Issue - meetings

(1)       Miss Grayell introduced the report and added an oral update of the proceedings of the Policy Overview Co-Ordinating Committee on 23 May 2008.  The POCC had an extensive discussion around resources for Select Committee work and trying new ways of covering work, including:-

(a)       the recruitment of an additional Research Officer for POCs;

(b)       the recruitment of a replacement Research Officer for the Health Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) and support for a bid to be made for an additional Democratic Services Officer to support the HOSC;

(c)        a bid for a six month graduate placement from the ADP Programme;

(d)       an invitation to the Chief Executive to attend the POCC on 10 September 2008 to discuss resources;

(e)       the establishment of a cross-party group of Members to work with the Research Officer to identify and refine the Terms of Reference and focus of a review as soon as the review is proposed;

(f)         exploration of a new way to achieve a focused piece of work, potentially using staff from the Directorate concerned, without using a Select Committee, starting by working with E&R on a review of the CTRL;

(g)       the establishment of a cross-party IMG with the Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager to develop a process and protocol for launching Select Committee reports and to look at the timetabling of POC meetings in 2009 to best meet the budget process, Towards 2010, the Annual Plan, etc.

(2)       RESOLVED that the content of the report and the information given in the oral update be noted, with thanks.