Agenda item

(1)       The Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager submitted a report updating the Committee on the current Topic Reviews and invited the Committee to set out its priorities in the work programme for the period Spring 2008 to Autumn 2008.

Topic Review Work Programme

(2)       In relation to the Flood Risk Select Committee and County Council meeting on 13 March 2008, Dr Eddy requested that feedback on the recommendations of both of the Flooding Select Committees should be supplied to Members so that this could inform the debate.

(2)       It was noted that the report from the Select Committee on Carers in Kent had been had been submitted to the Minister for Care Services as part of the review of the Prime Ministers 1999 Carers Strategy.

(3)       Members were reminded that the Accessing Democracy Review had started its work.  In relation to the proposed topic review on vulnerable children, the proposer of the review, had indicated that, as considerable work had been undertaken in the Children, Families and Education Directorate, he was satisfied that a review at this time would not be appropriate and he was happy for this to be withdrawn from the programme.

(4)       The Chairman informed the Committee that their bid for a permanent Graduate Development Placement for Overview and Scrutiny had been unsuccessful.  It was therefore up to the Chairmen of the Policy Overview Committees and other Members to continue to lobby for more resources.

(5)       There were resources available for one review to start shortly and two potential topics had been identified.  These were Provision of Activities for Young People and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

(6)       The topic of Provision of Activities for Young People had first been put into the work programme in 2006 and was strongly supported by the Communities Policy Overview Committee. Mrs Doherty and Mr Lake spoke in support of this topic review and answered questions from Members on the proposal.  The comments made by Members were noted by officers and would be taken into account when the Terms and Reference and scope of the review were drawn up.

(7)       The proposed review on Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) had been put forward by the Adult Services Directorate. Mr Mills and Mr M Angell were present and gave details of the proposed review and indicated why it was valuable to carry it out at this time.  Mr Mills and Mr Angell answered questions and noted comments from Members in relation to this proposal.  As part of this discussion, Mr Mills offered to meet reasonable costs for a professional adviser to this Select Committee from his budget.

(8)       There was considerable discussion by the Select Committee on which of the two pieces of work should be allocated to the research officer resources that was becoming available shortly. It was acknowledged that both pieces of work were important and would add value to the work of the County Council. 

(9)       It was noted that whichever review was not selected at this point, would be the next review to be undertaken either by a graduate from the Graduate Development Programme, if the bid of the Overview, Scrutiny and Localism Manager was successful or by the next research officer resource that became available within the team.

Monitoring of Select Committee recommendations

(10)     Circulated with the report was an appendix which set out the monitoring that had been undertaken of all Select Committees since 2001.  Also included was a copy of the report which had been submitted to Cabinet on 14 January 2007 which set out some of the key outcomes of Select Committees.  It was noted that although the paper submitted was in a variety of styles, a standard monitoring format would be prepared to make this easier to monitor in future.  Members indicated that they particularly liked the format that had been used for monitoring feedback on the Climate Change Select Committee.

(11)     Members welcomed the report as a good starting point for the monitoring of all Select Committee recommendations. It was mentioned that where the recommendations involved lobbying Government or another body, Members would expect to be given information on what hard actually been done and the impact that it had had, it was not satisfactory just to mention that the lobbying had taken place.

(12)     As the information on the monitoring that had been undertaken to date had not been submitted to County Council, it was suggested that all Members should be made aware of it.

(13)     RESOLVED that:-

(a)       the progress of the Select Committee Topic Reviews Support for Carers in Kent, Alcohol Misuse and Flood Risk be noted;

(b)       it be noted that the Select Committee Topic Review on Accessing Democracy had commenced its work;

(c)        it be noted that the dedicated Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Research Officer would shortly undertake a review into the transport aspects of Accessing Health Care;

(d)       the Committee agreed to the withdrawal of the Vulnerable Children Topic Review proposal from the work programme;

(e)       that the proposed Topic Review on Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) be undertaken by the Research Officer resource which will become available once the Alcohol Misuse Select Committee has been reported to Cabinet on 17 March 2008;

(f)         that the Topic Review on Provision of Activities for Young People be put on the work programme to be the next review to commence in the September or sooner if resources become available;

(g)       it be noted that Members had found it extremely difficult to decide which Select Committee should be the next one to start its work.

(g)       the recommendations produced by Select Committees prior to March 2006 when a formal monitoring process was introduced be systematically reviewed by the parent Policy Overview Committee;

(h)        that all Members be informed that monitoring information is available, on request for some Select Committees.