Agenda item

(1)       Ms McMullen was invited to comment on the report that had been circulated with the agenda which set out how each Policy Overview Committee (POC) had considered the MTP relating to their portfolios.  She stated the POC had all considered their MTP’s in different ways, for example the Corporate POC had a debate on the MTP at their main committee meeting but also set up an IMG to look in more detail at parts of the MTP in an informal setting.  In contrast the Communities POC had a long and constructive debate at their POC meeting, following this they did not feel the need to hold their own IMG. Both methods had produced constructive outcomes so she did not believe that there was a “one size fits all” for this process.

(2)       If a POC did decide to establish an IMG this should be organised well in advance so that Members who wish to take part had the opportunity to do so.  An advantage of having an MTP IMG was that it gave the opportunity to ask detailed questions of Cabinet Members and Officers and raise and discuss speculative suggestions in an informal setting.

(3)       The Chairman expressed the view that even if a POC set up an IMG to consider its MTP it was important this did not replace the opportunity for the full POC to debate the MTP. Mrs Dean suggested that no decision on the establishment of MTP IMG’s should be made at this time, but that it should be for each POC to decide the process that they wished to follow.

(4)       In relation to MTP IMG’s, Dr Eddy stated that it would have been useful to have the notes from these meetings at the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee in January when they considered the budget and asked that this be done if MTP IMG’s are held in future.

(5)       The Chairman agreed with Ms McMullan that in terms of the early budget planning process, the July cycle of POC meetings was as important as the November cycle.

(6)       Ms McMullen referred to the discussion at the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee on the future Economic Management Group, and whether its remit should be subsumed into the Cabinet Scrutiny Budgetary Issues IMG.   Mr Smyth, as Chairman of the Budgetary Issues IMG, stated that although he would be happy for this IMG to take on this task there was a question of overloading this IMG which consisted of three Members. Ms McMullen stated however the remit of this group was covered, it was essential that the terms of reference for considering economic management board matters were right. These matters would need to be considered on a quarterly meetings basis to pick up on issues and trends and if the Budget IMG extended its remit to include this then other Members could be invited to attend when these issues were discussed.

(7)       The Committee also discussed other ways in which the POC’s could build capacity to carry out their work. The Chairman suggested that consideration be given to the use of rapporteurs who could be responsible for specialist areas of work and report back to the POC.

(8)       The success of the Children’s Champions Board was also mentioned.  This Board looked at a significant issues relating to Looked after Children’s Safeguarding issues.  This format of having a specialist group that reported back to the POC could be replicated in relation to other issues.

(9)       Mr Capon stated that in relation to the Children's, Families and Education POC, as this POC covered a very large area of work and tended to have long meetings to cover its business, it would be very helpful to have IMGs for specific issues for example special needs transport. He explained that as a matter of practice reports were taken as read and officers added any additional information and took questions from Members, this made the most effective use of meeting time.

(10)     Mr Wickenden stated work was being carried out by the IMG on Members Information to assist with building capacity for members.  Also the IMG on Member Development was looking at Member training including the role of the elected members.

(11)     RESOLVED  that the feedback given by members on the value of POC’s using an IMG to consider their MTP be noted and that the individual POC’s be asked at their July 2009 meeting to consider whether they wished to set up an IMG on their MTP to meet in November 2009.