Issue - meetings

John Payne, Member of the Scrutiny Task Group will be presenting this item

RESOLVED THAT

the report of the Scrutiny Task Group be noted.

Councillor John Payne, member of the Scrutiny Task Group Shopmobiilty, was invited to address Cabinet.  The task group, together with the Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles, visited the Shopmobility service and noted the phenomenal enthusiasm among staff. The service had been located in the Beechwood Arcade since 1992 but had been served with a notice to quit in November. Whilst the present location was not ideal it was close to a car park and at ground level. He said that looking forward the service needed to develop as it was currently not sufficiently resourced to fully exploit opportunities with partners or via advertising. One of the recommendations from the group was therefore to consider strategies to enhance the service including partnership options with other local service providers.

The Leader wished to put on record his thanks to the task group. A member asked whether the task group had considered if it would be possible to search for partners and a new premises at the same time. In response the member of the scrutiny task group said that the priority was finding a new location as if the service failed this would be a disaster for the town. Officers should then explore partnership options.

RESOLVED THAT

the report of the Scrutiny Task Group be noted.