Agenda and draft minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members will be invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on the agenda.

The Chair reported that there were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 May 2006, as a correct record.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 30 May 2006 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Friday 23^rd June 2006 at 10.00am.

The Chair reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting.

To consider a progress report in relation to the collation of information for the publication of the Annual Scrutiny Report 2005/6.

Members considered a report informing them of the progress made with the preparation of the Scrutiny Annual Review for 2005/6. 

The report highlighted that many of contributions from Chairs of former Scrutiny Boards etc were still outstanding.  Deadlines for receipt of those had been set to allow the final draft of the Annual Report to be prepared and brought back to the next meeting of SMC.

Members were informed of the proposed format for the Annual Review which would include the individual reports from each of the scrutiny boards, and updates on the progress made with previous scrutiny recommendations.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted and that the responsibility for approving the content of the 2005/6 Annual Scrutiny Report be delegated to the Chair and Vice-Chair

To consider the final draft report of the reconvened Ad Hoc Scrutiny Sub-Committee researching Local Authority practices in the delivery of more sustainable street lighting.  

Members were presented with the draft final report of the Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee which was set up to conclude the review outstanding from the last Municipal Year on ‘strategic management & procurement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and waste’.

Following consultation with appropriate officers, the report had been updated to include a summary of their comments on the proposals. A copy of the amended report had been circulated to Members incorporating changes made at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee.

Members made the following comments on the draft final report prior to its submission to the Executive:

• More detailed consideration of any potential saving on street lighting emissions further to the comparators referenced in paragraph 7 of the final report;
• Improved coordination of the Council’s own floodlighting of the Guildhall for instance, with consideration being given to activation by light sensor;
• In relation to the suggested arrangements for the reporting the findings of the proposed Street Lighting questionnaire, as at paragraph 33 of the final report, that be done by the Council’s Member Energy Champion through the EMAP process and not at full Council as proposed in the report; and
• Short glossary of terms to be extended to include PV(photovoltaic)

 RESOLVED:

That all those Members and Officers involved in the review be thanked for their work in bringing this review to a conclusion and the final report be referred to the Executive for consideration, subject to the above revisions being made.

To consider a progress report from the Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee on the work undertaken so far by the Committee.

Members considered a report from Cllr Ian Cuthbertson as chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee which highlighted the activities and work to date of the Committee.

It was noted that the emphasis of the committee had changed slightly to that of the former Social Services & Health Scrutiny Board, in that its primary role was to scrutinise (NHS) health provision for York residents which would include the scrutiny of health provision by Adult Social Services.

The report included a review of the financial recovery plans of Selby and York PCT and the effect of the resulting changes on services to the people of York.  Members expressed their concern that the effect was as yet unknown and that a formal scrutiny of the recovery plan was needed once the plan was made public at the next PCT Board meeting.   It was expected that material would then be available for consideration.

RESOLVED:

That the update report and current position be noted.

To consider topic registration forms and feasibility studies for the above new topics.

Members considered a report which included the topic registration forms and feasibility reports for two newly registered scrutiny topics:

·         No 135 Highways Maintenance Procurement Process – registered by Cllr Simpson-Laing in April 2006

In order to decide whether or not to progress the topic, Members requested a future presentation from Highways Procurement team on the processes involved, and agreed to defer a decision until this could be received.

·         No 137 Public Art – registered by Cllr Hogg in May 2006

Members suggested that a decision be deferred until further information could be provided on whether or not the policy approved in 1998, which proposed that 1% of the total cost of any new development be set-aside for Public Art, had been implemented.

RESOLVED:

That a decision on both topics be deferred until the further information requested could be provided and that those Members who had registered the topics be asked to be present at the meeting next considering the issues.

To receive details of the budget outturn for Scrutiny for 2005/6, together with proposals for operating the scrutiny budget for 2006/7

Members considered a report which briefly detailed the scrutiny budget outturn position for 2005/6 and asked how they wanted to allocate budget resources in 2006/7.

The outturn position for 2005/6 had previously been included in a full City Strategy EMAP report  and this highlighted a final under spend of circa £7k due to staffing vacancies and the fact that one member of staff had opted not to be in the pension scheme.

Members considered whether to continue to allocate a nominal fee of £250 to each established Scrutiny Committee, Ad-hoc or Standing, to support their administration costs in undertaking reviews.  It was suggested that this should be reviewed by SMC should Committees find this amount does not adequately cover the associated ancillary costs.

RESOLVED:

·         That the budget outturn for 2005/6 be noted

·         That a flat sum of £250 be allocated per Scrutiny Committee to assist with administrations costs for the timebeing