Issue - meetings

The Chairman submitted a report asking Members to evaluate the progress made in relation to scrutiny during 2015/16 and detail what actions needed to be carried forward to the 2016/17 Community Scrutiny Work Programme. 

The Scrutiny Officer referred Members to the evaluation sheet and asked them to forward her their individual comments on work achieved during the past civic year.  She drew Members’ attention to the additional requested item on the work programme for the June 2016 meeting regarding delivering “Forever Active” East Herts.  A further report on markets would be reported to the November 2016 meeting as requested by Members earlier.

The Scrutiny Officer requested that, as part of the feedback, Members should suggest matters for future scrutiny topics by the end of March 2016.  She commented that some future meetings of the Committee could, if Members wished, be dedicated to a single topic with evidence being submitted from several Officers and/or external witnesses.

Following a comment from Councillor D Oldridge, Members commented that they would like to see some information regarding youth and community engagement and East Herts Council's work with young people.  The Scrutiny Officer commented on whether Scrutiny could influence this area of Council business and make some recommendations.

The Scrutiny Officer advised that the Executive would be sent a version of the feedback sheet so that Executive Members could indicate if there were any specific topics where they needed input from Scrutiny.  The Committee received the report and supported the recommendations, as now detailed.

RESOLVED – that (A) Members’ comments be collated as part of the evaluation exercise and used to frame the draft 2015/16 Overview and Scrutiny Annual report; and

(B)   the work programme be approved.