Agenda item

(1)       The Chairman introduced a report which sought the Committee’s views on the options for Building Capacity for Policy Overview Committees.  Some Policy Overview Committees finding it a challenge to effectively deal with the required amount of business in a one day meeting.  Included as an appendix, was a list of agenda items for the Policy Overview Committees over the past year with the indication of what part of the terms of reference they related to.

(2)       Members discussed the issue of Capacity for Overview and Scrutiny and made comments which included the following:-

·                    Dr Eddy mentioned that the report did not cover Health Overview and Scrutiny or Cabinet Scrutiny. It might be helpful to look at the whole Overview and Scrutiny structure as part of the Building Capacity exercise, as looking just at the Capacity for Policy Overview Committees did not deal with all of the issues.

·                    It would appear that some items for example, the Equality Strategy which went to all Policy Overview Committees might be more appropriate for an IMG comprised of Members of each of the Policy Overview Committees which could then feed back to the individual Policy Overview Committees.

·                    Mention was made of the financial monitoring reports and the timing of these in relation to the programme meetings for the Policy Overview Committees which meant that the basic data was often a number of months out of date.  It was noted that the Corporate Policy Overview Committee had already raised this issue and that consideration would be given to the programming of Policy Overview Committees for 2009 to try and address this issue.

·                    It was mentioned that the Annual Performance Assessments for both Adult Social Services and Children, Families and Education did not appear to be going to the Policy Overview Committee.

·                    Mr Smyth highlighted the shortage of research resources for Select Committees and the difficult choice that Member had to make earlier in the meeting. He also made a plea for research resources for Cabinet Scrutiny Committee.  He referred to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Research Model and he would like to see this replicated across Overview and Scrutiny.

·                    A number of Members spoke in support of the Rapporteur System. One of the advantages of this system was that it gave more Members the opportunity to have a greater degree of involvement. However, one of the issues with this would be the amount of research support that Members may require in order to carry out this role effectively.

·                    It was suggested that Policy Overview Committees should consider using IMG’s when appropriate in same way that Cabinet Scrutiny does.

·                    Although Policy Overview Committees were developing and improving, a view was expressed that they were still too heavy on overview and light on scrutiny.

·                    The Chairman of Communities Policy Overview Committee commended the system of having their Cabinet Member/Managing Director give an oral update for up to 45 minutes at the start of each meeting.  This provided an opportunity for Members of the Committee to put any questions within the remit of the Committee to the Cabinet Member supported by the Managing Director. 

·                    It was suggested in relation to Children, Families and Education Policy Overview Committee that greater use should be made of the Children’s Champions Board to deal with appropriate matters to reduce the workload of the main committees.

·                    Ms Harrison explained the system at Swale Borough Council where they had Informal Member Groups which were not politically balanced or supported by Democratic Services Officers.  Members carried out their own research, organised their own meetings and wrote their own report for submission to the main Committee.

·                    It was emphasised that there was a need to look at the structure for Overview and Scrutiny in relation to the divide between Policy Overview and Scrutiny.

·                    The Chairman stated that the comments made by Members would be used to inform further discussion on this issue with the Cabinet and Chief Officers Group.  If Members wished to submit any further views, they could do so in writing.

(3)       RESOVLED that the Committees views which will inform reports to the Cabinet and Chief Officers Group be noted.