Agenda item

Review of Overview and Scrutiny Activity

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive providing an update on Overview and Scrutiny activity following the reduction in the Overview and Scrutiny Officer team from March 2010.

Minutes:

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) presented the Assistant Chief Executive’s report updating the Commission on O&S activity following the reduction in officer resources in March 2010.  The report highlighted a range of measures that could improve efficiency and address the reduced level of officer support.  In the current financial climate proposed reductions in funding meant that allocating additional resources to the O&S function would be increasingly difficult.

 

The Commission noted key developments since January 2010 and the impact of changes to O&S.  The Commission considered the possible measures to sustain O&S outputs, set out in paragraph 3.8 of the report, and agreed as follows:-

 

 

Area of activity

 

Possible measure

Decision

1

Structure of O&S

 

1.1

 

Cease involvement in Joint East Berks Health O&S Committee only to be reactivated in the event of a statutory consultation requirement.

Yes.  The Committee had reached the end of its useful life.  Councillors Edger and Leake would explore how to withdraw.

1.2

 

With the move of the public health function to local authorities, align with the departmental structure, possibly combining Health and Adult Social Care Panels.

For future discussion when the Government had issued regulations.

1.3

 

Restore previous frequency of meetings of Commission and Panels to improve the continuity of member involvement.

Yes, the Commission should meet 6 times a year and the Panels four times.

2

Public meetings

Cease off-site O&S meetings.

 

Yes

3

Approval of working group reports

Commission to delegate power to approve reports to respective Panel.

No.  The Commission had an important role in commissioning O&S reviews and in approving O&S reports.

4

Agenda management

Chairmen of Commission and Panels, advised by Directors, to reverse some of the ‘creep’ in agendas, so as to be able to concentrate time on the most important topics.

Yes

5

Working Groups

 

5.1

 

If members were to ‘level up’ their input to reviews it would reduce officer requirements and enable more reviews to be carried out.

 

Yes

5.2

 

Exercise tighter control over taking on new reviews.

Yes

5.3

 

Respond flexibly to run short focussed reviews on matters of topical interest and concern.

 

Yes

5.4

 

Reduce number of O&S reviews and refocus more towards contributing to policy development.

 

Yes

5.5

 

Adopt different approach to the format and operation of reviews, particularly in terms of reducing research, evidence gathering and analysis.

For future discussion.  The current approach worked well.

6

Miscellaneous

 

6.1

 

All members to use Outlook calendar and appointment function to save officer time in arranging meetings.

Members to look into further.

6.2

 

Members be more discerning in their requests for officer assistance.

Noted and agreed.

6.3

 

Tighter control over informal or additional meetings requiring O&S officer support.

Noted and agreed.

 

The Commission also noted that –

 

(i)                  the Commission outputs had been largely maintained since March 2010;

(ii)                under the current structure and processes, the O&S outputs could be expected to decline in the future; and

(iii)               it was unlikely that three O&S reviews planned for 2010/11 could now be resourced; and

(iv)              the consequences of having more meetings of the O&S Commission and Panel would have to be fewer O&S reviews.

 

The Commission agreed that the O&S structure and work programme should be kept under review.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

Contact Information

Democratic services

Email: committee@bracknell-forest.gov.uk