The Scrutiny Officer presented the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme for 2017-18 for approval. She provided details on the items due to be considered at the Committee’s meeting to be held on 14 December 2017 and sought confirmation of the information required for the subsequent scheduled meeting to be held on 25 January 2018. The Scrutiny Officer also submitted the list of responses to comments, recommendations and requests for additional information from the previous meeting. The report also contained a list of potential Forward Work Programme items for formal prioritisation and allocation to each of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

The Scrutiny Officer explained that the 2017-2018 Half Year Financial Performance and Half Year Corporate Plan Performance Report due to be considered on 14 December 2017 would probably not be ready for that meeting and might need to go to a later meeting because of the way the data was recorded and when it would be available. The City Deal due to be considered 21 February 2018 would be ready for the January meeting so could be brought forward.

The Scrutiny Officer reported that she had received requests from the Corporate Director- Social Services and Wellbeing for two pre decision reports to be considered, “Remodelling Older Persons Accommodation” and “Children’s Social Care University Fees”. These would replace “Empty Homes” on 8^th January 2018 and “The Economic Prosperity of Bridgend County Borough” on 7^th February 2018.  Members requested further information regarding each request to see if they could be taken following the items already in the work programme. They were reluctant to delay consideration of “Empty Homes” in particular because of the amount of interest in this particular item.

A Member raised the item “Corporate Plan” due to be considered in January 2018 and suggested that a review of the delivery of the plan in 2016-17 including outcomes be included in the report so that Members could see how effective it had been and the impact on the following year.

A Member raised the Community Safety Partnership item to be considered in March 2018 and suggested that this should be an opportunity to look at Safeguarding. Bridgend had the fourth highest number of LAC in Wales and two Child Practice Reviews and he raised concerns about how these issues were being picked up. Concerns were raised about the exploitation of vulnerable adults also as part of the Community Safety Partnership. The Scrutiny Officer explained that the authority had not had a Community Safety Partnership Officer in place for the last 12 to18 months. Other scrutiny committees were also looking at this area and it was important not to duplicate work. A Member suggested that this should be included in the risk register.

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The Committee confirmed the items for their own FWP for the next couple of meetings and agreed to only have the finance report for the 14 December as the Committee had not yet had their workshop on scrutiny of performance reports.  The Committee also requested that the Chief Executive be invited to attend for the Corporate Plan item. 

On their item on Community Safety Partnership, Members requested that they focus on safeguarding, particularly of vulnerable adults in communities.

In relation to the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s FWP, the Committee confirmed the items for December to February and discussed the proposed amendments that had been put forward by the Corporate Director – Social Services via the Scrutiny Officer.  The Committee requested that they receive further information as to the purpose of both these reports and where Scrutiny could add value as there was no real justification put forward at this time as to why these items would be more of a priority than those already scheduled.