Agenda item

(A)  TOPIC 135 – HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE PROCUREMENT PROCESS To consider an officer presentation and the views of Councillor Simpson-Laing in relation to the above registered scrutiny topic, prior to determining whether to allocate the topic to the schedule of registered topics available for review. {Topic Registration form and Feasibility report attached for Members of the Committee only.  These papers are otherwise available on the Council website under the meeting of Scrutiny Management Committee for June 2006}

(B)  TOPIC 129 LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN 2 To consider the views of Councillor Simpson-Laing in relation to the above registered scrutiny topic, prior to determining whether to allocate the topic to the scheme of registered topics available for review. {Topic Registration form and feasibility report attached for Members of the Committee only.  These papers are otherwise available on the Council website under the meeting of Scrutiny Management Committee for 4 September 2006}

(C) SCHEDULE OF REGISTERED SCRUTINY TOPICS

To consider whether or not to proceed to allocate any of the registered topics, listed on the attached schedule, for review, as requested at the last meeting of the Committee.  To receive also outstanding comments in relation to registered topic no. 138 relating to key strategic partnership working.

(a)               Topic 135 – Highways Maintenance Procurement Process

Members reconsidered the original topic registration form submitted by Councillor Simpson-Laing in relation to the above proposed review, together with the accompanying feasibility study.  The Chair reminded Members that at this stage they were merely being asked to consider whether the topic was worthy of inclusion on the schedule of topics under © below available for potential review.

Councillor Simpson-Laing attended the meeting to support her case for review and explain why a review would, in her opinion, be invaluable to assist  the procurement process. The Head of Highway Infrastructure attended the meeting to update Members on progress with the current and ongoing related PFI bid. 

Members supported adding the topic to the schedule on the basis that Councillor Simpson-Laing be asked to review her topic registration and update it to reflect the current PFI status and ensure that any review would be relevant in the current situation.

RESOLVED:

That topic 135 – Highways Maintenance Procurement Process – be added to the schedule of topics available for review under ( c ) below, subject to Councillor Simpson-Laing making the above revisions to the registration form.

(b)              Topic 129 Local Transport Plan 2:

Members reconsidered the original topic registration by Councillor Simpson-Laing and its accompanying feasibility study with a view to deciding whether to include the topic in the schedule under ( c ) below for potential review.  Councillor Simpson-Laing attended the meeting to support her topic registration.

Members discussed in some detail whether to include the topic on the schedule and decided to defer consideration to the next meeting, with a view to inviting the Executive Member to attend to explain the processes and the involvement of Members in determining the strategy and delivery programme for LTP2.

RESOLVED:

That topic 129 – Local Transport Plan 2 – be deferred to the next meeting to invite the Executive Member to attend and clarify the position, prior to any decision being made on whether to add the topic to the schedule for potential review.

( c )    Schedule of Registered Scrutiny Topics:

            Members considered a schedule of registered scrutiny topics for potential allocation to review, including the highways maintenance procurement process.  They considered the schedule topic by topic, having regard to the available registration forms and feasibility studies and decided to allocate Ad-hoc Scrutiny Sub-Committees to deal with the following 2 topics:

·        Review of Council-owned land in the area of Tang Hall school;

·        Highway Maintenance Procurement Process

In addition, Members agreed the following:

To refer the topic on the evaluation of domiciliary and recuperative care for older people in the York area to the Health Scrutiny Committee for consideration;

To defer consideration of the following to the next meeting, alongside LTP2:

·        Traffic Congestion in York (No.120);

To retain the following on the schedule of registered with a view to reconsidering them as other reviews progress:

·        Suburban Shopping Centres (No. 109); and

·        Key strategic partnership working (No. 138)

To invite the relevant EMAP (Leisure & Culture) to consider the basis for the topic on public art (No. 137) with a view to pursuing implementation of the underlying policy; and

To reject the following registered topics still on the schedule:

·        Parking charges in York (No. 121);

·        Transitional services from education environment to independent living for adults with learning disabilities (No. 126);

RESOLVED:

That (1) Ad-hoc Scrutiny Sub-Committees be established and remits be prepared for approval, in consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair and Green spokespersons, in relation to:

·        Tang Hall School area – Council owned land; and

·        Highways maintenance procurement process;

That (2) reconsideration be given at the next meeting to the topics relating to LTP2 and traffic congestion in York, with the Executive Member for City Strategy being invited to attend as above;

That (3)  the topic on public arts be referred to the Executive Member Advisory Panel for Leisure & Culture;  

That (4) all other topics discussed be either retained for future consideration, rejected or referred to Health Scrutiny Committee as set out above.