Agenda item

(a)          To consider the updated work programme

The current Overview and Scrutiny work programme is attached for information.

(b)          Reserve Programme

A reserve list of scrutiny topics is required to ensure that the work flow of OSC is continuous.

OSC will ‘pull out’ items from the list and allocate them accordingly once space becomes available in the work programme following the completion of existing reviews.

Members can put forward any further suggestions for inclusion in the reserve list either during the meeting or at a later date.

Existing review items will be dealt with first, then time will be allocated to the items contained in the reserve work plan.

At present we have had the following PICK forms submitted for the Committees’ consideration. They are:

·        Waste Services – from Councillor W Breare-Hall; and

·        6^th Form Consortium – from Councillor Angold-Stephens

(a)          Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Committee considered their work programme. They noted that the new draft rules for the Overview and Scrutiny would be going to their October meeting.

They agreed that:

(a)  Item 3 of the work programme, meeting with Essex Children Services, to be deferred to the April 2016 meeting;

(b)  Item 11, the County Fire and Rescue Service, that the County Portfolio Holder responsible for this service be invited to attend this meeting as well; and

(c)  Item 10, Bart Health Services should come back to their February 2016 meeting.

(b)          Select Committees

Housing Select Committee

Councillor Murray updated the meeting on the progress made by the Housing Select Committee at their first meeting, when they considered the Homelessness Strategy, Housing Standards, energy efficiency, the Housing Service Strategy and the KPI outturn for 2014/15, all of which were achieved.

Governance Select Committee

In the absence of the Chairman Mr Hill reported on the Committee’s first meeting, when they looked at their Terms of Reference and work plan for the year and received reports on the recent elections in May, public consultation and their KPI outturn for 2014/15.

Neighbourhood and Community Services Select Committee

Councillor Sartin updated the meeting on their recent meeting when they looked at their Terms of Reference and work programme; they asked that some of the minutes that the Safer Cleaner Greener Scrutiny Panel used to received should now be put into the Council Bulletin for general consumption; they also looked at the KPI outturn report for 2014/15 and received feedback on the waste contract form the portfolio holder.

Resources Select Committee

Councillor Mohindra reported that there were intending to spend as little time as possible on looking at KPIs unless they were considering things that had gone wrong. They would concentrate on things that were doing really well or really badly.

Grant Aid Task and Finish Panel

The Committee noted their revised deadline of winter 2015, with a final report to the O&S by January 2016.

Youth Engagement Task and Finish Panel

Councillor Murray reported on the work of this Panel. They were looking to produce a final report and send it to the O&S Committee by October 2015.

(c)          Reserve Programme

(i)           PICK Form submitted by Councillor Breare-Hall on the Council’s Waste Management Contract.

The Committee agreed that it should go to the Neighbourhood and Community Services Select Committee and that a special meeting be held to consider this, and that all members and the public be invited to take part and that the meeting should also be webcast.

Councillor Wixley asked that they also consider the emptying of public litter bins at the same meeting.

(ii)          PICK Form submitted by Councillor Angold-Stephens on the Progress of the new 6^th Form Consortium for our District.

The Committee agreed that this should go to the February 2016 meeting of this Committee. And to ask appropriate head teachers to attend and to give a presentation on how the new consortium was working up to that point.

They would also like the word “basic” removed from the paragraph on the Council’s performance in this area so that it did not refer to ‘basic’ A level courses’.