Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this agenda.

The following declarations of interest were made in accordance with the Code of Conduct in relation to items under discussion at this meeting –

The Management Board will be asked to agree the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2011.

Agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 29 June 2011, subject to an amendment to reflect the fact that Councillor Drean had been in attendance as a substitute for Councillor Mrs. Bowyer.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of Chair’s urgent business.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board will monitor progress on previous decisions.

The Board considered the schedule of decisions made.  Members expressed concern at the –

The Chair reminded Members that an update on progress against the budget scrutiny recommendations was due to the September meeting of the Board and the concerns highlighted at (a) and (b) above could be raised then.

With regard to minute 8, the Chair advised Members that a response had been received from the Assistant Chief Executive to the effect that one of the intentions for improvement of the Policy, Performance and Partnership restructuring was to better place the Council in terms of its ability to respond to policy consultations and also effectively produce clear policy briefings on key topics and particularly engaging Government thinking, White Paper etc.  Members should shortly expect updates / policy briefings on the Localism Bill and Open Public Services White Paper.

Agreed that -

Members will be advised of any executive decisions that have been called in.

There were no call-ins for consideration.

Members will receive a schedule of executive decisions that have been deemed urgent with the agreement of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.

The Board noted that one urgent decision had been taken in consultation with the Chair since the last meeting relating to the Submission of an Enterprise Zone Proposal for Plymouth.

To consider the Management Board Task and Finish Group report on Localities and Neighbourhood Working.

Localities and Neighbourhood Working Review

The Chair introduced the Task and Finish Group report on Localities and Neighbourhood Working and offered a vote of thanks to all those who had been involved.  Councillor Lowry offered his support to the report and its recommendations but suggested that the cost of localities working had been overlooked.  He noted that one of the recommendations was that a further review would be undertaken in 2012 and suggested that, in order to better inform the next review, the cost in officer time attributed to localities working between now and then should be recorded.

Members of the Board welcomed the report and agreed to recommend to Cabinet all of the following recommendations, subject to the inclusion of Councillor Lowry’s proposal to cost the amount of officer time spent on localities working –

To consider and approve Project Initiation Documents in respect of -

• Winter Maintenance (Growth and Prosperity)

Review of Winter Maintenance Preparation: Gritting Rounds and Salt Bins

The Chair of the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel presented the project initiation document and advised the Board that he hoped the task and finish group would be completed by the end of September.  Members of the Board welcomed the PID and the following suggestions were put forward for inclusion within the scope of the review –

·             Grit bin provision for schools;

·             Cost of claims made against the authority as a result of poor winter maintenance planning;

·             Validity of Council’s weather intellect.

Agreed the PID, subject to inclusion of the suggestions put forward.

To receive new items from the Forward Plan with a view to identifying issues for scrutiny.

The Board noted that there had been five new additions to the Forward Plan since its last meeting.

Agreed that pre-decision scrutiny of the following Forward Plan items would be undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board at its provisional meeting on 10 August 2011 –

• Article 4 Direction in Respect of Houses in Multiple Occupation;
• Civic Centre Options.

To consider and approve work programmes for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and each of the Panels, to include a progress update from each of the Chairs.

The work programmes of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Panels were submitted for consideration and approval.

With regard to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, Councillor Nicholson suggested that the Board ought to be taking the lead in driving the localism agenda through the Council.

With regard to the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Panel Chair reported that there was one new item to add to the work programme – Connectivity.

With regard to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Panel Chair reported that it had agreed to look at Child Poverty and this issue ought to be added to its work programme.  An invitation was also extended to all Members of the Board to participate in the Panel’s consideration of the Children and Young People’s Plan in October.

With regard to the Customers and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Panel Chair reported that Supporting People was now within its remit, having been referred from the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and there was one new item to add to the work programme – Localities and Neighbourhood Working Review 2012.

With regard to the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Panel Chair reported that a date still had to be identified for consideration of the Alcohol Harm Reduction and Tobacco Control Strategy and that the Panel would be participating in joint scrutiny of Children’s Mental Health with the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

With regard to the Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel, the Panel Chair drew the Board’s attention to the fact that a number of items were being dropped from its work programme

Agreed the work programmes as submitted, subject to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board taking the lead in driving localism agenda through the Council and inviting all Members to a Localism Bill Seminar.

To receive and consider recommendations from panels, Cabinet or Council.

The Board received recommendations from the –

• Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel
• Support Services Overview and Scrutiny Panel
• Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel
• Customers and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel

Agreed –

Recommended to Cabinet –

To receive a progress update on the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Lead Officer submitted for consideration a briefing paper updating Members on progress with the establishment of a Health and Wellbeing Board.

Whilst lengthy debate did take place on the merits of membership, voting rights and proportionality, it was pointed out that the report was for information purposes only and that there would be opportunity at a later date to discuss those issues in more detail.

The update was noted with thanks.

To receive a progress update on the Localism Bill.

The Lead Officer submitted for consideration a briefing paper updating Members on progress with the Localism Bill.

The update was noted with thanks.

To consider passing a resolution under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it (they) involve(s) the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph(s) … of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, as amended by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

There were no items of exempt business.