Agenda and minutes

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. 

Members declared interest with regard to the following agenda item:

7. Partnership Scrutiny - Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

Councillor Victoria Irvine, Personal, as Cherwell District Council's outside body representative to Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

There was no urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 July 2009.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2009 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Head of Finance will brief the Board on the options for the scrutiny of the 2010/11 budget.

The Head of Finance briefed the Board on the context and background to the 2010/11 Budget.

The Head of Finance informed the Board that there had been a recent public consultation exercise to prioritise the Council’s services. Overall there had been little movement from previous years although economic development had increased in priority as a result of the recession.

The Council was on target to deliver a balanced budget for 2010/11 but the challenge for this budget exercise would be the need to deliver continued cost reductions and improved service delivery in 2011/12 and subsequent years.

It was suggested that scrutiny should focus on the following four areas:

1. Review the costs of services which had not been the subject of the public consultation priority ranking
2. The cost and delivery of services for old and young people
3. The ways in which services can reduce deprivation
4. The administration and processing of grants

In response to Members questions, the Head of Finance explained that these topics had been put forward as they had not been the subject of value for money reviews or other scrutiny in recent years.  The Board expressed concern about maintaining service standards and staff morale in the face of continued budget cuts. The Head of Finance agreed that this was an area of concern which would be kept under review. The Council was looking at workforce planning for the future and would also be considering the statutory/discretionary split of services.

The Head of Finance agreed to bring more detailed proposals for the scrutiny of the 2010/11 Budget to the Board’s next meeting.

Resolved

That the Head of Finance be invited to bring more detailed proposals for the scrutiny of the 2010/11 Budget to the next meeting.

Report of the Head of Improvement

Summary

To provide the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board with an update on the progress of the Improving Partnership Working project. 

Recommendations

The Resources & Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended to comment on the attached report on the progress of the Improving Partnership Working Project (Appendix 1).

The Head of Improvement presented a progress report on the ‘Improving Partnership Working Project’. He explained that the project was about establishing how the Council could derive value for money from its partnerships. The basic principles of the project were that the Council should apply the same standards to its partnerships as it does to its own services, and that the performance of significant partnerships should be monitored through the Council’s performance management system.

The Community and Corporate Planning Manager informed the Board of the growing importance of partnerships in local government in the context of Local Area Agreement funding.

The Board requested clarification on the distinction between a partnership, an outside body and a contractual working relationship. Members asked for a list containing current partnerships to be brought to the next meeting. The Board stressed the importance of setting clear aims and objectives for all partnerships and reviewing performance against these.  Members of the Board also requested clarification and guidance on the appropriate expression for declarations of interest by Member representatives on outside bodies at Council and partnership meetings.

The Board noted that the Performance Scrutiny Working Group would monitor significant partnerships and refer concerns to the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board.

Resolved

1)                 That the contents of the report be noted

2)         That a list of current partnerships be brought to the Board’s next meeting

3)         That it be noted that the Performance Scrutiny Working Group would monitor the Council’s significant partnerships and refer concerns to the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board.

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

To update Members on the progress to date of the scrutiny review of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council

Recommendations

The Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended to:

1)                 Note the contents of the report and that the review is ongoing.

2)                 Identify further actions to progress the review.

3)                 Consider the issues arising from the Sustainable Community Strategy that impact on the Council’s partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

4)                 To consider the issues Members wish to raise at the question and answer session with the Portfolio Holder Community Safety, Street Scene and Rural, the Strategic Director Environment and Community and the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council Chief Executive at the Board’s October meeting.

The Board considered a report which gave an update on the progress to date of the scrutiny review of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

The Chairman reported on the visit to Cropredy which took place on 24 August 2009. He informed the Board that Cropredy Parish Council had been positive about the work of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and Cherwell District Council. Further visits to Upper Heyford and Bloxham were scheduled for early October and the Chairman encouraged Members of the Board to participate.

The Community and Corporate Planning Manager briefed the Board on issues emerging from the work on the Sustainable Community Strategy which were relevant to the Council’s partnership work with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council. The main issues were rural access and transportation, rural communities as pockets of hidden deprivation, challenges facing an ageing population and the viability of schools.

The Board discussed the issue of isolation in rural areas and the effects that this has on access to various services. It was suggested that deprivation in rural locations can often occur, presenting difficulties in assessing the needs of the rural community as one. Members discussed ways to improve service delivery to rural communities in the district.

The Board asked Officers to provide details of the number of Parishes that had previously been involved with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

Members queried the finance and funding of the partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, noting that the £46,300 spent in 2009/10 was solely for staff and support costs at Oxfordshire Rural Community Council and did not include what the Council spends on grants to Parishes.  Elements of Cherwell’s contribution for 2005/06 to 2007/08 were not shown in the agenda papers. The Rural Development and Countryside Manager agreed to obtain the missing figures and provide them at the Board’s next meeting.

The Chairman reminded the Board that a question and answer session with the Chief Executive of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, the Portfolio Holder Community Safety, Street Scene and Rural and the Strategic Director Environment and Community would be held at the October meeting. Members were asked to forward any questions or issues they wanted to raise to the Scrutiny Officer in advance of the meeting.

Resolved

1)         That the contents of the report be noted

2)         That the Rural Development and Countryside Manager be requested to present further information on Cherwell District Council’s finance and funding to Oxfordshire Rural Community Council from the rural services perspective.

3)         That the issues arising from the Sustainable Community Strategy, that impact on the Councils partnership with Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, be noted.

4)         That the issues Members wish to raise at the question and answer session with the Chief Executive of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, the Portfolio Holder Community Safety, Street Scene and Rural and the Strategic Director Environment and Community at the October meeting, be forwarded to the Scrutiny Officer in advance of the meeting.

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

The Chairman will present the Overview and Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2008/09.

Recommendations

The Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended to:

1)                    Note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2008/09.

The Board considered a report containing information relating to the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board and various Task and Finish Group reviews.

The Board noted that the production of an annual report was a constitutional requirement and that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed to refer the Annual Report 2008/09 to Council without amendment.

Resolved

That the contents of the Overview and Scrutiny Board Annual Report 2008/09 be noted.

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

This report advises Members of the introduction of a Councillor Call for Action as determined by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act, 2007.

Recommendations

The Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended to:

1)                 Note the contents of this report and to consider the implications for this Council of the Councillor Call for Action

2)                 Note the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Councillor Call for Action Guidance (Appendix 1)

The Board considered a report advising Members of the introduction of a Councillor Call for Action as determined by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

The Board noted that this piece of legislation would result in little or no change to the current working practices of Cherwell ward councillors and the operation of the scrutiny committees.  They agreed that it would be of value to circulate the draft guidance note on the Councillor Call for Action to all members of the Council.

Resolved

That the contents of the report be noted.

Report of Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Summary

To provide the Board with an update on the overview and scrutiny work programme for 2009/10.

Recommendations

The Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board is recommended to:

1)                 Note the current Resources & Performance Scrutiny Board element of the work programme for 2009/10 as set out at Appendix 1.

2)                 Note the update on elements of the 2009/10 budget scrutiny (fees and charges).

3)                 Note the update from the Finance Scrutiny and Performance Scrutiny Working Groups.

4)                 Note the update on the food waste processing initiative.

The Board considered a report which updated Members on the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2009/10.

The Board agreed to use the 24 November meeting date and the November meetings of the Finance Scrutiny Working Group and the Performance Scrutiny Working Group for their work on the scrutiny of the 2010/11 budget.

The Head of Finance briefed the Board on the latest position in relation to excess charge notices, abandoned vehicles, Ringo and car parking. Members of the Board commented on a number of issues relating to car parking, for example, residents complaints that the machines do not offer change. They also asked for more detail on the comparative parking figures for Cherwell District Council and other local authorities. The Head of Finance agreed to bring further information on car parking to the Board’s next meeting.

The Board noted that the Finance Scrutiny Working Group and the Performance Scrutiny Working Group had met during the summer and that there were no issues to report.

Resolved

1)                 That the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board element of the work programme for 2009/10 as noted above and set out in Appendix 1 to these Minutes be agreed.

2)                 That the Resources and Performance Scrutiny Board meeting on 24 November and the November meetings of the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Working Groups should be used as a private working sessions on the 2010/11 budget.

3)                 That the update on the elements of the 2009/10 budget scrutiny (fees and charges) be noted and that the Head of Finance be invited to bring further information on car parking to the Board’s next meeting.

4)                 That the update from the Finance Scrutiny and Performance Scrutiny Working Groups be noted.