Issue - meetings

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee will present the Annual Report of the Committee for 2015/16.

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee presented the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2015/16. Cllr Killane highlighted the work carried out during the year and particularly the work undertaken to positively challenge the work of Cabinet and how the Select Committee’s workplan was prioritised to ensure consistency with the Council’s Business Plan. He thanked the officers and members involved in Scrutiny for their commitment and singled out the Financial Planning Task Group for praise for their hard work.

Cllr Killane then gave the opportunity to the chairmen of the Select Committees to comment on relevant key activities during the year for their respective committees.

Resolved:

To receive and note the Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2015/16.

To receive the Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny 2014/15.

The Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2014/15 was presented, as previously reviewed at Council on 12 May 2015.

The Committee thanked all scrutiny officers for their support in the past year and endorsed the report’s contents for wider publicity.

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee will present the Annual Report of the Committee.

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee presented the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2014/15. Cllr Killane highlighted the work carried out during the year and particularly the work undertaken to positively challenge the work of Cabinet; how the Select Committee’s workplan was prioritised to ensure consistency with the Council’s Business Plan; the work to develop scrutiny arrangements for the SWLEP, the work to enhance budget scrutiny, allowing Members of the opposition to present for scrutiny their alternative proposals. Furthermore, Councillor Killane singled out the Financial Planning Task Group for praise in their hard work.

Cllr Killane then gave the opportunity to the chairmen of the Select Committees to comment on relevant key activities during the year for their respective committees.

Children’s Select Committee - Councillor Jon Hubbard commended the great team, and in particular the support from officers Henry Powell and Emma Dove. Highlights of the year included: the SEND task group led by a co-opted member; the setting up of a standing task group on Childhood Sexual Exploitation, with a focus on preventative work; and that a Schools Improvement task group was being established. Furthermore, he thanked the Vice-chair and Members of the committee and in particular thanked the co-opted members of the Committee for their hard work.

Health Select Committee – Councillor Christine Crisp stated that the Select Committee had had a busy year with the dramatic changes in the landscape of Health services, including some high profile working groups in Homecare and Mental Health. Furthermore, she expressed the desire that the Select Committee would continue to work productively with partners and the new Health & Wellbeing Board. She expressed her thanks to Vice Chair and the other members of the Committee for their hard work.

Environment Select Committee – Councillor Peter Edge expressed his thanks to the members of the Committee and the officers supporting the Committee. Highlights of the year included the Community Infrastructure Levy task group, the Waste task group, work on Investing in Highways, Flood plan and Car Parking Review. In the coming year the Committee would be looking at Community Transport, Neighbourhood Planning and Gypsy and Traveller issues.

Councillor Simon Killane, in summary, thanked the Chairs for their hard work and commended the report to the meeting.

Resolved:

To receive and note the Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2014/15.

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee will present the Annual Report of the Committee which can be accessed on the following link:

Councillor Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee presented the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2013/14 which had been previously circulated electronically to all Councillors. Cllr Killane highlighted the work carried out during the year and particularly the development that had taken place in response to the Peer Challenge Review  Report. He pointed out that the overview and scrutiny work programme was better aligned to the key actions in the Council’s Business Plan following consultation with Cabinet members and partners. He was confident that the Management Committee was increasing its influence over how overview and scrutiny was perceived particularly by focusing on supporting policy development through the use of task groups.

Cllr Killane then gave the opportunity to the chairmen of the select committees to comment on relevant key activities during the year for their respective committees.

Health Select Committee – Councillor Christine Crisp referred to the new NHS structures and the work being done in partnership to hold providers to public account. She referred to the enormous amount of working being undertaken by the Committee and wide ranging subjects covered by task groups.

Children’s Select Committee  - Councillor Jon Hubbard had had a very effective year with its work on safeguarding being nationally recognised.  He thanked committee members in particular the vice chairman, Councillor Jacqui Lay and those involved in task groups. Councillor Hubbard paid tribute to the excellent support provided by Henry Powell, Senior Scrutiny Officer.

Environment Select Committee – Councillor Alan Hill referred to the  challenges in major areas such as highways and waste and thanked all those members involved for their hard work.

In conclusion Councillor Killane thanked those councillors and offices who had engaged and supported overview and scrutiny during a year of transition.

Resolved:

To receive and note the Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny for 2013/14.