Agenda item

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Draft Work Programme

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer submitted a report that reviewed the actions included in the Committee’s existing work programme and proposed amendments to the ongoing work programme.  The Scrutiny Officer advised Members that:

 

-                          The Centre for Public Scrutiny was undertaking a review of scrutiny arrangements at East Herts and would be reporting back in due course with any recommendations to the Executive and Council;

 

-                          In relation to the results of the Parking Review Task and Finish group, the Executive had considered the recommendations at its meeting on 11 February 2020 but further action had been deferred as a result of Covid-19.  The Head of Operations had provided assurances that this will be progressed as soon as possible.  Members were aware that under the Local Government Act 2000, Scrutiny has formal powers to ask the Executive to make a determination of its recommendations.

 

-                          The proposed items for inclusion on the September work programme were set out in the report.  Going forward, regular meetings would be programmed quarterly (or sooner) with the Leader, Deputy Leader, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance Committees to co-ordinate the development of the work programmes in the context of the Forward Plan.  The first meeting of this Co-ordinating Work Group would take place on 29 June 2020. 

 

-                          In relation to the Social Housing Task and Finish Group, the final meeting, with senior officers of Clarion Housing, had been arranged for 25 June.  A summary of the three meetings and any recommendations would be reported to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration and then if necessary to the Executive.

 

-                          Further to item 11 on the current agenda, the work programme for the June 2021 meeting of the Committee would be amended to include the annual review of the RIPA policy.

 

Councillor Hollebon referred to the forthcoming Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) report.  She felt that it was important that the CfPS’s recommendations were also reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for discussion.  The Chairman and other Members concurred and asked that the Executive ensure that the Committee was provided with the opportunity to consider and comment on the CfPS report when it was available.

 

Councillor Goldspink stressed the importance of an early progress update on the Climate Change report and asked if this could come to the next meeting.  The Scrutiny Officer advised that this had been discussed with the Environmental Co-ordinator.  The Scrutiny Officer undertook to circulate this update after the meeting.   The Chairman agreed that it was important for this matter to be revisited on a regular basis. 

 

Councillor Ward-Booth noted that the Committee’s next scheduled meeting was not until 15 September 2020.    He proposed that an additional meeting be held before September to consider the CfPS report (if available) and the Council’s response to the Covid-19 emergency – he suggested that this latter item should be broadened to include the forward planning work to establish ‘new normal’ working practices for the Council’s services, and plans to respond to any further wave of Covid-19 cases.

  

The Chairman asked that the Scrutiny Officer look into Officer availability and other practicalities around a possible additional meeting of the Committee and email Members after the meeting to seek their views. 

 

Councillor Ward-Booth moved and Councillor Hollebon seconded, a motion that the recommendations in the report be approved subject to two additional points to address the matters raised by Members during the discussion as follows:

 

-                          That the Executive be requested to ensure that the report of the Centre for Public Scrutiny on scrutiny arrangements in East Hertfordshire be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for discussion and comment prior to consideration by the, Executive and Council; and

 

-                          That the Scrutiny Officer look into Officer availability and other practicalities around a possible additional meeting of the Committee to be held before September 2020 and email Members to seek their views.

 

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED – that (A) the proposed work programme, as detailed at Appendix A to the report, be approved subject to the matters noted above;

 

(B)        the Executive be requested to ensure that the report of the Centre for Public Scrutiny on scrutiny arrangements in East Hertfordshire be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for discussion and comment prior to consideration by the Executive and Council; and

 

(C)        the Scrutiny Officer look into Officer availability and other practicalities around a possible additional meeting of the Committee to be held before September 2020 and email Members to seek their views.

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