Agenda item - OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

REPORT OF THE SCRUTINY OFFICER

This report highlights items scheduled in the work programme of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2024-25 civic year. It also includes items that have not yet been assigned to a specific meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Committee prioritised topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determines 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 Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan as attached at Appendix C was considered.

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 effective 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.

Audio recording – 146 minutes 44 seconds

The Scrutiny Officer presented the report entitled ‘Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme’ and advised that:

· The Enterprise Portfolio update and Museum Storage Options items had been included for November 2024 meeting, and Members should raise any specific areas of interest ahead of this meeting, so detail can be provided by Officers.

· The Crime and Disorder Matters item was scheduled for January 2025 with a view to look at violence against women and children in the district.

· Planning and Transport portfolio updates had been scheduled for February 2025 and Members should provide detail of any specific areas of interest.

· Health matters was proposed for March 2025.

· Several topics had been included as candidate topics to be scheduled, including Waste Contract Mobilisation, Digital Transformation and Corporate Peer Challenge report.

· A form had been developed to assist Members with raising topics for a Task and Finish Group, and this would be included on the Scrutiny intranet pages once this was made live.

· Several topics had been included as candidate topics for Task and Finish Groups, including Staff Recruitment and Retention, Impact on Grant Policies, Impact of Council Tax Reduction Scheme, Tackling Homelessness in North Herts and Effectiveness of Section 106 Funds.

· Peer review actions were included at Appendix C and had been discussed with the Chair and Vice Chair.

The following Members took part in a discussion on the Work Programme:

· Councillor Martin Prescott

· Councillor Ralph Muncer

· Councillor Daniel Wright-Mason

· Councillor Elizabeth Dennis

· Councillor Daniel Wright

The following points were raised during the discussion:

· A key theme from this meeting was communication with residents and this could be explored further as a Task and Finish Group.

· That the Crime and Disorder Matters item cover overarching themes of crime across the district, which could include detail on violence against women and girls.

· The LGA Peer Review to take place in November, should be reported at meetings in January or February, as this was an important piece of work for the Committee to consider.

· Health provisions were important to look at, specifically with regard to new developments, and a representative of the Integrated Care Board should be invited to provide detail.

· The effectiveness of Section 106 money should be explored further.

· Concerns had existed for a while that Section 106 contributions were not being spent and allocations of money were not put into schemes. Regular updates on Section 106 had been requested at Planning Control Committee, but a further in-depth look by the Committee would be worthwhile.

· Information on Task and Finish Groups processes in general was required.

In response to points raised in discussions, the Scrutiny Officer advised that:

· It was unlikely the Peer Review report would be ready for presentation to the Committee by the January 2025 meeting.

· A Member would need to take a lead on developing the concepts of Task and Finish Groups, including considering what evidence was required, which Officers would be included, what the objectives of the group were and expected timescales.

· A lot of information on Task and Finish Groups would be included on the intranet pages being developed, including case studies of where these had been successfully used.

In response to points raised, the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager advised that:

· A previous Task and Finish Group looking at communications had been developed but was significantly delayed due to Covid restrictions and it was eventually agreed with the then Chair that it was no longer suitable.

· Should Members want to move forward with a topic, this may be suitable as some of the documentation had been produced and could be revised.

· The historic documents on this could be shared with the Committee.

Following discussions, Councillor Muncer advised that he would take forward work around scoping out possible work on a Section 106 Task and Finish Group, alongside the Scrutiny Officer.

Councillor Matt Barnes, as Chair, proposed and Councillor Tom Tyson seconded and, following a vote, it was: