Agenda item - OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To consider the issues that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee plans to review at future meetings and the activities of its sub-groups.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme be noted;

(2) That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee consider the following items from the Forward Plan:

(i) Proposed Establishment of a Housing Company – January 2018

(ii) District Wide Survey 2017 – March 2018.

(3) That the Chief Executive be requested to consider the Terms of Reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to clarify that the Committee can consider finances when reviewing projects;

(4) That consideration be given to how the Overview and Scrutiny Committee can remain involved and updated regarding the discussions about a new settlement;

(5) That the proposed review of the Community Facility at Hitchin Town Hall and District Museum be added to the “Work to be Scheduled” list.

(6) That the Scrutiny Officer be requested to consider a diary system and method by which the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could review the recommendations of Task and Finish Groups in order to asses whether they had produced the desire effects.

REASON FOR DECISION:To enable the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to plan and carry out its workload efficiently and effectively.

The Chief Executive presented the report entitled Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme and drew attention to the following:

Work Programme

Members agreed that they wished to consider the Proposed Establishment of a Housing Company, due to be considered by Cabinet in January 2018 and the District Wide Survey, due to be considered by Cabinet in March 2018.

Members agreed that the proposed review of the Community Facility at Hitchin Town Hall and District Museum should be added to the list of work to be scheduled.

Review of Projects

Members expressed concern that any reviews of projects undertaken by this Committee may not be comprehensive, as they were restricted from considering financial details.

They considered whether regular meetings between the Chairmen of Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and Overview and Scrutiny Committee on a regular basis to discuss forthcoming work programmes would be helpful.

They also considered the merits of one Member from the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee being seconded onto the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Visa Versa, when considering issues that may cross the boundaries of those committees.

Members asked that the Terms of Reference of this Committee be reviewed in order to clarify the position.

New Settlement

Members were keen to remain involved and updated regarding the discussions about a new settlement and questioned how this could be achieved.

The Chief Executive advised that the key issues being considered was the governance and delivery of infrastructure and planning

NHDC needed to considerer whether the Government would require Local Authorities to work together in a different way.

Task and Finish Groups

Members also considered whether the scope of Task and Finish Groups were sufficiently detailed and specific in order to meet the challenges identified by the Committee and that it may be worthwhile reviewing the recommendations of Task and Finish Groups, after the process had been completed for a period of time, to assess whether they had produced the desired effect and whether those recommendations not accepted would have made a difference.