Agenda item

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s workplan for the 2013-14 municipal year.

Members considered the workplan for the 2013-14 municipal year and received introductory briefings on a number of topics which had been proposed for possible scrutiny review during 2013-14 and were asked for their views on the topics in advance of them being put forward at the Scrutiny Work Planning Event the following day.

Members considered a briefing paper on School Meals which provided them with information on contracts with school meal providers, school meal take up, numbers eligible for free school meals and take up of free school meals. Members agreed this was an important topic that would benefit from consideration by the committee.

The Committee received a briefing report from the Principal Advisor (14-19) on the impact of the removal of the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) which had been proposed for review by Councillor Aspden. The Principal Advisor noted that while it was accepted that the introduction of EMA had had a positive impact on participation in post 16 education, it was clear that participation rates had continued to rise since the removal of the EMA. He drew Members attention to the information contained in the report on the 16-19 bursary fund, which replaced EMA, and advised them that although providers were pushing eligibility very hard, they were surprised at the current low take up. Having considered the briefing note, Members agreed to put the topic forward at the forthcoming scrutiny work planning event.

The Head of Culture, Tourism and City Centre presented a briefing report on “improving the quality of the heritage and arts offer in the city, which had been suggested at the last meeting as a possible topic for scrutiny. She advised Members that the Council’s high ambitions for culture in the city would be delivered in partnership with creative and cultural organisations across the city and that officers, together with Visit York, were in the process of fleshing out the new high level tourism strategy for the city, which included the creation of a cultural tourism programme. Working with partners, a steering group has already been established with the aim of submitting a funding application to Visit England/Arts Council England funding in July. Given that officers were already working actively with partners and a timetable was in place, Members agreed that any consideration of this topic be postponed to the second half of the municipal year when the outcome of the funding application would be known.

Members received a written briefing from the Council’s Countryside Officer on biodiversity in planting and planting schemes in planning applications. Members noted that this may be a cross cutting topic which may need to go to Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee and agreed it should be put forward to the Scrutiny Work planning event.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That the workplan for the 2013-14 municipal year be agreed.           

                                    (ii)        That the following topics be put forward for consideration at the Scrutiny Work Planning Event on 13 June:

·         School Meals

·         Impact of the removal of the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance)

·         Improving the quality of the heritage and arts evening offer in the city

·         Bio-diversity in planting and planting schemes in planning application.

REASON:                  To keep the committee’s workplan up to date in accordance with scrutiny procedures and protocols.