Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and details of any Councillor (or co-optee substitute) nominated to attend this meeting in place of a member of this Committee.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Banks and Mould.

To invite Councillors to declare any interest they may have in items on the Agenda and any Party Whip.

There were no declarations of interest or of any party whip.

To confirm the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as a correct record.

(Minutes to follow)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 4 February be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To note the contents of the Overview and Scrutiny Actions List.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

the contents of the Actions List be noted.

To consider whether any Key Decisions of the Executive Committee’s most recent meeting(s) should be subject to call-in and also to consider whether any items on the Forward Plan require pre-scrutiny.

(No separate report).

There were no call-ins or suggestions for pre-scrutiny.

To consider any scoping documents provided for possible Overview and Scrutiny review.

(No reports attached)

There were no draft scoping documents for pre-scrutiny.

To consider progress to date on the current reviews against the terms set by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The current reviews in progress are:

1.                  Council Flat Communal Cleaning – Chair, Councillor P Mould;

2.                  Housing Mutual Exchange – Chair, Councillor D Smith; and

3.                  Role of the Mayor Task and Finish Group – Chair – Councillor M Chalk.

(Oral reports)

The Committee received reports in relation to current reviews.

a)           Council Flat Communal Cleaning – Chair, Councillor P Mould

Councillor Taylor provided an update on behalf of the Council Flat Communal Cleaning Task and Finish Group.  She explained that the Group had been due to host a Consultation Event to provide local leaseholders with an opportunity to convey their views about appropriate cleaning arrangements in communal areas.  Unfortunately, this consultation event had had to be cancelled due to hazardous weather conditions.  The Group would liaise with relevant Officers with a view to reconvening the event in March.

b)           Housing Mutual Exchange – Chair, Councillor D Smith

Councillor Smith explained that he had suggested a number of dates for the first meeting of the Housing Mutual Exchange Task and Finish Group.   The scope of the review and the number of meetings that Members could expect to attend for this review would be discussed and agreed at the first meeting of the Task and Finish Group.

c)            Role of the Mayor – Chair, Councillor M Chalk

Councillor Chalk explained that the Role of the Mayor Task and Finish Group’s final recommendations were due to be considered at a meeting of the Executive Committee on Wednesday 18 February.

RESOLVED that

the reports be noted.

To consider the Initial Estimates for 2009/10 and any recommendations for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

(Report to follow).

The Committee received an Executive Committee report relating to the Initial Estimates for 2009/10 for pre-scrutiny. The Chair explained that this item represented the Committee’s opportunity to influence the setting of the General Fund Revenue Budgets and Capital Bids 2009/10 – 2011/12.

The report contained details about the Council’s projected Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2009/10 – 2011/12; information about potential revenue bids and the Capital Programme; proposed savings; and potential subjects for further work.  Officers explained that it was expected that the Council would need to make revised budget savings of just over £307,000 in 2009/10.

Members considered that they should have been provided with more time to reflect on the contents of this report prior to its consideration at the Executive Committee and at full Council.  Some Members were concerned that it would be difficult, within the timescales provided,  for Members to comment appropriately on the contents of the report or to launch any form of consultation to review the subject further if the Committee considered this appropriate.  However, it was pointed out that all Council Members had had an opportunity to attend a full briefing on the subject of the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2009/10 on the previous Monday, 9 February.

Officers explained that, during the full Council meeting Members would only be required to set the level of Council Tax for the forthcoming year and to determine whether the Council should commit to making £307,000 in total savings for 2009/10.  They confirmed that the exact measures for achieving the savings would not be agreed until a later date.

During discussion of this item, the following specific matters were considered in detail:

a)   Play Areas Bid

Members discussed the projected figure of £60,000 for an ‘unavoidable’ revenue bid for play areas.  Officers explained that the Council had an obligation to repair play areas where vandalism or general wear and tear impacted on the condition of play area facilities.  The £60,000 estimate had been based on an assessment of historical precedent in spending on play area facilities. 

b)   Pitcheroak Golf Course Closure

Members questioned the savings that could potentially be made through the closure of the Pitcheroak Golf Course.  They noted that there were projected savings of £64,000 in 2009/10 and a further £85,000 in the following two years for the closure of this facility.  However, they questioned what continuing maintenance costs would be required to manage Pitcheroak.  Officers offered to provide further information in writing in relation to this matter.

c)   Dial-a-Ride / Pest Control Savings

Members discussed the projected efficiency savings in relation to Dial-A-Ride and pest control.  They questioned whether these efficiency savings might translate into a reduction in front line services.  Officers explained that there could be a range of options for achieving efficiency savings with Dial-A-Ride, though a final option had not yet been decided.  Members were informed that the projected efficiency savings for pest control had been identified as a possible outcome of reintroducing charges for delivering the pest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 165.

To receive an update from Councillor R King on the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) Parliamentary Seminar which took place on Wednesday 11 February.

(Reports to follow).

Councillor R. King presented a report on the Centre for Public Scrutiny’s Parliamentary Seminar Series training event which he had attended the previous week.  He informed Members that he had unfortunately not been able to observe a Select Committee meeting in action whilst he was in London.  However, he had learned some useful information about scrutiny processes during the course of the event.  He explained that he intended to submit a scoping document which would contain proposals about ways to further enhance Overview and Scrutiny processes at Redditch Borough Council for the consideration of the Committee in due course.

The Chair thanked Councillor King for attending the Parliamentary Seminar Series on behalf of the Committee and for presenting his report.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider an update on the call-in process and how and when call-in can be applied as part of the Overview and Scrutiny process.

(Report attached)

Further to decisions taken at the Committee’s previous meeting, Officers provided explanations of the constitutional Call-in process, with reference to a brief report attached to the agenda.

Members noted that Call-in should only be used in exceptional circumstances.  They also noted that, even when the Call-in process might not properly apply, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could choose to review at any time any subject that it wished.

RESOLVED that

the report and further explanations of the Call-in and Scrutiny processes be noted.

There were no referrals.

RESOLVED that

the Committee’s Work Programme be noted.