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. No additional interests were declared.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 10 November 2014.

Resolved:           That the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 10 November 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 9 January 2015.  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 thee registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme, and that one Member of Council had also requested to speak all in relation to agenda item 6 the Feasibility Report into a proposed scrutiny review of Yearsley Swimming Pool.

Fiona Evans spoke on behalf of the Yearsley Pool Action Group in support of the review request, submitted by Cllr Aspden, into ways of reducing the subsidy to the pool whilst securing its long term future. She referred to the historic significance of the pool and of the health and fitness benefits it provided for the wider community. She also referred to previous assurances by the authority given to the Group regarding Yearsley Pool. 

Mike Jones spoke as a General Practitioner of 30 years on the health benefits of low impact exercise that swimming provided. He referred to advice he gave patients in relation to the all round benefits of swimming. He therefore expressed his concerns  at the threat of closure of Yearsley Pool.

Bob Jowett spoke as an Engineer who had worked in the city for a number of years and of his long association with Yearsley Pool. In particular he referred to the high quality of the pool, with the pools concrete tank having a life expectancy of around 1,000 years. He raised concerns regarding the management of other leisure facilities in the country, by Greenwich Leisure Limited who had been selected as the Preferred Bidder for the Community Stadium.

Cllr Watson spoke to register his support for the retention of Yearsley Pool which was a unique full length pool in the city. He expressed his concern at the proposals for a cinema and retail units at the new Community Stadium which he felt were not required. He referred to future costs in connection with the Stadium’s pool and questioned possible future costs for the city.

This report analyses the latest performance for 2014/15 and forecasts the outturn position for the services falling under the responsibility of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee. 

Consideration was given to a report which set out details of the latest performance for 2014/15 and forecast the outturn position for the services which fell under the responsibility of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee.

It was noted that savings were continuing to be delivered, with £11m to be achieved in order to reach a balanced budget and £2,539k of the savings having to be found within the services covered by the report. The latest review had not identified any major variations requiring action and overall a small under spend of £61k had been forecast.

In response to Members requests at an earlier meeting, additional statistical information in the form of the Workforce Equality Score Card had been provided at Annex 1 of the report. An update on the number of staff who had completed their Performance Development Review by the end of September 2014, was circulated at the meeting, a copy of which has been included in the online agenda.

In response to Members questions, Officers confirmed that the Living Wage was paid to Officers working for the City of York Trading Company.

Officers also agreed to undertake an examination of the customer service and customer reception experience at West Offices for the 13 to 25 year age group. ^1.

Resolved:  That the report be received and noted.

Reason:     To update the Committee on the latest finance and performance position for 2014/15.

This report sets out the current position regarding available Council funding for overview and scrutiny review research work.  Members are asked to consider what recommendation they wish to make to Cabinet in relation to a support budget for consideration as part of the Council’s budget setting process for 2015/16.

Consideration was given to a report which set out the current position in relation to available Council funding for overview and scrutiny work.

It was noted that historically spend against the budget, when available, had been variable over the years, however for the last two years an allocation of £5k per annum had been agreed. This allocation had been spread across each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees giving each a potential spend of £1k and to date £2,215k of the budget had been spent.

Resolved:           That Cabinet be recommended to retain the current budgetary support of £5k for scrutiny review work in 2014/15 onwards. ^1.

Reason:              To address the constitutional right of CSMC to comment to Cabinet on setting the above scrutiny budget.

This report sets out an overview of current procurement activity across the Council.

Members received a report which provided an overview of current procurement activity across the Council; this followed the Committee’s decision, at an earlier meeting, not to proceed with a proposed scrutiny topic on procurement. However a request had been made for an overview report to the Committee, following identification of further options and alternatives by the Rewiring Public Services Programme.

The Committee were informed of positive improvements made in procurement activity and engagement of staff provided by a small team of nine. Officers also reported on the challenges faced by the team which included inconsistent record keeping and ensuring that procurement became part of strategic decision making in future business models.

Officers confirmed that, to ensure consistency, the same procurement officers were involved in all construction projects and to strengthen governance an internal Officer group was shortly to be set up in order to gain an oversight of procurement.

In answer to Members questions, Officers confirmed that wherever possible procurement focussed on local suppliers and that controls would be put in place to restrict purchases, if required in the future.

Resolved:       That the Committee note progress made on current procurement activity across the Council to date, with  future updates being requested as and when required. 

Reason:     To provide an overview of procurement activity, including details of the Rewiring Public Service Programme, previously requested by the Committee.

This report provides the Corporate & Scrutiny Management Committee with details of a proposed scrutiny review, submitted by Cllr Aspden, into ways to reduce the subsidy given to Yearsley Swimming Pool whilst securing the long-term future of the pool.

[Cllr Aspden has been invited to attend the meeting for consideration of this item]

Consideration was given to a request, submitted by Cllr Aspden, for a proposed scrutiny review into ways of reducing the subsidy given to Yearsley Swimming Pool, whilst securing its long term future.

The Committee noted that, owing to the workload of the Learning & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the topic submission had been forwarded to the Corporate & Scrutiny Management Committee with a request that an ad hoc scrutiny committee be formed to undertake the review. A decision was taken to proceed with the review.

Members noted that Cabinet had also agreed to undertake a review on the future of Yearsley Pool, as part of the new Community Stadium Leisure Centre project, which was to be completed by January 2016.

Cllr Aspden, spoke in support of his review request, confirming that since the Council decision to remove the subsidy from Yearsley Pool by 2016, concerns had been raised at the possible future closure of the pool. He therefore asked Members and Officers to work together with the Yearsley Pool Action Group, to investigate ways to reduce the subsidy whilst ensuring the long term future of the pool. He requested Members to support a cross party public scrutiny review owing to the high level of public concern raised.

Members pointed out that any review should not duplicate ongoing work and they acknowledged that it was unlikely that a review would be completed within the current municipal year.

Officers confirmed that co-ordination of the two reviews would be vital, with both having different terms of reference and remits. It was agreed that the review should examine all options including the potential for community involvement. 

Following further lengthy discussion it was

Resolved:           That an Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee consisting of 5 Members, (2 Labour, 1 Conservative, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 Green/Independent) be appointed to undertake a scrutiny review, in respect of Yearsley Pool, with the following remit:

“To investigate ways to reduce the subsidy given to Yearsley Swimming Pool while securing its long term future.”

Reason:     To ensure compliance with scrutiny procedures and                           protocols.

To receive details of petitions received by the Council, in line with the Council’s published arrangements and any responses or proposed responses to those petitions, in accordance with the revised arrangement for petitions agreed by Council on 9 October 2014.

Consideration was given to a report which reminded the Committee of the new arrangements, agreed by Council in October 2014 for dealing with petitions received by the Authority.

With the new role of the Committee being to scrutinise action taken in relation to petitions received by Members and Officers, consideration was given to a list of new petitions, received by the Council since the last report to the Committee in November. The details of each were set out at Annex A of the report, and included details of any actions taken to date in respect of each.

Members considered the petitions received and the action taken in relation to each petitions request. They also noted that a database was being set up into which all staff across the Council would soon be able to enter details of any petitions received to ensure accurate coverage of their receipt.

Following further discussion it was

Resolved:  That the schedule of petitions, at Annex A, and the actions taken to date, be received and noted.

Reason:     To ensure the Committee carries out its new requirements in relation to petitions.

To consider the Committee’s work plan for the 2014/15 municipal year, including a verbal update on ongoing scrutiny reviews

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.

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