Agenda for Overview & Scrutiny Commission on Tuesday, 21st October, 2008, 4.00pm
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Agenda and minutes
PDF 211 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Mary van Beinum, Scrutiny Support Officer
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PROCEDURAL BUSINESS Declaration of Substitutes
Where a Member of the Commission is unable to attend a meeting for whatever reason, a substitute Member (who is not a Cabinet Member) may attend and speak and vote in their place for that meeting. Substitutes are not allowed on Scrutiny Select Committees or Scrutiny Panels.
The substitute Member shall be a Member of the Council drawn from the same political group as the Member who is unable to attend the meeting, and must not already be a Member of the Commission. The substitute Member must declare themselves as a substitute, and be minuted as such, at the beginning of the meeting or as soon as they arrive.
Declarations of Interest
(1) To seek declarations of any personal or personal & prejudicial interests under Part 2 of the Code of Conduct for Members in relation to matters on the Agenda. Members who do declare such interests are required to clearly describe the nature of the interest.
(2) A Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, an Overview and Scrutiny Committee or a Select Committee has a prejudicial interest in any business at meeting of that Committee where –
(a) that business relates to a decision made (whether implemented or not) or action taken by the Executive or another of the Council’s committees, sub-committees, joint committees or joint sub-committees; and
(b) at the time the decision was made or action was taken the Member was
(i) a Member of the Executive or that committee, sub-committee, joint committee or joint sub-committee and (ii) was present when the decision was made or action taken.
(3) If the interest is a prejudicial interest, the Code requires the Member concerned:- to leave the room or chamber where the meeting takes place while the item in respect of which the declaration is made is under consideration. [There are three exceptions to this rule which are set out at paragraph (4) below]. not to exercise executive functions in relation to that business and not to seek improperly to influence a decision about that business.
(4) The circumstances in which a Member who has declared a prejudicial interest is permitted to remain while the item in respect of which the interest has been declared is under consideration are:-
for the purpose of making representations, answering questions or giving evidence relating to the item, provided that the public are also allowed to attend the meeting for the same purpose, whether under a statutory right or otherwise, BUT the Member must leave immediately after he/she has made the representations, answered the questions, or given the evidence,
if the Member has obtained a dispensation from the Standards Committee, or
if the Member is the Leader or a Cabinet Member and has been required to attend before an Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Sub-Committee to answer questions.
Declaration of Party Whip
To seek declarations of the existence and nature of any party whip in relation to any matter on the Agenda as set out at paragraph 8 of the Overview and Scrutiny Ways of Working.
Exclusion of Press and Public
To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is confidential and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the exempt categories is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls.
Minutes: 42.1 The Chairman stated at the beginning of the meeting that the meeting was being filmed and held in archive. Any members of the public who did not wish to be recorded on camera could sit in the public gallery to observe the meeting.
(A) Declarations of Substitutes
42.2 Councillor Warren Morgan (non-voting Member) declared he was substituting as a voting Member for Councillor Anne Meadows Councillor Watkins was substituting for Councillor Paul Elgood Councillor Hyde was substituting for Councillor Averil Older.
(B) Declarations of Interest
42.3 There were no declarations of interest.
(C) Declarations of party whip
42.4 There were none.
(D) Exclusion of Press and Public In accordance with section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, it was considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any items contained in the agenda, having regard to the nature of the business to be transacted and the nature of the proceedings and the likelihood as to whether, if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of confidential or exempt information as defined in section 100I (1) of the said Act.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Minutes: 43.1 RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 September be agreed and signed by the Chairman |
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CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS Minutes:
44.1 The Chairman told the meeting that the new Head of Overview and Scrutiny Tom Hook, had been appointed and would be starting from 5January 2009.
44.2 She welcomed to the meeting the Cabinet Members Councillors Jan Young and Ayas Fallon-Khan to introduce their reports. |
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PUBLIC QUESTIONS No public questions have been received.
The closing date for receipt of public questions for the meeting to be held on 2 December is 12 noon on 24 November.
Minutes: 45.1 There were none. |
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LETTERS FROM COUNCILLORS No letters have been received.
Minutes: 46.1 There were none. |
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NOTICES OF MOTION REFERRED FROM COUNCIL No Notices of Motion have been received.
Minutes: 47.1 There were none. |
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Additional documents: Minutes: 48.1 The Head of Improvement and Performance introduced the report which had been considered by 18 September Cabinet meeting.
48.2 The Head of Improvement and Performance answered questions on
· 16 to 18 year olds who are not in education or training · Perceptions of anti-social behaviour · Re-offending rates of prolific and priority re-offenders · Workless residents helped back into work
48.3 The Committee agreed to ask for the Quarter Two (July to September) performance report to the next meeting on 2December.
48.4 RESOLVED:
1) That the new performance management arrangement be noted..
2) That OSC receive twice-yearly performance reports in full; where possible before Cabinet receives them, plus the Quarter 2 report at its next meeting.
3) That it be noted that the five scrutiny committees will receive extracts relevant to their remit from the performance reports, as necessary.
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TARGETTED BUDGET MANAGEMENT MONTH 4 Minutes: 49.1 The Interim Head of Finance and Resources introduced the report setting out the forecast outturn position on the revenue and capital budgets as at the end of July 2008 (month 4). The report had been presented to Cabinet on 18 September.
49.2 Asked about energy costs, particularly as regards the Museums Service, he said he said there would be additional pressures, especially in the next financial year. Regarding concessionary bus fares (report paragraph 3.10 refers) he said in his view the council could only have budgeted as it did. He confirmed there was still a risk of a further bus fares increase later in the year.
49.3 RESOLVED:
1) That the report and replies be noted
2) That the Commission note that an additional OSC meeting has been arranged on 3 February 2009 to consider the 2009/2010 budget proposals.
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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK Additional documents: Minutes: 50.1 Councillor Jan Young (as substitute for Councillor Dee Simson, the Cabinet Member for Community Affairs, Inclusion and Internal Relations) introduced the report on Consultation Feedback on the Community Engagement Framework. The final document was scheduled to be signed off by Cabinet and the Stronger Communities Partnership on 20 November and by 2020 Community Partnership Board on 2 December.
50.2 Councillor Young said the CEF was a high-level strategic partnership document for the 2020 Community Partnership and its members. However a communications plan would be produced and an appropriate version developed for community and voluntary groups and residents.
50.3 Members welcomed the report and the moves to encourage residents to become involved. They noted there was only one elected BHCC Councillor serving on the Stronger Communities Partnership and suggested that additional elected Members would reinforce Councillors’ roles as Community Champions.
50.4 Answering questions the Head of Policy and Senior Policy Officer said the Stronger Communities Partnership would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Framework and monitoring its impact. The individual members of the Stronger Communities Partnership would lead on delivering the priority actions within the Framework and it was for Overview and Scrutiny to use its powers to monitor public organisations’ adherence to the Framework.
50.5 The officers also replied to questions on the possible risks of transferring assets and on the consultation process.
50.6 Some members felt that LSPs can appear less open to the public. The Commission agreed that it would be helpful if the minutes of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum could be made available, and Members notified.
50.7 RESOLVED: 1) That the Stronger Communities Partnership consider additional elected members to serve on the the Partnership in recognition of their roles as Community Champions. 2) That minutes of the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum meetings be made available to Members. 3) That subject to the above at 1) and 2), the final draft be endorsed.
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DRAFT ICT STRATEGY 2008 - 2012
Additional documents: Minutes: 51.1 The Interim Director of Finance and Resources introduced the initial ICT Strategy 2008 – 2012 which was scheduled to be considered by Cabinet on 20 November.
51.2 He said a new Assistant Director, ICT to be appointed in November, would be bringing forward the final draft version.
51.3 The Interim Director and the Head of ICT replied to a number of queries:
51.4 RESOLVED –
1) that the officers be asked to take into account the above comments in developing the strategy.
2) to note that the initial strategy will be revised together with a development plan by March 2009. |
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OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY IN BRIGHTON AND HOVE; WORK PROGRAMME
Additional documents: Minutes: 52.1 The Overview and Scrutiny Commission noted
1) the progress in taking forward the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme. 2) The additional OSC meeting scheduled for 3 February 2009 3) The Scrutiny Panels that have been established |
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ITEMS TO GO FORWARD TO CABINET OR THE RELEVANT CABINET MEMBER MEETING To consider items to be submitted to the next available Cabinet or Cabinet Member. Minutes: 53.1 It was noted that Items 50, Community Engagement Framework and 51, Draft ICT Strategy, were on the agenda for 20 November Cabinet meeting. |
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ITEMS TO GO FORWARD TO COUNCIL Minutes: 54.1 There were none. |