Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ellie Plater, Leanne Brady, Akin Elekolusi, and Lynda Guy.  

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Community Select Committee held on Tuesday 16 September 2025.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Community Select Committee meeting held on 16 September be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the interim report and recommendations of the Committee’s review into Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the recommendations from the interim report. Members suggested changes to some of the wording and additions to the report as below:

Recommendation 1 - 4.2 ‘Support needs to be offered for the succession of the voluntary roles in the Community’, should be added to the report.

Recommendation 3  - 4.4 Wording of the recommendation should be changed to ‘The voices and lived experience of the trans community are invited into the discussions and at events to help combat misconceptions and hatred’

Recommendation 4 – 4.5 It was suggested that this recommendation extend to include the local shopping areas around the town, not just the town centre.

Recommendation 5 – 4.6 The issue of digital exclusion needs to be acknowledged and describe ways it has put mitigations in place.

Recommendation 6 – 4.7 Add in to the recommendation to take forward Age Concerns offer of developing the scheme of mobility scooter hire at the Bus Interchange.

Recommendation 9 – 4.10 Members wanted something included in this recommendation about the Bus Interchange and how it could be improved to aid individuals with sight loss. It was suggested that better signage be introduced in and around the Interchange and the screens be potentially lowered and resolution improved.

Discussion took place around some of the issues in and around the Bus Interchange such as poor lighting in certain areas, and uneven pavements.

Member asked if audio announcements could also be added, e.g. when a bus is about to leave. The Scrutiny Officer explained that they would take the point away to be investigated by officers and the portfolio holder.

 A question was raised about the recommendations being generalised and the officer confirmed that they are worded this way to give flexibility and avoid being too prescriptive.

The officer noted that the LGBTQ+ community were really encouraged with how they were included in local events such as Stevenage Day, having a Pride focus there, and the rainbow bench in Shephall.

Members asked why the scope of recommendation 4 only included the Town Centre and not the whole of the town. Members suggested that Councillors within each ward should be encouraged to investigate putting some accessible age friendly benches using their Local Community Budgets.

It was raised by Members that Digital Exclusion is not just an accessibility thing, does not just affect older people, and that recommendation 5 is not strong enough. SBC need to produce solutions on how to combat the problem as part of the recommendation.

Members referenced a piece of land in Manor Ward that has been restricted for sport purposes only and is not being utilised to the fullest. Officers agreed to take this point on board and provide an update on what is happening with the land and how its managed.

A question was raised on recommendation 8 about whether it was funding or support that was needed to support the external bodies like Mind In Herts. The officer clarified that they wanted better support and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To consider the Committee’s updated work programme for 2025-26.

The Scrutiny Officer went through the work programme and provided the following updates:

Progress on the new housing allocations policy will be provided at the meeting on 13 January 2026, this has been delayed as the policy is being worked on now and it is understood that they are looking at a new low band to be included. In this meeting they will also report on the past year since the policy was implemented in terms of data and how it’s gone in practice.

The item on damp and mould had been delivered, it continues to be an issue that this Committee will have an interest in and would want to look at again in the future.

Equalities and diversity were being looked at in this meeting and would be brought back in a final report to the Committee in due course.

Older people – The relevant portfolio holder for Neighbourhoods and Older People, Councillor Myla Arceno, brought their item to Council regarding age-friendly and dementia-friendly communities, which got a lot of support. Councillor Arceno had confirmed that she is keen to bring this to the Committee so that more detail can be worked on.

It is proposed to have a focus meeting on the provision for older people on 11 December 2025 which may become a bigger piece of work in a future work programme.

Officers have tried on several occasions to move forward on the community centre item; it is understood that a lot of work will need to go into this from officers with a collaborated effort required from multiple teams. This will stay on the work programme, however it will not be possible to fit it in this year.

Members commented that the community centres topic had been ongoing for many years and every community centre has a Council link Councillor.  It was suggested that some of the work around this programme item be given to those Councillors to complete as it would be easier for each of them to do this, rather than someone trying to do the whole project.

The Scrutiny Officer agreed to speak to officers and get an update on when this item will be progressed.

The Scrutiny Officer explained that the Statutory Crime and Disorder committee meeting will take place in March 2026, potentially 25^th. This will allow the Police and SoSafe partnership to have complied all the relevant data and Members will have an opportunity to review it.

A Member referenced that the Police Priorities meeting had not taken place recently. The officer confirmed that the next one is on 26 November 2025.

The Scrutiny Officer explained that that the standing item, Public Health, has not been delivered for a couple of years since the previous Director of Public Health at the County Council left his position within that organisation. Assurance has been provided by Kerry Clifford that we will have a focus meeting on this item, in February 2026, either the 4^th or 26^{th  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.}

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

There was no Urgent Part I Business.

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 ground 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 items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 to 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by SI 2006 No. 88.

2.    That having considered the reasons for the following item being in Part II, it be determined that maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

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

There was no Urgent Part II Business.