Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Harkness and Williamson.

The Scrutiny Board is asked to note the Call-in Procedure

Resolved:

That the Call-in Procedure be noted.

An update on the Creating a Better Place Programme (adjourned from 24^th July and 27^th August 2025)

The Chair reported that this item was to consider a report, that had been Called-in, from the Cabinet’s meeting held on 16^th June 2025. Councillors Kenyon and Al-Hamdani, in accordance with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules had called-in Minute 12 taken from the proceedings of the Cabinet’s meeting held on 16^th June 2025 (Creating a Better Place – Update).

The Scrutiny Committee therefore considered a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive which presented an update on the Creating a Better Place (CaBP) that had been considered previously by the Cabinet, on 16^th June 2025.

The report advised that the Council and partners continued to make significant progress on the delivery of the CaBP programme which would, it was planned, reshape Oldham Town Centre but which also reached out across the borough. The submitted report sought to provide a comprehensive update on delivery achieved, it acknowledges the successes to date and sets out key milestones in respect of the flagship projects across the programme either in development or currently in delivery.

Further to earlier meetings of the Scrutiny Board on 24^th July and 27^th August 2025, the reported included additional information, including some of the information from the Part B, commercially sensitive report on this matter, to provide transparency on the information contained in the part B without compromising any commercially, legally, or finally sensitive information, as requested at the Scrutiny Board’s previous meeting on 27^th August 2025. 

The report advised that technical, legal and commercial recommendations for certain projects were contained within the submitted report, including the relevant financial, contractual or legal recommendations for each of the projects within the Council’s Creating a Better Place (CaBP) capital programme as set out in section 4 of this report and in more detail within section 4 of the Part B report, later in the agenda.

The report’s recommendations following a further review of the CaBP capital programme assessing the risks, impacts of change, deliverability, financial impact and contractual challenges to identify any potential opportunities to ensure alignment of the projects with the political priorities of the Council.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

To consider that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that discussions may involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, under paragraph 3 as defined in the provisions of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) 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 contains exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and it would not, on balance, be in the public interest to disclose the reports.

The Scrutiny Board is requested to note the Call-in request and to consider the recommendations, in the confidential report, that were approved by Cabinet on 16^th June 2025 (minute 11 refers) and which were subsequently called-in by Councillors Kenyon and Al-Hamdani.

The confidential report considered by the Cabinet on 16^th June 2025, the associated appendices and the Call-in form received from Councillors Kenyon and Al-Hamdani are attached, for Member’s consideration.

The Chair reported that this item was to consider a report, that had been Called-in, from the Cabinet’s meeting held on 16^th June 2025. Councillors Kenyon and Al-Hamdani, in accordance with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules had called-in Minute 12 taken from the proceedings of the Cabinet’s meeting held on 16^th June 2025 (Creating a Better Place – Update).

Resolved:

That the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board upholds the decision of the Cabinet made on 16^th December in respect of the item: Creating a Better Place - Update (minute 12 refers), meaning that the decision of the Cabinet takes immediate effect.