Agenda item

(1)    Mr Wickenden introduced an update report on the current Select Committee Topic Review Programme and the resources available to deliver it.  He highlighted the request to extend the timeframe for the Renewable Energy Select Committee to enable it to meet with the large number of stakeholders prior to it being considered at Cabinet on 29  November 2010 and County Council on 16 December 2010.  Resources were available to start the reviews on Dementia and Educational Attainment shortly.  Assessment forms were awaited for the few Select Committee topic reviews that had been suggested by Members.

(2) Concern was expressed about there potentially being two Select Committee topic review reports received at County Council on 16 December 2010 and the need to make sure that there was adequate time to consider each of these reports.  It was agreed that every effort should be made to get these two Select Committee topic review reports on the agenda for the December County Council meeting but if this was not possible the preferred options would be to either just have them received at Cabinet or to receive them at a meeting of the Scrutiny Board 1 December 2010, rather than delay them to the April meeting of the County Council.

(3)       Mrs Dean raised an issue of Policy for the management of obstructions and temporary Items on the Highway which had already been considered at the meeting of the Environment Highways and Waste Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 May 2010.  She had seen a petition from a disability group which had the backing of the Royal Institute of the Blind and asked for a ban on all A frame advertising boards.   She stated that there were a couple of possible ways forward, it could be considered at Cabinet Scrutiny Committee but it was potentially a larger piece of work then they usually dealt with and therefore it might not be the appropriate place.  If the petition had 12,000 signatures it would trigger a 45 minute debate at County Council but that would not be long enough to give full consideration of the matter.  Her preferred solution would be to have a one day single issue Select Committee.

(4)       Mr Hibberd stated that the views of District Councils were being sought on this matter via the Joint Transport Boards and he did not believe that the matter should be considered further until their views were know. 

(5)       The Chairman reminded the Board that if a petition containing 12,000 signatures was received it would have to be considered at County Council .  He stated that this matter should only go back to the POSC once the views of District Councils were known. 

(4)    RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the progress of the Select Committee topic reviews on Renewable Energy and Extended Services and the proposed Select Committees on Educational Attainment and Dementia be noted

(b)       the timescale for the Renewable Energy Review be extended and that it reports to Cabinet on 29 November 2010 and if possible County Council in December 2010.

(b)       suggestions for future topic reviews continue to be sought and reported back to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Board.