The Panel will consider options and issues for inclusion into their scrutiny work programme.

The Chair recommended that the Panel developed a pro-active scrutiny work programme.

The Community Safety Partnership Manager reminded members that the guidance issued by the Local Government Association (LGA) stated that Panels could operate in a purely reactive way in terms of their statutory and special functions, recognising that there were limited resources and a limited number of meetings in any one year.  However, the LGA had recommended that Panels should consider the advantages of carrying out a proactive scrutiny programme.

A proactive approach could be to encourage the Panel and local authorities in the peninsula to co-ordinate existing scrutiny programmes for crime and community safety to reduce duplication of work, potentially provide opportunities for joint scrutiny arrangements or, at the very least, provide an opportunity for shared learning.

Further to consultation with Panel members, the report outlined a number of areas that the Panel may wish to investigate.  In order to ensure the necessary officer support, scrutiny topics would need to be prioritised.

Members commented that scrutiny could include:

Members agreed that it was important to avoid duplication of work and to agree priorities within the Panel’s programme of scrutiny.  It was also important not to review areas too early as new arrangements needed time to ‘bed in’.  The first priority would be to consider the PCC’s commissioning arrangements.

The Democratic and Member Support Manager advised that officers could draft a scrutiny programme based upon members’ suggestions.

AGREED that: