Issue - meetings

To receive the latest version of the Committee’s work programme and the Council’s Forward Plan.

66.1    The Committee considered the Work Programme and the Council Forward Plan.

66.2    The Chair updated the Committee that ASIST training had been arranged for February.

66.2    Councillor Stephens advised the Committee that the introduction of Universal Credit to Gloucester had been discussed at the Audit and Governance Committee. He stated that he felt that it would be appropriate for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to examine the roll-out of Universal Credit and questioned whether it would be brought onto the Work Programme given that the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources confirmed at Council that it would be.

66.3    The Chair advised that discussions had taken place with Officers and that a session would be organised in time to make recommendations. Councillor Patel asked for clarification as to what the session would report. In response, the Chair advised that by January 2018 a plan would be in place and that the scrutiny work would be working with partner organisation to reduce the impact on residents.

66.4    Councillor Stephens stated that while he was grateful for the report at the Audit and Governance Committee, he believed that a briefing would be insufficient and suggested calling Officers from Gloucester City Homes, the Law Centre, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and others.

66.5    Councillor Hilton suggested it would be advisable to schedule a discussion in six months’ time on the progress of the City Plan and the Joint Core Strategy. Councillor Stephens concurred adding that the Joint Core Strategy required a review of retail policy which had begun.

66.6    The Chair raised the fact that it would be advisable to examine proposed changes to the charging structure for Shopmobility which was agreed by the Committee.

66.7    RESOLVED –To amend the Work Programme as follows:

·         Include Shopmobility in the meeting scheduled for 8^th January 2018;

·         Add a special meeting to scrutinise the roll-out of Universal Credit in the City; and

·         Add Progress on the City Plan and Joint Core Strategy to a Committee Meeting in June 2018.