Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the municipal year.  The Chair also welcomed Councillors Helen Hayden and Catherine Dobson, newly elected members of Council.

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration.

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor R Wood.  Councillor B Anderson substituted.

To confirm as a correct record, the minutes of the Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services) meeting held on 27 April 2015.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the former Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services) meeting held on 27 April 2015 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting the Board’s terms of reference

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report presenting the Board’s terms of reference as agreed by Council on 21 May 2015

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Board’s terms of reference be noted.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on potential areas of work for the Scrutiny Board

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided information and guidance on potential sources of work to be developed within the Board’s Work Programme for 2015/16. 

Appended to the report was a copy of the Best Council Plan and details of work previously carried out by this Scrutiny Board.

Councillor James Lewis, Executive Member, Resources and Strategy and Alan Gay, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Resources attended the meeting and outlined their respective portfolios and also gave a summary of the financial and organisational issues facing the Council.

A discussion then took place around a number of topics including; income generation and traded services, devolution and local freedoms, smart cities and ICT, contract management, service centralisation, statutory and non-statutory services, human resources issues including staff engagement, flexible working and skills management.

The Chair invited all Board Members to have an input in relation to their own preferred areas of work for the Scrutiny Board.

The following list of work areas was identified;

·  Non contract spend and contract management;

·  Income generation/traded services (including discussions around, universal services, subsidised services and charged services) Commissioning;

·  ICT including  internal resources to manage projects;

·  Smart City roll out;

·  Devolution.

It was agreed that further discussion and additional reports would be submitted regarding devolution prior to a decision being made on any future scrutiny and the appropriate timing of that scrutiny.  Arrangements would also be made for a visit to a meeting of the combined authority.

RESOLVED –

(i)  To agree to receive information in relation to non-contract spend and contract management at the July meeting

(ii)  To authorise the Chair and Scrutiny officer to consult with the relevant Director and Executive Board Member regarding the work programme and report back to the next meeting with a draft work schedule.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on the appointment of co-opted Members to Scrutiny Boards

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development sought the Board’s formal consideration for the appointment of Co-opted Members.

The Board was informed that they could appoint the following:

·  Up to five non-voting co-opted members for a term of office that does not go beyond the next Annual Meeting of Council; and/or

·  Up to two non-voting co-opted members for a term of office that relates to the duration of a particular and specific scrutiny inquiry.

RESOLVED – To appoint co-opted members on an ad-hoc basis for any inquiries where it was deemed appropriate.

Monday, 20 July 2015 at 10.00am (pre meeting for all Board Members at 9.30am)

Monday, 20 July 2015 at 10.00 a.m. (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.30 a.m.)

(The meeting concluded at 11.10am).