Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Governance (Dover District Council).

The Democratic Support Officer advised the Committee had resolved at its last meeting (Minute No 54(c)) that a review of its role and function be undertaken. The report before Members set out one possible approach to resolving the concerns raised and also set out the view of the East Kent Forum on the future role of the committee. It was stated that in principle both approaches were not mutually incompatible.

              The Chief Executive reminded Members that scrutiny of the shared services was already taking place at a local level in each authority and suggested that the development of a protocol as recommended by the East Kent Chief Executives Forum would lead to be a clearer definition of the roles of the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee (EKJSC) and district scrutiny committees. It was the view of the Forum that the Committee should wait until such a protocol had been drafted before proceeding with the recommendations set out in the report.

              There was concern expressed over the need to ensure continuity in the membership of the EKJSC to build experience, although the majority view was that there was no benefit in changing the rotating chairmanship arrangements at this point.

RESOLVED: (a)        That an annual report be prepared by the host authority for consideration by the Committee at the last meeting of each municipal year detailing topics received, reviews undertaken, reports and recommendations made and those accepted, performance analysis and any other relevant information.

                                     (b)      That a standing item for the receipt of referrals from local scrutiny committees be added to the agenda.

                                     (c)      That the proposed annual budget for 2012/13 be provisionally set at zero, subject to review during the course of the municipal year 2011/12.

                                     (d)      That an annual informal meeting be held between the Chairman of the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee and a Chairman from a scrutiny committee at each authority represented on the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee.

                                     (e)      That it be recommended to the East Kent (Joint Arrangements) Committee:

                                                (i)      That a protocol be developed with East Kent Services, East Kent Housing and East Kent Human Resources Partnership to ensure that appropriate officers are made available on request to attend meetings of the East Kent (Joint Arrangements) Committee and East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee.

                                                (ii)     That a Red, Amber and Green ('RAG style') performance report based on a selection of key indicators for East Kent Services, East Kent Housing and the East Kent Human Resources Partnership be submitted to the East Kent (Joint Arrangements) Committee and the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee on a six month basis.

                                                (iii)    That where a shared service has a 'red' indicator on the Performance Report, an officer representing that shared service attend the meetings of the East Kent (Joint Arrangements) Committee and the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee to provide an explanation of why the 'red' indicator had occurred and what steps were being taken to restore the indicator to a 'green' status.

                                                (iv)    That a process of pre-decision scrutiny be adopted where it is appropriate to do so.

                                                (v)     That a voluntary protocol be drawn up to sit alongside the Operating Arrangements for the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee for the purpose of resolving the anomaly where Members whose authority is not participating in a shared service have voting rights at the Committee in respect of that shared service and that such a protocol also cover the issue of the Chairman's casting vote where she or he is a member of an authority not participating in the shared service.

                                                (vi)    That in the event of the East Kent (Joint Arrangements) Committee being willing to accept the recommendations set out at (e)(i)-(v) in whole or part, a report be submitted to a future meeting of the East Kent (Joint Scrutiny) Committee setting out a timescale for the implementation of the agreed recommendations.

              The meeting ended at 10.15 am.