Agenda item

The Chair presented the proposed work programme, including a plan for future committee meetings, which showed the topics that would be examined by scrutiny through various Panels and Working Groups.  It include work that needed to be carried over, either because of its importance or because work was incomplete, as well as proposed new topics.

The Committee was invited to identify 2 new inquiry topics, and up to 5 new working group topics, taking into account feedback from the annual scrutiny work planning conference held on 12 May, and discussed a number of options. A number of other issues were identified at the conference, as outlined in Appendix 7 of the report, which could be picked up by relevant Performance Panels. The Chair highlighted the various Commissioning Reviews which would be undergoing pre-decision scrutiny during the course of the year.

It was felt that the work of Performance Panels needed greater visibility amongst committee members and it was agreed that future letters to / from Performance Panels should be circulated to committee members for their information.

The committee noted that the Cabinet Member response to the School Governance Scrutiny Inquiry was being reported to the Cabinet meeting on 16 June. Concern was expressed about the proposed response, which led to a discussion about the process and possible improvements e.g. enabling a dialogue between Inquiry Panel Conveners / Members and Cabinet Members over their response prior to any decision.

Committee Members also discussed the pre-decision scrutiny process and progress in relation to the issues raised at the meeting in May. The chair stated that she had met with the Cllr Clive Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Transformation & Performance, to share concerns and discuss possible improvements. A written note is being prepared for the Cabinet Member, for consideration of approaches, e.g. reports being available prior to cabinet agenda publication, discussion between chair / convener and cabinet member prior to cabinet meeting, deferral of cabinet reports where possible etc.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The scrutiny work programme as outlined in the report be accepted.

2)       The following new Inquiry Panels be set up:

          a.       Partnerships & Collaboration;

          b.       Preparedness for School.

3)       The following Working Groups be set up:

          a.       Planning & S.106 Agreements;

          b.       Roads & Highway Maintenance;

          c.       Corporate Building Services;

          d.       Digital Inclusion;

          e.       Dog Fouling.

4)       Council be asked to amend Scrutiny Procedural Rules to require discussion between Cabinet Members and Inquiry Panel conveners / members prior to the publication of Cabinet Member response reports to Cabinet; and

5)       Letters from Performance Panels to Cabinet Members and responses       are emailed to the members of the Scrutiny Programme Committee for   information.