Agenda and minutes

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting, Members were asked to declare any personal interests not included on the register of interests, any prejudicial interests or any disclosable pecuniary interest which they might have in respect of the business on the agenda.

Councillor Horton declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in relation to Agenda item 5 – Procurement Scrutiny Review – Scoping Paper (minute 13 refers) as a CYC Director of Yorkshire Purchasing Association Holdings Ltd, and took no part in the discussion or voting on this item.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 23 June 2014.

Resolved:           That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 23 June 2014 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Friday 11 July  2014.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast or audio recorded and that includes any registered public speakers, who have given their permission.  The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts  or,if sound recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/3130/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report outlines the 2013/14 finance and performance outturn for the services falling under the responsibility of the Corporate Scrutiny Management Committee. 

Consideration was given to a report which provided details of the 2013/14 finance and performance outturn for the services falling under the responsibility of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee.

It was noted that the net budget for the areas covered by the reported amounted £8,035k, with an under spend of £322k related to vacant posts in procurement and finance together with a range of minor under spends.

A Member highlighted the effects on direct payments and personal budgets related to the Living Wage.

Members referred to the encouraging outturn position and positive report.

Resolved:           That the report be received and noted.

Reason:              To update the Committee on the finance and performance position for 2013/14.

This report presents information to assist Members in deciding whether to proceed to review with a proposed scrutiny topic on procurement, in light of debate at previous meetings.

Members considered a report which presented information to assist them in deciding whether to proceed to review with a proposed scrutiny topic on procurement.

Previously the Committee had agreed, that to deliver effective services during a time of severe financial constraint procurement may be worthy of a scrutiny review. Members had already received a number of reports and further information in relation to the current strategic approach being taken by the authority in procurement. Previous reports had however highlighted that the Commercial Procurement team were not currently involved in 82% of procurement activity and Members had also shown an interest in adding value to procurement activity around health and voluntary services.

Officers referred to the extensive engagement work already ongoing around procurement in the health and voluntary sector and to procurement activity being considered as part of the current Rewiring Public Services programme. As any changes arising from this would take time to embed within the authority Members agreed that it would be premature to undertake a review at this time.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:      (i)  That the report be received and noted and that the Committee agree not to proceed with a procurement  scrutiny review at this time.

(ii)      That a procurement overview report be provided to the Committee in 6 months, following identification of further options and alternatives by the Rewiring Public Services Programme.

Reason:    To progress the work of the Committee in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.

This report provides highlights on progress of the Single Equality Scheme which was launched December 2012 and identifies recurring and emerging priorities for inclusion in the refresh of the scheme to be completed October 2014.

Consideration was given to a report which highlighted progress of the Single Equality Scheme, launched in December 2012, and identified recurring and emerging priorities for inclusion in the refresh of the scheme to be completed in October 2014.

Further detailed information in relation to achievements and emerging priorities were reported at Appendix 1 of the report. Since the report had been published Officers highlighted a number of updates to information provided at Appendix 1, detailed in the revised Appendix attached to the minutes.

Members made a number of points in relation to the report including:

·        The Safer York website referred to 4 hate crime reporting centres whereas there were currently 14 centres. Officers agreed to update the report.

·        The references in the report to ‘people with disabilities’ should be revised to ‘disabled people’. Officers confirmed that they were working to the social model of disability and would amend the report references.

·        There were a large number of key areas of focus listed for the Scheme, these required prioritisation. It was acknowledged that this was a long list and that the reference to ‘key’ areas would be removed. 

·        As there were a number of common themes in the recurring and emerging priorities it was suggested these could be merged.

·        Detailed information in relation to the achievements and emerging priorities should be provided online only with future update reports

In answer to Members questions, Officers confirmed that the list of recurring and emerging priorities could be grouped in line with the remit’s of the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and presented to them for consideration with a view to including updates on the actions to address those priorities in the performance reports for future monitoring and review.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:    (i)    That progress in relation to the Single Equality Scheme to date be received and noted.   

(ii)    That the Assistant Director (Communities, Culture and Public Realm) in conjunction with the Scrutiny Officers re-group the listed recurring and emerging priorities for presentation to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s at their next round of meetings .

(iii)     That a progress report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s be brought back to the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee in November 2014.

Reason:              To help ensure that relevant equality issues are reflected in the revised Equality Scheme.

To consider the Committee’s work plan for the 2014/15 municipal year.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s work plan for the 2014/15 municipal year.

Resolved:  That the Committee’s work plan for 2014/15 be received and noted subject to the following addition:

·                   10 November 2014 – Feedback regarding the Single Equality Scheme

Reason:     To assist in the formulation of the Committee’s work plan for the remainder of the municipal year.