Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A J Jones and S Joiner.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interest was declared:-

Councillor M Thomas – personal – Minute No  20 – Scrutiny Letters – 3 Feb, 7 April, 28 April and 12 May – wife works for the authority in adult social services – have dispensation from Standards Committee.

In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committees held on:

·       14 April, 2014; and

·       8 May, 2014.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 14 April 2014 and 8 May 2014 be agreed as correct records.

The Chair presented a report to ensure understanding about the role of the Scrutiny Programme Committee. The role of the Programme Committee and Scrutiny Conveners was outlined. The terms of reference were attached as an appendix. The Chair indicated that it was proposed that closer working would occur in the future with Scrutiny Conveners. It was stated that LSB Panel needed to be included. Training of Scrutiny Members and Conveners was discussed. It was suggested that it may be beneficial if representatives of the Auditor General Wales be invited to this Committee. It was stated that Annual Reports be submitted to Council.

RESOLVED that

(1)      the report be noted.

(2)      Annual Scrutiny Reports be submitted to Council.

The Chair presented the report of the Scrutiny Work Programme which included a plan for future Committee meetings as well as panels and working groups. A discussion took place regarding proposed topic areas for Inquiry Panels and Working Groups. It was considered important that what was being achieved was identified. It was suggested that when Question and Answer sessions take place with Cabinet members a report on their progress be submitted to Scrutiny Committee Members prior to the meeting. It was stated that when Councillor M Theaker attends the next meeting that feedback from the LSB Panel be included. The terms of reference and what was being reported as part of the investigation in respect of the Local Authorities Education Inclusion Review was queried. Clarification was sought regarding the meetings of the Local Service Board. It was stated that the one off Planning Services Working Group may need to be reviewed in 6 months.

RESOLVED that the undermentioned Work Programme for 2014/15  be approved:-

(1)      Initial proposed topics for Inquiry Panels were :

Governance in Schools

Corporate Culture/ Cooperative Council

Mental Health Services

(2)      When further details are submitted regarding these topic areas in a           future meeting one of these topics be progressed.

(3)      Selected topics for the Working  Groups were

Corporate Building and Property Services

Sustainability

(4)      A letter be written to the Schools Performance Panel to ask for an   update on the progress of the Local Authorities Education Inclusion

          Review.

(5)      The Convener of the Local Service Board Panel write to the Chair of         the Local Service Board to seek their views on public engagement.

The Chair presented a report regarding  changes to the membership of the Schools Performance Panel, Wellbeing Performance Panel and Service Improvement and Finance Performance Panel. Further verbal amendments were made.

RESOLVED that the following membership changes be approved:-

Schools Scrutiny Performance Panel

REMOVE Councillor Jennifer Raynor

ADD Councillor Penny Matthews and Robert Smith

Appoint Fiona Gordon as convenor

Following this change the revised Panel membership will be 13 Councillors, as detailed in the report with the addition of Councillor Robert Smith.

Wellbeing Scrutiny Performance Panel

REMOVE Councillor Ann Cook

ADD Councillor David Lewis

Following this change the revised Panel membership will be 16 Councillors, as detailed in the report.

Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel

REMOVE Councillors David Lewis and Robert Smith

ADD Councillors Joe Hale and Jennifer Raynor

Following this change the revised Panel membership will be 13 Councillors, as detailed in the report with the deletion of Councillor Robert Smith and addition of Councillor Jennifer Raynor.  

The Chair reported the changes to the scrutiny letters log and referred to the recent correspondence between Scrutiny and Cabinet Members:-

a)       Letter to/ from Cabinet Member for Wellbeing (Wellbeing Performance Panel Meeting  - 3 February 2014).

b)       Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Wellbeing (Wellbeing Performance Panel Meeting – 17 March 2014).

c)       Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Wellbeing (Wellbeing Performance Panel Meeting – 7 April 2014).

d)       Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Wellbeing (Wellbeing Performance Panel Meeting – 28 April 2014).

e)       Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Wellbeing (Wellbeing Performance Panel Meeting – 12 May 2014).

f)        Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Place (Committee Meeting – 17 February 2014).

g)       Letter to/from Cabinet Member for Regeneration ( Committee Meeting – 17 March 2014).

RESOLVED that

(1)      the above letters be noted.

(2)      An additional letter be sent to the Cabinet member for Wellbeing in respect of Transforming Adult Services as a topic for pre decision        scrutiny.

(3)      An additional letter be sent to the Cabinet Member for Place  to enquiry     how many black bags are fly tipped and how many people had been   issued with warning letters.

(4)      the Cabinet Member for Place also be sent a letter requesting further        information in respect of the blue badge scheme.

The Chair submitted a report which set out proposals on how scrutiny could  improve its impact over the next 12 months. An action plan summarising the proposals were detailed in Appendix A of the report. It was stated that a new report template had been developed as shown in Appendix B, which allowed the Cabinet member to show for agreed recommendations what work is already going on and what will be new. A revised follow up report template for Cabinet was attached at Appendix C.  Approaches to improving impact were identified in the report. It was proposed that the content for the Council’s forward look document be included  in the papers for Scrutiny Committee. It was agreed that the focus should be on impact, appropriate mechanisms in place and the training of conveners.

RESOLVED that the proposals summarised in the action plan be endorsed.

The Chair presented a report which sought agreement on a protocol for co – option to ensure a consistent approach across Panels and Working Groups. A proposed protocol that Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups adopt was set out in the report. It was stated that ways of advertising for co - opted members could be investigated further

RESOLVED that this protocol be endorsed.

The Chair reported the draft Scrutiny Dispatches for agreement and submission to Council on 15 July 2014. The Chair stated that he was still waiting for a response from the Presiding Member regarding the request to give members the opportunity to ask questions in respect of the Scrutiny Dispatches report for Council.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be agreed and submitted to Council on 15 July 2014.

The meeting ended at 5.55p.m.

The Auditor General for Wales Improvement Study: Scrutiny in Local Government entitled “ Good Scrutiny? Good Question!” was submitted for information.

RESOLVED that this study be noted.

The dates and times of future meetings for 2014/15 Municipal Year were submitted for information.

The meeting ended at ….