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To Members of the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee

Notice of Meeting

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

7 July 2004

Membership

Chair – Councillor Ken Harper

Councillors:

AGENDA

Addenda

1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments
   
   
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
   
   
3. Minutes
   

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 20 May 2004 (CG3(a)) and 27 May 2004 (CG3(b)) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   
5. Scrutiny Development

10:15 (a) Evaluation of Scrutiny Committees Work Programme 2003/04

During this cycle of meetings, each Scrutiny Committee is asked to evaluate its existing work programme, with particular emphasis on balance of work between different elements of the scrutiny function, holding the Executive to account, percentage of time spent on policy development, relevance to the Oxfordshire Plan, whether its work programme has been cross-cutting and the impact its activities have had on the work and outcomes of external agencies. This evaluation will allow members to reflect on the progress of scrutiny over the past year and the impact it has had. It will also form an important part of rolling the Scrutiny Work programme forward into 2004/05, which scrutiny committees will consider at their September meetings.

A table which groups the Scrutiny Committee’s activities over the past year according to the type of scrutiny activities undertaken is attached (CG5(a) (download as .doc file)), together with some suggested questions (CG5(b) (download as .doc file)) to assist members with their analysis.

Scrutiny Committees’ work programmes should drive the activities of the committees and help to shape and focus the issues on individual agendas. Scrutiny activities can be wide ranging and in determining whether issues are included in the work programme, members need to be satisfied that these areas will add value to improving the Council’s performance and contribute to the well being of the community.

Feedback from the scrutiny committees is an important part of developing qualitative analysis on overall scrutiny performance. The outcomes from each committee will not only be of benefit to the committee members but will also be considered at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group in order that they can be monitored.

It is suggested that members of the Committee form two groups, with each group selecting one or two items from the evaluation table, in order to evaluate the area/s of work using the 10 attached questions.

The Committee is asked to evaluate its work programme thus far, with particular emphasis on balance of work, holding the Executive to account, Scrutiny reviews, policy development, the effect its work has had on external organisations and whether its work programme has been cross-cutting.

10:45 (b) Key Scrutiny Issues and Drivers

During this round of scrutiny committee meetings each Director will present to the relevant Scrutiny Committee what they see as the key issues and drivers facing their area of responsibility over the next 2-3 years.

The Director for Resources and the Leader of the Council will give short presentations to the Scrutiny Committee.

During the September round of meetings each Scrutiny Committee will be asked to roll forward its work programme, taking into account the key drivers identified previously, to ensure that it is adding value to the Council’s work, is outcome focused and is using the best method of working to achieve that.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to question the Director for Resources and the Leader of the Council with regard to the key drivers identified in their presentations.

6. Social Inclusion Scrutiny Review

11:05 (Lead Members: Councillors Liz Brighouse, Ray Jelf, Bob Johnston)

(CG6 (download as .doc file))

Social Inclusion Scrutiny Review Report: Comment on Changes to Recommendations July - 2004 RECOMMENDATIONS


The Social Inclusion Scrutiny Review Group presented its findings to the Scrutiny Committee’s last meeting. The Committee asked the Group to consider its report in the light of comments with a view to achieving a form of words to command consensus. The final Review Report is now presented (circulated separately) and must now be agreed (or otherwise) by the whole Committee and signed off before being submitted by the Proper Officer to the Executive for it to consider its response.

The Lead Review Group will give a brief presentation on the key changes and recommendations in the report. The Committee will then be asked to evaluate the Report paying particular regard to whether the Review has achieved its objectives and if the findings and conclusions follow from the evidence.

The Lead Member Review Group RECOMMENDS the Scrutiny Committee to agree the report as submitted to this meeting, or amend the report by consensus, with a view to it being submitted to the Executive.

7. Property Assets Review (Forward Plan ref: 2003/231)
   
   (CG7)
   

11:25 The Forward Plan indicates that on 20 July the Executive will consider a strategy for the rationalisation of the Council’s property assets (ref. 2003/231). The Scrutiny Committee has already considered and commented on some aspects of the review and is now invited to comment on the final proposals as part of the Executive’s consultation on the strategy.

(Members are asked to bring to the meeting the report by the Head of Property which is being circulated with the Executive Agenda).

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment to the Executive on the strategy.

8. Job Evaluation Scrutiny Review

12:10 On 19 April 2004 the Scrutiny Co-Ordinating Group agreed the scoping for the Job Evaluation Scrutiny Review.

The Review Group (Councillors Jean Fooks, Bob Johnston and David Wilmshurst) will report orally on progress.

9. Local Area Working - Update

12:15 Report by Assistant Chief Executive (CG9).

In January 2004 the Council, in the context of the wider issues emerging from the evaluation of the joint County Council / South Oxfordshire District Council South Oxfordshire Area Forum Pilot, asked that progress be reported to the Scrutiny Committee within six months.

The report considers progress in local partnership working during the last year, outlines the main focus of work and sets out the decisions of the Executive on 18 May 2004.

10. ‘Do Partnerships Deliver?’ Review
    
    

(Affordable Housing Project)

12:35 The Director for Environment and Economy reports as follows:

This element of the Public Service Agreement is providing loans to key workers through partnership with the City Council and Keystart Housing Association. The scheme was very successfully launched on 25 May 2004 at the Common Hall Café, County Hall. Cllr Karmali (OCC, Chair) opened the event followed by speeches from Cllr Dermot Roaf (OCC), Cllr Val Smith (City Council) and Debbie Coombs (Keystart Housing Association). The launch was well publicised with press coverage and interviews on FOX FM and Passion FM Radio. There was a large attendance by OCC employees with media coverage and interviews on the day by SIX TV The Oxford Channel. Advisors from Keystart Housing Association as well as two independent financial advisors were kept busy with visits from OCC staff throughout the period. Employee’s expressed interest in the scheme with application forms completed on the day. The scheme continues to receive interest and 18 applications had been made by the end of June 2004. These applicants are now at various stages of the process to determine their eligibility for a loan and searching for suitable properties.

On the launch day employees were also provided with advice and information for other schemes. Keystart Housing Association gave information and advice on the government-led Key Worker Living Homebuy Scheme. The OCC Affordable Housing unit also produced a booklet ‘Housing Information, a Guide for Staff’. The booklet includes various housing options available to staff and contact details of the relevant organisations. The publication has been welcomed by employees, in particular those relocating to the area after recruitment.

Oxford City Council have not found any specific areas to target their PSA loan scheme to and intend to open their scheme to all City Council employee’s. They are organising a launch event to be held in July 2004.

At the September meeting the Scrutiny Committee will consider whether to include this area, which is proposed for review, in its Scrutiny Work Programme.

11. Cornmarket Street, Oxford – Construction Costs: Joint Review

12:40 The Chair will report orally.

12:45 LUNCH

12. (a) Human Resources (HR) Strategy (Forward Plan ref: 2004/078)

1:30 Report by Head of Human Resources (CG12(a)).

As part of Raising Our Performance 2 a commitment was made to develop and adopt a fresh approach to Human Resources (HR). Following the report by the Head of Human Resources to the scrutiny committee on 27 May 2004 the necessary communication/consultation processes have now been completed on the draft HR Strategy which, as now presented, reflects the main findings from feedback received. The Forward Plan indicates that the Executive will consider the draft Strategy on 20 July.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the draft HR Strategy to the Executive now that the necessary communications/consultation processes have been completed.

(b) Staffing

On 20 May the Head of Human Resources was asked to inform the Scrutiny Committee about the County Council's establishment in terms of actual staffing figures, staffing movement, vacancies and budget provision, following consideration of the Financial Monitoring report.

The Head of HR will give a brief oral update on this occasion with regular updates thereafter as part of Financial Monitoring.

13. Corporate Governance

• a number of key policies and procedures needed reviewing and updating;
• access and awareness of key policies and procedures was uneven; and
• the understanding of some of the key policies and procedures was imperfect.

• how the principles of corporate governance should be reflected for each of those dimensions;
• what the County Council commits itself to do; and
• how it will do it.

1. subject to (b)(1) and (c)(1) below, to adopt the draft Code of Corporate Governance set out at Annex 1 (download as .doc file);
2. to invite the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee to:

1. consider the Code and make any observations to be taken into account as mentioned in (c)(1) below; and
2. carry out an annual review of the Code to ensure that the Code is being complied with and is updated to recognise ongoing developments, and report the outcome back to the Executive with proposals for any changes to the Code or other action to be taken;

3. to authorise the Monitoring Officer, following consultation with the Solicitor to the Council and the Section 151 Officer and with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, to:
   
   

1. make any final adjustments to the Code in the light of the observations of the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, subject to any material concerns on the part of the Committee being referred back to the Executive for consideration; and
2. to approve new or amended operational policies and procedures as set out in paragraph 13 of the report.

14. FORWARD PLAN

2:15 Standard item - to identify any Corporate Governance items in the current Forward Plan on which the Committee wishes to have an opportunity to offer advice to the Executive before any decision is taken.

(Members are asked to bring to the meeting the Forward Plan for July to October 2004).

15. Best Value Review Implementation Reports: Domiciliary Care/Support for Older People/Promoting Independence in Older People; Links with Scrutiny Review – Older People –Needs Assessment and Provision

2:20 The Chair will report orally on the outcome of consultation with the Chair of the Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee on scrutiny committee consideration of these Best Value reviews (copies of which are available in the Members’ Resource Centre).

MONITORING

2:25

16. Financial Monitoring

At the July 2003 meeting the Scrutiny Committee agreed to consider the latest Financial Monitoring by the Executive with a view to identifying any matters arising.

On 16 June the Executive considered a report by the Head of Finance (CG16) and a report by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council (CG16 Supplement).

The Head of Finance’s report was the first combined revenue and capital monthly monitoring report and set out the financial position for 2004/05 to the end of April. The report was on an exceptions basis only highlighting known significant variations which may affect the revenue budget for 2004/05 or the capital programme.

At this stage in the year, relatively little revenue spending had actually been incurred so this report concentrated on known changes or emerging trends. The overall variation from the original capital programme was £4.1m, mainly due to the inclusion of additional schemes identified in the report. The surplus on the Council’s overall capital programme had increased by £1.4m to £3.1m in 2004/05 after taking into account additional surplus on Education resources.

The Head of Finance’s report was preceded by a paper by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council which gave a general overview of the current financial position and highlighted areas to which the Executive would need to pay particular attention during the 2004/05 financial year.

The Executive resolved to note the report and to:

1. approve the proposals to allocate funding in Social & Health Care set out at Annex 3 to the report;
2. approve the variations and additions for Learning & Culture to the capital programme shown in Annex 10 (Annex 9-10 (download as .xls file))
   
   

17. Provisional Revenue and Capital Outturn

18. Tracking Scrutiny Outcomes
    
    (See also Addenda)

• Oxfordshire Plan 2004/05 2004/05
  
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