Agenda item

This report is an update to Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee on the City Centre Access Ad Hoc Scrutiny Review. Councillor Gillies, the Chair of the Committee will be in attendance at today’s meeting to answer any questions that may arise.

Consideration was given to a report which updated the Committee on the City Centre Access Ad Hoc Scrutiny Review, submitted in June 2011. The aim of which had been to minimise vehicular movement in the city centre footstreets and immediate area to ensure the safety of pedestrians.

Councillor Gillies, as Chair of the Committee and instigator of the scrutiny topic, was in attendance and outlined the work of the Committee to date. In particular he highlighted the significant delays encountered and missed opportunities. He referred to the cross party support for the review and thanked both Committee Members and the Scrutiny Officer for their work. Concern was expressed at the time spent on this review, over 13 months, during which nothing had been achieved owing to a lack of real engagement and minimal time input from senior officers involved. Little or no information sharing had taken place with the ongoing Footstreets Review taking precedence and no weight being given to the Scrutiny Committees work.

Concern was also raised that one of the key objectives of the review, appropriate disabled access and parking provision, had not being addressed. It was pointed out that there was no meaningful enforcement of traffic restrictions, in the city centre, with contraventions largely being unenforced. Cllr Gillies expressed extreme disappointment that a fundamental part of the democratic process appeared to have been disregarded and time wasted on this review. He therefore recommended the disbanding of the Committee for this review as the Cabinet Member was undertaking a full footstreets review as part of a wider strategic review.

Officers detailed the work of the footstreets review pointing out that one of the key elements had been to tackle a number of conflicting interests which included the abuse of regulations and accommodation of those with mobility needs. It was acknowledged that it had taken some time to obtain agreement on the scrutiny questionnaire owing to a particularly busy period for the department. It was pointed out the Footstreets Review report was however broadly in line with the Scrutiny Committee’s aims and objectives. It was confirmed that the Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability had been notified of all the relevant Scrutiny meetings and work undertaken.

Members expressed concern at the money and time spent on undertaking this review with no apparent outcome. Reference was made to the need to address the issue in respect of moving and non-moving traffic offences. In answer to Members questions Officers confirmed that it had not been possible to forward any recommendations to the Cabinet Member as any recommendations required evidencing. Other scrutiny committee members also expressed their frustrations at being sidelined, lack of scrutiny support by officers in general and a lack of recognition for the work undertaken to date.

Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee members confirmed their understanding of the frustrations encountered during the scrutiny review. They recommended forwarding this information to the Chief Executive and Chief Officers to raise their awareness of the problems being encountered to gain improvements in the scrutiny process generally. Rather than abandon the valuable scrutiny work already undertaken it was suggested that comments should be forwarded to the Cabinet Member to take into account when considering the options for the City Centre Footstreets review at his Decision Session on 19 November 2012.

Cllr Gillies undertook to collate the various issues raised by Scrutiny Committee members undertaking the review for consideration by the Cabinet Member prior to him taking a decision on the City Centre Footstreets report.

Following further lengthy discussion consideration was then given to the following options:

 Option 1Agree that there is no further role for this Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee in relation to this review.

 Option 2Continue the work of the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee giving clear objectives in order that it can be completed.

RESOLVED:   i)  That, as there is no further role for the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee in relation to the City Centre Ad Hoc Scrutiny Review the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transport and Sustainability be provided with the findings of the Committee prior to his Decision Session on 19 November 2012.  ^1.                          

       ii)    That the CSMC Chair be requested to pass on the Committee’s concerns to the Chief Executive regarding levels of commitment and corporate support for scrutiny in general at a senior level within the organisation, highlighting the issues raised by the City Centre review. ^2.

         iii)  That one further meeting of the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee be convened in order to collate a full summary of the Committee’s findings for submission to the Cabinet Member prior to his final decisions in respect of the City Centre Footstreets Review. ^3.

REASON:            In order to progress and complete the City Centre Ad Hoc Scrutiny Committee review.

[As amended at the CSMC meeting on 21 January 2013]