Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R J Hunter-Clarke, P J O'Connor and C L Strange and Added Members Mr C V Miller and Mr P Thompson.

No interests were declared.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2015 be approved and signed by the Vice-Chairman as a correct record.

(To consider Call-Ins, should any be received)

No call-ins had been received.

(To consider proposals for Scrutiny Reviews, should any be received)

There were no proposals for scrutiny reviews.

(To consider Councillor Call for Actions, should any be received)

No Councillor Call for Actions had been received.

(To receive a report by Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which provides an opportunity for the Committee to consider the independent report arising out of a review of the Council's scrutiny arrangements)

Consideration was given to a report by Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which provided an opportunity for the Committee to consider an independent report arising out of a review of the Council’s scrutiny arrangements.

Members were reminded that at the meeting of County Council on 18 December 2015, the results of a review of the Council’s scrutiny arrangements, carried out by East Midlands Councils, had been considered.  The review, which had been undertaken by Dr Stuart Young (Executive Director of East Midlands Councils), had included informal discussions with councillors and officers, first hand observations at scrutiny meetings and research into good practice elsewhere. Dr Young’s final report, which contained 17 recommendations, was attached at Appendix 1 to the Committee’s report.

The Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer advised the Committee that following a debate, the Council resolved that the recommendations contained within the report be endorsed and invited the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to oversee the implementation of Recommendations 1-15 with immediate effect. It was also agreed that in relation to Recommendation 15 in the independent report, the Council transfers responsibility for the scrutiny of the Council's budget and performance from the Value for Money Scrutiny Committee to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee. The Council also supported a revision of the governance structure for scrutiny, and invited the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to review structural options and to make a recommendation to Council at a future meeting based on the '5+1 Model', which should be implemented in time for the 2017 County Council Elections.

The Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer presented and sought comments on Recommendations 1-15, as follows: -

Recommendation 1 – Feedback from the Executive to Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Committee reiterated its support for this recommendation and recognised that cultural change was required to achieve its desired outcome. Ways in which this could be achieved were discussed, and it was suggested that formal feedback could be recorded on executive decision notices.  The way in which the Planning and Regulation Committee operated was considered and it was suggested that aspects of this way of working could be embraced.  There was need to improve the communication lines between the Executive and Scrutiny Committees.  The Committee felt there should be more feedback from the Executive on its response to recommendations and comments from scrutiny. 

The Committee also felt there was a role for Scrutiny chairmen/vice-chairmen to attend Executive meetings to give a flavour of the debate at scrutiny.

In response to a question, Members were advised of the process for presenting task and finish group reports to the Executive, and it was particularly highlighted that an action plan was produced which the relevant Executive Councillor had to present to the relevant scrutiny committee.  

The Committee reiterated the importance of feedback from the Executive so that scrutiny committees had a response to their comments.  Further to this, the Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

(To consider a report by Nigel West (Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer), which invites the Committee to consider the content of its own work programme and the work programmes of the Council's other scrutiny committees)

i)          Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

The Head of Democratic Services and Statutory Scrutiny Officer advised the Committee that all items listed on the Value for Money Scrutiny Committee’s work programme in relation to budget and performance would transfer over to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee’s work programme.

It was agreed to remove the item on ‘The Local Government Boundary Commission Review’ from the Committee’s agenda on 28 January 2016.

ii)         Adults Scrutiny Committee

The Chairman advised Members that the meeting scheduled to be held on 27 January 2016 had been rearranged to 22 January 2016.

It was noted that Elaine Baylis would be attending the meeting on 24 February 2016 to present an item on Lincolnshire Safeguarding Adults Board, although she had stood down from the role as Chairman of the Board.

The Chairman advised that at the Committee’s meeting on 9 December 2015, consideration was given to a report on the ‘Adult Care Local Account’, which listed a number of items which could be included in the Committee’s work programme for 2016.

iii)        Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

The Vice-Chairman advised that there were no amendments to the Committee’s work programme.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to be held on 15 January 2016 and the agenda was set out on page 73 of the report.  Members were advised that the item on 2016/17 contract would now be an open report and not exempt.  Members were also advised that representatives from the Monks’ Dyke Tennyson College in Mablethorpe and from the campaign group had been invited to address the Committee when considering the pre-decision scrutiny report on its potential closure.

It was suggested that the alternative proposals, as included in the petition address at the meeting of Council on 18 December 2015, were also considered by the Committee as part of this item.

iv)        Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee

The Chairman advised that there were no amendments to the work programme.

However, it was noted that that the report on the Joint Ambulance Conveyance Project which was being considered by the Committee on 13 January 2016 would now be a verbal update, rather than a written report.  It was suggested that the success of this project should be publicised.

Members were advised that the Committee would receive an update on Operation Barnes Wallace in the New Year.

v)         Economic Scrutiny Committee

The Chairman advised that there were no amendments to the work programme.

It was queried whether the Committee’s comments on the ‘Coastal Town Team’ at its meeting on 12 January 2016 could be presented to the meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on 15 January 2016 as they might be relevant to the discussion on the potential closure of Monks’ Dyke Tennyson College in Mablethorpe.

vi)        Environmental Scrutiny Committee/Flood and Drainage Management Scrutiny Committee

The Health Scrutiny Officer advised that there were no changes to the work programme for the Environmental Scrutiny Committee.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.