Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

Recommendation:

The Panel note that the former panel, at a meeting on 24 March 2023, were in agreement with the report and the recommendations therein and have signed the same off for onward presentation to the Cabinet.

The Chair explained that Coucillor George Madgwick had been invited as a member of the previous Scrutiny Panel and to present the Scrutiny Panel Report of 24 March 2023 'Engagement with Culture & Leisure - Widening Social Participation in Portsmouth'.

Councillor Madgwick then presented the report and explained the report ranged from 2019 - 2023 having been started by a former panel in 2019 with two meetings in January 2020.  This was then interrupted by the Pandemic.  The new Scrutiny Panel formed in May 2020 did not then pick the work up.  The Panel formed in May 2022 held a meeting in January 2023 and re-commenced the process to finish the scrutiny report.  A large amount of work was completed in a short timescale, meeting with numerous stakeholders across the city.

Councillor Madgwick outlined the recommendations contained within the report.

The report was signed off by the Panel and the Chair, Councillor George Fielding, in March, only a few days prior to Purdah commencing.  This did not allow time for it to be presented to Cabinet prior to the elections.  The report will be presented to the Cabinet at their meeting on 27 June with a response from the directorate officers.

Councillor Madgwick noted that the current panel was being asked to note the report.

The Chair thanked Councillor Fielding for submitting the report and noted the positives within the report.  He also observed the report to be quite focused on the South and agreed with the need to consider the North of the city further.

Councillor Candlish commended the report author for the use of summarising tables which made the report simple to understand and to focus on the key issues.

The panel noted the report.

Panel Members to consider and agree Economic Development, Culture & Leisure Scrutiny topics for 2023/24.

The Chair advised that, due to the panel only having been convened for just over two weeks, it was too soon to be able to make an informed decision on scrutiny topics for the forthcoming municipal year.  He therefore invited panel members to forward to him any topics they would like to consider with a meeting being convened in mid-July to make the decision.

The Panel agreed and commented that consideration could be given to concentrating on Economic Development as the previous report had considered Culture and Leisure.  A suggestion was made to consider understanding the economic impact of Portsmouth's town Centres and high streets and how to best inform and address the changing landscape and the impact this has had.

The Chair thanked everyone for attending.