Agenda item

REPORT OF THE ACTING SCRUTINY OFFICER

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 meeting due to be held on 18 September 2018 be, as far as possible, a single issue meeting focussing on the waste contract, with scheduled business being moved to a later meeting;

(3)       That the Waste Contract Scope be finalised and agreed by the scoping group in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(4)       That, in place of the proposed Task and Finish Group on Consultation, the Temporary Scrutiny Officer be requested to facilitate a meeting of Councillors Sam Collins, Steve Deakin - Davies and Sue Ngwala and the Communications Manager to discuss the Consultation Strategy and the Citizens Panel and that those Councillors be requested to report back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee once the work is completed.

(5)       That the group considering the Consultation Strategy and Citizens Panel (see 4 above), be requested to take into consideration the Interim Review of that Strategy (see Minute 25(3))

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

The Temporary Scrutiny Officer presented the report entitled Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme and drew attention to the following:

Topics to be scheduled

Paragraphs 8.4 and 8.5 of the report detailed topics that had yet to be scheduled into the wok programme.

The Waste Contract

A small group of Members met before this meeting to develop a scope for a proposed Task and Finish Group on the new Waste Contract, this would be presented to the Committee at a late meeting.

The Service Manager – Waste and Recycling indicated at the meeting in June 2018 that she needed a bit of time to gather data and information and to let the contact settle down and it was now time to consider how and when the Waste Contact would be reviewed by the Committee.

Members acknowledged that the contract was not yet of a standard that warranted officers being taken from their duties to report to this Committee, yet there was a timing imperative, as a key officer was due to go on maternity leave and her input would be invaluable.

They were concerned that the Committee had the opportunity to establish whether there were ongoing problems and ask questions as to why they were ongoing.

Councillor Dennis-Harburg (Chair of the Task and Finish Scoping Group) advised that the group had been trying to identify the ongoing issues and prepare a list of questions that could be used as a basis for the Service Manager’s report and presentation to the Committee in September. This initial review could then, if required be followed by a more detailed Task and Finish Group.

Members agreed that the Service Manager – Waste and Recycling, the Executive Member for Waste, Recycling and Environment and a senior Manager from Urbaser should be invited to the September meeting of this Committee.

Members noted that the contract in East Herts was operating smoothly and the reasons for the differences between the areas should be identified.

They agreed that the September meeting should be, as far as possible, a single issue meeting, with scheduled business being moved to a late meeting.

Communications Strategy

The Chairman suggested that, rather than a Task and Finish Group on Consultation, volunteer Members of this Committee be requested to meet with the Communications Manager to advise on the Consultation Strategy and Citizens Panel.

The following Members volunteered:

Councillors Sam Collins, Steve Deakin-Davies and Sue Ngwala.

The group was asked to update the Committee once the work was complete.

Local Plan Modifications

The Service Director – Legal and Community advised that the Inspector did not anticipate coming back to the Council to request further documentation until mid September 2018 and was unlikely to go to Cabinet or Council in September 2018.

RESOLVED:

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

(2)       That the meeting due to be held on 18 September 2018 be, as far as possible, a single issue meeting focussing on the waste contract, with scheduled business being moved to a later meeting;

(3)       That the Waste Contract Scope be finalised and agreed by the scoping group in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

(4)       That, in place of the proposed Task and Finish Group on Consultation, the Temporary Scrutiny Officer be requested to facilitate a meeting of Councillors Sam Collins, Steve Deakin - Davies and Sue Ngwala and the Communications Manager to discuss the Consultation Strategy and the Citizens Panel and that those Councillors be requested to report back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee once the work is completed.

(5)       That the group considering the Consultation Strategy and Citizens Panel (see 4 above), be requested to take into consideration the Interim Review of that Strategy (see Minute 25(3))

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