11:30
Contact: Imran Alvi, Assistant Corporate Performance and Review Manager (01865) 810822
The proposed scrutiny work programme consists of ideas generated by members, officers and the public. Each idea has been assessed against the criteria outlined in the proposal form. This includes an analysis of how the proposed review relates to the council’s strategic priorities, its current performance in this area and whether it is an area where scrutiny can contribute to upstream policy development. The proposed reviews were discussed with the relevant directors or heads of service and their comments are included on the proposal form for members to consider.
Members are asked to consider the proposals relevant to their committee (SSC8 – to follow)and to decide which work they wish to undertake and with what priority.
The Committee is asked to identify its priorities for its work programme,
including its first choice activity.
13:00 – 13:20 approx Working lunch
INFORMATION SHARE
Minutes:
Mr Imran Alvi (Assistant Corporate Performance and Review Manager) attended for this item in order to answer the Committee’s questions.
Following a lengthy debate, the Committee AGREED that the following items should comprise its future work programme:
a) Select Committees:
· Community Pride – (the scope of this piece of work would have to be narrowed down as the subject encompasses a very broad remit);
· Crime & Disorder Scrutiny – the following areas were suggested:the effectiveness of the Oxfordshire Safer Communities Partnership (is it improving community safety across Oxfordshire?) – are the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) working consistently? – key players to be invited to a select committee – then look at key topics later.
(It was emphasised that relationship building with partners would be needed as a first step in order to facilitate a critical friend approach).
b) Fear of Crime –(smallest piece of work in terms of time and resources). The Policy Unit would be conducting face to face research with the community through ‘Oxfordshire Voice’ on their perception of crime in December.
1. An officer from the Policy Unit would be invited to present the outcomes of this research to the Committee;
2. The Committee would look at how the police’s crime statistics are produced and what they mean.
It was AGREED that Dr Alvi would liaise with Councillor Stratford regarding attendees and scope for the select committees and Ms Coldwell in terms of scheduling the above three items to future meetings.
c) Question and answer sessions (as time allows):
- Debt – new scoping template to be produced to refine its focus;
- Road safety – consider at a future meeting. Possibly in a year’s time;
- Transformation of libraries – February 2010;
- Plans for Banbury Library/Mill Arts Centre Development – May 2010;
- Cogges Museum: Review of progress towards trust status – February 2010;
- Provision of Adult Learning (in light of the abolition of the LSC) – May 2010.To take into account the work of the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee and the Growth and Infrastructure Scrutiny Committee;
- Grant Co-ordination – would need to focus on those grants which fall within this Committee’s remit (eg. small arts grants and community grants) and if this funding is being used effectively to build community pride. Could look at whether co-ordination between grant awarders can be improved (eg. between county and district);
- Final IRMP report – May 2010;
- TVPA 3 year strategic plan 0811 – July 2010.
d) Fire Service Command and Control Room – the FiReControl and FireLink Projects – progress update to be given at each meeting.
The Timeline of scrutiny activities (Annex 1) would be updated at each meeting as scrutiny activities are arranged.
All members of the Committee were reminded of the budget scrutiny preparatory sessions which had been arranged to assist them with budget scrutiny:
a) Committee specific session - 19 November (4.30 – 6 pm, meeting room 2)
b) Two generic budget scrutiny sessions which would look at the layout of the budget information either 23 November (10 – 11.30 am, mtg room 2) or 27 November (10 – 11.30 am, mtg room 3)