Agenda item

To report to the new Overview and Scrutiny (OS) Management Committee:

a)    Topics recommended for inclusion in the new OS work programme by its predecessor Committee based on experience during the 2021-25 council.

b)    The comments of its predecessor Committee regarding the strengths and weaknesses of OS during the 2021-25 council.

c)    Next steps for developing a comprehensive OS work programme that reflects the priorities of the council, its members and Wiltshire residents.

The Chairman noted that on page 13 of the agenda pack was a report setting out the topics recommended for inclusion in the new Overview and Scrutiny work programme by the predecessor Committee based on its experience during the 2021-25 council. The report also included the comments of the predecessor Committee regarding the strengths and weaknesses of Overview and Scrutiny during the 2021-25 council. Additionally, the report proposed the next steps for developing a comprehensive Overview and Scrutiny work programme that would reflect the priorities of the council, its members and Wiltshire residents.

Henry Powell, Democracy and Complaints Manager, introduced the report, which included topics in Appendix A that the predecessor Committee under the previous Council, had considered deserved ongoing scrutiny. It was suggested that as this was the first meeting of the new Committee that the topics suggested, be used as a starting point for the Committee to begin with before shaping its own work programme. It was also outlined that if there were items that Members believed were missing, this could be raised with the Chairman and Democracy and Complaints Manager. Reference was also made to a training event that would take place on 1 July to cover effective questioning as well as a workshopping session for priorities.

Henry Powell, Democracy and Complaints Manager, outlined that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each Select Committee had a leading role in shaping the forward work programmes. In addition, the Scrutiny team were organising meetings between them and Cabinet so they could consider how the visions of Cabinet could be reflected in the work programmes. Reference was also made to the strengths and weakness of the predecessor Committee which had been included in the last report, and this could be used to supplement the lived experience of the new Committee members, and that the Scrutiny team were thinking of ways to address the weaknesses.

It was noted that on the Cabinet Work Programme for 15 June was the final Q4 outturn reports for the revenue and capital budgets, which would have previously been taken to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee however, there was not a meeting scheduled in time to discuss these reports. As the Finance and Procurement Select Committee would not start until September, it was suggested that the Committee consider a rapid scrutiny exercise to consider the reports ahead of Cabinet.

The Committee discussed the report with reference made to the size of the scrutiny work programmes and what the capacity and limits for work would be, to which the Democracy and Complaints Manager stated that the scrutiny team was a flexible resource and that currently the workload was not near capacity however concern would be raised if this was the case. It was suggested that having more Task Groups would cause projects to slow down due to the officer time required.

Suggestions were made by the Committee that work on boater communities be added to the work programme as well as consideration of the Local Transport Plan, including sub strategies for EV Charging and freight.

The Committee agreed that a rapid scrutiny exercise take place regarding the Q4 revenue and capital budget outturn reports

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee agreed:

1. To approve the legacy topics listed in Appendix A as a starting point for the new OS work programme and to advise the select committees accordingly.

2. To note Full Council’s decision on 20 May 2025 to create a dedicated select committee to scrutinise finance and procurement matters (a remit previously held by OS Management Committee), which would commence work following a final agreement by Full Council on 22 July 2025.

3. To note the next steps for developing the OS work programme further as set out in the report, including discussions between select committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs with the Executive and directors to gain a more informed understanding about key priorities and projects.

4. To note the role that all backbench members can take in forming the OS work programme.

5. To delegate to the Chair and Vice-chair the appointment of an OS representative to the Constitution Focus Group (if re-established by Standards Committee on 1 July 2025) following the invitation of expressions of interest from eligible members.

6. To note the areas for OS’s further development highlighted under the previous council and to consider these on an ongoing basis alongside the Committee’s own experiences of OS as it begins work in the new council.

7. In addition to the OS councillor induction session held on 13 May 2025 and the further session scheduled for 1 July 2025, to review on an ongoing basis what other training opportunities would support OS members in performing their role effectively.

8. To establish a rapid scrutiny exercise to review the outturn revenue and capital budget monitoring reports for 2024-25, with its comments reported directly to Cabinet on 24th June, with its final membership delegated to the Committee’s Chair and Vice-chair.

9. To refer the further O&S work priorities suggested by OS Management Committee today for consideration by the relevant select committee.