REPORT FROM THE

  CHAIR OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

TO THE MEETING OF FULL COUNCIL ON  17.01.07

                                   

 
                                                                                                           

 

                                                                                                                       

  1. Our 23 November committee meeting went according to plan, as outlined in my last report, so I will say nothing further about that. We also - Scrooge-like - had a Scrutiny Committee meeting on 21 December. We took good evidence from Cllr Joyce on our Educational Attainment enquiry, and questioned Cllr Wood as part of a ‘call-in’ of her delegated decision on the future use of Constructionline. The latter saw an excellent piece of cross-examining by committee members who put aside their political affiliations in the interests of getting to the bottom of an issue. Recommendations were subsequently made by the committee, but Cllr Wood - after re-consideration - chose to confirm the decision.

 

  1. On 8 December we had an excellent and useful meeting with the Island’s MP, where he gave us a number of issues that we can perhaps usefully add to our work plan for 2007. Later that day Mr Turner suffered a stroke to the astonishment of all of us. We can all only hope that Andrew will fully recover as soon as possible.

           

  1. A Final Report has been agreed and issued to Cllr Brown on our Planning Gains enquiry, as has our first Interim Report to Cllr Wood on the continuing Budget Efficiencies enquiry. My thanks to Cllr Mosdell and Mrs Poston for their respective work in leading these enquiries.

 

  1. Our other co-opted lay person, Mr Marvin, had to resign from the committee at the end of 2006 as he had been recalled to his military service as a translator. This was a real blow to the committee as Tony was one of our real grafters. Hopefully we can have him replaced for the next two years as soon as possible, as we are very short of people to get fully involved in our enquiries. 

 

  1. This has left Mrs Poston to finish off the Members Allowances enquiry, though she and Mr Marvin had completed most of their interviews by the time Tony had to leave. Mrs Poston hopes to present her Final Report to the Scrutiny Committee for adoption next month. Ultimately, I expect its recommendations to come to Full Council in March.

 

  1. Tomorrow we have our January meeting when we will be taking evidence from the Chamber of Commerce and the Quality Transport Partnership as part of our new Car Parking enquiry. We are also having an early look at planning enforcement policy with a view to a possible enquiry in the future.

 

  1. I remain disappointed that my monthly meetings with the Council Leader in my capacity of Chair of Scrutiny are still not taking place. However, our Committee has now had a useful meeting with the Chief Executive and we have his clearly stated commitment to the scrutiny process. We have also come to an agreement about the process by which Scrutiny Reports are published that satisfies all members of our committee.

 

  1. Finally there are a further 6 vacancies on the committee – the longstanding LibDem place, and the 5 places for Conservatives that are deliberately not taken to ensure a non-Conservative majority. If any Independent councillor wished to join Cllr Humby on the committee I am sure it can be arranged, given the number of vacancies.

 

 

Councillor Geoff Lumley

Chair of Scrutiny Committee

14.01.07