Verbal Update
Minutes:
Members were given updates on the recent work of the other three Scrutiny Committees. The Chairs of the Committees gave the updates.
Customer Service & Transformation Scrutiny Committee
The Chair of the Customer Service & Transformation Scrutiny Committee updated Members on the work of their Committee:
Between August and November 2019, the Committee had considered a range of reports. Some of them had been regular performance monitoring reports such as:
· Corporate Plan quarterly updates
· Customer Service Standards and Complaints
Other reports the Committee had considered included:
· The review and revision of the Rent Arrears Policy
· The development of the new website including compliance with new accessibility regulations and a demonstration of the site being developed
The Committee had two Review Topics for this year:
· The Re-letting of Council Properties – the Committee was near the end of evidence gathering for this review and had started to map this back to the scope and formulate some early recommendations. This review also incorporated the current review of the Housing Allocations Policy, which the Committee was aiming to look at in detail again at the next meeting
· The customer experience and the Council’s approach with New Bolsover Model Village redevelopment – the Committee was still gathering evidence for this review but had started to map this back to the scope to assess where there were gaps in information, and to agree further information required.
The Committee had embedded a programme of monitoring updates from the Transformation Governance Group and was to keep colleagues updated on the work of the Committee on this area of service delivery, as the Committee receives further information.
The Committee has completed post-scrutiny monitoring against two past reviews and these were progressing well:
· An operational Review of Standards Committee; and
· The Review of Delivery of Environmental Health & Licensing
The monitoring was due to be completed in March next year.
Healthy, Safe, Clean & Green Communities Scrutiny Committee
The Chair of the Healthy, Safe, Clean & Green Communities Scrutiny Committee updated Members on the work of their Committee:
The Committee had received a range of performance monitoring reports such as:
· Corporate Plan quarterly updates
· Health & Wellbeing Strategy – assessing delivery of the Strategy and action plan and current trends
The Committee had also received reports to assess:
· The Building Resilience Programme – looking at Phase 1 Outcomes, aspirations for Phase 2 and embedding the scheme and the learning, ensuring sustainability to the work completed to date
· The Council’s approach to the Climate Emergency – following the motion considered by Council earlier in the year. Members were briefed on the Carbon Reduction Plan and the Council’s short and long term plans to address issues at a local and national level
The Committee had been involved in the development of the new Joint Animal Welfare Policy and provided feedback as part of the consultation process, prior to adoption.
Post-scrutiny monitoring had taken place against two past reviews:
· The Authority’s Perception of Young People – this was progressing well and the monitoring was due to complete in March 2020.
· The Committee had received the final monitoring report for the Review of Environmental Enforcement. All recommendations had been successfully implemented and all Members were due to receive a briefing on the progress of the service shortly at Council.
The Committee had identified two topics for Review this year:
· Children in care and Care Leavers – the Committee has looked in detail at proposals for the Care Leavers Offer, and assessed the Council’s approach via Housing Services and the partnership working in place. The Committee still had some evidence to gather but this review was progressing well.
· Mitigation of Air Pollution – the focus as on existing monitoring areas, the District’s four main towns, and around schools. The Committee had incorporated the motion presented to Council earlier in 2019. This review was not progressing as fast at this stage and was potentially to extend into 2020/21.
Growth Scrutiny Committee
The Chair of the Growth Scrutiny Committee updated Members on the work of their Committee:
The Committee had received a range of performance monitoring reports for the both the Corporate Plan and the Growth Strategy, which included specific performance indicators agreed by Scrutiny. To date performance was relatively on track.
The Committee’s current review topic was examining Current and Future External Funding. The Committee had been assessing the Council’s approach to identifying funding and how it develops projects and goes through the bidding process. The Committee had gathered evidence from a number of internal and external sources including more recently the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, which was very informative. The Committee had started to map the evidence to the scope and identify potential recommendations. This work was to be finalised in 2020 before the end of the municipal year.
3) In early 2020, the Committee was aiming to complete some additional work in relation to the private rented sector, including examining the role of Members and how they work with partners. This was to look also at the approach of housing associations, accredited landlords and how the Council can secure improvements and ease any negative impact from poorly managed private rented housing.
Moved by Councillor Ray Heffer and seconded by Councillor Tom Munro.
RESOLVED that the updates from the three Scrutiny Committee Chairs be noted.