Agenda item

Potential Work Programming Process for the Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Overview and Scrutiny Coordinating Group to consider the proposals for the Scrutiny Work Programming process and timetable for 2021/2022

Minutes:

At the Chair’s invitation, the Deputy Democratic Services Manager presented the report and highlighted the options for consideration in the report. The first option outlined that all Scrutiny, other non-executive Councillors and Cabinet Members would partake in an interactive workshop event to determine the work programme for Overview and Scrutiny. The Deputy Democratic Services Manager explained that prior to the event a questionnaire would be devised that would include public participation and at the event this would be used to inform discussions and Cabinet Members could be invited to deliver a speech on their priorities for the year ahead. She explained that Executive Directors and Assistant Directors would also be invited so that they could be informed with potential areas for review, offer advice and inform Overview and Scrutiny of any reviews which would duplicate work already planned to take place in the service area. The workshop groups would have an hour to consider potential Scrutiny reviews and pre-decision scrutiny and the list of topics formulated at work programme as a result of the workshop event would then be passed onto the Chairs of the Corporate, People and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committees for shortlisting and brought back to the Coordinating Scrutiny Group to finalise and formally approve the work programme for 2021/2022. Alternatively, option 2 would include a similar format except there would be separate workshop events specific to the Overview and Scrutiny committees Corporate, People and Place, or option 3 would be an informal discussion between each of the Scrutiny Committees.

 

The Chair felt that option 1 would be too busy and would not allow for focussed discussion, as all three committees would be discussed within an hour and he felt that although option 2 would be more time consuming it would be more beneficial having 3 smaller, more focussed work programme events. Members agreed that more time planning and reviewing what had been reviewed by the respective authorities before the move to Unitary would be advantageous. They also felt that public engagement and engagement with officers from across the Council was important as it would promote inclusivity which Overview and Scrutiny welcomed.

 

Members considered how the work programme would work in the inaugural year of the West Northamptonshire Council. The Monitoring Officer advised that the Overview and Scrutiny Committees would be allocated a work programme, which would consist of longer term and short term projects, task and finish groups and any arising matters throughout the year could be added onto the work programme to give Scrutiny flexibility to carry out work on any issues they felt needed addressing in the first year of the new authority.

 

Members agreed that option 2 was the most suitable approach to formulating the work programme for 2021/2022 and agreed the Scrutiny work programming process and timetable for 2021/2022. The Deputy Democratic Services Manager agreed to confirm the work programme process and timetable with Overview and Scrutiny members.

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That the Committee considered the proposals contained the report as set out at paragraphs 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5 and agreed to option 2 as well as the Scrutiny work programming process and timetable for 2021/2022.

 

 

Supporting documents: