MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON FRIDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2002 COMMENCING AT 1.15 PM


Present :

 

Mr G S Kendall (Chairman), Mr J R Adams (deputising for Mr J H Fleming), Mrs T M Butchers, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr J F Howe, Mr P D Joyce, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens


Apologies :

 

Mr J H Fleming, Mrs D Gardiner


Also present :

 

Mr R C Richards




 

1.        ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE DAY

 

In the absence of the Chairman it was decided to proceed with the meeting and elect a Chairman for the day so that the meeting could commence.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT Mr G P Price be elected chairman for the day.


(Mr G S Kendall then entered the meeting and took the Chair)

 

2.        MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 20 August 2002 be confirmed.

 

3.        URGENT BUSINESS - RESTRUCTURING AND THE SELECT COMMITTEE AND BEST VALUE SUPPORT UNIT

 

The Chairman raised an urgent item relating to the decision taken by full Council on 13 November 2002 concerning the restructuring proposals involving the Strategic Directorships. The Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support Unit would be reporting to the Head of Paid Service. Members believed that this should only apply to personnel issues and that the Head of the Unit should be accountable to the Committee for his work. The Chairman of the Co-ordinating should be responsible for undertaking the Personal Performance Review and Development Plan of the Head of the Unit.

 

This was intended to put the Unit on similar lines to that of the staff dealing with Select Committees in the House of Commons.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE :

 

THAT the Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support be accountable to the Co-ordinating Committee with the Chairman of the Committee undertaking the Personal Performance Review and Development Plan of the postholder.

 

4.        HOUSE OF COMMONS VISIT

 

The Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support outlined the visit made by a number of members of the Committee, together with officers, to view the operation of Select Committees in the House of Commons and discuss a range of issues with the Chairman of a Select Committee and support staff.

 

This had provided a useful insight into the process adopted by Parliament and the respective roles of the Members of Parliament, Government Departments, the Civil Service and House of Commons staff. Members discussed the importance of ensuring an effective and independent process for scrutiny.

 

The provision of comprehensive support, research and advice to Select Committees was a key element in ensuring a successful scrutiny process. The Head of the Unit indicated that there was a budget of £8,000 available for the payment of expenses to expert witnesses or assistance with research. This was separate from the budget utilised for Best Value Reviews. The issue of involving stakeholders more in Select Committee meetings was to be raised when the workplans were next discussed.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE EXECUTIVE

 

           (i)        THAT the Select Committee and Best Value Support Unit reports to the Head of Paid Service for conditions of service matters only.

 

           (ii)       THAT the key objectives, targets and review of the Select Committee and Best Value Support Unit are determined, monitored and reviewed by the Chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee.

 

5.        LOCAL AUTHORITY HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

 

The Committee was advised that new powers were to be introduced from 1 January 2003 for local authorities to undertake overview and scrutiny of health. The Council would be able to scrutinise the services provided by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority, Isle of Wight primary Care Trust and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Trust.

 

It was suggested that health scrutiny should be included within the remit of the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee because of the working relationship that already existed between Social Services and Health. To assist the Select Committee in this new role specific training would be provided. It was noted that health did not specifically feature within the remit of any Portfolio Holder. The Committee also believed that consideration should be given to the co-option, on a non voting basis, of relevant organisations to assist in the scrutiny process.

 

Members were made aware that this new responsibility would place an additional burden on the work of Select Committee Administration. Given the current workloads the head of the Unit indicated that a bid would be made for a new member of staff. The Chairman referred to arrangements that had been made by the Council, as part of the overall restructuring, to fund training posts.

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL :

 

THAT health scrutiny be added to the remit of the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee to be reviewed in May 2003.

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the bid for an extra member of staff to deal with additional duties arising from health scrutiny be supported.

 

6.        REVISED AGENDA AND REPORT FORMAT FOR SELECT COMMITTEES

 

Members gave consideration to a number of options for a revised format for Select Committee agenda and reports. It was necessary to reflect the different style of business dealt with by Select Committees to other meetings of the Council. The need for relevant details relating to such issues as plans, policies, strategies, performance indicators, Best Value improvement plans and consultation processes to be clearly reported to Select Committees to enable them to undertake its role of scrutiny and policy development was highlighted. The Committee debated the possible use of coloured paper for agendas and reports.

 

The Head of the Unit also referred to the need to review those parts of the Council’s Constitution relating to Select Committees following experience gained during the past year. This would also attempt to clarify procedures connected with references from Select Committees to the Executive and role of Executive members at Select Committees.

 

RESOLVED :

 

           (i)        THAT the preferred format for the agenda layout be Appendix 3, as slightly amended.

 

           (ii)       THAT the preferred format for the report layout be Appendix 9, as slightly amended.

 

           (iii)       THAT a trial be undertaken using coloured paper for all Select Committee agendas and reports.

 

           (iv)      THAT a paper be produced by the Head of the Unit on suggested changes to the Council’s Constitution relating to the Select Committee process.

 

7.        APPROACH TO SELECT COMMITTEE WORKING

 

The Committee considered separate reports on alternative approaches to Select Committee working submitted by Mr Kendall and Mr Price.

 

Members debated the method of undertaking scrutiny and policy development that had been trialed at meetings of the Resources Select Committee and the layout used for these different functions. The Committee was of the opinion that the process was improving, particularly since the establishment of the Select Committee and Best Value Support Unit.

 

The size of Select Committees was then debated. Whilst there was a general conscious that the existing size of 12 members was correct the possibility of size being related to the type of business undertaken by each Select Committee warranted further discussion. Reference was made to the need to look at the commencement time of meetings so that difficulties encountered by some members, who were in full time employment or self employed, could more readily attend. It was noted that each Select Committee had previously discussed their individual start times.

 

The establishment of a Scrutiny Committee to undertake a more rigorous scrutiny of cross- cutting issues, beyond that normally carried out by each of the Select Committees, was discussed. Members were of the general belief that this could lead to un-necessary conflict within the process.

 

RESOLVED :

 

           (i)        That the key features as contained in the Appendix to Paper E relating to the separation of scrutiny and policy development/review functions; scrutiny session arrangements; delegation to Select Committee Chairmen; independence from the Executive and Task Group parameters be adopted for all Select Committees.

 

           (ii)       THAT the Council debate issues relating to modernisation and in particular whether the size of Select Committees should be proportional to the remit of the Committee and the commencement times of meetings.

 

           (iii)       THAT the issues raised by Mr Price in his paper be noted and revisited at a later date in the light of further experience.


 




 

CHAIRMAN