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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room 3.1, 3rd Floor, 5 Strand, London, WC2 5HR. View directions

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of Chairman/Membership

To elect a Chairman of the Economic Development, Education, Community and Place Shaping Policy and Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

1.1         Nominations for the post of Chairman were invited.  One nomination was received and seconded.  There were no further nominations.

 

1.2         RESOLVED: That Councillor Karen Scarborough be appointed Chairman of the Economic Development, Education, Community and Place Shaping Policy and Scrutiny Committee.

 

 

2.1       The Chairman announced that there were no changes to the Membership.

 

2.2       The Chairman welcomed Councillor David Harvey (Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Education and Community) and Councillor Richard Beddoe (Cabinet Member for Place Shaping and Planning) to the meeting.

 

2.3       The Chairman also welcomed the Members of the Council and the new co-opted Members to the Committee.

 

 

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

Minutes:

3.1       The following declarations were made at the meeting:

 

Member of the Economic Development, Education, Community and Place Shaping Policy & Scrutiny Committee

 

Organisation

Nature of Interest

Simon Atkinson

St Stephen’s Primary School

Headteacher

Karen Scarborough

 

St Mary of the Angels School

St Vincent’s School

Westminster Youth Foundation

St Marylebone Almshouses

 

Governor

 

Governor

Trustee

 

Trustee

 

Tim Roca

Paddington Academy

Governor

 

 

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 114 KB

To approve the minutes of the Children, Environment and Leisure Policy and Scrutiny Committee held on 19 March 2018.

Minutes:

4.1       The Chairman requested thatbriefing notes on the possibility of reducing the cost of gym memberships for 16-18 year olds and the Hardy case (Home Education) be forwarded to the Committee.

 

4.2       RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2018 be approved for signature by the Chairman as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

 

4.

Policy and Scrutiny Portfolio Overview pdf icon PDF 263 KB

The Committee to receive an update from the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Education and Community and the Cabinet Member for Place Shaping and Planning on the following:

 

1)    A summary of the service areas

2)    Cabinet Member priorities for the year ahead; and

3)    Any key service updates/issues

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.         POLICY AND SCRUTINY PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW: Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Education and Community

 

5.1       The Cabinet Member provided an overview of his portfolio including its service areas, priorities for the year ahead and key service updates/issues. The Cabinet Member responded to questions on the following topics:

 

  • the installation of Broadband in Westminster.
  • the need to improve employment opportunities through vocational education.
  • the development of a Cultural and Heritage Strategy.
  • the success of the Employment hubs.
  • the financial pressures resulting from falling rolls in primary schools.
  • the Westminster Youth Foundation and Youth Engagement.
  • the importance of enabling children with SEND to access/obtain employment.

 

5.2       The Cabinet Member emphasised that one of his priorities was to improve employment opportunities for young people through joined up working with voluntary organisations, businesses, vocational education and the continuation and expansion of the employment hubs.

 

5.3       ACTION: That a site visit be organised to visit the Sir Simon Milton Foundation Technical College.

 

6.         POLICY AND SCRUTINY PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW: Cabinet Member for Place Shaping and Planning.

 

6.1       The Cabinet Member provided an overview of his portfolio including its service areas, priorities for the year ahead and key service updates/issues. The Cabinet Member responded to questions on the following topics:

 

  • the review and timeframe of the Development Planning Process.
  • the importance of planning being seen as transparent and fair in Westminster.
  • the development and future plans for Oxford Street.
  • the importance of preserving the uniqueness of Soho and encouraging businesses there to offer free work space to creative self-employed people. 
  • the payment/fees of the Community Infrastructure Levy.

 

6.2       Other issues discussed were basement developments, the location of burglar alarms on Grade 2 listed buildings and the impact on the planning process of the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations).

 

6.3       ACTION: That a briefing note on the payment/fees of the Community Infrastructure Levy be sent to the Committee.

 

5.

2018/19 Work Programme and Action Tracker pdf icon PDF 147 KB

To consider topics for the 2018/19 work programme.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

7.1       The Committee reviewed potential items to be prioritised for the 2018/19 work programme, which included focusing on:

 

·         Employment Support/Hubs linked with Adult Education

·         The Planning Process

·         Healthy Eating and physical activity in schools

·         The Special Educational Needs Strategy

·         Westminster Youth Foundation and Youth Engagement.

 

7.2       Members requested that detailed data/financial implications for services be included in future reports.

 

7.3       The Chairman encouraged Members to email their ideas for topics/items for the Committee Work Programme, a Task Group or even for individual Member scrutiny to the Scrutiny Officer.

 

6.

Any Other Business

To consider any other business which the Chairman considers urgent.