The Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees to update Council on any major activities within their respective Committees.
Minutes:
The Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees were invited to update Council on major activities within their respective Select Committees.
Environment Select Committee
Cllr Mollie Groom updated Council on her Committee’s consideration of the following matters:
· The Committee last met on 6 July and focused on the developments taking place in the Council concerning climate change. The Committee was fully supportive of the work being undertaken by the Climate Change Team and would be considering the draft strategy at its next meeting together with the work being undertaken towards carbon trading.
Health and Adult Social Care Select committee
Cllr Mike Hewitt updated Council on his Committee’s consideration of the
following matters:
· The Committee last met on 8 July and the next meeting would be held on 9 September.
· The potential changes arising from the Coalition Government’s programme had important implications for the way in which Health and Adult Social Care Services would be provided to Wiltshire residents. At the last meeting, a Task group was established to consider the impact of these changes, although its timing and scope was heavily dependant on the contents of the NHS White paper which was due on 12 July.
· The Committee’s forward work programme would need to be flexible in light of this, and some previously allocated items may have to slip. However, at the July Committee it was agreed that Task Groups would be initiated to look at:
1.
Coalition Government – Implications for NHS
and Adult social care in delivering services for Wiltshire
Residents.
2.
Dementia (and possibly wider Adult Mental Health
issues).
3.
Closer engagement with local NHS Trusts to gain
deeper insight for commenting on Quality Accounts, and CQC ad hoc
reporting.
Overview and Scrutiny Organisation and Resources Select Committee
Cllr Jeff Osborn updated Council on his Committee’s consideration of the
following matters:
· The Committee last met on 27 May and would next meet on 15 July.
· The Committee would be considering the Department of Resources Departmental Delivery Plan which would outline the ambitions and objectives for the Department in support of the Corporate Plan.
· A number of work areas identified within the Plan had already been considered at either Committee or Task Group level or would form part of the forward work programme such as Workplace Transformation, SAP development, future ICT provision and member support.
· The Delivery Plan would tie up the various strands of work with the Department of Resources and would therefore be a useful reference document for the Committee. A further key document would be the Business Plan which was currently being developed.
Children’s Services Select Committee
Cllr Carole Soden updated Council on the Committee’s consideration of the following matters:
· The Children’s Services Select Committee had met once since the last Council meeting in May.
· The Committee was monitoring closely the new Coalition Government’s plans for education and children’s services and these would undoubtedly form part of the Committee’s forward work programme.
· On 22nd July, Children’s Services Select Committee will receive the results of the public consultation into Special Educational Needs provision in Wiltshire, plus the recommendations to Cabinet for service development. Prior to this, beginning at 9.30am, officers will brief Committee members on the background to this review to which other members of the Council were welcome to attend.