Issue - meetings

To consider and adopt the reporton the review of partnership scrutiny in Bracknell Forest.

The Commission received the report summarising the Overview and Scrutiny work involving the Bracknell Forest Partnership in 2009/10 which had been endorsed by the Partnership Overview and Scrutiny Group. 

Arising in discussion –

• The Transport Partnership had been dormant for two years  and had been replaced by a newly formed Infrastructure Reference Group with a wider remit which was outside the structure of the Bracknell Forest Partnership.  The Commission felt that the IRG failed to give any focus in the Bracknell Forest Partnership to transport issues which affected all residents and which were so important for the borough’s economy and quality of life.

• A theme throughout the report was the issue of resources and members were sad that there were not the resources to continue the work.  Overview and Scrutiny had produced a number of beneficial reports and Councillor Leake suggested that it was necessary to emphasise that this function needed the maximum amount of resource.  The Head of Scrutiny confirmed that, subject to the Crime and Disorder Committee meeting at the frequency set in legislation, the Council would not be in breach of its statutory duty in relation to Overview and Scrutiny and it was largely for members to decide in light of the economic situation and competing priorities. 

• The Partnership Overview and Scrutiny Group could reconvene if the need arose.

The Commission agreed that

(i)                  Paragraph 3.16 the report be updated after the Commission meeting with the Town Centre Partnership tonight.

(ii)                The Partnership Overview and Scrutiny Group, having fulfilled its initial functions regrettably could no longer be supported unless and until new resources were made available.  Similarly, the resource constraints meant that O&S reviews of partner organisations’ activities should only be carried out when they formed an integral part of an O&S review of the Council’s own activities, or NHS services.

(iii)               The approach to O&S of the Bracknell Forest Partnership should be reviewed in the light of the responses to this report’s recommendations and in the event that the powers of funding of the Bracknell Forest Partnership grew or priorities changed or more resources became available or in two years time at the latest.

RESOLVED that the report of the review  of partnership scrutiny be amended as above and adopted for sending formally to the Leader of the Council and the Board of the Bracknell Forest Partnership.