Agenda item

Restructure of Overview and Scrutiny

Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board: Councillor Mrs Aspinall.

 

The Lead Scrutiny Officer will submit a report proposing a restructure of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and its panels to improve effectiveness.  The proposals modernise the Overview and Scrutiny Function and bring them in line with the council’s priorities.  This report details the proposed recommendations for consideration at City Council on 22 April 2013 and includes new terms of reference for each panel.

 

The terms of reference have been amended following the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board of 10 April 2013 (minute 136 of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board is attached).

 

Minutes:

Councillor Mrs Aspinall (Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board) presented the written report of the Lead Scrutiny Officer and moved the recommendations in the report, as amended, for approval.  The amendments related to the responsibilities of the panels in relation to social enterprise support and child poverty.

 

Minute 136 of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board was also presented and Councillor Mrs Aspinall thanked the scrutiny members for their work.   

 

Councillor Tuffin seconded the proposal.

 

Councillor James moved, and Councillor Bowyer seconded, an amendment as follows –

 

‘To amend the proposal by the deletion of recommendations (1) to (3) and substitute the words –

 

‘That the decision is deferred pending a review of the need for overview and scrutiny panels.’

 

During the debate on the amendment, issues raised included –

 

(a)

the need for value for money from the proposals;  

(b)

that the proposals should be more radical; 

(c)

 

that the existing panels were not cost effective and savings would be achieved if they were abolished; 

(d)

 

that the strength of scrutiny was in the work of task and finish groups;

(e)

that there had not been effective consultation with the opposition group and that cross party working was required in the development of the proposals;

(f)

that the proposal to offer the chair of the Cooperative Scrutiny Board to the opposition group would lead to a disparity of the special responsibility allowance with that for the Leader of the Opposition;   

(g)

that a review should be consolidated with the review of the constitution which would be undertaken in less than 12 months’ time; 

(h)

that there was no reference to members’ allowances in the written report;

(i)

that the proposals would add value to the scrutiny process and strengthened the ability of councillors and the public to hold Cabinet to account;

(j)

that the panels gave new councillors an opportunity to learn more about the work of the local authority.

 

Following a request from ten councillors for a recorded vote, there voted –

 

For the amendment (22)

 

Councillors Ball, Mrs Beer, Bowyer, Mrs Bowyer, Churchill, Darcy, Drean, Foster, Mrs Foster, Fry, James, Jordan, Martin Leaves, Michael Leaves, Sam Leaves, Dr Mahony, Nicholson, Mrs Nicholson, Mrs Pengelly, Ricketts, Dr Salter and Stark.

 

Against the amendment (31)

 

Councillors Mrs Aspinall, Bowie, Casey, Coker, Damarell, P. Davey, S Davey, Mrs Dolan, Evans, Fox, Gordon, Haydon, Jarvis, Lowry, McDonald, Murphy, Mrs Nelder, Parker, Penberthy, Rennie,  Singh (Deputy Lord Mayor),  J. Smith, P. Smith, Stevens, J. Taylor, K. Taylor, Tuffin, Tuohy, Vincent, Wheeler and Williams.

 

Abstentions (1)

 

The Lord Mayor

 

The following members were absent (3)

 

Councillors Browne, Monahan and Wigens.

 

The amendment was not agreed.

 

Councillor Mrs Aspinall summed up on the main motion indicating that following discussions last year, neither political group had agreed to abolish the scrutiny panels.  She was also disappointed at the number of councillors participating in task and finish groups.  With regard to special responsibility allowances, councillors were advised that the Independent Remuneration Panel was responsible for reviewing members’ allowances and would make recommendations to the City Council at the appropriate time.      

 

Agreed that -

 

(1)

a new scrutiny structure is approved (as detailed in the report to the City Council);

 

(2)

the new terms of reference for the Cooperative Scrutiny Board and each of the panels are approved subject to the following amendments and incorporated into the constitution -

 

 

(a)

social enterprise support is moved from the responsibilities of the Your Plymouth Panel to the Working Plymouth Panel;

 

 

(b)

child poverty is added to the responsibilities of the Cooperative Scrutiny Board;

 

 

(3)

 

statutory health scrutiny functions (other than referral of matters to the Secretary of State for Health) are delegated to the Caring Plymouth Panel.

 

 

Supporting documents: