Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 2 June 2015.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 June 2015 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

Report of Head of Transformation

Purpose of report

To provide an update on customer feedback, including customer complaints.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the year end position of customer feedback and the total number of corporate complaints received to the Council during 2014/2015.

1.2       To review and agree new reporting practises whereby the current Customer Insight Report will be amalgamated into the Performance Management quarterly reporting process to the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee and Executive.

Resolved

(1)       That the report be noted

(2)       That the new reporting practices for the Customer Insight report be agreed

The Committee considered a report from the Head of Transformation which detailed customer feedback and complaints received between October 2014 and March 2015.

The Acting Corporate Performance Manager advised the Committee that work was underway to clarify the ‘unknown’ category of the valid/invalid complaints tables in section 4.1 of both appendices.

In response to questions from the Committee, the Acting Corporate Performance Manager provided an overview of the complaints process and explained that correspondence was registered as a complaint if it involved dissatisfaction with a service the Council had provided. 

Resolved

(1)       That the report be noted

(2)       That the new reporting practices for the Customer Insight report be agreed

Report of Head of Law and Governance

Purpose of report

This report presents the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme 2015/16 for consideration. 

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To consider the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2015/16 as set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

1.2         To note any items of interest in the Executive Work Programme and consider whether to include them on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2015/16.

1.3         To consider if there are any other items Members would like to include on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme.

Resolved

(1)       That, subject to the following amendments, the work programme be noted:

·      Update on Youth Engagement to September meeting

·      Review of Local Plan Process; Wind Turbines and their locations, and the application of the fracturing mining technique; and Rural Exception Site and Allocations Policy to be scheduled for the October meeting

·      Management of the self-build element of the Graven Hill Development to be scheduled for the September meeting

(2)       That the Head of Environmental Services be invited to the September meeting of the Committee to discuss the Strategic Review of Recycling

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Law and Governance which detailed the Overview and Scrutiny work programme for the coming year.

With regard to the Youth Engagement Scrutiny review, officers advised the Committee that an update would be given at the September meeting.

In connection with the Recycling review, officers advised the Committee that a report regarding a Strategic Review of Recycling was due to be submitted to the October meeting of Executive, and suggested that the Head of Environmental Services be invited to the September meeting of this Committee to give an overview ahead of its consideration by Executive. The Committee endorsed this suggestion.  

Councillor Lawrie Stratford updated the Committee on progress of the Website Panel since the last meeting. A further meeting had been held with the Head of Joint ICT Business Service, and an assurance had been given that there would be scrutiny involvement in the website project.

Following receipt of the Inspectors report on the Examination of the Local Plan, the Committee requested that items relating to a review of the local plan process, wind turbines and their locations and the application of fracturing, and rural exception sites and allocation policy be scheduled for the October meeting.

The Committee also requested an update on the Graven Hill development be submitted to the September meeting.     

With regards to other potential scrutiny review topics, Members suggested the Local Management Organisation for North West Bicester and Grounds Maintenance.  It was also noted that the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee had made a referral to the Committee to investigate the retrospective issue of capital slippage where no spend had occurred and if there were issues with either the management of services or problems with business planning where staff time for capital schemes should be allocated. The Committee asked officers to consider the feasibility of these potential review items with the Chairman and advise Members accordingly.

Resolved

(1)       That, subject to the following amendments, the work programme be noted:

·      Update on Youth Engagement to September meeting

·      Review of Local Plan Process; Wind Turbines and their locations, and the application of the fracturing mining technique; and Rural Exception Site and Allocations Policy to be scheduled for the October meeting

·      Management of the self-build element of the Graven Hill Development to be scheduled for the September meeting

(2)       That the Head of Environmental Services be invited to the September meeting of the Committee to discuss the Strategic Review of Recycling