Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance advising Members on the Government’s response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees”.

The report indicated that the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee, on 24 January 2017, launched an inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government, as the CLG Committee wanted to consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England were working effectively and whether local communities were able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils.

The report of the Select Committee, entitled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees” was published by the House of Commons on 15 December 2017, and a copy of the published report was attached to the report as Appendix 1.

The Government’s response to the CLG report was published on 12 March 2018, and the 8 CLG recommendations and accompanying Government responses were set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.9 of the report. A full copy of the Government response was attached to the report as Appendix 2.

The proposed revisions to Government guidance on Overview and Scrutiny Committees contained in the report were set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report.

It had been established from a recent County/Unitary Scrutiny Network meeting that the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) was hoping to be commissioned to help the Government produce the updated statutory Scrutiny Guidance which was promised in the response to the CLG Select Committee’s report on the Effectiveness of Local Authority Scrutiny. If so, the CfPS would seek to obtain the views of a wide range of interested parties during the drafting stage and there might be the possibility for the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Committees to contribute, as part of the consultation phase.

Members of the Committee asked questions/raised matters on the following issues:-

·         Discussion took place on public engagement with the Overview and Scrutiny function and the possibility of disseminating information via schools, in the future.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the report be noted;

(2)       a further update be submitted to the Committee once the Government has published updated guidance in respect of recommendations 1 (a) to (e) and 6 and further consideration has been given to recommendation 2; and

(3)       if consultations are allowed to be undertaken, as referred to in paragraph 4 of the report, then the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees be obtained for inclusion in the consultation process.

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance that advised of the Government’s response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees”

The report indicated that the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee, on 24 January, 2017 launched an inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government; as the CLG Committee wanted to consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England were working effectively and whether local communities were able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils; that the report of the Select Committee, titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees” was published by the House of Commons on 15 December 2017; and a copy of the published report was attached to the report as Appendix 1; and that the Government’s response to the CLG report was published on 12 March 2018; and the 8 CLG recommendations and accompanying Government responses were set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.9. A full copy of the Government response was attached to the report as Appendix 2.

The report concluded that It had been established from a recent County/Unitary Scrutiny Network meeting that the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) were hoping to be commissioned to help the Government produce the updated statutory Scrutiny Guidance which was promised in the response to the CLG Select Committee’s report on the Effectiveness of Local Authority Scrutiny.  If so, CfPS would seek to obtain the views of a wide range of interested parties during the drafting stage and there may be the possibility for the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Committees to contribute as part of the consultation phase.

Members asked questions /raised issues on the following matters:-

·         The anticipated date of the Government’s publication of the statutory scrutiny guidance

·         Recommendation 7 of the CLG Select Committee as to how the Government would make clear how Local Enterprise Partnerships have democratic, and publicly visible, oversight  

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance that advised of the Government’s response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees”

The report indicated that the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee, on 24 January, 2017 launched an inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government; as the CLG Committee wanted to consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England were working effectively and whether local communities were able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils; that the report of the Select Committee, titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees” was published by the House of Commons on 15 December 2017; and a copy of the published report was attached to the report as Appendix 1; and that the Government’s response to the CLG report was published on 12 March 2018; and the 8 CLG recommendations and accompanying Government responses were set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.9. A full copy of the Government response was attached to the report as Appendix 2.

The report concluded that It had been established from a recent County/Unitary Scrutiny Network meeting that the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) were hoping to be commissioned to help the Government produce the updated statutory Scrutiny Guidance which was promised in the response to the CLG Select Committee’s report on the Effectiveness of Local Authority Scrutiny.  If so, CfPS would seek to obtain the views of a wide range of interested parties during the drafting stage and there may be the possibility for the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Committees to contribute as part of the consultation phase.

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance advising Members on the Government’s response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee report titled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees”.

The report indicated that the Communities and Local Government (CLG) Select Committee, on 24 January, 2017 launched an inquiry into overview and scrutiny in local government; as the CLG Committee wanted to consider whether overview and scrutiny arrangements in England were working effectively and whether local communities were able to contribute to and monitor the work of their councils.

The report of the Select Committee, entitled “Effectiveness of Local Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committees” was published by the House of Commons on 15 December 2017, and a copy of the published report was attached to the report as Appendix 1.

The Government’s response to the CLG report was published on 12 March 2018, and the 8 CLG recommendations and accompanying Government responses were set out in paragraphs 3.2 to 3.9 of the report. A full copy of the Government response was attached to the report as Appendix 2.

The proposed revisions to Government guidance on Overview and Scrutiny Committees contained in the report were set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report.

It has been established from a recent County/Unitary Scrutiny Network meeting that the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) was hoping to be commissioned to help the Government produce the updated statutory Scrutiny Guidance which was promised in the response to the CLG Select Committee’s report on the Effectiveness of Local Authority Scrutiny. If so, the CfPS would seek to obtain the views of a wide range of interested parties during the drafting stage and there might be the possibility for the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and Committees to contribute, as part of the consultation phase.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the report be noted;

(2)       a further update be submitted to the Committee once the Government has published updated guidance in respect of recommendations 1 (a) to (e) and 6 and further consideration has been given to recommendation 2; and

(3)       if consultations are allowed to be undertaken, as referred to in paragraph 4 of the report, then the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and individual Overview and Scrutiny Committees be obtained for inclusion in the consultation process.