Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber, Fourth Floor, Easthampstead House, Bracknell. View directions
Contact: Sue Hills 01344 352060
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Apologies for Absence/Substitute Members To receive apologies for absence and to note the attendance of any substitute members. Minutes: The Panel noted the attendance of the following Substitute Member:
Councillor Baily for Councillor Edger |
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Minutes and Matters Arising PDF 101 KB To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 24 September 2009. Minutes: RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Commission held on 24 September 2009 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman
Matters arising –
Minute 29, Centre for Public Scrutiny Self Evaluation – it was reported that the CfPS Self Evaluation had now been completed and circulated to all Members for comments.
Minute 32, Executive Response to the Review of the Implementation of the Housing and Council Tax Benefits Improvement Plan – concerns from Councillor Leake would be passed on to officers by Councillor Finch the Lead Member of the scrutiny working group at the Environment, Culture and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel meeting on 8 December 2009.
Minute 33, Executive Forward Plan – the Commission would be involved in commenting on the revised strategy for the Bracknell town centre regeneration in due course.
Minute 34, Annual Report on Procurement – information requested regarding total consultancy savings and the review of consultancy contracts had been circulated to all Members.
Minute 35, Performance Monitoring Reports – A list of Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) key dates and details of ‘One Place’ were circulated to all Members on 28 October 2009. Members comments on print and design had been passed on to officers.
Minute 35, Performance Monitoring Reports – A copy of the Council’s RIPA policy was sent to Councillor Leake on 5 October 2009.
Minute 38, Updates from Panel Chairmen – a letter advising as to the use of the information on the O&S Patient Focus review had been sent by Councillor Edger to Councillor Mrs McCracken. |
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Declarations of Interest and Party Whip Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, including the existence and nature of the party whip, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.
Minutes: Councillor Mrs McCracken declared a personal interest as spouse of the Executive member for Culture, Corporate Services and Public Protection. |
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Urgent Items of Business Any other items which, pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman decides are urgent. Minutes: There were no urgent items of business. |
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Appointment of Overview and Scrutiny Panel Members PDF 46 KB To appoint Councillors to fill the vacant position on the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel and the vacant position on the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel. Minutes: The Overview and Scrutiny Commission considered the appointments proposed by the Conservative Group in respect of vacancies on Overview and Scrutiny Panels. The supplementary information circulated at the meeting was amended to include the names of the Councillors proposed for each vacancy.
RESOLVED that
i) Councillor Burrows be appointed to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel ii) Councillor Phillips be appointed to the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel |
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Executive Response to the Review of Waste and Recycling Services PDF 50 KB To consider the response by the Executive Member to the Overview and Scrutiny report on the Review of Waste and Recycling undertaken by a working group of the Environment, Culture and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel. Additional documents: Minutes: The Commission noted the response of the Executive to the review of Waste and Recycling Services. The report had been written prior to the meeting of the Executive on 20 October 2009 at which the recommendation responses contained within paragraph 5 were approved.
The response would be taken back to the Environment, Culture and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel.
Arising from discussion –
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Executive Forward Plan PDF 43 KB Forthcoming items on the Executive Forward Plan of a corporate nature are attached for consideration. Additional documents: Minutes: The Commission noted the Executive Forward Plan relating to corporate issues. It was noted that 6 of the 17 decision items on the Forward Plan had been taken before the date of the Commission meeting. The Executive Forward Plan was an ongoing document therefore items that had recently passed were likely to have been referred to in corresponding reports at previous Commission meetings.
Arising from discussion –
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'All of Us' Community Cohesion Strategy and Equality Schemes Monitoring Report 2008-2009 PDF 70 KB To consider the monitoring report on the implementation of the Council’s ‘All of us’ Community Cohesion Strategy and the Race, Gender and Disability Equality Schemes during 2008-2009. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor McCracken introduced the monitoring report on behalf of the Leader of the Council, and stressed the importance placed by the Executive on community cohesion, race, gender and disability equality. The Commission received the monitoring report on the implementation of the Council’s ‘All of us’ Community Cohesion Strategy and the Race, Gender and Disability Schemes during 2008-2009. The report included detailed performance monitoring information against the action plans and examples of success stories promoting community cohesion and equality of opportunity in Bracknell Forest.
The Head of Community Engagement and Equalities described how, working closely with partners including the organisations and groups in the voluntary sector, Thames Valley Police and NHS Berkshire East the Council had made considerable progress with implementation of the Community Cohesion Strategy.
86 of out 88 keys tasks had been completed many ahead of schedule during 2008-09. In the 2008 Place Survey 82% of residents believed that people from different backgrounds got on well together, placing Bracknell Forest in the top quartile nationally. This was a significantly higher result than the England average of 76.4%.
All 75 key tasks in the Disability and Equality Scheme had been completed. Each of the 14 key tasks in the Gender Equality Scheme were completed or on track for completion within their respective timescales. 25 out of 26 key tasks in the Race Equality Scheme were also completed or on track for completion in their respective timescales.
Arising from Members’ questions and comments the following points were noted:
The Vice Chairman thanked the officers for their excellent work, and pointed out that government guidance set an important role for Overview and Scrutiny in reviewing equality impacts and objectives. |
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Corporate Performance Overview Report (CPOR) PDF 777 KB To consider the Chief Executive’s Corporate Performance Overview Report for quarter one (April to June) of the 2009/10 financial year.
Copies of the report have been previously circulated with the Executive agenda for 15 September and are available with the online version of the agenda. Members are asked to bring their copies to the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: The Commission considered the Chief Executive’s Corporate Performance Overview Report (CPOR) for quarter one (April to June) of the 2009/10 financial year, introduced by the Head of Performance and Partnerships. The CPOR complimented the Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) circulated to all Members in August 2009. The CPOR contained details of the Council’s 282 actions which supported the 13 Medium Term Objectives. At the end of the 1st quarter 273 (95%) of these actions had been completed or were on target to be completed by their due date and nine (3%) were in need of some remedial action. Proposed remedial action was cited within Annex A alongside the action.
The Council was introducing a new Performance Monitoring System known as PARIS across the authority which was due to go live in quarter 3 with a complete system transfer from quarter 4.
As part of the development of the new performance management system the Head of Performance and Partnerships invited Members comments on the reporting format of both the CPORs and PMRs.
Arising from the subsequent discussion the following views were expressed by some members:
An opportunity would be given for Members to make an input into the reporting format for CPORs/PMRs.
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Government Consultation on 'Strengthening Local Democracy' PDF 97 KB To note the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s response to the consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government ‘Strengthening Local Democracy’. Minutes: The Overview and Scrutiny Commission noted the Council’s response to the government’s consultation document on ‘Strengthening Local Democracy’. Councillor Edger had finalised the response from Overview and Scrutiny and it had been made clear which comments were from the Overview and Scrutiny Commission in Bracknell Forest Council’s Response. A summary of the consultation outcomes would be brought to the Commission once published.
The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill was granted Royal assent on Friday 13 November 2009. The Bill contained implications for Overview and Scrutiny which would come into force once a commencement order was issued by the Secretary of State. Implications included the requirement for upper tier Local Authorities to appoint a Statutory Overview and Scrutiny Officer, further details regarding the new requirement would be brought to the Commission in due course. |
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Updates from Panel Chairmen To receive verbal updates from Overview and Scrutiny Panel Chairmen and the Vice-Chairman of the Joint East Berkshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Minutes: Adults Social Care and Health O&S Panel
Councillor Turrell reported –
Environment, Culture and Communities O&S Panel
Councillor Finnie reported –
Children’s Services and Learning O&S Panel
Councillor Mrs Birch reported –
Health O&S Panel
Councillor Virgo reported –
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