Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 15 March and 18 May 2022.

The minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 15 March 2022 and 18 May 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Chairman set out his vision for Overview and Scrutiny and the Committee. He explained that it was important to him to speak with Committee members and he would therefore contact all Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members outside of the meeting to discuss the work programme and what he would like the Committee to achieve over the coming year.

There were no items of urgent business.

Celia Prado-Teeling, Interim Assistant Director of Customer Focus, will give a presentation on the performance monitoring framework and reporting cycle, and the role of Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the performance monitoring process.

Resolved

(1)      That the presentation on the Performance Monitoring Framework and reporting cycle  be noted.

The Interim Assistant Director of Customer Focus gave a presentation on the performance monitoring framework and reporting cycle, and the role of Overview and Scrutiny in performance monitoring.

In the course of discussion, Members of the Committee commented that they understood that a function of the committee was to scrutinise the performance aspects of the report but asked if there was a procedure where any concerns about risk and/or finance could be relayed to the committees which considered these parts of the report.

Noting the comments of the Committee, the Interim Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services Monitoring Officer agreed that clarity was needed and that if a report was considered by a Committee, it should be considered in totality.  From a Governance perspective, the Interim Monitoring Officer would review which reports were considered by which Committee and at what stage of the process.

Resolved

(1)       That the presentation on the Performance Monitoring Framework and reporting cycle  be noted.

Committee are asked to consider the indicative work programme for 2022-23, and discuss potential scrutiny review topics, to be developed into scoping documents for consideration and agreement at future meetings.

Members are reminded of the five roles of scrutiny when considering items for the work programme:

Performance Monitoring

Policy Development

Policy Review

Holding the Executive to account

External Scrutiny

There are three documents for the Committee to consider:

Appendix 1 – Indicative work programme for 2022-23

Appendix 2 – Topic list update

Appendix 3 – update on items previously submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To consider and agree the indicative work programme 2022-23

1.2          To approve the re-establishment of the Member Education and Training Working Group, and to delegate authority to the Assistant Director Law, Governance & Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to liaise with Group Leaders regarding membership of the Group and request that the Working Group submit a scoping document to the 5 July Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting for agreement.

1.3          To approve the continuation of the Parish Engagement Working Group, to delegate authority to the Assistant Director Law, Governance & Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to liaise with Group Leaders regarding membership of the Group and request that the Working Group submit a scoping document to the 5 July Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting for agreement.

1.4          To note the update on items previously submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved

(1)       That the indicative work programme 2022-2023 be agreed.

(2)       That it be agreed that the Member Education and Training Working Group be re-established and authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee to liaise with the Group Leaders regarding membership of the Working Group and a Scoping Document be submitted to the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee for agreement.         

(3)       That it be agreed that the Parish Engagement Working Group be re-established and authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee to liaise with the Group Leaders regarding membership of the Working Group and a Scoping Document be submitted to the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee for agreement.

(4)       That the update on items previously submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.            

The Committee considered the indicative work programme for 2022-2023. 

The Committee noted that the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 was listed as an item to be scheduled  on the work programme and requested that an update on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and the Growth Deal be included with this item when submitted to the Committee.

In response to Members’ comments regarding consideration of reports by the Committee prior to consideration by Executive, the Governance and Elections Manager advised that all councillors received email notification when the Executive Forward Plan was published. If there were items the Committee wished to scrutinise, it was important that Members requested items be added to their agenda in a timely manner to allow sufficient time for Overview and Scrutiny comments to be considered by Executive before items were finalised.

The Committee considered the list of “Topics for Scrutiny” suggested by  Committee Members. Highlighting that “Planning Policy for the District including the Growth Deal” had been on the Topic list for a considerable time, it was requested that the item be scheduled for consideration.

The Committee agreed that the Member Education and Training Working Group and the Parish Engagement Working Group should be re-established and submit scoping documents to the July meeting of the Committee. 

Resolved

(1)       That the indicative work programme 2022-2023 be agreed.

(2)       That it be agreed that the Member Education and Training Working Group be re-established and authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee to liaise with the Group Leaders regarding membership of the Working Group and a Scoping Document be submitted to the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee for agreement.         

(3)       That it be agreed that the Parish Engagement Working Group be re-established and authority be delegated to the Assistant Director Law, Governance and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee to liaise with the Group Leaders regarding membership of the Working Group and a Scoping Document be submitted to the next meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee for agreement.

(4)       That the update on items previously submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.