Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Andrews, Bailey and Blair.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the above meeting, having been circulated, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair, subject to the following amendments:

Minute 4: ‘Head of Strategy and Performance’ to be replaced with ‘Corporate Director’.

Minute 5: Stephen Bray, Corporate Director, to be included in the named invitees.

None.

Report of the Councillor Mike Hope.

The Chair informed Members of the end position of the 2012/13 Scrutiny work programme and invited Working Group chairs to present the final reports and recommendations of the following completed reviews:

• Hackney Carriages
• Inclusion and Equality
• The Council’s engagement with the Voluntary Sector
• Covert Surveillance

RESOLVED:

i)             To approve the reports and recommendations of the above working groups and refer them on to Cabinet for consideration.

ii)            To note that the one outstanding working group, Localism, Planning and Housing, will hold its’ final meeting in September and report to the October Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Report of Councillor Mike Hope.

The Chair directed Members’ attention to the Portfolio Holder information at appendix 1 of the report, and asked that they consider which specific areas within portfolios they would like to hold Portfolio Holders to account on, with a view to establishing a rolling programme of attendance by the relevant Portfolio Holder and Corporate Director.

The Chair then requested that Members consider and agree subjects for the three in depth reviews, and the order in which they would be conducted.

RESOLVED:

To examine the following areas of performance within individual Portfolios:

Committee date: 7th October 2013 – attendance confirmed in diaries

Services for review: Procurement strategy and co-location with partners

Portfolio Holder: Councillor John Clarke: Leader of the Council

Corporate Director: Mark Kimberley

Committee date: 9th December 2013 – attendance confirmed in diaries

Services for review: Waste strategy, energy management, sustainability

Portfolio Holder: Councillor Peter Barnes: Environment

Corporate Directors: Dave Wakelin and Stephen Bray

Remainder of the programme (order and dates to be confirmed)

Service for review: Public Health

Councillor Hollingsworth: Health and Housing

Corporate Director: Dave Wakelin

Services for review: the planning process and the town centres strategy

Councillor Pulk: Leisure and Development

Corporate Director: Paula Darlington

Service for review: Neighbourhood working

Councillor Fox: Community Development

Corporate Director: Paula Darlington

To nominate the following in-depth reviews in order of priority; and to ask officers to liaise with business managers and group leaders to request nominations from political groups.

The impact of Homelessness and Hardship in the Borough - Councillor Lawrence nominated

Reducing Unemployment in the Borough

Transport links to and from the Borough

Report of the Election’s and Members’ Services Team Leader.

Members considered a report which detailed proposals for dealing with items referred to Scrutiny as a requirement of the Council’s constitution, which included:

·         Referrals of policies that form part of the Budget and Policy Framework.

It was proposed that the Chairman be notified at the point the Policy or Strategy is included in the Forward Plan and, when the document is ready for consultation, circulated to all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or tabled at an Overview Scrutiny Committee meeting, if a meeting is immediately pending. If a meeting is not pending, it was agreed that a meeting could be called to specifically discuss the proposals.

Comments would be collated by the Elections and Members’ Services Team and, after discussion with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, submitted to the relevant officer before the end of the consultation period. The officer would then either append the Scrutiny responses to the Cabinet report, or include a paragraph within the report which details the Scrutiny responses. Cabinet will take into account any responses received from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee before making a decision.

Members were informed that there are also requirements in the new Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 which require notice to be given to the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee if the executive proposes to take a key decision without it being published (on the Forward Plan) for at least 28 days.

·         Referrals under Contract Standing Orders, including:

-       proposals to enter into a contract between £10, 000 and £50, 000 where the  requirement to obtain 3 quotes cannot be met.

-       proposals for the disposal of land or property other than the sale of council houses to sitting tenants pursuant to the right to buy.

It was agreed that a standing agenda item be added to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Agenda to inform the Committee of such notifications received by the Chair.

RESOLVED:

To note the procedures for dealing with items referred to Overview and Scrutiny Committee as a requirement of the Council’s constitution.

None.