Agenda item

(To receive a report from the Executive Director – Resources, which invites the Executive to consider the recommendations proposed by Scrutiny Panel B on the review of Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council, as set out in the report)

(1)       That the revised Executive-Scrutiny Protocol referred to in recommendation 1 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for approval.

(2)       That recommendations 2, 3 and 4 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for approval.

(3)       That recommendations 5 and 6 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be implemented.

(4)       That recommendations 7 and 8 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be recommended to the Head of Paid Service for implementation.

Councillor Mrs A Newton, the Chairman of Scrutiny Panel B, presented its report on Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council.  The report and its eight recommendations had been approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 30 April 2020.  Scrutiny Panel B's review followed the publication in May 2019 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of its Statutory Guidance on Overview and Scrutiny in Local and Combined Authorities.

Following its review, Scrutiny Panel B made eight recommendations and the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board confirmed that the Board had supported all the recommendations.

The Executive considered the eight recommendations in turn.  The County Council had adopted an executive – scrutiny protocol in 2016, and the report proposed revisions, which would more closely align it with the statutory guidance and the Council's existing good practice.  Thus, the Executive endorsed the first review recommendation on a revised protocol, for which the County Council's approval would be sought [see part (1) of the resolution below]. 

The Executive also endorsed the second recommendation, which comprised a schedule of proposed deviations from the statutory guidance, together with reasons for the deviation.  This would also be submitted to the County Council for approval [see part (2) of the resolution below]. 

Recommendations three and four from the scrutiny review related to the overview and scrutiny committee structure.  These included a proposal to discontinue the Safeguarding Boards Scrutiny Sub Group and allocate its responsibilities to the Adults and Community Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee and the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.    Reference was made to the role of external agencies on the Sub Group, such as the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), who had requested consideration be given to opportunities for the PCC to engage in partnerships with the County Council.  Alternative partnership arrangements would be explored.  The Executive agreed to support recommendations two and three, which would also be submitted to the County Council for approval [see part (2) of the resolution below].

Recommendations five to eight of the scrutiny review were also supported by the Executive, together with the plans for their implementation, which were set out in the report [See parts (3) and (4) of the resolution].  The following additional comments were made on these recommendations:

Recommendation 6 [Training for Councillors on Overview and Scrutiny] – It was also suggested and agreed that training and support for officers involved in overview and scrutiny would be explored.

Recommendation 8 [Involvement of External Organisations] – On the proposal for a requirement for contractors to provide information for and to attend overview and scrutiny committees, the role of the chairman of each committee was emphasised.  Given the significant number of contracts operated by the Council a judgement would be made on the extent and impact of the contract, before the inclusion of any such requirement.   The role of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in holding the provider of the corporate support services contract to account was cited as an example of good practice.

The Executive also reflected on the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, and agreed that the arrangements for overview and scrutiny would be kept under review.     

RESOLVED

(1)  That the revised Executive-Scrutiny Protocol referred to in recommendation 1 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for approval.

(2)  That recommendations 2, 3 and 4 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for approval.

(3)  That recommendations 5 and 6 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be implemented.

(4)  That recommendations 7 and 8 in the reporton Overview and Scrutiny at Lincolnshire County Council be recommended to the Head of Paid Service for implementation.