Agenda item

(Director of Governance) To consider the attached report (AGC-017-2014/15).

The Committee received a further report in connection with the review of the existing framework of the Council’s overview and scrutiny panels, currently being undertaken by a Task and Finish Panel appointed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Mr. S. Hill, Assistant Director (Governance and Performance Management) reported that the views of the Committee expressed at the last meting in respect of options being investigated by at that time, which had included the possible combination of the Committee with the Standards Committee, had since been fully considered by the Panel.

Members noted that, in view of the reservations of the Committee, the combination of the two committees had now been omitted from the recommendations of the Task and Finish Panel as to the future structure of the overview and scrutiny framework. Mr. Hill reported that the decision of the Panel in this respect had had regard to the need to ensure the continued independence of audit and governance matters from the Council’s executive and scrutiny functions. The Committee was advised that, although general member feedback indicated that the combination of the Audit and Governance Committee and the Standards Committee was not generally supported, it might be necessary to review the operation of the Audit and Governance Committee at some point in the future, to address the requirements of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. To further address the concerns previously expressed by the Committee, the lead officer for the Governance Select Committee was to ensure clear demarcation between matters considered by the Select Committee and those that were within the clearly defined responsibilities of the Audit and Governance Committee.

The Committee noted that, at its meeting on 15 January 2015, the Task and Finish Panel had agreed that the following matters be recommended to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on with regard to the future structure of the overview and scrutiny panel framework:

(a)       the establishment of a new overview and scrutiny framework of four ‘select committees’, with eleven members appointed to each select committee in accordance with pro-rata provisions;

(b)       the re-establishment of the existing Constitution and Member Services Scrutiny Panel as a new ‘Constitution Working Group’ and the appointment of existing members of the Scrutiny Panel to the Working Group;

(c)       the deferral of any action with regard to the combination of the Audit and Governance Committee and the Standards Committee but that, if necessary, a further Task and Finish Panel be established in future to consider such combination in light of new legislative audit requirements;

(d)       the development of focused and achievable work programmes for each select committee each year, drawing on Portfolio Holder and service delivery aims and objectives, and relevant community priorities; and

(e)       the enhancement of current training arrangements for members in respect of overview and scrutiny, including the use a variety of appropriate techniques and methodologies in the undertaking of future scrutiny and service review activity.

Mr. Hill reported that the select committee framework recommended by the Task and Finish Panel, which was substantially aligned with the Council’s current management structure,  improved current arrangements where not all service areas were subject to scrutiny or allocated to a particular panel for scrutiny purposes. The development of annual work programmes for each select committee, informed by relevant service aims and priorities, was a key feature of the new framework.

Resolved:

That the Committee support the recommendations of the Task and Finish Panel for the establishment of a new overview and scrutiny framework based on a structure of four ‘select committees’.