The report provides the Committee with an update on its approved Work Programme for 2024/25 (including progress with enquiries set out in its Work Programme), feedback to the Committee on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations from the Committee in respects of enquiries undertaken and a list of forthcoming decisions for which notice has been given since publication of the agenda for the Committee’s last meeting. 

The report also provides an opportunity for updates on the work of the Committee’s Task and Finish Groups.

The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy and Support) which provided the Committee with an update on its approved Work Programme for 2024/25 (including progress with enquires set out in its Work Programme), feedback to the Committee on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations from the Committee in respect of enquires undertaken and a list of forthcoming decisions for which notice had been given since publication of the agenda for the Committee’s last meeting.

Members were reminded that the Council had commissioned the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) to undertake an ‘Overview & Scrutiny Development Review’ in 2021 as a way of further improving that function at the Council. Two relevant recommendations arising from that review had been:

“Further strengthening the annual process for developing work programmes for each of the O&S committee – Engaging Members, Officers, partners and the public to prioritise the topics for review. This could include a selection criterion to identify appropriate topics for the work programme. Currently the work programme is also the last item on the agenda at the O&S meetings, we would recommend bringing it to the beginning, so it can be given greater priority and benefit from more considered discussion, rather than being subject to the inevitable end of meeting fatigue.

Reviewing how the recommendations are made and how impact is measure – This could include putting the ‘recommendations monitoring report’ at the beginning of agendas to orientate O&S towards outcomes-focused meetings, alongside an emphasis on finding strong recommendations from questioning to present to Cabinet (or partners) as improvement or challenge proposals.”

The inclusion of the matters set out in the “purpose of the report” section of the report sought to further re-enforce the inter-relationship of the matters referred to. As such, it was designed to further support consideration of work programming of the Committee and contribute to addressing progress with the Corporate Plan.

The detailed matters relating to the following matters were set out in the relevant Appendix identified:

(1)  Work Programme for 2024/25 approved by Full Council on 6 August 2024 (Appendix A);

(2)  feedback to the Committee on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations from the Committee in respects of enquires undertaken (Appendix B); and

(3)  a list of forthcoming decisions for which notice had been given since publication of the agenda for the Committee’s last meeting (Appendix C).

in considering working programming matters, the Committee was further reminded of the other recommendations from the CfGS review undertaken in 2021 namely:

“Considering greater use of take and finish groups – This more informal type of O&S can allow improved cross-party working and detailed investigation of a single issue focussed on producing substantive recommendations.

Improved agenda planning and management – Committees should focus on one or two substantive items per agenda to allow for cross-cutting themes to be properly identified and explored, and different insights brought to bear on critical issues.

Considering how to engage the public in the work of O&S – This could include O&S going on more site visits in the community, inviting the public to offer ideas for work programmes, and greater use of social media channels for resident input and communicating the progress and impact of scrutiny work.

A clearer focus on democratic accountability – Scrutiny of Cabinet Members should form a key part of the work programme, providing an opportunity to hold the Leader and portfolio holders to account for delivery of the corporate plan and any other issues O&S feel is important.”

The Resources and Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee was one of two overview and scrutiny committees established by the Council to specifically focus on the following areas of Council work (as detailed in Article 6.02(i) of the Council’s Constitution):

To perform the role of Overview and Scrutiny and its functions in relation to the effective use of the Council’s resources including approval of discrete researched and evidenced reviews on the effectiveness of:

Financial Forecast Budget setting and monitoring (including General Fund & Housing Revenue Account but excluding those budgetary matters delegated to the Community Leadership Overview and Scrutiny Committee).

Colchester/Tendring Borders Garden Community

Housing Strategy and Homeless Service

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.

It was also noted that the Committee had held an informal meeting on Wednesday 9 April 2025 with the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy and Support) to discuss the work programme and the agenda for the meeting in order to support key lines of enquiry for the items to be considered.

Officers were beginning the process of developing the Committee’s work programme for 2025/26. Initially, that would involve seeking suggestions from:-

• Members;
• the Leader of the Council and Deputy Leader of the Council (through a joint meeting under the Cabinet/Overview & Scrutiny Protocol with the Chairmen of the two Overview and Scrutiny Committees, which would also involve the Chief Executive, the Corporate Director (Law and Governance) and the Assistant Director (Corporate Policy & Support);
• Management Team;
• Town and Parish Councils, partner agencies and community groups; and
• The public.

Officers would then collate the replies received that were relevant to this Committee associating suggestions with a corporate plan theme, identifying information sources and possible invitees and what might be the benefit of the enquires. That collation would then be firstly discussed with the Chairman of the Committee and then by the Committee at an informal meeting, which would be arranged in due course.

The proposed Work Programme for 2025/26 together with the annual review of the work undertaken by the Committee during 2024/25 would be formally submitted to the Committee for its approval at its meeting due to be held on 1 July 2025.

The Work Programme, as recommended by the Committee, together with the annual review of the work undertaken by the Committee during 2024/25, would then be submitted to the meeting of the Full Council due to be held on 15 July 2025 for its approval.

It was moved by Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Bush and:-

RESOLVED that the Committee:-

(a)  notes the progress with enquiries set out in its Work Programme 2024/25, plus the feedback to the Committee from Cabinet on the decisions in respect of previous recommendations and the list of forthcoming decisions set out in the report;

(b)  notes the oral updates on the work of the three Task and Finish Groups established by the Committee (as referenced in the Work Programme at Appendix A); and

(c)   notes the arrangements that are being made for the Committee to consider and decide, in due course, its Work Programme for 2025/26.