Agenda item

This item advises Members of the current work programme and allows the Committee to adjust it in the light of latest priorities, issues and circumstances. It gives Members the opportunity to shape and direct the Committee’s activities over the year. 

Discussion:

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report advising Members of the current work programme which allowed them to adjust it in light of latest priorities, issues and circumstances.

An agenda planning meeting had been held on 28 February 2014 and the following changes to the work programme had been agreed:

(a)               Update on the joint venture with NORSE – quarter 3 2013/14 be deferred to the meeting on the Committee to be held on 3 July 2014 and the Update on the joint venture with NORSE – end of year 2013/14 (also going to the July meeting of the Committee) to be merged into one report.

(b)               Update on discussions with the Gambling Commission to be submitted to the meeting to be held on 3 July 2014.

(c)               Access to and use of IT in Medway to be removed from the work programme and included in the scope of the Welfare Reform Task Group.

(d)               Participatory Budgeting – The Director of Recreation, Community and Culture and the Chief Finance Officer to meet to scope this subject and to report back to the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Opposition Spokesmen for further discussion.

(e)               Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Development Programme to be submitted to the meeting to be held on 3 July 2014.

(f)                 Communications Shared Service to be submitted to the meeting to be held on 26 August 2014.

Welfare Reform Group - The Chairman stated that the Committee had been invited to set up the membership of the Welfare Reform Task Group and he advised that there would be no support members as the Task Groups required a commitment to complete the work in a satisfactory manner. Concern and disappointment were expressed about the lack of support members.

The Conservative nominations for the Welfare Reform Task Group were Councillors Pat Gulvin, Mackness and Royle.

The Committee’s spokesmen agreed to nominate outside the meeting through the usual channel.

Sale of Cheap Alcohol in Non-traditional Outlets - Councillor Murray requested a Member’s report to investigate the sale of cheap alcohol in non-traditional outlets for example Supadrug in Chatham’s Pentagon Centre. Maidstone Town Centre had a Supasavers store which sold wine at £3 per bottle and the town had experienced problems such as on-street drinking and littering from these sales. The Committee was advised that this subject was part of the remit of the Medway Alcohol Partnership Group who was looking at alcohol and its cumulative impact and the appropriate officers were also involved. Councillor Murray confirmed that she was happy to accept this offer but would like the report to be considered by the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Decision:

(a)               The Committee noted the items identified for inclusion in the work programme be noted;

(b)               The Committee agreed the changes to the work programme set out in paragraph 3.2.1;

(c)               The Committee agreed that the membership of the Welfare Reform Task Group would be appointed on a 3:1:1 basis with no support Members.

(d)               The Committee agreed that the Conservative membership of the Welfare Reform Task Group be Councillors Pat Gulvin, Mackness and Royle and that the Labour and Liberal Democrat Spokesmen would nominate through the normal channels outside the meeting;

(e)               A report on the sale of cheap alcohol in non-traditional outlets be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee following consideration by the Medway Alcohol Partnership Group; and

(f)                 The Committee note the work programmes of all overview and scrutiny committees (as set out in appendix 2 of the report).