Agenda item

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 a scoping document to Councillor Curtis for him to think through and complete in relation to his earlier request.

Councillor Frecknall said that if the option was there to invite David Lloyd, the Police and Crime Commissioner, to the November meeting of the Committee then this would be a very good and worthwhile idea.  He asked whether it would also be possible to have a 15 minute section on each agenda for the attendance of the Executive Members, perhaps as part of a rolling programme of attendance.

The Chairman said it was his understanding that the Leader and the Chief Executive would be attending the next meeting to discuss how the Council had dealt with the impact of COVID-19. He reiterated the importance of having Executive Members present updates on their portfolios.

The Scrutiny Officer said that Members could agree at the November meeting which Executive Members could attend future meetings on a rolling rotational basis. Councillor Hollebon said that Members should perhaps offer 2 dates to David Lloyd and also a specific topic to allow him to get a confirmed date in his diary and to prepare for the meeting.

The Chairman said that questions could be sent in advance to allow David Lloyd time to prepare and he could be offered the November date or if that was not possible, the meeting after that.  He said the overall topic could be policing in East Herts whilst keeping in mind that there many strands to that topic. The Scrutiny Officer said that she had been trying to get Chief Inspector Orton to present to Members regarding knife crime across county lines. She asked whether this was a potential suggestion for a topic. This was also supported.

Councillor Curtis said that he had regular contact with David Lloyd and Members could email him questions of a strategic nature which he could then pass onto the Police and Crime Commissioner. He said operational matters would have to put to the local police for a specific area in East Herts. 

It was moved by Councillor Goldspink and seconded by Councillor Symonds that the draft Work Programme, as amended, be approved, subject to the matters noted above. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that the draft work programme, as amended, be approved, subject to the matters noted above.