Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Facey  

There were no declarations of interests.? 

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 23 January 2024.

The minutes from the previous meeting were APPROVED as a correct record.? 

To consider the following Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on 7 February 2024:

2.         Minutes – 17 January 2024

3.         Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees

4.         Stevenage Works Skills Framework – Unlocking Jobs, Skills and Opportunity for Local People

5.         Final General Fund and Council Tax Settings 2024/25

6.         Final Capital Strategy 2023/24 – 2028/29

7.         Annual Treasury Management Strategy Including Prudential Indicators 2024/25

8.         Stevenage Cycle Hire Scheme – Report and Public Consultation Feedback

Notice of Decisions to follow

-          Minutes?? 

-          Minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees?? 

-          Select Committees?? 

-          ?Stevenage Works Skills Framework – Unlocking Jobs, Skills, and Opportunity for Local People?? 

-          ?Final General Fund and Council Tax Settings 2024/25?? 

-          Final Capital Strategy 2023/24 – 2028/29?? 

-          Annual Treasury Management Strategy Including Prudential Indicators 2024/25?? 

-          Stevenage Cycle Hire Scheme – Report and Public Consultation Feedback? 

Stevenage Works Skills Framework – Unlocking Jobs, Skills, and Opportunity for Local People? 

Officers provided a presentation on the ‘Stevenage Works Skills Framework’, and key points made by the Executive. Officers explained since Stevenage Works has been formed it has:

·         Supported over 500 people to attend training courses.

·         Put in place over 50 apprenticeships

·         Secured over £50,000 in investment into the local community in Stevenage.

-          Members queried whether the Officers could clarify the ambition of the Stevenage Works. The Officer explained the skills framework, maximising resources, ongoing momentum, and activity to ensure Stevenage residents and given every opportunity to take advantage of the excellent opportunity. It also has benefits such as practical and experimental opportunities.? 

-          A Member queried if there is a reason Stevenage Works is not partnered with sixth form centres of the town and questioned how many young people attended Generation Stevenage. It was explained the council has also been promoting apprenticeships through videos and case study’s (HR led), Officers are also establishing the links and reaching out to secondary schools as part of the Skills Framework, and two secondary schools are directly engaged in two pilot projects.  Officers confirmed over 800 people that attended Generation Stevenage.? 

-          A Member stated the presentation emphasisedSTEM throughout the document, potentially creating a hierarchy in schools, as it could seem as more important than other subjects. Officers agreed STEM has been spoken about in greater detail given the initial partnership funding from Mission 44 prioritised opening opportunities in that sector, and as there is significant growth in opportunities in STEM sectors.  Officers reiterated that STEM is not seen as more important than other sectors, with construction healthcare, public services, culture, and heritage and beyond.

-          Members questioned whether the council are monitoring women in STEM going forward and what are the barriers within the area. It was explained Mission 44 is specifically focused on not just focusing on getting young people on board but people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and there would also be worked to help expand routes for women and girls.  As set out in the Framework, a challenge is that there needs to be better connection between employers, providers, schools, and the community, to help overcome barriers, and to access current opportunities some local people do not know who to get in contact with, and via the Framework, Officers are looking to tailor information and access to a local level.? 

-          Councillors believed there was a confidence issue with young people and believed the council should try encouraging confidence in Stevenage’s younger generation. This could be due  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider any urgent Part I Decisions authorised by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

There were none.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent

There were none.

To consider the following motions:

1.       That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.       That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

It was RESOLVED:

(1)      That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1- 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Acts as amended by Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

(2)      That Members consider the reasons for the following reports (if any) being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

To approve as a correct record the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 23 January 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting were APPROVED as a correct record.? 

To consider the following Part II Decisions of the Executive taken on 7 February 2024:

11.       Part II Minutes – 17 January 2024

12.       Stevenage Cycle Hire Scheme – Report and Public Consultation Feedback

Notice of Decisions to follow

The Part II decisions of the executive were noted.

To consider any urgent Part II Decisions authorised by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

There were none.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent

There were none.