Minutes:
The Executive Director for Adults, Communities and Wellbeing presented the report which provided the Scrutiny Commission with an initial scoping document to set the terms of the scrutiny review proposed in the Council motion on 28 July 2021.
At Full Council on 28 July, a motion was moved by Councillor Zoe McGhee and seconded by Councillor Lee. During the debate on the motion, an amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Binley and seconded by Councillor Lawal and agreed as:
“North Northamptonshire Council notes that Kingswood in Corby, Avondale Grange in Kettering and Queensway in Wellingborough are among the neighbourhoods identified across the country by an All-Party Parliamentary Group as ‘left behind’. This motion calls for the Scrutiny Commission to review the underlying data and associated report relating to areas highlighted as “left behind”. Working with our communities and partners to propose an approach on the way forward, including learning from the Big Local Programme in Kingswood, in order to develop a plan on how we can level up - as per the government’s levelling up agenda - those left behind neighbourhoods here in North Northamptonshire in an appropriate and agreed timeframe. This may involve specifically targeting health inequalities, youth unemployment and new skills, and improving housing in these areas.”
During the debate on the report, Members considered the scoping document in detail. All Members welcomed the proposed review and felt that the scoping document set out a solid foundation to take this work forward. It was felt that with regards to the timeframe of the review, there may be different targets for different objectives as some may be able to be achieved more quickly. This would not be a short-term review and short, medium and long-term strategies may be needed. It was acknowledged that there were already pockets of good practice, but open and honest discussions were needed about when things had not happened or were not successful. Working with local people would be key to this review and the need to build partnerships would be important. A key aspect of the review would be to visit the three neighbourhoods mentioned in the report to look at the issues such as the local environment, however these visits would need to be at realistic times of the day e.g. in the evening. The Council was seen as the catalyst for this review, but local people needed to be enabled to take ownership. It was suggested that the first meeting of the Group should look at the scoping document in detail to help identify the appropriate resources needed for the review. The Group would provide an update on the progress of the review to each meeting of the Scrutiny Commission.
RESOLVED that:
(i) the Scrutiny Commission agrees to establish a Task and Finish Group consisting of 7 elected members, from which there will be at least one member from each of the wards which cover the neighbourhoods mentioned in the Scoping Document.
(ii) the Scrutiny Commission will seek nominations to the Task and Finish Group from all non-executive members, with the final membership of the Group determined by the Chair of the Scrutiny Commission.
(iii) the Chair of the Task and Finish Group will be determined by the members of the Group.
(iv) the Task and Finish Group will determine any additional membership of the Group from appropriate stakeholders.