To consider progress to date on current scrutiny reviews against the terms set by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.
The current reviews in progress are:
1. Communications Task and Finish Group (Stage One), Chair - Councillor J. Brunner.
2. District Centres Task and Finish Group, Chair - Councillor A. Fry.
3. Fees and Charges Task and Finish Group, Chair – Councillor C MacMillan.
Future Reviews (in current priority order):
4. Housing Priority Task and Finish Group, Chair - Councillor B. Passingham
5. Gypsy and Travellers Task and Finish Group, Chair - Councillor P. Hill
(Oral reports and / or reports attached)
Minutes:
The Committee considered update reports in relation to current and pending reviews.
The Chair stressed that, so as not to make this matter too cumbersome, it was important to stick to a time limit of two minutes for each report.
The following oral reports were given:
a) Communications Task and Finish Group (Stage One) – Chair Councillor J. Brunner.
The
Chair of this Group reported that the Members had made good
progress.
The Group had recently undertaken interviews with expert
witnesses. Members were also
informed that there had been some responses to the questionnaires
that had been sent to Members, Officers and external
organisations. The Chair reminded
Members that they had all been sent copies of the questionnaire and
asked that they return their copies to Officers as soon as
possible.
The Committee agreed that, in view of delays occasioned by forthcoming Officer leave and the postponement of a visit to Stevenage Borough Council, the initial findings of Stage One of the Communications exercise could be postponed. The Chair agreed to consult with Members of the Group and to report a new date for the presentation of these findings at the next meeting of the Committee.
b) District Centres Task and Finish Group – Chair Councillor A. Fry
The Chair of the District Centres Task and Finish Group explained that he was due to meet the relevant Lead Officer to discuss the progress of the exercise.
c) Fees and Charges Task and Finish Group – Chair Councillor C. MacMillan
The Chair reported that the second meeting of the Task and Finish Group took place on Tuesday the 25thSeptember. Members were informed that the Group had discussed a list of fees and charges that had been provided by Officers for Member consideration. The Chair noted that in view of the late receipt of this information Members had agreed to analyse the content of this document at the next meeting of the Group.
The Chair informed the Committee that the Group had decided to scrutinise the Council’s fees and charges on a service by service basis and that Planning Services had been selected as the first area for analysis. The Group had agreed to identify questions that they would like to address to the Head of Planning Services who has been invited to the next meeting of the Group on the 10th of October 2007.
Members were also informed that an academic representative from The Institute of Local government Studies (INLOGOV) at the University of Birmingham had been identified as an expert witness who could be invited to provide further information about fees and charges. The Group had agreed that the Chair would liaise with Officers to produce a proposal for this presentation and that this would be circulated amongst Members of the Group.
d) Housing Priority Task and Finish Group – Chair Councillor B. Passingham
The Chair of the Group informed Members that the first meeting of the Group took place on Monday the 24th September 2007. Members had discussed who they would like to invite to participate in the exercise as external witnesses.
The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee reported that he had been informed by some Members that the content of the scoping document for this exercise was too complex. Members were informed that it was intended that this exercise should be completed in two stages. The Chair of the Committee suggested that Stage One was not specifically concerned with Housing but rather with investigating the implications arising from the Council determining and setting priorities. At issue was the way that once a priority is set how it would impact on the allocation and use of resources and how it affects the Council’s behaviour.
The Chair of the Committee and the Chair of the Task and Finish Group agreed to meet, together with relevant Officers, to clarify the scope of the exercise further.
e) Gypsies and Travellers Task and Finish Group – Chair Councillor P. Hill
Officers reported that they had only received one nomination to date for membership of this Group from outside the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Members were informed that the deadline for nominations would be the end of September.
Officers noted that an issue had arisen in relation to this
exercise during Councillor Thomas’s consultation with
Officers over Member remuneration. It
was noted that the original intention had been that members of the
O&S Committee would Chair Task and Finish Groups and, based on
this additional responsibility, an approach would be made to the
Council about awarding Special Responsibility Allowances to Members
of the Committee, in line with payments to Executive
members.
However, Members agreed that regardless of these considerations, Councillor Hill remained the most suitable choice as Chair of this exercise due to her expert knowledge of the subject. It was agreed therefore that there be no change to the Chairing of the Group.
RESOLVED that
1) the Committee note the
reports and agree the proposed action;
and
2)
adjustments to reporting deadlines be
accepted;
all as detailed in the preamble above.