Agenda item

This report reviews the Overview and Scrutiny function in Medway and how it compares with other local authorities. The report also provides a response to concerns raised by Members about how the e-petition facility in Medway is currently working with particular reference to the accessibility of the e-petition pages on the Council’s website.

Discussion:

The Democratic Services Manager introduced the report, which set out details of the council’s overview and scrutiny function and how it compared to other local authorities, based on Centre for Public Scrutiny survey results and CIPFA benchmarking information. The committee was advised that the review had provided reassurance that Medway’s Overview and Scrutiny arrangements were operating in line with best practice although members had the option of commissioning external validation of this at any time. Notable innovations in Medway had been the early integration of the scrutiny of health and social care, the use of themed meetings to look at topics in depth and the introduction of a new and systematic process for choosing and programming Task Group work. The Committee was advised that levels of staffing support and expenditure on discretionary scrutiny activity was lower in Medway than the national average. The number of scrutiny reviews undertaken in Medway compared favourably with the national average but was lower than the average in other Unitary Councils. It was encouraging to note that Medway had a high number of scrutiny recommendations accepted by the Cabinet compared to other Councils, as this was a key measure of scrutiny impact.

The report also set out areas suggested for further review and improvement over the next year. One of the recommendations suggested transferring responsibility for scrutiny of children’s health from the Children and Young People (CYP) Overview and Scrutiny Committee to the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee with Members of the CYP continuing to be notified when children’s health issues were to be discussed.

The committee was advised that following Member’s concerns, there had been a rigorous test of the e-petitions facility and the route to accessing this facility on the website had been improved so that it only involved two clicks to reach it from the home page.

The Chairman of the Children and Young People (CYP) Overview and Scrutiny Committee advised that he thought that the CYP committee should retain responsibility for scrutiny of three areas of children’s health which were the Child Development Centre; Children and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS); and paediatrics. Other aspects of children’s health scrutiny should be transferred to the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Another Member stated his concern at any proposal to split scrutiny of children’s health between two committees, as it should remain clear and transparent to everyone where an item would be considered and this could become complicated.

A Member asked for more Member development prior to the start of Task Group work, in order that task groups began with a good knowledge of the subject matter. He also expressed support for the recommendation that Universities in Medway should be approached to see if they could assist in building capacity for scrutiny work. Members also asked for further information on the legal obligations of partner organisations to provide information and attend meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The Head of Democratic Services undertook to provide a briefing note on this and was asked to include the position in relation to Academies.

With reference to the recommendation that there should be a review of the number and frequency of Overview and Scrutiny meetings the committee discussed its concern at the length of meetings and the pressure on the programme of business since there had been a reduction from eight to six meetings of each Committee per year. The Regeneration, Community and Culture (RCC) Overview and Scrutiny Committee was of particular concern as it had the highest attendance of Portfolio Holders being held to account, which represented 21% of its workload and impacted on the time available to scrutinise other issues. A Member suggested that the number of meetings for the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee could be reduced and additional meetings created for the RCC Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Members suggested this should be explored further.

The Head of Democratic Services reminded members that there would need to be an increase in staffing capacity in Democratic Services before additional meetings could be programmed. She suggested members might like to explore the scope to address their concerns by re-programming meetings, minimising information items and making more use of member briefings before seeking additional resources in the context of the overall financial position of the Council.

A Member commented on the low number of petitions received through the
e-petition facility. He suggested that the e-petition facility could be given higher profile on the Council’s web pages.

Decision:

The committee agreed to:

(a)    support the action recommended in paragraphs 6.1 to 6.5 to ensure continuous improvement of the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny function and to ask the Head of Democratic Services to work with the Chairman and Spokespersons of this Committee to programme this work and other action requested by Members, in the context of other priorities set by Overview and Scrutiny Committees;

(b)    not review Committee structures at this stage and to note advice that should this be taken forward in future it will be important to evaluate the cost and scope for improved scrutiny impact of any alternative models;

(c)   recommend the Council to transfer responsibility for the scrutiny of children’s health to the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, subject to agreement by the Children and Young Peoples Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, noting the view of the Chairman of the CYP O and S Committee that scrutiny of the  Child Development Centre; Children and Adult Mental Health Service (CAMHS); and paediatrics should remain with that Committee;

(d)         welcome the action taken to test the Council’s e-petition facility and improve access for the public from the home page of the Council’s website;

(e)         request more Member development prior to the start of an in depth review, in order that Members begin Task Group work with a good knowledge of the subject matter;

(f)           record member concerns about the impact of the reduction from eight to six Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings each year and that this should be factored in to the exercise to review the programming of meetings and business;

(g)         ask the Head of Democratic to circulate a Briefing Note on the legal obligations of partner organisations to provide information and attend Overview and Scrutiny Committees including Academies.