Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Councillors, in accordance with the code of conduct.

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will be asked to agree the minutes of the meetings held on

·         12 January 2015;

·         18 February 2015 (to follow).

The Board agreed that the minutes of the meetings held on 12 January 2015 and 19 February 2015 are confirmed as a correct record.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will be asked to consider and approve the work programmes for each panel and receive a progress update from each Chair.

The Board noted its work programme for the municipal year 2014/15.

The Board, will receive notification of the decisions taken under delegated authority with the Board’s Lead Officer in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair.

There were no decisions taken under delegated authority.

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will monitor the progress of its previous decisions.

The board considered its schedule of decisions and noted the latest position.

The Chair advised that the HR information requested (refer minute 151) had been provided for this meeting.

To receive new items from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions and Private Business with a view to identifying items for scrutiny.

The Board considered the following executive decisions in the Forward Plan which were scheduled to be discussed at Cabinet between March and May 2015 –

Due to an opportunity arising for the Council to acquire the long leasehold interest, it was impractical to defer the decision relating to the property investment opportunity, units 6A-9A, Kay Close, Newnham Industrial Estate, Plympton. (Please refer to minute 150).

The Board will receive the corporate monitoring report (including HR information) for its consideration.

The Head of Finance Operations and the Interim Assistant Director for HR and Organisational Development presented the Corporate Monitoring report (including overtime, agency and sickness), which highlighted the following key areas –

Following questions raised by members, it was reported that –

The Board agreed to –

The Chair thanked Chris Randall and Chris Squires for attending the meeting.

Members will reflect on the Board’s achievement for the municipal year 2014/15, in order to inform the Annual Scrutiny Report.

The Chair asked the Board to highlight its achievements throughout 2014-15. Members identified budget scrutiny as an achievement.  The Chair, Vice Chair, Lead Officer and Democratic Support Officer were delegated to pull together the achievements of the Board for submission to the Annual Scrutiny Report.

Agreed that the Chair, Vice Chair, Lead Officer and Democratic Support Officer to pull together the achievements for the Board for submission into the Annual Scrutiny Report.

The Board will receive the following –

·         an overview of the Co-operative Centre of Operations (CCO) Transformation Programme;

·         the Communication and Engagement Strategy.

Councillor Jon Taylor (Cabinet Member for Transformation), Giles Perritt (Assistant Chief Executive), Les Allen (Head of Portfolio), Nicola Lenden (Transformation Communications Lead) and Rob Pendleton (Programme Manager) presented the Co-operative Centre of Operations (CCO) update and the communications and engagement strategy, which highlighted the following key issues –

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will be advised of any executive decisions that have been called in.

There were no decisions that had been called in.

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will be advised of executive decisions that have been deemed urgent with the agreement of the Chair (if any).

The Chair reported that he had signed an urgent executive decision relating to a property investment opportunity, Units 6A – 9A Kay Close, Newnham Industrial Estate, Plympton.

The decision had been urgent due to the need to acquire the property by 13 March 2015 otherwise the investment opportunity would be lost.

The Council was currently the freehold owner of Units 6A-9A Kay Close, Newnham Industrial Estate, Plympton. The units were located within an established industrial area approximately two miles from the A38 and the Council also owned and directly leased two adjoining terraces totalling nine units on the estate in addition to a further terrace subject to a long leasehold interest.

An opportunity had arisen to acquire the long leasehold interest of Units 6A-9A Kay Close which was a high yielding multi-let industrial estate investment currently on the market for sale.  There were 89 years currently remaining on the lease.  The units were currently fully let and this would consolidate the Council’s property holding in this location and provide further critical mass.

This had been identified as a good commercial property investment opportunity and merger of the freehold and leasehold interests will increase the value of the asset.

The Board noted the decision.

To receive and consider recommendations from Panels, Cabinet and Council.

There were no recommendations to consider.

The Co-operative Scrutiny Board will be asked to consider co-operative review(s) (if any).

There were no co-operative review(s) to consider.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it/they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

There were no items of exempt business.