Agenda and minutes

The Chair to note any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Paul Joyce (Deputy Chair); Councillors Danielle Stone and Lee Mason (Co Optee.)

The Chair announced he was pleased that both Morcea  Walker and Lee Mason had accepted the invitation to be co opted to this Scrutiny Panel.s

Members to state any interests.

There were none.

The Chair to note public address requests.

The public can speak on any agenda item for a maximum of three minutes per speaker per item.  You are not required to register your intention to speak in advance but should arrive at the meeting a few minutes early, complete a Public Address Protocol and notify the Scrutiny Officer of your intention to speak.

Mr David Huffadine-Smith addressed the Scrutiny Panel on agenda item 8.

The Scrutiny Panel to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 June 2018 were signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record.

The Scrutiny Panel to receive a presentation that sets the scene.

Laurie Gould, Solicitor, gave the Scrutiny Panel a presentation that set the scene for the Review.

The Scrutiny Panel asked questions, made comment and heard:

·         Oak Apple Day is a Borough Council tradition and was traditionally held at dawn on 29 May each year.  It fell on a Sunday one year and was moved to 12 noon. There is a need for this event to be recaptured by the Borough. It is an important Borough event.

·         The Mayor is the Chair of the Housebound Fund

·         The Mayor is the President of Town Twinning

·         The Mayor is the President for St John’s Home

·         Honorary Freeman take place just once every civic term – The Panel queried what would happen in terms of Unitary.

·         For the final report it was requested that all the Mayor’s charities, from a specific date, are included

·         There is a need to ensure  that the Mace is retained in Northampton’s Museum, in the borough.

·         A potential recommendation of the final report was suggested “that it is ensured that all silver assets are made secure.”

·         The punch bowl, that is kept in the Mayor’s Parlour, was presented to a former Mayor when he had a child whilst in Office

·         Councillor Lane confirmed that he was the first Mayor to instruct Hereditary Free Women to the town and queried should there be a Unitary Council who would lead on such a service

·         The Panel conveyed the view that it hoped that there would be a Town Council, with a Mayor

·         The Panel commended the book “The Borough of Northampton and Its Guildhall and Civic Traditions  - RJB Morris” and asked if copies could be brought out of storage and sold to Panel members who wanted to purchase a copy. The Scrutiny Officer undertook to make contact with the relevant officers.

The Scrutiny Panel to agree the list of core questions to be put to expert advisors

The Scrutiny Panel considered the draft core questions and made updates.

AGREED:      That the core questions, as attached, are sent to the expert advisors, as detailed on the Scope of this Review

The Scrutiny Panel to discuss potential site visits that it would undertake as part of the evidence gathering for this Review.

It was suggested that Councillor Danielle Stone be asked if she would be able to report back on the site visit to Chester, that another Working Group was setting up. This would inform the evidence base of this Review.

Further site visits were suggested:

·         Raunds Town Council

·         Higham Ferrers Town Council

The Scrutiny Officer undertook to make the necessary arrangements with the Chair.

The Scrutiny Panel to approve the Community Impact Assessment (CIA) for this Review

Mr David Huffadine-Smith, individual, addressed the Scrutiny Panel.  He commented on the potential Unitary Authority and the other Authorities that it would include; querying whether they also had Mayors.  He felt that discussions need to take place with them.  He suggested there needs to be joint working.  Mr Huffadine Smith went on to refer the Panel to Torbay and its Unitary issues.

Councillor Jamie Lane, in the capacity of Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, advised Mr Huffadine-Smith that that the Committee has already approved the scope of this Review and its remit is specific to Northampton, the Panel is investigating how it can recommend how Northampton’s heritage can be protected.  Representatives from other Authorities could be called as expert advisors.

Mr Huffadine-Smith was thanked for his address.

The Community Impact Assessment for this Review was approved and would be published on the Overview and Scrutiny WebPage.