Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
PDF 161 KBVenue: Council Chamber - District Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF. View directions
Contact: Email: ScrutinyOfficer@north-herts.gov.uk 01462 474655
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting.
Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting. Decision: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Tina Bhartwas, Sadie Billing, Cathy Brownjohn and Daniel Wright-Mason.
Having given due notice, Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham substituted for Councillor Wright-Mason. Minutes: Audio recording – 1 minute 31 seconds
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Tina Bhartwas, Sadie Billing, Cathy Brownjohn and Daniel Wright-Mason.
Having given due notice, Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham substituted for Councillor Wright-Mason. |
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MINUTES - 3 FEBRUARY 2026 To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 3 February 2026. Decision: RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2026 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair. Minutes: Audio Recording – 1 minute 53 seconds
Councillor Claire Winchester, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Jon Clayden seconded and, following a vote, it was:
RESOLVED:That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 3 February 2026 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chair. |
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NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency.
The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered. Decision: There was no other business notified. Minutes: Audio recording – 2 minutes 30 seconds
There was no other business notified. |
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CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote. Decision: (1) The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.
(2) The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.
(3) The Chair advised that for the purposes of clarification clause 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution does not apply to this meeting.
(4) The Chair reminded Members of the adopted North Herts Scrutiny Charter and the need to ensure that the meeting was conducted with independence, initiative and integrity. The full Charter was available to Members via the Scrutiny Intranet pages.
(5) The Chair informed Members that a Scrutiny Training and Work Programming Workshop for 2026/27 had been arranged for Tuesday 12 May 2026, and that they should try to attend, if available. Minutes: Audio recording – 2 minutes 34 seconds
(1) The Chair advised that, in accordance with Council Policy, the meeting would be recorded.
(2) The Chair drew attention to the item on the agenda front pages regarding Declarations of Interest and reminded Members that, in line with the Code of Conduct, any Declarations of Interest needed to be declared immediately prior to the item in question.
(3) The Chair advised that for the purposes of clarification clause 4.8.23(a) of the Constitution does not apply to this meeting.
(4) The Chair reminded Members of the adopted North Herts Scrutiny Charter and the need to ensure that the meeting was conducted with independence, initiative and integrity. The full Charter was available to Members via the Scrutiny Intranet pages.
(5) The Chair informed Members that a Scrutiny Training and Work Programming Workshop for 2026/27 had been arranged for Tuesday 12 May 2026, and that they should try to attend, if available. |
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public. Decision: There was no public participation. Minutes: Audio recording – 3 minutes 55 seconds
There was no public participation at this meeting. |
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URGENT AND GENERAL EXCEPTION ITEMS The Chair to report on any urgent or general exception items which required their agreement. At the time of printing the agenda, the Chair had not agreed any urgent or general exception items. Decision: There were no urgent or general exception items. Minutes: Audio recording – 3 minutes 57 seconds
There were no urgent or general exception items. |
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CALLED-IN ITEMS To consider any matters referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to a call-in of decision. At the time of printing the agenda, no items of business had been called-in. Decision: There were no called-in items. Minutes: Audio recording – 4 minutes 0 seconds
There were no called-in items. |
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MEMBERS' QUESTIONS To receive and respond to any questions from Members either set out in the agenda or tabled at the meeting. Decision: No questions were submitted by Members. Minutes: Audio recording – 4 minutes 2 seconds
No questions were submitted by Members. |
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COUNCIL DELIVERY PLAN 2025-26 (Q3 UPDATE) REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES
This report presents progress on delivering the Council Delivery Plan for 2025-26. Additional documents: Decision: RESOLVED: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee provided comment on the Council Delivery Plan Quarter 2 monitoring report.
RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That Cabinet notes progress against Council projects and performance indicators, as set out in the Council Delivery Plan (Appendix A), and approves new milestones and changes to milestones.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: The Council Delivery Plan (CDP) monitoring report provides the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and Cabinet, with an opportunity to monitor progress against the key Council projects, and understand any new issues, risks, or opportunities. Minutes: Audio recording – 4 minutes 6 seconds
N.B. Councillor Ralph Muncer left the Council Chamber at 19:36.
Councillor Val Bryant, as Leader of the Council, presented the report entitled ‘Council Delivery Plan 2025-26 (Quarter 3 Update) and advised that:
· The report provided the usual, regular updates on the Council Delivery Plan and its projects, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and risks. · Three projects had been completed, including the recently completed project entitled ‘Engaging the Community on our Finances’. · The Museum Collection Facility had been added to the plan as detailed at paragraph 8.2 of the report. · Projects with an amber delivery status were outlined at paragraph 8.3. · Actions to address KPIs with a red status had been set out at paragraph 8.5. · Waste collection performance data was shown at paragraph 8.6, and officers were working with Veolia with to obtain the data for North Herts on this. · Implementation of new KPIs into the Council Delivery Plan both in 2025-26 and 2026-27 had been described at paragraph 8.9. · The Committee could specify areas that they would like to see more information on in the next monitoring report, as per recommendation 2.2 in the report.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Jon Clayden · Councillor Elizabeth Dennis · Councillor Paul Ward · Councillor Dominic Griffiths · Councillor David Chalmers · Councillor Claire Winchester
In response to questions, Councillor Val Bryant advised that:
· Data for North Herts on the KPI entitled ‘Missed collections per 100,000 lifts (per month)’ had been received and would be forwarded onto Members for information. · The Customer Service Team communicated with other departments to identify where call demand spikes would occur ahead of time, and as a Council, they were trying to spread the delivery of projects and events to prevent peaks. · Increased calls to the customer service centre were also caused by residents experiencing anxious events or to verify if communications from the Council were genuine. · Three Member Workshops on the Churchgate project had been scheduled. · A unitary authority would be able to pick up the new Local Plan as it was anticipated that it would be ready by March 2028. · Big projects such as Churchgate and the Museum Collection Facility had precise timelines, which gave them confidence to deliver those, even with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) taking place.
In response to questions, the Director – Resources advised that the error relating to Milestone 12 on page 38 of the report would be corrected to read ‘Finalisation and adoption of the Local Plan’.
In response to questions, the Director – Enterprise advised that:
· The next report on Churchgate would be presented to Cabinet in June, but not Full Council. However, future reports on Churchgate would be considered at Full Council once delivery plans had been finalised and the project needed a budget approving. · Feedback provided by Members at the Churchgate workshops would be taken forward. · Churchgate was progressing well and professionals had been appointed to assist with the design stage. · Churchgate was in its early stages and as they continued to carry out work, ... view the full minutes text for item 72. |
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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME UPDATE INFORMATION NOTE OF THE CUSTOMER AND DIGITAL SERVICES MANAGER
To provide an update on the Council's Digital Transformation programme. Additional documents: Decision: Councillor Val Bryant, as Leader of the Council, presented an Information Note entitled ‘Digital Transformation Update’, following which Members asked questions. Minutes: Audio recording – 27 minutes 39 seconds
Councillor Val Bryant, as Leader of the Council, presented an Information Note entitled ‘Digital Transformation Update’ and advised that:
· The Digital Transformation Programme had accelerated significantly since the adoption of the Netcall platform and the Digital Strategy, which had been revised and shared with Members in January. · Work had shifted from large scale bills to business process mapping, strengthening resilience, improving customer journeys and ensuring efficient processes ahead of Local Government Reorganisation. · The programme continued to enhance visibility, transparency and accessibility by improving the digital front door for residents, while maintaining non-digital access routes. · Grant funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had been used to expand digital inclusion support provided by North Herts Centre for Voluntary Services, who provided skills training devices and Digital Champions to support digitally excluded residents. The remaining funding been used to create a temporary Digital Inclusion Officer position within the Council to analyse exclusion, improve customer journeys and strengthen accessibility across services. · The Digital Team continued to build accessible, intuitive and compliant digital services supported by customer services insights and clear user guides. · Major projects delivered such as the Garden Waste platform had reduced manual workload, and improved both accuracy and customer experience. · Next steps included focusing on business process analysis, improving customer experience, maintaining transparency and ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
In response to questions from Councillor Paul Ward, the Customer and Digital Project Manager advised that:
· Further updates to the Safety Advisory Group platform would make events more visible to Members through a read-only diary of upcoming events. · The Co-Pilot Acceptable Use Policy had been signed off and could be shared with Members of the Committee after the meeting.
The Chair thanked Councillor Bryant and the Customer and Digital Project Manager for their presentation of the Information Note. |
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LEASE ON LETCHWORTH MULTI STOREY CAR PARK REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – ENTERPRISE
This report sets out negotiations that have taken place between the Martin Group and the Council with regards to the potential surrender of the Letchworth Multi Storey Car Park. Decision: RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:
(1) That Cabinet approve the surrender of the lease for the Letchworth Multi Storey Car Park.
(2) That, subject to recommendation 1 above, delegated authority is granted to the Director – Enterprise in consultation with the Executive Member for Enterprise to negotiate and approve the details of any surrender in line with the broad principles in this report.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS: After undertaking a review of the current operation and long-term needs of this car park, the surrender of this lease provides a positive outcome to the Council and the conditions that have been negotiated ensure there will be improvements to the car park which will benefit the public and economic vitality of the town centre. Minutes: Audio recording – 34 minutes 33 seconds
Councillor Sean Nolan, on behalf of the Executive Member for Enterprise, presented the report entitled ‘Lease on Letchworth Multi Storey Car Park’ and advised that:
· The report set out the surrender of the Letchworth Multi Storey Car Park lease, which would also be presented to Cabinet in April. · The Martin Group were aiming to undertake a regeneration of the Garden Square Shopping Centre, and as part of this, they had contacted the Council to request a surrender of the lease. · Negotiations between the Council and The Martin Group on the conditions of the surrender had been detailed at paragraph 8 of the report. · It was estimated that surrendering the lease would provide a capital saving of £3.4M but could generate a revenue cost of £430,000 over 9 years. · Plans by The Martin Group to improve the car park included automatic number plate recognition, increased security, and opening the car park for 24 hours. · Aspirations for residential parking within the car park would be accommodated as surveys undertaken by officers had demonstrated spare capacity. · Members representing Letchworth wards who attended a briefing with officers had shown support for surrendering the lease, and no follow up questions were received from those that could not attend. · Thoughts on the report were requested from the Committee before consideration by Cabinet.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Claire Winchester · Councillor Jon Clayden · Councillor Paul Ward · Councillor Elizabeth Dennis · Councillor Martin Prescott
In response to questions, Councillor Sean Nolan advised that:
· Parking tariffs had formed part of the negotiations with The Martin Group, and they had recognised the need for competitive pricing with nearby car parks. · 24-hour parking would be thought to reduce commuter parking around the station where this had become an issue. · If The Martin Group decided not to redevelop the shopping centre, this would not impact their surrender of the lease.
In response to questions, the Director – Enterprise advised that:
· The Martin Group would have to account for external factors such as tariffs in Council owned car parks and other car parks in the town when setting theirs. · Season tickets and discounts for wider users of the car park had not been discussed with The Martin Group, but as they were a private company, it was speculated that they would investigate these options to encourage greater usage. · Comments on the position of The Martin Group regarding the redevelopment could not be provided, but the surrender of the lease had been requested by them to facilitate residential parking, and the feasibility of this had been confirmed by officers. · The Martin Group were aware of antisocial behaviour in the car park and had detailed additional security measures to address this with 24 hour opening times.
In response to questions, the Director – Resources advised that:
· Operating costs, revenue generated, and other values that the lease held such as parking provision for staff had been factored into the considerations and included in the report. · The above factors were ... view the full minutes text for item 74. |
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COUNCILLOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROTOCOL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – GOVERNANCE
To consider the endorsement of the updated Councillor Learning and Development Protocol and the reporting process for completion of compulsory training.
Additional documents: Decision: RESOLVED:
(1) That the Councillor Learning and Development Protocol, attached as Appendix A, be noted and endorsed with the following amendments:
Remove – ‘The report will detail the completion rate of required, compulsory training by Councillors and will detail those individuals who have not completed the specified training by the required date.’
Add – ‘The report presented to Overview and Scrutiny will be a high-level, annual report which will detail the completion rate of required, compulsory training. The Standards Committee will consider individual accountability, particularly in circumstances where Councillors repeatedly fail to attend mandatory training as this is likely to fall below the threshold of expected behaviours of Councillors.’
(2) That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled an ‘Annual Report on Councillor Training’ onto their Work Programme for future years.
REASON FOR DECISIONS: To ensure that the Councillor Learning and Development Protocol is current, relevant and includes clear reporting on the completion rate of compulsory Member Training with accountability. Minutes: Audio recording – 55 minutes 25 seconds
Councillor Daniel Allen, as Executive Member for Governance, presented the report entitled ‘Councillor Learning and Development Protocol’ and advised that:
· The report would ensure the formalisation of Councillor learning and development arrangements, with a clear reporting and monitoring process in place. · It was proposed to provide an annual report on compulsory training to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which would detail the names of Members who had not completed the required training. · It was important for Members to complete the compulsory training so that they understood processes and managed risk as there were legal requirements to complete it. · Two sessions would be held in May for Members to complete their compulsory training, and they were required to attend at least one. · Members could also complete their compulsory learning ahead of the sessions, but there would be a benefit to attending the sessions as Officers would be able to provide clarifications and support. · The protocol had been introduced in 2019 and revised to include the processes to be followed when providing compulsory and non-compulsory training for Members. · Dates for the Member sessions were in the report and had also been shared with Members via email.
N.B. Councillor Ralph Muncer returned to the Chamber at 20:30.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham · Councillor Jon Clayden · Councillor Elizabeth Dennis · Councillor Ralph Muncer · Councillor Paul Ward
In response to questions, Councillor Daniel Allen advised that:
· Non-completion of mandatory training created issues with corporate governance and risk rather than with behaviour or conduct. Because of this, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were best placed to monitor this in their role to hold the authority to account on performance and risk management, rather than the Standards Committee. · The report would not result in sanctions and would enable transparency and encourage improvement where needed, rather than being presented to the Standards Committee which could result in a quasi-disciplinary process. · The proposal of naming Members had resulted from other encouragement measures for training being unsuccessful in achieving a 100% completion rate. · It was understood that Members may have undertaken similar training in their professions or voluntary roles, but this did not negate the requirement to complete the mandatory training provided by the Council.
In response to questions, the Director – Governance advised that:
· It was within the Terms of Reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to govern the completion of mandatory training as failure to do so damaged the ability of the Council to operate safely, lawfully and legally. Whereas the Standards Committee governed the completion of Code of Conduct training. · Completion of mandatory training was low, and there had to be accountability for this. · Failure to complete compulsory training could also be reported to the Standards Committee as it was potentially a breach under Section 17 of the Code of Conduct. · Paragraph 6.2.7(s) of the Constitution referenced the reasons for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee receiving the annual report instead of the Standards Committee, in terms of ... view the full minutes text for item 75. |
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REGULATION OF INVESTIGATORY POWERS ACT (‘RIPA’) ANNUAL REVIEW REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – GOVERNANCE / MONITORING OFFICER
This Report provides an update on the Council’s current use of RIPA and reports on the annual policy review. The Report also provides an update on the proposed amendments to the Council’s RIPA Policies following its annual review. Additional documents:
Decision: RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the content of the report.
RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: The adoption of the amended RIPA Policy (Appendix A).
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
(1) The Council is required to ensure it has an up-to-date, compliant and operationally usable RIPA framework that reflects current legislation and codes of practice and supports effective governance and assurance.
(2) Approval of the updated policy reduces legal, regulatory and reputational risk, supports lawful enforcement activity where required, and strengthens transparency and democratic oversight. Minutes: Audio recording – 2 hours 5 minutes 21 seconds
Councillor Daniel Allen, as Executive Member for Governance, presented the report entitled ‘Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (‘RIPA’) Update and Annual Review’ and advised that:
· The report provided the annual update on the use of powers by the Council under the RIPA, along with the latest outcome of the policy review. · The Council had not used any of the RIPA powers in the last year, which reflected the cautious approach they took to only use them in exceptional circumstances. · The amended policy gave several clarifications and updates on Member and Officer roles and responsibilities, guidance on online investigations into social media, and other areas, which were detailed in the report.
Councillor Paul Ward highlighted a formatting error with the flow chart on page 141 of the report.
Councillor Jon Clayden proposed and Councillor Paul Ward seconded and, following a vote, it was:
RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the content of the report.
RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: The adoption of the amended RIPA Policy (Appendix A).
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
(1) The Council is required to ensure it has an up-to-date, compliant and operationally usable RIPA framework that reflects current legislation and codes of practice and supports effective governance and assurance.
(2) Approval of the updated policy reduces legal, regulatory and reputational risk, supports lawful enforcement activity where required, and strengthens transparency and democratic oversight. |
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SECTION 106 TASK AND FINISH GROUP REPORT REPORT OF THE S106 TASK AND FINISH GROUP
The report details the Task and Finish Group’s review of North Herts' application of the Section 106 (s106) mechanism for securing developer contributions from new development and provides an overview of the assessment undertaken and recommendations identified. Additional documents:
Decision: RESOLVED: That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:
(1) Noted the content of the report and its recommendations.
(2) Provided comment on the proposed recommendations and confirmed which recommendations were to be recommended to Cabinet.
RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: That recommendations 1-8, as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be considered by Cabinet.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION: To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee the opportunity to scrutinise the s106 Task and Finish Group report and to consider which recommendations should be considered by Cabinet. Minutes: Audio recording – 2 hours 9 minutes 5 seconds
Councillor Ralph Muncer, as Chair of the Section 106 Task and Finish Group, presented the report entitled ‘Section 106 Task and Finish Group Report’ and advised that:
· The Local Plan adopted in 2022 would deliver 13,000 homes across the district, and reformed Government policies would only add to the burden to deliver housing. · Communities deserved infrastructure that accompanied housing developments. · The report provided a review of the current mechanism for S106 contributions, assessed whether it was fit for purpose and made recommendations to improve it. · A disconnect between the Council and its communities on infrastructure priorities had been identified, and the recommendations would make communities feel that they were more involved. · Other Members of the S106 Task and Finish Group, the Director – Place, Development and Conservation Manager, Hertfordshire County Council Officers, the Scrutiny Officer and the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager should be thanked for their support and contributions towards the group. · S106 contributions was a broad policy area, and they had tried to address this through focused recommendations, that would deal with its issues directly.
The following Members asked questions:
· Councillor Claire Winchester · Councillor Elizabeth Dennis · Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham · Councillor David Chalmers · Councillor Jon Clayden · Councillor Paul Ward
In response to questions, Councillor Ralph Muncer advised that:
· Lessons could be learned from the workings of the group to help inform the workings of any future task and finish groups. · It had been disappointing to see a lack of consultation responses, particularly from some parties like the NHS Integrated Care Board, therefore, unilateral engagement might be needed. · It was accepted that the roles of Community Partnership Officers would have to be reprioritised to deliver the proposed recommendations as resourcing was an issue. · S106 training in recommendation 3 could potentially be offered to Members as well, and communication reporting would keep them better informed about S106 funding. · There was an organisational readiness and excitement to engage in this proposed new process, as it would have the potential to deliver real benefits to communities now and in the future. However, the focus of engagement as part of this had been with Senior Officers, who had highlighted concerns about resourcing, and it would be for Cabinet to consider whether this would be an appropriate use of Community Partnership Officers. · Engagement had taken place with Community Partnership Officers. However, more work would be required to explore what the training provided would look like and that it would appropriately delivered to support Officers to feel confident in this proposal to support communities. This work would be explored further should the recommendations be adopted by Cabinet. · This work would provide resilience to communities ahead of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), and a strong foundation for a new unitary authority to build upon. · Chairs of Community Forums had not been consulted on the recommendations, but it had been decided that they would be the best place to consider community infrastructure priorities for unparished areas. · Regulations for the S106 ... view the full minutes text for item 77. |
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OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME REPORT OF THE SCRUTINY OFFICER
This report highlights items scheduled in the work programme of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2025-26 civic year. It also includes items that have not yet been assigned to a specific meeting of the Committee. Additional documents:
Decision: RESOLVED:
(1) That the Committee prioritised topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determined the high-level form and timing of scrutiny input.
(2) That the Committee, having considered the most recent iteration of the Forward Plan, as attached at Appendix B, suggested a list of items to be considered at its meetings in the coming civic year.
(3) That the Committee noted the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker, attached as Appendix C to the report.
REASONS FOR DECISIONS:
(1) To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focused Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effectively policy development and meaningful policy and service change.
(2) The need to observe Constitutional requirements and monitor the Forward Plan for appropriate items to scrutinise remains a key aspect of work programming. Minutes: Audio recording – 3 hours 20 minutes 11 seconds
The Scrutiny Officer presented the report entitled ‘Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2025-26’ and advised that:
· Decisions from the previous meeting were attached at Appendix C to the report. · The recommendations from the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge Follow Up report had been approved at the Cabinet meeting on 17 February 2026. · A recommendation to note the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker had been missed out of the report but would be incorporated into the report for the next meeting. · The Work Programme had been attached at Appendix A, and Members were encouraged to provide questions to officers on reports ahead of meetings. · The most recent Forward Plan published on 13 March was attached at Appendix B. · Scrutiny Training, which would include Work Programme development for the 2026/27 Civic Year, would take place on 12 May 2026.
Councillor Jon Clayden proposed and Councillor Paul Ward seconded and, following a vote, it was:
RESOLVED:
(1) That the Committee prioritised topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determined the high-level form and timing of scrutiny input.
(2) That the Committee, having considered the most recent iteration of the Forward Plan, as attached at Appendix B, suggested a list of items to be considered at its meetings in the coming civic year.
(3) That the Committee noted the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker, attached as Appendix C to the report.
REASONS FOR DECISIONS:
(1) To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focused Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effectively policy development and meaningful policy and service change.
(2) The need to observe Constitutional requirements and monitor the Forward Plan for appropriate items to scrutinise remains a key aspect of work programming. |