Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Graham Walker (Deputy Chair) and Janice Duffy.

Members to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2017 were signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record.

The Chair to note public address requests.

The public can speak on any agenda item for a maximum of three minutes per speaker per item.  You are not required to register your intention to speak in advance but should arrive at the meeting a few minutes early, complete a Public Address Protocol and notify the Scrutiny Officer of your intention to speak.

There were none.

There were none.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to approve the Work Programme 2017/2018 and set up the Scrutiny Panels

The Chair confirmed that as a result of the Work Programme event a number of topics had been identified for Scrutiny review in 2017/2018.  He reminded the Committee of the priority order of these reviews, for example all three tables at the event had suggested cemeteries as a future review.

The Committee was asked to prioritise the reviews and also indicate whether they wished to serve on the Scrutiny Panels. The Chair advised the Committee that other non-Executive Members would then be asked if they wished to serve on any of the Panels.

AGREED :-

That the priority of suggested reviews be as follows:

Scrutiny Panel 1     - Cemeteries

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair              Councillor  Brian Sargeant

Deputy ChairTo be elected by the Scrutiny Panel 

Members        Councillors Aziz, Culbard, Meredith. Councillor Kilbride had expressed an interest to be a member of this Panel. Further members would be invited to join the Panel.

Scrutiny Panel 2 –  Culture and Tourism

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair              Councillor  Jamie Lane

Deputy ChairTo be elected by the Scrutiny Panel 

Members        Councillors Aziz, Sargeant, Culbard, Gowen, Kilby Shaw, and Smith.  Membership to this Panel would be closed as it already comprised seven members.

Scrutiny Panel 3   -  Dementia Friendly Town

Membership of the Panel would comprise:

Chair              To be confirmed following Annual Council on 18 May 2017

Deputy ChairTo be elected by the Scrutiny Panel

Members       Councillors  Gowen, Aziz, Meredith and Sargeant. Councillor Cathrine Russell has requested to join the Panel.  Further members would be invited to join the Panel.

The Chair advised that he would ask for reports and briefing papers regarding:

The retail experience (in particular the high street)

Trips and Falls on housing land

Keep Northampton Tidy (including an update on Environmental Wardens)

Licensing Laws and the Nighttime Economy

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee further AGREED: 

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agrees its Work Programme for 2017/2018 from the issues suggested by the recent Work Programming event.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee invites other non-Executives, who are not a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to join the membership of the Scrutiny Panels.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee communicates details of the Work Programme 2017/2018 with all Councillors, and Directors.

The Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2017/2018 is published on the Overview and Scrutiny page of the Council’s webpage.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to undertaken performance management Scrutiny.

The Committee reviewed the Corporate Performance All Measures Report – December 2016.

 It was AGREED:

that the Cabinet Member and Director would be asked to attend the next meeting of the Committee to provide details on the following Performance Indicators:

HML07 – Homeless Households

PP16 – Off Licence Checks

The Committee to receive the final reports from the three Scrutiny Panels:

Scrutiny Panel 1

Scrutiny Panel 3

Scrutiny Panel 4

Councillor Dennis Meredith, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 1, presented the final report of the Panel to the Committee highlighting the evidence received and the recommendations contained within the report.

He conveyed his thanks to all those involved in the Review, particularly the Panel members, Officers supporting the Review and he put on record his thanks to Phil Harris for bringing his expert knowledge to this Review.

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 1 – Child Sexual Exploitation is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2017 meeting.

Councillor Zoe Smith, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 3, presented the final report of the Panel to the Committee highlighting the evidence received and the recommendations contained within the report.

Councillor Smith conveyed her thanks to all those involved in, and supporting the Review.

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 3 - Homelessness is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2017 meeting.

Councillor Sam Kilby-Shaw, Chair, Scrutiny Panel 4, presented the final report of the Panel to the Committee highlighting the evidence received and the recommendations contained within the report.

AGREED:      That the report of Scrutiny Panel 4 – Emissions Strategy (Action Plan) is approved and the Chair of the Committee presents the report to Cabinet at its June 2017 meeting.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider any potential issues for future pre decision scrutiny.

There were none.

There were none.