| 530 | RECORD OF THE MEETING |
| | | The record of the meeting held on 3 January 2008 was signed by the Chairman as correct. |
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| 531 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE |
| | | Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gilry, Harriott and Mackinlay. |
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| 532 | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST |
| | | Councillor Griffiths declared a personal interest in any item concerning Danecourt School as his wife is an employee and in any reference to the Primary Care Trust (PCT) on the grounds that he is a non-executive director of Medway PCT. |
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| 533 | ATTENDANCE BY COUNCILLOR JANICE BAMBER |
| | Discussion: |
| | | Councillor Janice Bamber addressed the Committee about various areas within her portfolio of services including:
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| | • | Customer First including its Chartermark and the 4 P's award for excellence
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| | • | Carbon emissions
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| | • | Benefits department
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| | • | Riverside 1
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| | • | Comprehensive Area Assessment
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| | • | Local Strategic Partnership
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| | • | Award of three star rating and `good' assessment by the Audit Commission
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| | • | Licensing
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| Further clarification was requested on the breakdown of satisfied customers on the Customer First queries and a briefing note on data security at the Council.
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| The Chairman thanked Councillor Janice Bamber for attending the meeting and the information and answers she had provided to the Committee. |
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| | Decision: |
| | | Further clarification to be provided on the breakdown of satisfied customers on the Customer First queries and a briefing note sent on data security at the Council. |
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| 534 | CAPITAL AND REVENUE BUDGET PROPOSALS 2008/2009 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY RESPONSE |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chief Finance Officer gave a brief introduction to the capital and revenue budget proposals 2008/2009.
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| Referring to the prediction of a 22% reduction of service users due to the "Fair Access to Care" policy Members concurred with the view expressed by Community Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee that this amount should be viewed with caution.
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| A suggestion was made that a value for money exercise on out of area placements for special education needs (SEN) would be a useful one for Overview and Scrutiny Committee to undertake. Concern was expressed at the length of time, which had been taken in getting the SEN review underway. It was felt that the delay in taking action would impact negatively on the budget and it was unreasonable to expect the Schools Forum to bear the burden. It was felt that the Cabinet should be urged to ensure that immediate action is taken to ensure that the SEN review is completed as a matter or urgency. |
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| | > Capital and Revenue budget proposals (pdf file 30.4kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | The Committee agreed to forward the responses from the individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees to the Cabinet; |
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| | (b) | | The comments of the Committee as set out in the discussion above were also forwarded to the Cabinet. |
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| 535 | CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Assistant Director, Communications and Improvement, gave a brief introduction to the critical success factors for the period April 2007 to December 2007.
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She then clarified a query raised at the previous evening's meeting of Regeneration and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee by stating that maternity leave was not included in the staff sickness figures.
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| During discussion a request was made that in future when portfolio holders are held to account that there is a list of the services for which the portfolio holder is responsible and their critical success factors.
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| Concern was expressed that although there was a definite upward trend regarding staff sickness levels it was not clear what action was being taken by Corporate Management Team or the Cabinet to deal with this. Members felt it was important to understand the underlying reasons for this increase particularly bearing in mind the current recruitment freeze which could be affecting staff stress levels. A question was also asked whether particular trends of sickness were monitored such as frequent sickness absence on a Monday or Friday.
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| The Assistant Director, Communications and Improvement, stated that sickness was being monitored and she would need to clarify the action currently being taken at the next meeting of the Committee.
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| Reference was made to the legislative changes, which meant that a number of potential fast-tracking benefits claimants now had to go via Job Centre Plus where all benefits were then assessed. Members queried whether they could require someone from the Job Centre to attend Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss this further. The Head of Democratic Services explained that the Committee could invite them to attend but not require them. The Chief Finance Officer pointed out that there had been advantages to the public in the changes and that his department was in regular contact with Job Centre Plus.
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| Clarification was sought as to the figures in paragraph 4.4.5 of the report, which referred to the figures for violent crime and robberies. |
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| | > CSF's (pdf file 84.3kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | The Committee noted the Council's performance against key objectives; |
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| | (b) | | In future when portfolio holders attend Overview and Scrutiny Committees to be held to account information is supplied with the agenda papers on the services and critical success factors within their portfolio; |
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| | (c) | | A report is brought to the next meeting of the Committee setting out management action with regard to improving and monitoring staff sickness levels; |
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| | (d) | | A briefing note is prepared to clarify the information in paragraph 4.4.5 of the report relating to violent crime and robberies in Medway. |
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| 536 | THE LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND LOCAL AREA AGREEMENTS |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Assistant Director, Communications and Improvement, introduced the section of the report relating to changes to the Local Strategic Partnership and local area agreements (LAA). The Head of Democratic Services then introduced the section relating to implications for overview and scrutiny. Both responded to Members' questions.
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| Members questioned how widely the development of the LAA had been informed by consultation with members of the public. It was stated that the priorities had been informed by a range of consultation carried out as part of the development of other plans, for example the community plan, from which the LAA flows. As a result of the very demanding timescales set by government for the re-negotiation of the LAA it had not been possible to carry out a fresh consultation exercise.
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| She explained that the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 lays the basis for the new LAA, and emphasises the community leadership role of councils and places a new legal duty on other public services to co-operate with the Council to develop, implement and manage performance of the local area agreement.
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| Members were informed that an all Member briefing evening would be held on
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| 19 March to explain the changes in more detail. It was suggested that an invitation to this event is sent as a matter of urgency. In addition it is hoped to hold a workshop for members in early March to give them the opportunity to debate potential targets for inclusion in the LAA. Responding to a question the Assistant Director, Communications and Improvement, explained that it would not be too late at that workshop for Members to comment on the proposed targets. A request was made that all Members should be advised that they are able to attend LSP meetings, should they so wish. It was also requested that a follow up is undertaken of those Members who do not attend the briefing on 19 March to ensure they are made aware of the changes. |
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| | > Appendix 1 (pdf file 13.6kb) |
| | > Appendix 2 (pdf file 18.6kb) |
| | > Appendix 3 (pdf file 878.3kb) |
| | > LSP report (pdf file 24.7kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | Members welcomed the local area agreement workshop and briefing to be held and officers undertook to follow up the events with Members who did not attend; |
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| | (b) | | It was noted that a further report would be received by the Committee on the allocation of LAA targets across the existing Overview and Scrutiny Committees;
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| | (c) | | Officers to consider imaginative ways of involving the public in the process of the LSP and LAAs at the appropriate times; |
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| | (d) | | Members agreed to pursue the suggestions set out in paragraph 6.4 of the report; |
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| | (e) | | A further report was requested on the future scrutiny of LSP outcomes. |
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| 537 | REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chief Finance Officer referred to table 1 of the report showing the directorate overspend position to November 2007. He stated that an email had recently been sent to all staff reminding them of the Council's budget position and the moratorium which was in place.
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| Responding to a question about progress on paragraph 4.4 of the report he stated that a meeting of the Schools Forum would take place on 14 February 2008. In reply to a question about the position with the leisure budget he stated that it was hoped that there could be increased income following the opening of the Kicks soccer centre in Strood.
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| Reference was made to a suggestion at a recent Local Government Association (LGA) meeting that more work needed to be undertaken between Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and the Council to iron out issues in relation to physical disability and learning disability cases.
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Concern was expressed at the high cost to the Council of out of area based placements in special educational needs cases and the view was put forward that invest to save schemes, to bring as many as possible cases back into the area, should be encouraged. It was accepted that
there would be exceptional cases where this would not be appropriate but in the main such action could alleviate some of the high demands on the Council's budget. |
|
| | > Appendix (pdf file 10.6kb) |
| | > Nov Monitoring 6 February (pdf file 19.3kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | Members noted the forecast outturn position for 2007/2008 and the management action already taken and proposed; |
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| | (b) | | The Committee took on board the recommendation from the LGA to work more closely with the PCT on physical disability and learning disability cases;
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| | (c) | | The Committee recommends to Cabinet to bring SEN area based placements back into Medway's school facilities. |
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| 538 | CAPITAL BUDGET MONITORING |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Chief Finance Officer gave a brief introduction to the capital monitoring report and responded to Members' questions.
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| Members queried paragraph 5.4.3 of the report and asked whether the planned maintenance programme was actually delivering what had been intended. It was agreed that this would be clarified after the meeting.
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| A comment was also made that although capital money had been available for a long time for integrated transport measures that delivery of the projects was taking a long time. A scheme for a zebra crossing at Beechings Way was referred to and it was stated that an undertaking had been given to the public to install this over a year ago but it was only just being put in place. It was not felt that this offered good public service delivery. |
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| | > Appendix 1 (pdf file 9.0kb) |
| | > Appendix 2 (pdf file 18.2kb) |
| | > Appendix 3 (pdf file 26.8kb) |
| | > Appendix 4 (pdf file 21.4kb) |
| | > Appendix 5 (pdf file 24.5kb) |
| | > Appendix 6 (pdf file 28.3kb) |
| | > Appendix 7 (pdf file 9.5kb) |
| | > Capital budget monitoring (pdf file 34.3kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | (a) | | Members noted the contents of the report and the progress to date towards achieving the outputs set by the capital programme; |
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| | (b) | Officers were requested to clarify the meaning of paragraph 5.4.3.and bring this information back to the Committee at a later date;
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| | (c) | | Regeneration and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee was requested to look at delivery of smaller projects where funding is already available. |
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| 539 | WORK PROGRAMME |
| | Discussion: |
| | | The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator gave a brief introduction to the work programme report and explained that section 4 of the report set out the co-ordinating role of the Committee in relation to the work undertaken by all Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
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| Concern was expressed about the potential workload of the Health and Adult Social Care Sub-Committee in particular.
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| A couple of additional items were added to the list of matters, which had been considered by Regeneration and Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6 February. These were the fundamental review of drugs and alcohol and a call in regarding concessionary fares. It was also pointed out that the item relating to school admission arrangements for September 2009 would now be considered by Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 April 2008. |
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| | > Appendix - Work programme schedule (pdf file 15.2kb) |
| | > Appendix 2 - Scrutiny activity (pdf file 13.6kb) |
| | > Appendix 3 - Forward plan (pdf file 10.5kb) |
| | > Work programme - report (pdf file 12.0kb) |
| | Decision: |
| | | The Committee's work programme and the amendments to the work programmes of the other Overview and Scrutiny Committees were noted. |
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