Issue - items at meetings - Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC): Ways of Working

Report of the Monitoring Officer and Assistant Chief Executive (copy attached).

6.1         The Head of Policy introduced the report which set out the ways of working for the committee and its’ terms of reference.  He noted that new working arrangements had been agreed at the last council meeting and that the available resources for scrutiny reviews had been reduced following the budget decisions for 2015/16.  However, he hoped that the committee would find an effective approach to its responsibilities and continue the excellent work that had been undertaken.

6.2         The Chair thanked the Head of Policy and noted that there would be a need to see how the new ways of working would have an impact on the committee and the resources available e.g. she noted that Policy Panels could be established by the Policy Committees and these would then impact on the number of reviews that could be undertaken at any one time.  However, she hoped that a clear work plan could be developed and monitored by the Committee.

6.3         The Members of the Committee noted the ways of working and agreed that there would need to be careful monitoring of the work programme and the creation of any Policy Panels with regard to the available resources.  It was also noted that the Policy Committees would be expected to scrutinise their areas of responsibility but it was also felt that the Committee should have a degree of overview. 

6.4         The Head of Policy stated that discussions were taking place with the respective Chairs to determine how matters could be raised for review and taken forward either via Policy Panels or the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

6.5         Mr. Brown noted that previously concerns about the impact of flooding had been raised and now that this came under the committee’s remit, queried whether a report could be brought to a future meeting on the matter.

6.6         The Chair stated that she would be happy to add the issue to the work plan and discuss with officers the possibility of bringing a report to the next meeting.

6.7         The Committee noted that it was also being asked to establish an Urgency Sub-Committee and agreed that Councillors Allen and Page should be the designated Members, along with the Chair.

6.8         RESOLVED:

(1)          That the Committee’s terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be noted;

(2)          That the establishment of an Urgency Sub-Committee consisting of the Chair of the Committee and two other Members; Councillors Allen and Page (or those nominated in accordance with the scheme for the allocation of seats for committees, one from each of the other Groups), to exercise its powers in relation to matters of urgency, on which it is necessary to make a decision before the next ordinary meeting of the Committee be approved;

(3)          That the appoint of non-voting co-opted members from the Older People’s Council, the Youth Council and Healthwatch, as referred to in para. 7.1 Appendix 2 (terms of reference), to the report be agreed;

(4)          That the current resources and arrangements in place for Overview & Scrutiny be noted; and

(5)          That the draft work plan (Appendix 3) to the report be approved as the basis for the 2015/16 annual OSC work plan.