Overview and Scrutiny Committee
24 July 2012
Agenda Item No__17__
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY UPDATE
Summary:
This report updates the Committee on progress with
topics in its agreed work programme (attached at
Appendix A) and invites Members to identify any
arising items for future meetings. The Scrutiny
Committee’s working style and role is attached at
Appendix B.
Conclusions:
That progress is being made in some areas, others
need to be monitored and opportunities for scrutiny
should be discussed.
Recommendations:
That Members should consider any follow-up
actions required on these topics.
Cabinet Member(s)
Ward(s) affected
Mr T J FitzPatrick
All
Contact Officer, telephone number and email: Mary Howard, Democratic Services
Team Leader, Tel.01263 516047, mary.howard@north-norfolk.gov.uk
1.
Introduction
1.1
The Scrutiny Update report is a standing item on all Overview and Scrutiny
Committee agendas. The report updates Members on progress made with
topics on its agreed work programme and provides additional information
which Members may have requested at a previous meeting.
1.2
The report is prepared by the Democratic Services Team Leader whose role
includes that of Scrutiny Officer.
2.
Progress on topics since the last meeting
2.1
Credit Unions
James Bacon of Norfolk Credit Union will attend Overview and Scrutiny on 24
July 2012. An invitation has been extended, via the Members’ Bulletin, to all
Members to attend the meeting and submit questions in advance.
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
2.2
24 July 2012
Sadler’s Wood, North Walsham
At the presentation of the Outturn Report on 26 June 2012 a question was
raised regarding delay to a playground programme at Sadler’s Wood, North
Walsham. A response has been received from the Countryside and Parks
Manager.
“I appreciate that the implementation of the play area has taken five
years from receipt of the contribution, but over this time the situation at
Sadler’s Wood has evolved and there have been other related issues to
consider.
When the Playbuilder schemes were being considered Sadler’s Way
was one of the possible locations and the £31K could have been used to
supplement the Playbuilder funding. Ultimately two other sites were
selected and time went into implementing these two schemes. During
this period it was not feasible to work on yet another play area scheme
because experience had shown that the provision of play areas was
time consuming and intense in terms of addressing resident’s
concerns.
There then followed a proposal that all or some of the money could be
used for the development of an area of the site into allotments to be
managed by the Town Council but after a period of consultation the
allotment plan had to be scrapped.
The funding for Sadler’s way is not time constrained but we have indeed
started spending it. I have now procured options from play area
providers and providing there is no serious opposition to the proposals
the scheme will be implemented in September.”
2.3
Treasury Management Reports
It was noted that the Council’s Constitution stated that the Annual Treasury
Management report should be reported to the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee. However, Members considered that it might more appropriately
be reported to the Audit Committee and asked that the matter should be
referred to the Constitution Working Party for review. This has since been
notified to the Constitution Working Party and Interim Monitoring Officer and
put on file by Democratic Services for inclusion in next review of the
Constitution, which is likely to be at the end of 2012.
2.4
Fly Tipping
When the draft Annual Report 2011/12 was discussed at the meeting of 26
June 2012, Members noted worsening performance regarding Fly-tipping
investigated within 2 working days and asked for a response from the relevant
service manager.
A response has been received from the Head of Environmental Services:
“For the majority of reports of fly-tipping we use Kier operatives as the
first stage of investigation; they look at the waste they are collecting
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
24 July 2012
and pass information to us for progressing. Unfortunately since the new
contract came in the response times by Kier to clearing fly-tipping have
dropped on a quarter by quarter basis.
The previous contractor used M3, the Environmental Health IT system,
which enabled effective communications and monitoring of each
worksheet. The new contract uses a system called Whitespace which
provides significant efficiencies in terms of the contract but there have
been some difficulties in the interface between the two systems.
Initial investigations pointed to an issue with the data transfer process
between M3 and Whitespace, the date the completed worksheets were
coming back into M3 was being entered and not the actual date of
clearance. However a more detailed investigation has highlighted that
jobs are not hitting the two day target.
We have asked for reports from the contractor on this on a monthly
basis on their response times for this area and these are being
monitored to ensure that the situation improves.
In addition we now have a regular meeting with Kier to look help
develop the relationship between Kier and the officers in the
Environmental Protection Team.”
If Members have further questions they can be addressed to the
Environmental Protection Team Leader who will be in attendance on 24 July
2012 to give the report on Animal Control.
3.
Public Transport Joint Scrutiny Panel
The Committee’s comments on the final report have been conveyed to the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Broadland District Council. The
recommendations will be taken back to Broadland District Council’s Overview
and Scrutiny Committee on 31 July when Members will consider some officer
suggestions on how the agreed recommendations could be fulfilled. It is
hoped that an officer from Norfolk County Council will be in attendance.
Members from North Norfolk District Council are welcome to attend this
meeting.
4.
Health Scrutiny
On 19 June 2012 Norfolk County Council’s Scrutiny Support Manager
(Health) made a report to the Norfolk Scrutiny Network on the future of Health
Scrutiny. This is attached at Appendix C.