REPORT FROM THE CHAIR OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

TO FULL COUNCIL, 19.04.06

 

The Scrutiny Committee has now shifted up a gear after a long period of uncertainty.

 

Since my appointment as Chair at the March Full Council – effective from 1st April – a great deal of progress has been made:

 

  1. Cllr Humby, from the Independent Group, agreed to join the Committee. All we need now is a Liberal Democrat group member – though I would much prefer to have a non-politically-proportional committee that included just about all opposition group members, as proposed last month;

 

  1. An informal meeting of the Committee has agreed the following scrutiny enquiries for the next year. There will always be room for additions:

 

i.                      Proposed transfer of Wightcare to a private-sector provider;

 

ii.                   Strategic Partnering – scrutiny of business case;

 

iii.                 Revenue Budget – delivery and impact of ‘efficiencies’;

 

iv.                Recent review of Supporting People service;

 

v.                   Use of outside Consultancies;

 

vi.                Aim High – is it achieving its aims?;

 

vii.              2006 School results – is the improvement plan working?;

 

viii.           Car Parking review, after 6 months operation;

 

ix.                LAA – are the oucomes in line with local expectations?

 

             These, together with enquiries already put in place - planning application process and performance, planning gain, affordable housing, and   Council financial reserves – represent a sizeable portfolio based on public interest and concerns.

 

  1. Our modus operandi will be for teams of three or four Scrutiny Committee members to deal with each enquiry. I am grateful for the spirit with which all members are entering into the task. Enquiries will involve a mix of public and private interviews with Cabinet members and other key stakeholders. All evidence gathered will be on the public record. Recommendations will be made to the appropriate decision-makers, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

 

  1. The Committee has agreed to introduce ‘public question time’ onto its formal agenda, provided questions relate to the enquiries on the agenda for each meeting. Additionally non-executive Members - i.e. not Cabinet Members/Commissioners/Cabinet Secretaries - will be welcome to ask questions at the meetings. I believe all of this will increase public interest in this important function. You will also get a written report from me at each Full Council, in view of the fact that I receive a special responsibilty allowance.

 

All in all I am confident that the Scrutiny function of this Council is now operating in a much higher gear than previously, with a very clear focus on the role it must undertake for the people we serve.

 

My thanks to Sue Poston (lay member) for keeping the ship afloat as acting Chair between February and March.

 

Finally, our first public meeting with me as Chair is tomorrow at 6pm. On the agenda are Wightcare and Strategic Partnering – two very important matters that are soon to be decided upon by the Cabinet. I urge Members, the media, and Islanders to come along and learn why Scrutiny is such an important element of the decision-making processes of any local Council.

 

 

Cllr Geoff Lumley