Agenda item

The Council will consider the proposed work programmes for the two overview and scrutiny committees (i.e. the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee) for the 2022/2023 Municipal Year and will note the work carried out by those committees during 2021/2022.

Council considered the respective proposed work programmes for the Community Leadership and the Resources & Services Overview and Scrutiny Committees for the remainder of 2022/23.  Council also received the proposed ‘Annual Report 2021/22’ for overview and scrutiny work undertaken through those Committees.

Members were aware that, under the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Constitution stated, in relation to the Work Programme (Rule 7), that:

“Each Overview and Scrutiny Committee will submit a work programme for the year ahead and a review of the previous year’s activities to the Council for approval.  In addition, it will be responsible for coordinating and prioritising its work programme on an ongoing basis.

In submitting their proposed work programmes for 2022/23, the Overview and Scrutiny Committees had taken into account:-

·      the General Role and Principles of undertaking its functions, as set out in Part 2, Article 6

·      the planned work on the preparation of elements of the Budget and PolicyFramework, as set out in the Council’s Business Plan;

·      the need for statutory timetables to be met;

·      the wishes of all members of the committee;

·      requests from the Cabinet to carry out reviews; and

·      requests from Group Leaders in accordance with Rule 8.

In addition, under Article 6.02 of the Constitution the separate Overview & Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) performed the role of overview and scrutiny in relation to:-

Resources and Services OSC

“the effective use of the Council’s resources including approval of discrete researched and  evidenced reviews on the effectiveness of:

·      Financial Forecast and Budget setting and monitoring (including the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account)

·      Service Delivery and Performance (where not delegated to the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

·      Procurement and Contract Management

·      Transformation and Digital Strategies

·      Customer Service and Standards”

Community Leadership OSC

·      Community Leadership - developing the external focus of overview and scrutiny on ‘district-wide issues’ (and where appropriate sub-regional, regional and national issues), in particular through collaborative work with local partner authorities, providers, stakeholders and members of the public.

·      Approval of discrete researched and evidenced reviews on the effectiveness of partnership operating in the area with particular focus on:

o  Community Safety

o  Health and Well-being

o  Economy, Skills and Educational Attainment

o  Community engagement, development and empowerment

o  Leisure and Tourism (except matters relating to budgets)

o  Housing Strategy and Homeless Service (except the Housing Revenue Account)

o  Emergency Planning

In considering the Work Programme of enquiries to submit for approval to Council, the separate Overview and Scrutiny Committees had had regard to the Corporate Plan 2020-24 and the themes of that Corporate Plan.  Those themes were:

•    Delivering High Quality Services;

•    Building Sustainable Communities;

•    Strong Finances and Governance;

•    A Growing and Inclusive Economy; and

•    Community Leadership through Partnerships.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committees had each formally reviewed the work carried out in 2021/22 and had considered items for inclusion in their respective proposed Work Programmes for 2022/23 as follows:

Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 28 June 2022; and

Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 30 June 2022.

This formal approval had followed consultation with Councillors, Officers, external partners, Parish Councils and the public. In total, 22 proposals had been received in response, one was from a Parish Council, three were from this Council’s own staff, five had been submitted by TDC Councillors and 13 had been from the public. Those responses had been assigned to the separate Overview and Scrutiny Committees based on their respective terms of reference and had been reported to the Committee meetings identified above.

It was reported that both Committees had also received a report on a meeting between the Chairmen of those Committees, the Leader of the Council, the Deputy Leader, the Chief Executive, the Deputy Chief Executive and the Head of Democratic Services & Elections held on 17 May 2022.  A number of suggested possible enquiries had been identified at that meeting.

Having considered all of the above, the two Overview and Scrutiny Committees had determined their Work Programmes for 2022/23 and those were now submitted for approval by Council along with a review of the scrutiny function at the Council in 2021/22 as performed through the two Committees.  This had been developed in dialogue with the Chairmen of the two Committees and a draft had been submitted at the Committee meetings already referenced above.  The Committees had authorised finalisation of the report in consultation with their respective Chairmen. 

Appendix Ai to the report before Council set out the proposed work programme for the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Appendix Aii set out the proposed work programme for the Resources and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Appendix B set out the review of the scrutiny function in 2021/22.  All were now for consideration by Council. 

Council was made aware that both of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees had agreed to meet again following this meeting of Council to consider further the delivery of the Work Programmes as approved by Council.  The Community Leadership Overview & Scrutiny Committee had specifically indicated that it would further review the suggestions for work programme themes and prioritise any further enquiries to be undertaken in 2022/23.

It was moved by Councillor Chittock and:-

RESOLVED that Council –

(a)    approves the proposed work programmes for the Community Leadership and the Resources & Services Overview and Scrutiny Committees for the 2022/23 Municipal Year, as set out in Appendices Ai and Aii to item A.2 of the joint Reference from the Community Leadership and Resources & Services Overview & Scrutiny Committees respectively; and

(b)    notes the work carried out by those Committees in the year 2021/22, as set out in Appendix B to the aforementioned joint reference report.