Agenda item

(1)       The Overview and Scrutiny Manager introduced a report which updated the Committee on the current Select Committee Topic Reviews and set out priorities for the Work Programme for the period Autumn 2007 to Autumn 2008, including how the programme should be resourced.

(2)       The report set out details of current and recently completed Topic Reviews on Flood Risk, Carers in Kent and the soon to be completed report on Alcohol Misuse 

(3)       In relation to the Select Committee Topic Review on Alcohol Misuse, he explained that there were a number of external agencies involved with this subject area. If the recommendations were to add value and have impact it was essential to ensure that these organisations were signed up to them. On behalf of the Select Committee he asked this Committee to extend the timeframe for this review to enable the extra work to be done with external agencies.  If this was agreed the report would be submitted to Cabinet in the first quarter of 2008.

(4)       The Overview and Scrutiny Manager referred to the unique process which the Alcohol Misuse Select Committee had piloted which was holding a round the table discussion with a number of the stakeholder organisations, facilitated by the Director of Public Health.  

(5)       Members discussed whether the Alcohol Misuse Select Committee should be allowed to have extra time in order to engage with external agencies before finalising its report.  Although there was a recognition that it was essential that Select Committee Topic Reviews were time limited, it was also acknowledged that only a short extension of time was requested to resolve specific issues arising from the nature of this topic

(6)       Members were reminded that at their meeting on 7 June 2007, they had agreed that the following two topics should be started as soon as resources became available:-

(i)         Accessing Democracy

(ii)        Vulnerable Children

(7)       In addition, he informed the Committee that he would like to use the dedicated NHS Overview and Scrutiny Research Officer resource to carry out a piece of work on Access to Healthcare.

(8)       He informed the Committee that the Accessing Democracy Topic Review could starts its work as soon as resources were available now that the Carers in Kent topic review had been completed should the Committee agree to extend the timescale of the Alcohol Misuse Topic Review then the Vulnerable Children Select Committee would be slightly delayed until resources became available.

(9)       He also highlighted the challenges that had occurred with trying to accommodate Select Committee Topic Reviews during late July and August period which had impacted on the work of those Select Committees.

(10)     In relation to resources, he reminded Members that he had 1.5 full time equivalent research officers to cover Select Committees put forward by five Policy Overview Committees.  In relation to support from the Graduate Trainee Programme, as Democratic Services no longer funded a placement, there was no guarantee that a graduate trainee would be allocated to the Overview and Scrutiny team.  There was currently no graduate trainee allocated to Overview and Scrutiny.

 (11)    The Overview and Scrutiny Manager reminded Members that there were four proposed Select Committee Topic Reviews which had been put forward some time ago and were still on the programme.  He invited Members to consider whether they wished to retain these in the programme and to consider at a later date allocating them into the work programme or whether they wished to remove them or ask for further information. These topics were:-

(i)         Developing the Creative Curriculum

(ii)        Young People’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Development Values based Educational Behaviour

(iii)       Consultation and Participation with Young People (Student Voice)

(iv)       Provision of Activities for Young People.

(12)     Members discussed each of these potential topics and there was a view that in relation to Developing the Creative Curriculum and Young People’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development Value based Educational Behaviour, these topics had been on the potential work programme for some time and that if they were still relevant, then a further bid for these should be submitted.  Regarding the Student Voice potential topic, there was a possibility that this could form part of the Accessing Democracy Topic Review although it was acknowledged that the potential scope of this review was large and would need to be closely focussed.  It may well lead to a suite of reviews around the broad area of Accessing Democracy.  In relation to the final suggested topic, Provision of Activities for Young People, it was acknowledged that this was a topic which should be considered further at the next meeting with an updated proposal to enable Members to consider whether this should remain in the work programme and be allocated a time slot.

(13)     Mrs Dean raised the issue of the PSHE Advisory Group which had been established following the PSHE Select Committee report.  She asked that Members be given a briefing note on the work of Advisory Group was doing and what its remit was.  The Overview and Scrutiny Manager undertook to request the Chairman of the PSHE Advisory Group, Mrs Hohler to speak directly with Mrs Dean 

 (14)    Members discussed the need to look at the resources for Overview and Scrutiny and possibly consider changing the balance of resources to give more strength to the scrutiny side, this was a debate that Members needed to have with the Leader.  Mr Hotson stated that he was meeting with Alex King to discuss how Overview and Scrutiny could be strengthened and he would then discuss this with Dr Eddy and Mrs Dean.

(15)     Although the paper that went to County Council in October referred to Policy Overview Committees, Members felt that there was a need to look at the way in which Overview and Scrutiny worked and to question its effectiveness including Cabinet Scrutiny.  The Committee were informed that the Corporate Policy Overview Committee at its January meeting would be having a report on Democratic Services and this could include resources for Overview and Scrutiny.

(16)     In relation to the monitoring of Select Committee recommendations, the Overview and Scrutiny Manager stated that he was providing information for a report to the County Council meeting in December on how the outcomes from all of the Select Committee Topic Reviews since the Select Committees were introduced in 2001 had been taken forward.

(17)     The Overview and Scrutiny Manager informed Members that a paper was being produced on Health Scrutiny in the light of the developing Links and Localism agendas and there was an opportunity to look at NHS Overview and Scrutiny and to re-focus it as Health Scrutiny but this would have impacts for Adult Social Services, Children’s Social Services etc.

(18)     RESOLVED that:-

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

(b)       the extension of the time-frame for the Alcohol Misuse Select Committee to enable it to report to Cabinet in the first quarter of 2008 be approved;

(c)        as soon as resources become available, Accessing Democracy should be the next Select Committee Topic Review to be stated and then as resources become available in early 2008, the Vulnerable Children Select Committee should be commenced;

(d)       it be noted that the dedicated NHS Research Officer resource would be supporting a review into aspects into Accessing Health Care;

(e)       when setting the Select Committee Work Programme, the period from the County Council meeting in July to the end of August be not included within the Programme, although it was acknowledged that this period could be used for drafting reports and carrying out research;

(f)         the following Topics be removed from the Select Committee Work Programme:-

(i)         Developing the Creative Curriculum;

(ii)        Young People’s Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) Development, Values Based Educational Behaviour;

(iii)       Consultation and Participation with Young People (Student Voice);

if these Topics are still current and relevant, a bid for these should be made to the February meeting of Policy Overview Co-ordinating Committee

(g)       the potential Topic of Provision of Activities for Young People be considered further at the February meeting of the Policy Overview Co-ordinating Committee with an updated assessment form;

(h)        it be noted that a report updating the Council on how the recommendations of Select Committees have been taken forward, was to be presented to the County Council on 13 December 2007; and

(i)         this Committee strongly requests the Chief Executive to ensure that a Graduate Trainee from the Programme is always given a placement within Overview and Scrutiny.