Agenda and minutes

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2019 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Lead Members to update the Committee on the progress of their Panels (10 mins)

Parking Panel – Councillor Baverstock reported that the panel’s final report would to considered at the next Committee meeting on 20 March 2019.

Audit Panel – The next Audit Panel would be held on 11 March 2019.

Budget Panel - The next Budget Panel would be held on 27 June 2019.

The Future of Hospitals in Andover and Romsey –  Councillor Baverstock would look to set up a panel to produce a scoping template.  Councillors Mutton, Cockaday, Bailey and Hamilton requested to sit on the panel.

The Future of the High Street – A workshop will be held on 5 March 2019.

Armed Forces Covenant and Test Valley Housing Services – A scoping template has been sent to Councillors Borg Neal and Hamilton.

To summarise the key findings and recommendations from the LGA Peer Challenge that the Council Participated in during October 2018.  The report focuses on feedback provided by the Peer Team on the work of OSCOM.

Consideration was given to a report by the Leader which summarised the key findings and recommendations from the LGA Peer Challenge that the Council participated in during October 2018.

In respect of the scrutiny function the Feedback Report highlighted the strengths of the Council’s Scrutiny arrangements and the good working relationships between members. The peer team made specific reference to the effective way in which the Overview and Scrutiny Committee developed its work programme through an annual away day and by focusing on key priority issues for the area. In particular, issues such as economic development and affordable housing were notable examples.

The Feedback report also noted that the Overview and Scrutiny task and finish groups “undertook work with purpose” and drew on recent examples such as the work of the Communications and Procurement Panel and the Public Involvement Panel. There was also recognition of the proactive and beneficial work Overview and Scrutiny was undertaking with Cabinet to consider key issues on the Cabinet’s forward plan such as the Corporate Plan and budget at an earlier stage. 

The Peer challenge feedback report highlighted a number of strengths in the Council’s scrutiny arrangements and made specific reference to the good relationships between members.

The Leader was delighted with the findings of the review and praised the collaborative work being undertaken across all Parties.  He explained that in response to the recommendations identified by the Peer Team an action plan had been developed which would enable the Council to demonstrate how it would practically take forward the improvement areas identified by the Peer Team and provide a basis on which to measure progress.

The Chairman thanked the Leader for attending the meeting and for the positive comments.

Resolved:

1.  That OSCOM welcomes the positive comments from the LGA Peer Challenge Team’s findings, as set out in the Feedback Report at Annex 1 to the report.

2.  That OSCOM considers through its Annual Away Day how it can continue to build upon the good practice highlighted by the Peer Challenge.

Councillor Hamilton reported that a Disability Review report would be considered by the Committee on 20 March 2019.

Councillor Dowden asked that the subject of members being appointed to Outside Bodies be reviewed.  She suggested that the role of the representative needed to be clarified and also to know what is expected of the Councillor and how valuable it is to the Council.  The Leader reported that all Outside Bodies were contacted in 2018 which resulted in some Outside Bodies indicating that they did not require a representative going forward.  The Corporate Director would liaise with the Chief Executive and Councillor Dowden and update the Committee on 20 March 2019.

The Committee considered and updated the Work Programme as follows:

·  Add Disability Review report on 24 April 2019

·  Add Parking (Car Park and Streets) Panel on 20 March 2019

Resolved:

That the future work programme be approved.