Agenda item

The Scrutiny Officer submitted a report which presented the findings by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) following a review of the scrutiny function at East Herts which had been requested by the Leader. The Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) was asked for their independent opinion on the approach currently taken by the Council and to gain views on best practise.

The Scrutiny Officer explained the methodology undertaken and evidence reviewed by CfGS.  This was set out in further detail on page 106 of the report.  Members and Officers had been due to be interviewed in March 2020 but this had been rearranged to May 2020 due to the national lockdown. Their final report was submitted in November 2020.

Members were advised that a workshop had been held on 3 December 2020 where Members of Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance Committees had been given the opportunity to seek clarification from Mr Ian Parry from CfGS on his report. The Scrutiny Officer said that the recommendations were set out on page 115. Going forward she explained that the Forward Plan  would be attached to future Overview and Scrutiny agendas so that Members could be afforded an early opportunity to review future decisions to be taken by the Executive.

The Scrutiny Officer provided an update to Members in terms of what actions had so far been introduced to take account of the recommendations made by the CfGS. These included:

·               Holding quarterly meetings with the Leader, Deputy Leader and both Chairmen and Vice Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit and Governance committee to review respective work programmes.

·               Inviting Executive Members to future meetings of Overview and Scrutiny to provide updates on their portfolio as  a standing item on future agendas of this Committee.

·               Members were reminded that there were dedicated scrutiny pages on the internet and the annual reports actively encouraged the public to get involved in the scrutiny process.

·               The constitution working group met regularly and was currently reviewing the Committee rules including those for Overview and Scrutiny and Audit and Governance to clarify the remits of both Committees.

·               Including as a standing item on both Committee agendas an opportunity for the public to ask questions or make a statement to the Committee.

The Scrutiny Officer said that by including the Forward Plan on the agenda, would encourage Members to become involved early on in the decision making process, thereby ensuring a more timely and proactive approach to scrutiny.

Members were reminded that they had already considered and supported the possibility of holding Committee meetings in other parts of the District.

Members were also advised that Task and Finish Groups were arranged over many weeks and further advice would be sought in respect of enquiry dates. The Scrutiny Officer said that she would be arranging scrutiny training after the Annual Council meeting to provide further advice to Members in respect of addressing other recommendations in the CfGS report.

Councillor Goldspink said that she was delighted with this excellent report and she felt that the recommendations were extremely good, especially the inclusion of the Forward Plan in agenda papers as this would allow a very positive contribution to be made to strategic forward planning and policy making. She said that she believed all of the recommendations were worth looking at Councillor Goldspink supported the report and the acceptance of the recommendations.

Councillor Kaye said that shorter and more focussed agendas were important and of the need to avoid the Committee being driven by Officers’ reports and presentations. He expressed concerns regarding the suggestion of allowing the public to submit referral requests.

Councillor Kaye said that moving around the District had been tried before and he was not sure it had entirely worked but this was something to bear in mind.

Councillor Curtis said that the report contained some very positive ideas and Members needed to have a tighter view and indication of how the work of this Committee was feeding into policy in terms of the impact of Member discussions.

Councillor Snowdon said that he was very pleased with the suggestion of moving meetings of the Committee around the District. He stated that the Council must continue to do this in future and he was aware of many places in Bishop’s Stortford, Ware, Buntingford and Sawbridgeworth and even in some of the villages where meetings of the Committee could be held.

Councillor Drake said that it was very important that where Executive Members were invited to meetings of Scrutiny, they remained present for the whole meeting. The Chairman supported this approach.

Councillor Devonshire supported the suggestion of allowing the public to put forward ideas for scrutiny agendas. He commented that care would need to be taken to ensure that matters coming to meetings were not about an issue that a member of public had a particular grievance about.

The Chairman commented on the importance of managing expectations and managing the contents of future agendas.  Councillor Snowdon said that referrals to Overview and Scrutiny Committee had to be managed judiciously to avoid questions being overly political or wasting the time of the Committee.

Members received the report. Councillor Curtis proposed and Councillor Devonshire seconded, a motion that the Executive be asked to note the comments of Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – that (A) the final report by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS), be received; and

(B)   the Executive be asked to note the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.