Agenda item

To consider the attached report on the six monthly work programme.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Mr Tautz, the Democratic Services Manager took the Committee through their current Work Programme reviewing the 6 months of work carried out so far, noting that we have had item 2 today, the presentation on Children Services and that item 5 should read January 2015 and not 2014 and also noted that the quarter 2 report on the key objectives will now go to the next meeting.

Councillor Girling noted that the JCC had recently received a presentation form the apprentices who had just completed their first year at the Council and suggested that it would be a good idea if they got to do their presentation to a wider audience and could they perhaps come to a future meeting of this Committee. The Chairman asked that a PICK form be submitted so that the Committee could consider this request formally.

Housing Scrutiny Panel

The Committee noted their current position on their work programme.

Constitution and Member Services Scrutiny Panel

The Committee noted that this Panel had not met since the last meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Their next meeting will be held on 27 November, when they would be looking at the Joint Consultative Committee and the Council procedure rules.

Safer Cleaner Greener Scrutiny Panel

Councillor Lea noted that she had nothing further to add. It was noted that no officers from NEPP had yet been to one of this Panel’s meeting and that Nick Alston the PCC would be going to a Local Council’s Liaison Committee meeting.

Councillor Wixley noted that the Panel had not received any minutes from the SLM contract monitoring board for some time. He noted that there had been problems at the Loughton Leisure Centre which needed to be got to grips with. Mr Macnab noted that there was a constant push for improvement. He would also look at the availability of notes for the next meeting.

Councillor Chana noted that the Local Highways Panel was not a District but a County Panel. Councillor Church noted that this was in effect a liaison committee with the ECC. Councillor Surtees noted that concerns had been raised about public access to this Panel, could it be improved and made more open. Members on this Panel noted that they were always happy to feed through other councillor’s comments to the Panel meetings.

Councillor Janet Whitehouse asked if the notes of the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) should go to this Panel or should they go in the Council Bulletin for all members to see.

Planning Services Scrutiny Panel

Councillor Chambers noted that at the last meeting Councillor Angold-Stephens had a question on Building Control; a report on this should be going to their April meeting.

Finance and Performance Management Scrutiny Panel

Councillor Church had noted that they had not met since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting.

Councillor Stavrou asked that members attend the Finance Cabinet Committee meeting on 20 January 2015 and give their views.

Scrutiny Panel Review Task and Finish Panel

Mr Tautz informed the meeting that this was still ongoing but will be completed in time. The last meeting had the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Scrutiny Panels to give their views. He reminded members that there would be an O&S workshop on Saturday, 22 November and extended an invitation for all members to attend.

Grant Aid Task and Finish Panel

It was noted that this Panel was still short on Conservative Group nominations.