Agenda item

A report from the Senior Scrutiny Officer is attached reporting on the overview and scrutiny forward work programme as agreed by the O&S Management Committee at its meeting on 25 May 2013. 

The Chairman introduced a report on legacy items and the future work programme, noting the current work programme had received approval from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee on 23 May 2013, comprising three task groups to be re-instated and a fourth constituted.

The Chairman then updated the Committee and led discussions on the topics, as follows.

It was noted that a report on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) had been due to go before Cabinet, but that this had now been delayed until further notice, with details to be provided at the meeting of Cabinet on 18 June and at the next meeting of the Committee. It was raised that frequent changes in the regulations from central government had continually hindered the work of the previously constituted CIL Task Group, and that the Task Group should be readied to respond rapidly as soon as further work was possible on the topic.

The future of the Waste Task Group was discussed, noting that a report on a future service delivery model was due to appear at Cabinet on 23 July 2013. Following discussions with officers and Cabinet the Committee was informed Scrutiny involvement was requested, but that the papers would not be approved for analysis until the public deadline of 15 July 2013. The Committee discussed and agreed to the holding of a special meeting of the Committee prior to Cabinet to scrutinize the report and present their views to Cabinet, but that the lack of appropriate time to consider the report was regrettable and should be raised at the Management Committee.

It was confirmed that Air Quality Task Group would remain a joint Task Group with the Health Select Committee.

An additional Task Group had been suggested regarding Development Services and adoptable estates, to seek best practice in the delivery of the service, with details of its remit in the agenda report. A discussion followed on the scope of the Task Group, with the suggestion the Scrutiny team prepare proposed terms of reference for the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee then discussed other potential topics that could be added to the work programme, noting suggestions that had been raised by members during the scrutiny induction session, and the need for an investigation to determine the viability and appropriateness of topics was raised.

It was emphasised that the Scrutiny Manager had contacted all non-executive members to seek expressions of interest to enable them to be matched with task groups currently proposed as well as future task groups. It was agreed that the Chair and Vice-Chair would have delegated authority to appoint the membership of Task Groups, and that where possible the previous members should be reappointed to provide continuity.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

1)        To note the decision of the Management Committee to endorse the legacy topics and specifically those that are the responsibility of the Environment Select Committee as identified in paragraph 4 of the agenda report;

2)        To appoint the memberships of the proposed task groups in line with the approach indicated in paragraph 7 of the agenda report;

3)        Following initial investigations by officers, to consider the topics listed in paragraph 6 for inclusion in the work programme at the next meeting of the Committee;

4)        To note that arrangements will now be made for early discussions between the Chairman and Vice-Chairman with cabinet members, portfolio holders and service directors to gain a more informed understanding about Executive priorities, findings to be reported back to the Committee;

5)        To note the intention of the Council to review its Business Plan and the potential implications for Overview and Scrutiny’s work programme