Agenda item

To highlight the key pieces of work undertaken by Overview and Scrutiny (OS) during the 2021-25 Council and to recommend topics to the Management Committee for suggested inclusion in a new OS work programme after the elections.

To review the approach and effectiveness of OS during the 2021-25 Council and make recommendations for consideration by OS Management Committee after the elections.

The Chairman noted that in the agenda pack, was a report highlighting the key pieces of work undertaken by Overview and Scrutiny during the 2021-25 Council. These were set out in Appendix A. The report also presented recommendations of topics for inclusion in a new OS work programme after the elections. These were set out in Appendix B. The report also reviewed the approach and effectiveness of Overview and Scrutiny during the 2021-25 Council and made recommendations for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee after the elections. These recommendations were captured within the report.

The Chairman thanked the three select committees for the work they had done in pulling together their key activities from the past 4 years and their recommendations of further work to be done by their successor committees under the next council. It was stated that Appendix A demonstrated the scope and impact of Overview and Scrutiny and that there should be pride in the amount that had been delivered as a scrutiny function during this council term. It was suggested that that Appendix B would be a valuable starting point for Overview and Scrutiny under the next council and the topics included could be discussed further with the next Cabinet to ensure that Overview and Scrutiny continued to focus on the real priorities for Wiltshire residents.

The Chairman thanked everyone who had submitted their thoughts on the Committee’s effectiveness as a scrutiny function and how it might improve on this under the next council. This included all the select committee chairmen and vice-chairmen, as well as the council’s Leader and Chief Executive.

The Chairman outlined that contained in paragraphs 6 to 7, were strengths that the Committee could be proud of but areas that it must also focus on where improvements could be made.

The Committee discussed the report with feedback provided by the Children’s Select Committee that there seemed to be a large number of high priority items on the agenda and that the successor Committee would have to consider how this should be managed. It was also suggested that it was difficult for the Children’s Select Committee to find space in their agenda when additional reports were received. It was therefore believed that the future Committee would have to be ruthless in deciding on the work that it wished to focus on. One potential solution was referenced as splitting down issues and potentially grouping similar items. Gratitude was placed to Scrutiny Officers, Marie Gondlach and Julie Bielby for the work they had conducted to keep the Children’s Select Committee working.

Further feedback was also received from the Health Select Committee, with it noted that the Committee had requested that the ICB review its Terms of Reference to consider how it consults with Select Committees, specifically relating to contract changes where the Health Select Committee should be informed ahead of the procurement process. It was therefore requested that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee also requested this change to the ICB.

Henry Powell, Democracy and Complaints Manager, noted that the feedback would be used to form a report that would be taken to the next meeting in order to ensure that the successor Committee understood the strengths and weaknesses identified. It was also noted that the induction plan for after the election was also being discussed.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee agreed:

1. To thank all those councillors, co-opted members, stakeholders, partner organisations, officers, other witnesses and members of the public who have positively contributed to the work of the select committees and in the effective delivery of the OS work programme;

2. To acknowledge that the content of the report, including the key activities listed at Appendix A, demonstrates the significant contribution that OS is making to open and honest decision-making and to the overall good governance of the authority;

3. To refer the topics listed in Appendix B, the strengths and development areas listed under paragraphs 6 and 7, and the comments made by the Committee today, for consideration by OS Management Committee at its first meeting of the new Council.