdoor Sports Centre in mind, the Council reviews its approach to Governance to ensure that strategies, policies and projects are compatible.

4)  To accompany the final versions of the draft strategies, a list is published outlining practical actions that residents can undertake to help improve biodiversity and the green infrastructure in Southampton.

5)  To support decision making, a guide, that is updated regularly, is produced for developers and residents that outlines the most suitable plants and habitats that will deliver the optimal impact on biodiversity and the green infrastructure in Southampton.

6)  To help deliver the Council’s Green Grid ambitions, the Executive encourages the master-planning exercises for the city centre to have reference to the Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies.

7)  The Committee recommended that Cabinet, when determining their response to the recommendations within the River Itchen Inquiry, considers incorporating the appropriate findings within the Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity Strategies and further develops our approach with respect to waterways.

5.

Scrutiny Inquiry Panel - Protecting, Preserving and Promoting the River Itchen in Southampton pdf icon PDF 296 KB

Report of the Chair of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel 2022/23, recommending that the Committee consider and approve the final report of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel and forward it to the Executive for consideration and further action.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the report of  the Chair of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel 2022/23, recommending that the Committee consider and approve the final report of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel and forward it to the Executive for consideration and further action.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)  The Overview andScrutiny Management Committeeconsidered and approved the final report of the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel and forward it to the Executive for consideration and further action; and

2)  Delegated authority to the Chair of the Committee to approve any minor amendments arising from considerations raised at the Committee’s meeting on 8 June 2023

6.

Monitoring Scrutiny Recommendations to the Executive pdf icon PDF 211 KB

Report of the Scrutiny Manager enabling the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to monitor and track progress on recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee noted the report of the Scrutiny Manager enabling the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to monitor and track progress on recommendations made to the Executive at previous meetings