Agenda item

Report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services

To consider the Committee’s work programme for 2009/10.

The Committee considered the report on the draft overview and scrutiny work programme 2009/10 and made a number of observations.  The Committee acknowledged the need to take account of potential resource constraints and the guidance on excluded matters when determining the work programme.  They agreed that it was important to ensure that any scrutiny review would deliver tangible results for the benefit of the residents of the district.

Annual Work Programme Canvas

The Committee were pleased to see that there had been an increase in the number of responses from Parish Councils, although many of the topics suggested related to specific service issues or were the responsibility of other authorities, and were therefore not suitable for scrutiny.  They noted that officers would respond to all of the Parish Council enquiries explaining the outcome of the Committee’s discussion on work programme scheduling.

The Committee also noted the detailed suggestions put forward by the local MP. 

Potential scrutiny topics

After due consideration of all of the proposals the Committee agreed to take forward three possible topics for scrutiny:

·         Preparations for an ageing population

·         Youth Facility Provision

·         Preparations for the 2012 Olympics tourism potential for the district.

They recognised that each of these topics were complex and wide-ranging and asked officers to prepare more detailed briefing and scoping documents for consideration at the next meeting.

They also suggested that the Resources & Performance Scrutiny Board should consider adding a scrutiny review of the Registered Social Landlords’ Management Partnership and related standards to their work programme.

Monitoring of past scrutiny reviews

The Committee said that they wished to adopt a stronger role in monitoring the outcomes of past scrutiny reviews and agreed that RAF Bicester Conservation Area should be included in the monitoring section of the work programme.  The Chief Executive suggested that it would be appropriate to take an initial update on this at the next meeting of the Committee.

Resolved

1)                       That the draft overview and scrutiny work programme for 2009/10 be agreed subject to the amendments detailed above, and as set out at Appendix 1 to these minutes;  

2)                       To note the responses to the annual work programme canvas;

3)                       That the following topics should be added to the work programme for further research and scoping assessment and brought to the next meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for consideration:

·         Preparations for an ageing population

·         Youth Facility Provision

·         Preparations for the 2012 Olympics tourism potential for the district.