Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 1st July 2019.

Matters arising from the previous minutes:

(i)            The query raised on page 2 regarding a section 106 agreement had not been answered satisfactorily and the Commission wanted a further response. The Commission was advised that a further response would be emailed out to them following the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 1st July 2019 were then approved.

No declarations were made.

Councillor Fryer declared an interest in item 9 as the Chair of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee and a member of the Adults and Communities Scrutiny Committee for Leicestershire County Council.

No declarations were made.

No questions were submitted.

No questions were submitted.

There are no items of this nature on the Cabinet agenda for the Commission to consider.

There were no items of this nature on the Cabinet agendafor the Commission to consider.

A report of the Cabinet setting out its responses to recommendations of the Committee on pre-decision scrutiny items.

A report of the Cabinet was considered setting out its responses to the recommendations of the Commission on pre-decision scrutiny items (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).    

In relation to the Bulky Waste Collection Cabinet report the Commission asked whether further information could be provided on the Cabinet decision that “a scheme be introduced for waiving the charge in cases of extreme hardship”. The Democratic Services Officer advised that a response would be obtained and circulated to the Commission following the meeting.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet’s responses to the Commission’s recommendations be noted.

Reason

The Commission was satisfied that it added value where appropriate and welcomed the Cabinet’s consideration of the Commission’s views and recommendations as part of its decision-making process.

To consider updates on the work of scrutiny panels.

At this meeting the Scrutiny Commission will discuss ideas for future Scrutiny Panels and agree on topics for scrutiny.

The Commission discussed the Scrutiny Panel suggestions which had been developed by the Chair and Vice-chair following the last meeting. They were reminded that only four Panels could run at a time as this was in line with Democratic Service Officer support levels.

The Commission confirmed which suggestions would be informal panels, express panels and full panels based on their scope for scrutiny and some more information was added to the suggestions to provide more detail and focus for the Panels.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Chair of the Commission contact the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Leicestershire County Council to advise of the Council’s plans for upcoming Scrutiny Panels which focused on County Council functions.

2.    That the Democratic Services Manager be given the task of administering the Panels according to the timetable agreed in the report.

3.    That the relevant Council officers be invited to attend the first meeting of all new Scrutiny Panels to inform the Members of officer actions already taking place.

4.    Democratic Services Team to compile the timetable for all Scrutiny Panels once agreed and to indicate where Democratic Service Officer support will be provided.

Reasons

1.    To avoid any duplication of work, to inform the County Council of the Borough Council’s plans and to identify any opportunities for collaborative working.

2.    To ensure timely and efficient scrutiny of the subjects.

3.    To help guide the focus of the Scrutiny Panel and to avoid any duplication of work already completed.

4.    To monitor the progress of all Scrutiny Panels and to highlight where panels are Member led.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support enabling the Commission to review and agree the scrutiny work programme for all of the Scrutiny Committees.

The Commission will also be provided with an update on the Scrutiny Panel topic suggestions following the last meeting.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support enabling the Commission to review and agree the scrutiny work programme (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

RESOLVED

1.            that that the Scrutiny Work Programme set out in the Appendix to the report, and scheduled scrutiny of those matters, be noted.

2.            That the following item be removed from the Scrutiny Work Programme:

(i)            Partnership Arrangements – Scrutiny Commission – to be scheduled.

Reasons

1.            To ensure timely and effective scrutiny.

2.            The Commission commented that the item on Partnership Arrangements had been long standing on the old Scrutiny Work Programme and had never been scheduled thus decided to remove it.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support setting out the list of forthcoming Executive Key Decisions and the Group’s Work Programme for consideration, in order to identify items for future scrutiny.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support was considered, to enable the Commission to consider its work programme and forthcoming Key Decisions and decisions to be taken in private by the Cabinet in order to schedule items for pre-decision scrutiny (item 11 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Commission discussed the subject matter of the forthcoming Key Decisions and decided that they wanted the three Directorate based Scrutiny Committees to do some of the Cabinet pre-decision scrutiny at an earlier stage to give them an opportunity to be more involved in the scrutiny process. They decided that the upcoming Executive Key Decision reports as set out in Resolution 2 be added to the three other Scrutiny Committees Work Programmes.

RESOLVED

1.            that forthcoming Executive Key Decisions or decisions to be taken in private by the Executive, set out in Appendix 2 to the report, and scheduled scrutiny of those matters, be noted, and that further items be scheduled for scrutiny as follows:

(i)            Internal Audit Shared Service Contract – September 2019

(ii)          Amendments to Annual Procurement Plan and Capital Plan Amendment Report – September 2019. These two reports will be reviewed by the Chair and Vice-chair of the Commission to decide whether they offer potential for scrutiny.

(iii)         Draft Charnwood Local Plan 2036 – September 2019

(iv)         Annual Procurement Plan 2020/21 – March 2020

(v)          Business Plan 2020/21 – March 2020.

2.    that the following Executive Key Decisions or decisions to be taken in private by the Executive, set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be added to the relevant Scrutiny Committee’s Work Programme for earlier scrutiny:

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee

·         Medium Term Financial Strategy 2020/2023 – November 2019

·         Draft Capital Plan 2020/21 – 2022/23 – December 2019

·         Capital Plan Outturn 2019/20 – July 2020

Housing, Planning and Regeneration and Regulatory Services Scrutiny Committee

·         Building Control Alternative Service Delivery Project – October 2019

·         Housing Capital Programme – March 2020

·         Local Development Scheme – March 2020

Neighbourhoods and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

·         Charnwood Grants – January 2020

3.            that the Commission’s current work programme be noted and updated following this meeting, in accordance with the decisions taken during consideration of this item and at this meeting and any items of pre-decision scrutiny that require changing due to their reprogramming by the Cabinet.

Reasons

1, 2 & 3.         To ensure effective and timely scrutiny, either to provide Cabinet with advice prior to it taking a decision or to ensure that the Council and external public service providers and partners were operating effectively for the benefit of the Borough.