Agenda item

The Corporate Director of Resources submits a report that reviews the operation of the scrutiny arrangements introduced in May 2007 and makes a series of proposals aimed at further enhancing their effectiveness. The Board is recommended to note and comment on the report. 

The Corporate Director of Resources submitted a report that reviewed the operation of the scrutiny arrangements introduced in May 2007 and made a series of proposals aimed at further enhancing their effectiveness.

The Service Director, Democratic Services introduced the paper to the Board and turned Members attention to the areas of proposed improvement.  He stated that in addition to those set out in the paper, an additional suggestion be proposed that the first and final meetings of all Task Groups be conducted as formal meetings, open to the public and conforming to Access to Information provisions. which would offer transparency to members of the public and enable Task Groups, as part of their scoping process, to determine their strategy for public engagement and consultation, including with key stakeholders.  The extra suggestion was supported by the Board. 

Whilst introducing the report, the Service Director, Democratic Services reminded Members that the legislative provisions for scrutiny allowed members to conduct greater scrutiny of external organisations.  The potential for strong links with community meetings was also emphasised.  Furthermore, it was noted that the proposals incorporate a change in the style of minutes which would become more action-orientated, and as appropriate, be more in the style of a rapporteur.

A Member of the Board asked whether an open invitation to the Scrutiny Forum could be extended to all non-executive Members.  The Service Director, Democratic Services confirmed that the Forum could become open to all non-executive Members, and described the Forum as a key tool in enabling all non-executive Members to further their knowledge of the scrutiny role.  He also agreed with Members that a programme of training of the scrutiny arrangements and functions for Members could be established.

A Member of the Board expressed a view that there should be provision for the co-option of youth representatives as non-voting Members onto OSMB.  This was supported by members of the Board.

Members also expressed a view that, OSMB also being the body designated to address the statutory requirements associated with Education matters, that there should be appropriate training on this matter as soon as possible for all Members of OSMB.

Following a suggestion by a Member of the Board, it was agreed that the term ‘fixed membership’ would change to ‘standing membership’.

A Board Member asked whether it was possible to instruct Members to sign-up to Task Groups so that the membership of a particular review did not dramatically decrease or alter at the end of a municipal year.  Failure to have such a policy or protocol could well have a detrimental effect on the effective conclusion of Task Group investigations.  The Service Director, Democratic Services explained that officers could encourage but not force members to remain working with a Task Group review until it was completed, and reminded members that the political group whips could have a role in this regard.

One Member of the Board felt that it was crucial for the annual report of scrutiny as described in the paper to be submitted to the Board for its comments prior to being considered by Full Council.  As part of the annual report, a suggestion was made that the views of all departments in respect of the performance and function of scrutiny should be included within it.  In response to the first comment, the Service Director, Democratic Services stated that it was imperative for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board to consider and comment on the annual report.  He replied to the latter comment by agreeing that departments would welcome and wish to be involved in the process of evaluating scrutiny.  Members also commented that there was still a need to improve Member and officer understanding of the scrutiny process, both with attendance by all Members at a scrutiny meeting at least once per year, and for there to be appropriate facilitated training.

In response to a comment made by a Member of the Board, the Service Director stated that officers would be working on ways of improving the use of the corporate calendar of meetings, and hoped that it could be successfully operated as a live document. 

A Member of the Board suggested that the chasing-up of outstanding actions from scrutiny should be placed on each agenda as a standing item.  The Corporate Director of Regeneration and Culture stated that an action sheet from each meeting should accompany and be distributed with the minutes. 

A Member of the Board suggested that meetings of the Board could be tape-recorded to act as a form of back-up for the minutes.  The Service Director, Democratic Services explained that arrangements were currently being finalised to web cast meetings of Full Council and, as a possible next step, Planning and Development Control Committee, and that this record could similarly act as a back-up for minutes.  He suggested that the matter be also discussed at the Scrutiny Forum. 

Whilst recognising the practical difficulties, Members also asked officers to try and reduce or, if possible eradicate clashes of meeting dates and welcome further work on an easily accessible and updated corporate calendar of meetings.

Members generally felt that the first year of the new scrutiny arrangements had been fairly mixed and that not all expectations of Members had been met, but hoped that the changes outlined to them and discussed would improve the role and performance of scrutiny.  It was accepted though that some extremely useful work had taken place.  Moreover, it was acknowledged that the previous year was a transitional period for scrutiny and that most other authorities were operating similarly. 

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the proposals for improvement set out in section 3.3 of the report be noted.

(2)   That the first and last meetings of Task Groups be held as formal meetings ie confirming to Access to Information provisions;

(3)   That provision be made for young people’s representation on OSMB;

(4)   That training of OSMB members be arranged as soon as possible in Education matters within the remit of OSMB; and

(5)   That officers investigate further ways of minimising clashes of meeting dates including through the availability of a more easily accessible corporate calendar of meetings.