Agenda and minutes

Councillors/Staff to give notice of any disclosable pecuniary interest, other registrable interest or any other interest and the nature of that interest relating to any item on the agenda, in accordance with the adopted Code of Conduct.

None declared.

At a meeting of the Executive on 23 November 2022, a decision was taken to approve the disposal of Council owned land in central Workington.

On the 5 December 2022 a completed call-in form was submitted to the Council’s Monitoring Officer counter signed by Councillor Barbara Cannon, Councillor Alan Smith and Councillor Markus Campbell-Savours. The call-in indicated the signatories had concerns that the proposed land deal underpinning the project had not been scrutinised or sufficient information shared with the public.

The Monitoring Officer, after consultation with the Co-Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny, accepted the call-in request. This meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was to consider that call-in.

Councillor Mike Johnson Leader of the Council and PH for Economic Growth, Community Development and Placemaking and Councillor Marion Fitzgerald PH for Policy, Governance and People Resources were present at the meeting on behalf of the Executive.

The Programme Director and Chief Executive were present to support members and a representative from the North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust was in attendance.

The call-in was presented to the Committee by two of the three signatories.

Councillor M Campbell-Savours started off by confirming that they were in support of the proposed development of the Community Diagnostic Centre and that the call-in had been about transparency around the decision making.

He said at the time of the decision there had been no information made available in the public domain for example as to which piece of land it was referring to and any associated information around the decision to dispose.

He commented that had the reports been made public and available at the time of the decision making, as they had been for the call-in meeting there may not have been a need to a call the decision in.

In terms of the proposed development of a Community Diagnostic Centre, he said they wished the committee to explore who was going to own the facility once completed, how the land had been valued, any impact on existing NHS facilities in the areas and could the disposal value of the land be justified by potential public benefit.

In support of those comments Councillor B Cannon said she was a great supporter of the NHS and defender of NHS services in Workington demonstrated throughout her political career. She commented she had an issue around how land was valued and wanted to ensure the new facility was not to impact on current facilities in the area. She asked why couldn’t a new Centre be added on to the Workington Community Hospital as it had been originally designed with the option to expand upwards if required.

Councillor Cannon said that as of 1^st April 2023 all land would transfer to the new Cumberland Council and, as Portfolio Holder for Assets she requested clarity for both the new Council and for the public to understand who would own the facility.

Councillor M Fitzgerald responded to the points raised in the call-in application, set out on page  ...  view the full minutes text for item 393.