Agenda and minutes

1.      The Chairman welcomed Members to the Scrutiny Committee meeting.  For the benefit of new Members and the webcast Committee Members introduced themselves and which division they represented.

1.      The Chairman asked for nominations for Vice Chairman.

2.      Mr King proposed and Mrs Stockell seconded Mr Scholes as Vice Chairman.

3.      The Chairman then asked for any other nominations.

4.      Mrs Dean proposed and Mr Cowan seconded Mr Baldock as Vice Chairman.

5.      The Chairman put these proposals to the vote

Mr Scholes:  5 votes

Mr Baldock:  5 votes  

As there was a tie the Chairman used his casting vote for Mr Scholes

RESOLVED that Mr J Scholes be elected Vice Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee. 

1.      In response to a question from a Committee Member it was confirmed that the minutes of the meeting on 17 April 2013 should have appeared on this agenda for approval and would form part of the agenda for the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee. 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2013 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman. 

Select Committee Proposal - Commissioning

1.      Mr Angell introduced the first Select Committee proposal, a review into Commissioning.  He set out the reasons for the review; the Select Committee would focus on removing barriers to entry for the provision of KCC services from new providers, particularly small to medium sized enterprises and members of the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. 

2.      In response to a question Mr Angell explained that the Select Committee should report to County Council on 15 May 2014. 

3.      Members agreed that this was a vitally important topic.  Changes to the Commissioning process were essential to drive down cost. 

4.      Richard Hallett confirmed that it was possible to resource this review with a Research Officer from the Business Intelligence Team but that it would mean that this resource would be diverted from other tasks. 

Select Committee Proposal – Review of Kent’s European Relationship

5.      Mr King introduced the second Select Committee proposal, a review of Kent’s European Relationship.  This Select Committee would look at what had been achieved between 2009 and 2013 in difficult economic times, what the benefit was to trade and lessons to be learned for the future.  This Select Committee would report to County Council on 27 March 2014. 

6.      One Member expressed his concern about the short timescale for this review, that it might be a more in depth piece of work if it reported to County Council during summer 2014.

7.      It was considered that Kent’s relationship with Europe was fundamental to the growing economy of Kent. 

8.      Some Members expressed the view that this review could be a desktop exercise, a statement of what has been achieved which could be reported back to the relevant Committee.  There was a suggestion that the review was delayed to enable the issues and scope to be re-drawn with tighter and more cohesive aims and objectives.  The proposal form should confirm how this review would contribute to the corporate objectives of KCC and incorporate the concerns of some Members of the Scrutiny Committee.

9.      Mr King explained that he understood the points that had been made, he assured Members that, if the Select Committee was established, it would devote time at it’s first meeting to making sure that there were detailed Terms of Reference. 

10. Other Members welcomed this Select Committee which would set out what Kent had gained and lost in its relationship with Europe as the Front Line County.

11. On being put to the vote the establishment of the European Select Committee was agreed by 7 votes to 2.

Select Committee Proposal – KCC policy towards traffic speed restrictions and methods of implementing them

12. Mrs Dean introduced her Select Committee proposal on traffic speed restrictions and explained that this review had originally been suggested 12 months ago and it was accepted that the County Council had moved on since then.  The proposer was content for the review to be scheduled for 12 months time.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.