Agenda and 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.

Members were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  None were declared.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 December 2010.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the SMC meeting held on 6 December 2010 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

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. The deadline for registering is 5:00 pm on Friday 25 February 2011.

It was reported that there were no registrations to speak under the council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Councillor Kirk, in facilitating scrutiny’s involvement in the Broadway Shops Councillor Call for Action, will present the outcomes from the series of facilitated meetings that were held.  Copies of the booklet are included for Members.  The booklet is also available to view on-line.

Councillor Kirk, who had facilitated scrutiny’s involvement in the Broadway Shops Councillor Call for Action, presented the outcomes from the series of facilitated meetings that had been held.  A booklet detailing the action that had been taken had been circulated.

Councillor Kirk explained that, although not everyone was pleased with the outcome, the process had resulted in improved safety around pedestrian and vehicle access to the shops and that the shops would continue to be an asset for the community.  Members were informed that the process had been time-consuming and hence there were resource implications.  Nevertheless, the process had enabled an outcome to be achieved that had not previously been possible.

Councillor D’Agorne, speaking as one of the Fishergate Ward Councillors who had registered the Councillor Call for Action, stated that the process had encouraged shopkeepers to engage and that the officer time allocated had been very helpful.  Although there were still some issues remaining regarding maintenance, it was pleasing to note that the primary concerns had been addressed. 

RESOLVED:(i)         That scrutiny’s involvement in the Broadway Shops

                                    Councillor Call for Action be noted.

(ii)That thanks be recorded to Councillor Kirk and those who had contributed to the Councillor Call for Action for the work that they had undertaken.

REASON:      To ensure that SMC are updated on the outcomes of the Councillor Call for Action.

Councillor Healey – Chair of Effective Organisation Overview & Scrutiny Committee, and Councillor Scott – Chair of Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee will be in attendance to provide an overview of their committee’s work and highlight the key achievements in 2010/11.

In accordance with the council’s Constitution, Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees were required to report to SMC on a bi-annual basis.  The Chairs of the following scrutiny committees were in attendance to provide an overview of their committee’s work and to highlight the key achievements in 2010/11:

(i)            Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Scott tabled a paper outlining the work that the Economic and City Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee had carried out. He went through the key issues including:

·        The performance reports that the committee had considered, including the monitoring of the implementation of recommendations from previous scrutiny reviews.

·        The committee’s involvement in Councillor Call for Actions for Water End and Broadway Shops.

·        Reports on issues within the committee’s remit.

·        The scrutiny review of Newgate Market.

·        Attendance at meetings by the Executive Member for City Strategy, the Leader and the Chair of SMC.

·        Consideration of proposed scrutiny topics on Highways Adoption and Food Security.

Councillor Scott stated that, because of the timescales involved, insufficient pre-decision scrutiny was taking place.  He also stressed the importance of ensuring that scrutiny processes enabled Members to respond to issues promptly.  Citing as an example a Councillor Call for Action, Councillor Scott drew Members’ attention to the length of time from registration to completion.

Councillor Scott stated that committee members had been involved in the workplan at an early stage.  He stated that more consideration should also be given as to how scrutiny committees could plan for the long-term.  Committees should be planning their work over a four-year period rather than annually and it was hoped that the new leader arrangements would better enable this to take place.

(ii)            Effective Organisation Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Councillor Healey explained that the remit of the Effective Organisation Overview & Scrutiny Committee meant that it was not as clearly aligned to a specific directorate as other scrutiny committees.  Officers had brought to the committee’s attention issues requiring input from Members.  Councillor Healey drew Members’ attention to the following reviews that had been carried out:

·   Apprenticeships – this had resulted in very good report but there were concerns as to the progress that had been made in implementing the recommendations. 

·   Customer Complaints – this review had been concluded within three months and the recommendations were likely to be implemented in full. 

Councillor Healey stated that it was important that scrutiny topics were not limited to those put forward by officers.  He suggested that more needed to be done to ensure that the recommendations arising from scrutiny reviews were implemented.   As some of the recommendations had financial implications, officers should incorporate the costs into the budget options that were presented to Members on an annual basis. 

RESOLVED:That the reports from the Chairs of the Economic and City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Effective Organisation Overview & Scrutiny Committee be noted.

REASON:To ensure that SMC is updated on the work of scrutiny committees in accordance with the council’s Constitution.

This report is further to a previous report that was presented to this committee on 6 December 2010, outlining ongoing developments and improvements to scrutiny in City of York Council.

Members received a report outlining ongoing developments and improvements to scrutiny in City of York Council.  Officers gave details of the key issues that had arisen during the Chair of SMC’s discussions with Scrutiny Members, as outlined in paragraph 14 of the report.

Members welcomed the arrangements that had been put in place to enable task groups to meet on an informal basis if necessary but suggested that it was important that a notice was published so that members of the public could attend if they so wished.  Members’ attendance at such meetings should also be recorded and support packages put in place as applicable.

Discussion took place as to the role of scrutiny committees in monitoring.  Whilst some Members found the monitoring reports to be useful, others felt that they overcrowded the agenda and that Members’ time could be better spent on other aspects of scrutiny.  It was agreed that more consideration should be given to this issue.

Whilst recognising that not all recommendations arising from scrutiny reviews had financial implications, concerns were expressed that a number of recommendations had not been implemented because funding had not been available.  Support was expressed for the suggestion put forward earlier in the meeting that when the budget option proposals were drafted they included the costs of implementing scrutiny recommendations that had been agreed during the previous year.

RESOLVED:            (i)            That the initiatives outlined in the next steps section of

                                    the report be endorsed.

(ii)That the Chair and Vice-Chair give further consideration as to how scrutiny committees could better manage their role in monitoring the performance management cycle.

(ii)That it be recommended that, in preparing the draft budget options, officers include the costs of implementing the recommendations arising from the scrutiny reviews that had taken place in the previous year.

REASON:      To further develop the effective provision of scrutiny in City of York Council.