Agenda item - OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE, MEMBER AND SCRUTINY MANAGER

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 report entitled Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme be noted;

(2) That Members be requested to contact the Chair and the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager to advise them of any topics for consideration under the Crime and Disorder agenda item of the January Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting and that the following subjects be considered:

· Policing during the Covid-19 pandemic;

· Domestic violence, particularly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic;

· Anti-social behaviour, particularly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic.

(3) That Members be requested to inform the Chair and the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager of any items to be considered at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 19 January 2021 and beyond.

(4) That the Task and Finish Protocol attached at Appendix E be approved to include the following paragraphs:

Paragraph 1.10 to read:

“The report of the Leadership Team will accompany the Task and Finish Group report to Cabinet/Council/Executive Member however the Overview and Scrutiny Committee/Chairman may opt for this report to also be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the same time as the Task and Finish Group report.”

Paragraph 4.2 to read:

“The Scrutiny Officer will share all drafts of the report with the lead officer. The lead officer will seek the comments of the Leadership Team and prepare a report on their behalf. This report will accompany the Task and Finish Group report to Cabinet/Council/Executive Member however the Overview and Scrutiny Committee/Chairman may opt for this report to also be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at the same time as the Task and Finish Group report.”

REASON FOR DECISION: To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focussed Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effective policy development and meaningful policy and service change.

Audio recording – 7 minutes 33 seconds

NB Councillor Val Bryant joined the meeting at 7.38pm

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager presented the report entitled Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme together with the following appendices:

· Appendix A – Work Programme for Future Committee Meetings;

· Appendix B – Forward Plan for 16 November 2020;

· Appendix C – Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan in regard to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

· Appendix D – Current Task and Finish Protocol (March 2016)

· Appendix E – Proposed Task and Finish Group Protocol

and drew attention to the following:

Crime and Disorder Meeting

The Annual Overview & Scrutiny Committee crime and disorder meeting would be held in January. The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager asked Members to email her with any subjects that they would like this presentation to focus on.

Task and Finish Group Protocol

The revised Task and Finish Protocol was attached at Appendix E. The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager had reviewed Task and Finish Protocols of 10 other authorities and found NHDC’s to be extremely comprehensive in comparison. Members were asked to choose which of 3 options of they would prefer for paragraphs 1.10 and 4.2 which referred to the procedure regarding presentation of the Leadership Team’s report.

The following Members took part in debate:

· Councillor Kate Aspinwall;

· Councillor Claire Strong;

· Councillor David Levett;

· Councillor Tony Hunter.

Members discussed the benefits of being able to see the Leadership Team’s report in advance and having the opportunity to provide comment on it.

Members congratulated the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager for her work on the Protocol.