Issue - meetings

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 of the changes in format to the work programmes for both Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance and the Committee was reminded that an updated version had been forwarded to Members on 9 September 2020.

Members were advised that these work programmes had been consolidated as it was felt that this would provide a better overall advanced perspective of what was coming forward for consideration by both Committees. 

The Scrutiny Officer said that paragraph 3.1 provided an update in relation to the review of East Herts Parking Policy and the report of the Task and Finish Group, which had been considered by the Executive on 11 February 2020. Members were reminded of the significant loss of income in relation to parking and the impact of this on the Council and the Medium Term Financial Plan and that this was under constant review by the Executive Member and Key Officers.

The Committee was referred to the updated appendix to the work programme for the November meeting, which included a number of new issues, including the Cultural Strategy, Performance Report Quarters 1 and possibly 2 and the Revenues and Benefits Annual report. 

The Scrutiny Officer said that Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the Crime and Disorder Committee for the purposes of Section 19 of the Police and Justice Act and that Members might wish to invite the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire to a future meeting. This was supported.  She also explained that Members might also be aware that the Executive had asked Project Managers to review Business Cases to support a review of its capital projects given the impact that Covid-19 has had on the Council’s income streams.

Finally, the Scrutiny Officer said that the Council was statutorily required to produce an Annual Scrutiny Report and this document would be submitted to this Committee before being presented to Council. She said that she had noted the request from Councillor Hollebon regarding the Committee having sight of the draft Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) report before the final version was received, perhaps in November.

Councillor Curtis commented on the climate change action plan and having sight of this so that Members could see which actions had been met and those that were yet to be met. He said that it would be good if the Committee could review the impact on town centres of work that was being undertaken, especially in light of the impact of Covid-19.

The Scrutiny Officer said that the thread coming through from the draft report of the scrutiny review was that Members should be very specific as to what they wanted to scrutinise and ask the question “what value could scrutiny add” before the Committee agreed to spend any time on a given topic.  She said that, to that end, she would send  ...  view the full minutes text for item 166