Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

It was reported that Councillor J M Whitehouse was substituting for Councillor M Woollard.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

a)            Pursuant to the Council's Code of Member Conduct, Councillor Mrs J H Whitehouse declared a personal interest in agenda  item 5 (Development of Services for Children and Young People in the District) by virtue of being a member of the Children’s and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership’s (CYPSP) Parenting  Sub – Group.  She declared that her interests were not prejudicial and indicated that she would remain in the meeting during the consideration and voting on the item.

b)            Pursuant to the Council's Code of Member Conduct, the Joint Chief Executive (Community) declared a  personal interest in agenda  item 5 (Development of Services for Children and Young People in the District) by virtue of being a member of CYPSP’s Management Board .  He declared that his interests were not prejudicial and indicated that he would remain in the meeting during the consideration and voting on the item.

Decisions required:

To confirm the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 9 November, 7 December 2006 and 9 January 2007.

(a)            That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 November be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record

(b)            That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 7 December 2006 be taken as  read  and signed by the Chairman as a correct record subject to :

(i)      the substitution of the word  ‘increase’ with ‘secure’ in the sixth paragraph of minute 58 (Review of Area Plans Sub – Committees) 

(ii)    The inclusion of Councillor Mrs A Cooper in the list of Councillors Present

(c)            That the minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 9 January 2007 be taken and read  and signed by the Chairman as a correct  record subject to the following amendments to minute 64 (Free Saturday Parking Call – In) :

(iii)   the substitution of the words ‘Town Councils’ with Town Centres (first paragraph of page 34)

(iv)  the replacement of Councillor Woollards comments with the following statement:

“ Councillor Woollard was in principle in favour of the free parking scheme, but this should be considered in the light of the nature of the area under consideration, with parking arrangements to that area. For example Buckhurst Hill has 16 or more boutiques in Queens Road and not so many traditional retails shops as a consequence he did not believe Saturday shopping had more of an increase in parking than any other day of the week. Whilst approving the intentions of the scheme there was poor consultation and even poorer computation. There seemed to be insufficient thought given to the fall in income”.

Recommendation:

To receive an update from Lonica Vanclay, the Local Commissioner for Children’s and Young Peoples’ Services in the District.

The Committee received an initial presentation from Lonica Vanclay at its meeting on 31 August 2006.  She explained the Government’s vision for Children’s’ Services was set out in the Green Paper “Every Child Matters” published in September 2003 and that the Department for Education and Skills had produced non statutory guidance on the role of District Council’s in improving outcomes for children.  A copy of that guidance was attached to the agenda for 31 August meeting.

Ms Vanclay set out the County’s proposed response to the Green Paper, the role of the Children’s and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP), proposed changes to the structure and its links to the wider community especially the Local Strategic Partnership.  The Committee noted the presentation and invited Ms Vanclay to come back in six months to give an update.  That is the purpose of this presentation.

Things have moved fairly quickly since August.  The structure of the CYPSP has been reviewed and Council at its meeting on 19 December 2006 appointed Councillors Mrs Grigg and Mrs Haigh to be its Member level representatives.  They are supported at the CYPSP by the Joint Chief Executive, John Scott, who has also been asked to serve on the CYPSP Co-ordinating Group.

Officers from other Council Services (Housing and Leisure) serve on CYPSP Sub Groups.

At the same time meetings are taking place on the development of Children’s Centres across the District and some Members are attending those meetings in a personal capacity, although it seems likely the District Council will be invited to have formal representation.  However, this is a matter for later consideration.

Lonica Vanclay will bring Members up-to-date on the development of Children’s Services within the District.

The Committee were reminded that at its meeting on 31 August 2006, the Committee had  received an initial presentation from Ms Lonica Vanclay, the Local Commissioner for Children’s and Young Peoples’ Services, on the development and commissioning of children’s and young persons services in the District. She referred to the visions set out in the Green Paper ‘Every Child Matters’, published in September 2003, and that the government had produced non statutory guidance on the role of District Council’s in improving outcomes for children. She set out the County’s proposed response to the paper, the role of CYPSP, proposed changes to the structure and its links to the wider community especially the Epping Forest Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).

At its 19 December 2006 meeting, the Council appointed two Members to serve as its Member level representatives on CYPSP which was also supported by the Joint Chief Executive (Community) who served on its Co-ordinating Group.

The Chairman welcomed back Ms Vanclay and also Ms Gillian Mann, the Children’s Commissioning Manager for the West Essex Primary Care Trust (PCT) to update the Committee on progress with these issues and outcomes. 

Ms Vanclay reminded Members that Epping Forest CYPSP was a strategic partnership  of agencies which commissioned and provided services to improve the wellbeing of all children in the District.

She reported that the Partnership had recently been restructured and as a result, was now lead by a Management Board which determined action to facilitate its key priorities and comprised representatives of agencies such as the PCT, the Police, this Council, the County Council and the LSP. The Board had held its first meeting in January 2007 and would meet on a monthly basis. She advised that the Partnership also comprised a Coordinating Group, a Stakeholder Forum which was open to all agencies involved in children services  and a series of themed Sub – Groups on parenting, play, mental health, the Common Assessment Framework and the various age groups. The Committee heard about the role of the Sub – Groups and funding streams.

The Partnership was responsible to the County CYPSP and to the Epping Forest LSP for the children’s sub bloc of the Local Area Agreement.

Ms Vanclay reminded Members that during her last presentation, Members had asked to receive more specific details on the partnerships achievements and how it had improved the wellbeing of young people. Thus, she drew attention to the partnerships key performance targets and reported on progress made with delivering them. The Committee paid particular attention to the following:

(a)               Reduce the percentage of obese children under 11 years of age.

It was noted that the rate in Epping Forest for the above was 10.6% compared to the Essex average of 10.6%.

It was reported that the Partnership supported the West Essex Healthy Weight Strategy Partnership who was of the view that ‘family orientated solutions’ should to identified to deal with the problem of childhood obesity. The Partnership undertook measures to promote healthy lifestyles and training for partner  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

To note the updated work plan.

The Committee has stressed that this item should focus on new issues not reported elsewhere on the agenda, work carried out since the last meeting of the Committee, or any other significant issue requiring the Committee’s attention. Accordingly, Panel Chairmen are reminded of the need to restrict their progress reports to such issues.

To consider the attached report.

The Committee considered the recommendations of the Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee on the Council budgets for 2007/08. The Committee also received the recommendations of the Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee on the forecasts.

The Chairman of the Scrutiny Panel, Councillor J M Whitehouse reported that at its 15 January 2007 meeting, the Panel considered an updated four year budget forecast which was before the Committee.

The data indicated that CSB growth had been restricted in 2007/08 to keep the forecasts below £17 million.  It was also explained that growth items of £354,000 had been identified for 2008/09 but further saving would be sought over the course of this  year to minimise any net growth. It was too early too identify how this would be achieved but it was likely that some saving would be generated by the review of the Top Management Structure.

The forecasts included that all know DDF items and indicated that at the end of the period a balance of £809,000 was still available. They included estimates for the LABGI income which could be spent on local priorities determined by Members. The Panel had supported the commitment to keep Council Tax increases  in line with inflation and, welcomed the proposed increase of 3.5% for 2007/08 and the use of 2.5% for future increases.  The Committee noted a table indicating that reserves as a percentage of NBR would fall to the guideline by 2009/10. The Panel had raised the need to monitor the reserve levels and the costs of the waste management contact.  The Panel also intended to question each Portfolio Holder about their individual budgets.

The Head of Finance referred to the Capitalisation Directions recently issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government for 2006/07. The Committee considered the shortfalls that this would create and that an urgent report on measures for dealing with this would be submitted to the Cabinet on 5 February 2007.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations of the Finance and Performance Management Scrutiny Panel and the Finance and Performance Management Cabinet Committee   be endorsed and reported to the Cabinet on  5 February 2007.

Recommendation:

To authorise the Constitutional and Members Services Standing Panel to report direct to the Council in February 2007 on its review of Contract Standing Orders and Financial Delegation

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). The Constitutional and Members Services Standing Panel will be completing its review of Contract Standing Orders and Financial Delegation at its meeting on 8 February 2007. It would assist the Councils from the point of view of inspection by the Audit Commission if the review was completed by the financial year 2006/07. This will mean adoption by the Council on 20 February 2007. To achieve this deadline, authority is sought for the Panel to report direct to the February 2007 Council meeting.

It was reported that the Constitution and Members Services Standing Panel would be completing its review of Contract Standing Orders and Financial Delegation at its meeting on 8 February 2007. It would assist the Council from the point of view of inspection by the Audit Commission if the review was completed by the financial year 2006/07. This would mean adoption by the Council on 20 February 2007. To achieve this deadline, authority was sought for the Panel to report direct to the February 2007 Council meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Constitution and Members Services Standing Panel to authorised to report direct to the Council in February 2007 on its review of Contract Standing Orders and Financial Delegation.

Recommendation:

To consider any items to be raised by the Chairman at the Cabinet meeting on 5 February 2007.

Members are reminded to bring to the meeting their copy of the Cabinet agenda.

The Committee considered the Cabinet agenda for its next meeting on 5 February 2007. No new issues were raised.

A Member asked if there was any plans to widen  the concessionary fairs scheme for older persons to allow the pass holders to  travel outside the existing boundaries for the scheme. It was clarified that Transport for London had no immediate  plans to expand the scheme. Officers undertook to keep a watchful eye over the situation and  report back any developments .

Members were reminded that London Underground Ltd  would be attending the April 2007 meeting which would  provide an opportunity for Members to put any questions directly to them about the scheme.