Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE CHAIR OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 2023-2024

To consider and comment on the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023-24, prior to consideration by Council.

RESOLVED: That the Committee considered and commented on the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/2024 as attached at Appendix A prior to consideration by Council.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: That the Committee considered and commented on the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/24 as attached at Appendix A prior to consideration by Council, noting that the Call to Accounts should be referenced within the Annual Report.

Audio recording – 6 minutes 0 seconds

Councillor Val Bryant, as Chair, presented the report ‘Draft Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny 2023-24’ and advised that:

·       This report was still in draft form and was therefore missing the meeting statistics from the meeting this evening.

·       The Call to Account – Harkness Court - Chair’s Report was missing from the report and that all Call to Accounts should be referenced in future Annual Reports of the Committee.

The following Members took part in a debate:

·       Councillor Ralph Muncer

·       Councillor Val Bryant

Points raised in the debate included:

·       Call to Accounts played an important part in the way that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee gave advice to the Council.

·       The Peer Review of the Local Government Area (LGA) advised the Committee to continue to hold the Council to account and to develop policies which were beneficial to the residents of North Hertfordshire.

·       New Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee need to be made aware of the differences between Task and Finish Groups and Call to Accounts and which one was best suited to be used in a particular set of circumstances.

Councillor David Levett proposed and Councillor Ralph Muncer seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee considered and commented on the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/2024 as attached at Appendix A prior to consideration by Council.

REASONS FOR DECISIONS: That the Committee considered and commented on the Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2023/24 as attached at Appendix A prior to consideration by Council, noting that the Call to Accounts should be referenced within the Annual Report.

NB. Councillor Dominic Griffiths entered the Chamber at 19:38