Overview and Scrutiny Committee
23 May 2012
Agenda Item No______15______
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY UPDATE
Summary:
This report updates the Committee on progress with
topics in its agreed work programme (attached at
Appendix D) and invites Members to identify any
arising items for future meetings. The Scrutiny
Committee’s working style and role is attached at
Appendix E
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
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
23 May 2012
An invitation has been sent to the Norfolk Credit Union inviting them to send a
representative to make a presentation to the Committee, which would be
open to all Members.
2.2
Learning for Everyone Team
John Morgan, North Norfolk Learning and Skill Project Manager, will be
making a presentation to the Committee on Learning for Everyone. This was
requested by Members at the special meeting on 17 April 2012 in respect of
the Corporate Plan, Jobs and the Local Economy, B. The presentation has
been scheduled for 26 June 2012.
2.3
Public Transport Task and Finish Group
The recommendation report from the Joint Panel has been drafted. The final
report will be presented to the Scrutiny Committees at Broadland District
Council and North Norfolk District Council.
2.4
Workshop
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Workshop took place on 17 April 2012.
It was attended by 11 Members, the Chief Executive, the Democratic Services
Team Leader and the Member Support Officer.
A discussion took place on the criteria for selecting topics for scrutiny. It was
necessary to distinguish between information and scrutiny. Workshops could
be organised for topics where Members simply required information rather
than carrying out a scrutiny review. Possible subjects for future workshops
included Coastal Issues and the Housing Strategy.
The “acid test” to apply in deciding if a topic should be put on the Work
Programme was to ask what difference it would make and if value would be
added by bringing it for scrutiny. The Chief Executive advised Members to use
the Performance Management Framework as a template for Overview and
Scrutiny. It would ensure that chosen topics were within the aims of the
Council and would provide a guide on the frequency of updates. However,
there needed to be “header room” on the Work Programme for any acute
issues.
Focus was essential. The list of topics was too long. A system would have to
be worked up to help the Committee to prioritise. The Task and Finish Group
was working on this. It was suggested that Working Groups could be formed
to ease the load from the general Work Programme, but it was recognised that
this would have a resource issue. Some topics did not require a formal report
but could be reported via a briefing note. The briefing notes could be limited to
a side of A4 and should include the key issues and key challenges.
At present the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the Council’s statutory
vehicle for the scrutiny of crime and disorder issues and received an annual
report, but this could be changing. The Chief Executive was writing a report on
new countywide arrangements which were being introduced for the scrutiny of
crime and disorder issues. This would come to the Committee in due course.
A long-list of possible future topics was drawn-up. A group comprising
Councillors Glyn Williams, Ben Jarvis, Roy Reynolds, Annie Claussen-
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
23 May 2012
Reynolds and Barry Smith, plus the Democratic Services Team Leader would
short-list these topics against the Task and Finish Group’s template.
3.
Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme
3.1
Changes to the Work Programme following a meeting between the
Leader, the Chair of Scrutiny and the Chief Executive
On 23 April 2012 a meeting took place between the Leader, the Chair of
Overview and Scrutiny and the Chief Executive to discuss better co-ordination
between the Scrutiny and Cabinet Work Programmes. As a result of this
meeting, and in light of decisions made at the Workshop, various changes
have been made to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme:
a) The Waste Contract update has been moved from May and December to
July and January.
b) The update on Customer Complaints, Compliments and Suggestions will
now be received in June.
c) The Revenues and Benefits Shared Services updates have been
scheduled for July and January.
d) Reports on Debt Management, Treasury Management and Gypsy and
Traveller Sites have been removed from the Work Programme.
e) Environmental Sustainability has been moved from July to January.
f) The Health Strategy update will be received in September and March.
g) Progress on Business Continuity and Civil Contingencies is reported to
the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis. To avoid duplication this same
report will, in future, come to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as an
appendix to Scrutiny Update. Any specific questions from Members will be
relayed to the Civil Contingencies Manager and the answers reported
back.
h) The Performance Management Framework to be received in May and
September 2012.
3.2
Topics added since the last meeting
The following topics have been added since the last meeting:
a) May 23: Section 106 Financial Contributions (because it is going to
Cabinet on 14 May and Full Council on 30 May).
b) June 26: Presentation – Learning for Everyone (requested by Members).
c) June 26: Housing Strategy (to Cabinet on 11 June)
d) July 24: Coastal Issues (requested by Members).
e) November 21: Planning Application Performance (requested by
Members).
f) January 23 2013: Planning Fees (update requested by Members).
g) Car Park Charges (April or May 2013 – requested by Members)
4
The Annual Plan
Following the special meeting on 17 April 2012 the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee’s recommendations on the Annual Plan were considered by the
Cabinet and agreed by Full Council on 18 April 2012. The document that
went to Full Council is attached at Minutes Appendix B.
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
5
23 May 2012
Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
The Outcomes and Actions from the Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny
Committee (NHOSC), 12 April 2012, have been provided by Mrs A ClaussenReynolds and are attached at Appendix F.
6
Abolition of Norfolk County Strategic Partnership Joint Scrutiny Panel
The Panel has not met for a year because the County Strategic Partnership
Board has been working in more informal ways to consider its future. The
Head of Democratic Services, Norfolk County Council has been consulting
with all councils who have representation on this body. He has now reported
that there is unanimity for its cessation and that it will be wound up. North
Norfolk District Council was represented by Mr E Seward on the Joint Scrutiny
Panel, but it has not met in the current municipal year.