To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from Members/Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members

Councillor D Owen

Councillor R Collins

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including Whipping Declarations).

None

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to Members on the Forward Work Programme which detailed the potential items for comment and prioritisation.  She also asked Members to identify further items using the pre-determined criteria form which was attached at Appendix A to the report

She explained to Members that at the beginning of the municipal year, each Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be asked to identify issues for consideration during the year using the pre-determined criteria form which emphasised the need to consider issues such as impact, risk, performance, budget and community perception when identifying topics for investigation.

On the 28 June 2017, a report was presented to Council where it provided details of the new Scrutiny Committee structure, the terms of reference and its processes.  As agreed at the meeting of Council there will be 8 scheduled meetings during the year for each Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  This gave each of them the opportunity to consider up to 8 items in detail.  She encouraged Members to identify and put forward items that linked into the Corporate priorities that they wished to see on the Forward Work Programme by completing the criteria form that was attached to the report.  She added that the more information that Members were able to put forward in their request, the easier this would make it for the Corporate Committee to prioritise those items.

The Scrutiny Officer advised members that the Forward Work Programme would remain flexible and would be revisited at each meeting so Members could reprioritise items as they deemed necessary.

In response to a query from Members the Scrutiny Officer confirmed that the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 was Education themed, however Members were able to put forward topics outside of this area for consideration on the Forward Work Programme and likewise, this Committee could also receive items for consideration that sat outside of the education remit should the Corporate Committee decide that an item other than education is a priority. 

There was concern from Members that there were a lot of topics included on the draft Forward Work Programme Members questioned whether they should focus on just education items.  Members also felt that they did not have the knowledge at this time or sufficient detail to be able to know what items are priorities for the Authority. 

The Scrutiny Officer responded that she was asking Members to prioritise up to 6 items from the draft Forward Work Programme that they considered were a priority.  This could be education themed topics or otherwise.  The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee would then consider what items were of a priority and cascade the items to each Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration.  She stated that Education would be the primary focus for this Committee due to the registered representatives but would not be the sole focus, therefore they would receive items in the future outside of the education remit if these took priority over an education item.  The Scrutiny Officer added  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to the Committee and asked for them to nominate one Member as its Corporate Parenting Champion to represent the Committee as an invitee to meetings of the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee

RESOLVED:     Cllr Radcliffe was nominated as the Corporate Parenting Champion to represent the Committee at meetings of the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to the Committee that asked them to nominate one Member to sit on the Public Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel.  The purpose of the panel is to review and scrutinise the efficiency and effectiveness of the PSB and its decisions as well as the Governance arrangements surrounding it.  The panel will hold up to two meetings per year and will make reports and recommendations to the Board regarding its function, the aim to enhance its impact

RESOLVED:   Cllr J Gebbie was nominated to sit on the Public Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel

To consider any items of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None