Any other item or items (not likely to disclose "exempt information") which, by reason of special circumstances (to be specified), the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered at this meeting as a matter of urgency.

(a) Call-in of Executive Decision E/24.06.13/9 – End of Parking Services and Environmental Enforcement Review Consultation Report, Including Proposals for Future Service Delivery

The Chairman has agreed to allow consideration of this item as Urgent Business in order to allow the timely consideration of the call-in, in accordance with timescales set out in the Council’s Constitution

Following a request from Scrutiny Members, the Chairman has agreed that the call-in of this decision be referred for the Committee’s consideration. The following documents are to be submitted to inform Members’ discussions:

4. Response Statement on behalf of the Executive

[Note: The Executive Member for Highways and Environment and supporting officers will be in attendance to respond to Members’ enquiries.]

(a) Call-In of Executive Decision E/24.06.13/9 – End of Parking Services and Environmental Enforcement Review Consultation Report, Including Proposals for Future Service Delivery

[Note: The Chairman agreed to the consideration of this item as Urgent Business in order to allow the call-in to be dealt with within the constitutional deadline for doing so.]

The Chairman opened the meeting, setting out for information the nature and purpose of a call-in meeting, and noting that the stated reasons for call-in of the Executive’s decision, and a response by the Executive, was before the Committee to inform its consideration. The Executive Member for Highways and Environment was also in attendance to respond to the Committee’s enquiries.

On behalf of the Councillors requesting call-in of the decision, Councillor Cordingley expanded briefly on the rationale for the call-in and the perceived problems with the decision, indicating a wish that it be reconsidered in the broader context of the Council’s town centre working.

The Chairman set out the two options generally available to the Committee. These were to take no further action, or to refer the decision back to the Executive, which would then need to consider within a very brief period of time. This latter option would not allow the Executive significant time for any potential revision of proposals, and also would remove any opportunity for Scrutiny further to consider the matter.

In this light, the Chairman advised that he wished to seek the Committee’s view on an alternative course of action, namely that it not uphold the call-in request, but work with the Executive outside this meeting to reconsider the decision (which with the agreement of the Executive would not be implemented at this stage) with a view to exploring whether a mutually acceptable course of action could be found.

The Committee expressed broad agreement that this would be a beneficial course of action. On behalf of the Executive, Councillor Mitchell commented that, whilst he felt that the Executive’s response to the call-in issues was robust, consideration of the call-in had raised questions regarding whether the rationale for the Executive’s decision had been sufficiently clear. In this light he was content to delay the decision, to allow the further consideration of the issues which was now proposed, and the exploration of additional possibilities.

It was moved and seconded that the call-in request be not upheld, but that the Committee work with the Executive outside this meeting to reconsider the decision (which would not now be implemented at this stage) with a view to exploring whether a mutually acceptable course of action could be found.

The motion was put to the vote and unanimously declared carried.

Following on from this decision, it was agreed that Councillor John Reilly would convene and chair a Scrutiny topic group to undertake this work. Interested Members were to contact him, though the determination of the appropriate maximum size for the group would be a matter for the chairman’s discretion. The group would be requested to bring forward suggestions to inform the Executive’s subsequent reconsideration of this decision.

Councillor Mitchell thanked the Committee for this outcome, indicating that he would be happy to work with the Committee as proposed. In order to facilitate this, he would welcome a summary of topics on which the Committee would wish him to focus his attention.

In conclusion, the Chairman thanked all involved for their participation, and clarified for the benefit of those members of the public present the significance of the Committee’s decision.

            Resolved:

(1)          That the Committee and Executive work on this issue as set out above.

(2)          That Councillor John Reilly convene and chair a Scrutiny topic group to undertake this work

(3)          That Members interested in participating in the group contact Councillor Reilly.

(4)          That the topic group be requested to bring forward suggestions to inform the Executive’s subsequent reconsideration of this decision.