Overview Scrutiny Committee - 6 March 2025
Shane Mochrie-Cox • 6 March 2025
One of the most important functions as a Cabinet Member is to be scrutinised and to be summoned to appear before the Counci's Overview Scrutiny Committee on decisions you have taken or on decisions taken by Cabinet that fall either wholly and mainly in your Portfolio and to answer questions from the committee on those decisions. The Overview Scrutiny Committee is Chaired by the Leader of the Opposition and it is they that set the agenda and can call items in or a number of members together can call items in.
The committee has powers under the constitution including to note, comment, or to refer the decision back for further consideration.
I do not take decisions lightly and I always assume I will be called into Scrutiny as this is right and proper and I take it very seriously.
So I was delighted to attend the OS meeting this evening to discuss and answer questions on the Local Development Scheme which sets out the timetable towards Regulation 19 of the Local Plan. while there I also answered questions on another decision Cabinet took on battery storage.
Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=105&MId=9270
Attended Cabinet this evening with the review of fees and charges, the draft budget including the General Fund and Housing Revenue Account, an update on the balancing the budget programme which, in producing the balanced budget and taking the decisions we have done means it is fully balanced with no further cuts or savings required with a good financial legacy for local residents and were able to secure additional funding from the Government. This meeting also had the draft Local Plan at Regulation 19 agreed subject to minor amendments before publication and consultation, minutes to the JTB and the purchase of 34 flats at Harbour Village. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=9426
Attended full council this evening with some reserved minutes, the climate change annual report, the new council tax reduction scheme which will help residents on the poorest households, some minor updates to the Constitution and the Mayor's announcements. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=9532
Attended GBC Cabinet this evening with the latest council achievement report, minutes of the crime and disorder scrutiny committee and in Part B - arrears write off and Rosherville shareholder advisory board minutes. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=9425
Chaired the Planning and Business Development Cabinet Committee this evening with the Tree Preservation Orders and Trees in Conservation Areas Guidance, a presentation on the 'Grow in Gravesham' initiative from the Senior Economic Development Officer, an update on the draft Business Development, Industrial, Jobs and Skills Strategy and the latest Corporate Performance Update on the agenda. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=444&MId=9463
A Special Meeting of the Cabinet took place on the rise of full council on the 18th November 2025 to deal with the full council unanimous decision to recommend Option 5a for formal submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and this was agreed. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=9550
Attended this evening a rare Extraordinary Meeting of the Council to discuss the Council's proposed submission for Local Government Reorganisation. All options were discussed. Option 5a as it is know was put together with support from both Gravesham Borough Council and Dartford Borough Council working in partnership. A good debate was held and in the end the council on a unanimous and cross party basis supported recommending Option 5a to the Cabinet. Tribute was paid at the start of the meeting to Honorary Freeman of the Borough and Past Mayor Makhan Singh who sadly had recently passed away. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=9512
Attended Cabinet this evening with Corporate Performance, review of the legal shared service, procurement of Housing Asset Contracts, Social Housing report, disposal of land at 13 Darnley Street, the counter fraud and corruption strategy, the General Fund and Housing Revenue Budget Monitoring reports, the Gravesend Town Centre Improvement Programme and the minutes to the Climate Change Advisory Board on the agenda. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=9424
Attended full council this evening with questions from the public, reserved minutes, Biodiversity Strategy, the annual report of the Finance and Audit Committee, appointments to committees and Mayor's announcements. Tribute was also paid to former Councillor Caroline Shelton who had sadly passed away recently. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=9402
Attended the meeting of the Climate Change Advisory Board this evening - with the Climate Action Delivery Plan, a new draft for the next one, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero statistics and our council scorecard from Climate Emergency UK on the agenda. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=458&MId=9477
Attended Cabinet this evening with the Council Housing Asset Strategy, the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme to help provide financial support for households on low incomes, the annual performance report of the council, board membership of our wholly council owned company and minutes to JTB on the agenda. Full agenda here: https://democracy.gravesham.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=149&MId=9423