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OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE |
20 FEBRUARY 2024 |
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Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee |
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Will this be a Key Decision?
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No
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Urgency |
Not Applicable |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Overview and Scrutiny Committee |
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Lead Director |
Angela Woodhouse, Director of Strategy, Insight & Governance |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Oliviya Parfitt, Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Classification |
Public
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Wards affected |
All |
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Executive Summary |
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A report outlining the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee across the 2023/4 Municipal Year, for submission to the Council for information.
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Purpose of Report
Decision
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This report makes the following recommendations to the Committee |
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1. That the report attached at Appendix A be considered, amended as required and submitted to the Council. |
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Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
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Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The four Strategic Plan objectives are:
· Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure · Safe, Clean and Green · Homes and Communities · A Thriving Place
We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities. The annual report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee outlines the work undertaken by the Committee in exercising its functions and powers. |
Democratic & Electoral Services Manager |
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Cross Cutting Objectives |
The four cross-cutting objectives are:
· Heritage is Respected · Health Inequalities are Addressed and Reduced · Deprivation and Social Mobility is Improved · Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability is respected
The report recommendations do not impact the Council’s ability to achieve its cross-cutting objectives. The annual report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee outlines the work undertaken by the Committee in exercising its functions and powers. |
Democratic & Electoral Services Manager |
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Risk Management |
See Section 5 of the report.
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Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Financial |
No impacts identified. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer
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Staffing |
We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.
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Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Legal |
The Overview and Scrutiny Statutory Guidance highlights that annual Overview and Scrutiny Committee reports raise awareness of the ongoing work, as part of the ‘maintaining the interest of full Council’ section of the guidance (11(h)).
The Council’s Constitution also requires an annual report to be produced and presented to the full Council (Part B4, Rule 1.2.2), and agreeing the report attached at Appendix A will meet this requirement. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Information Governance |
The recommendations do not impact personal information (as defined in UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018) the Council processes. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Equalities |
The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Public Health
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No impacts identified. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Crime and Disorder |
No impacts identified. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Procurement |
No impacts identified. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
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Biodiversity and Climate Change |
The implications of this report on biodiversity and climate change have been considered and are; · There are no implications on biodiversity and climate change. |
Principal Democratic Services Officer |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 The Council’s Constitution states that (Part B4, Rule 1.2.2, p. 76):
‘The Overview and Scrutiny Committee must report annually to the full Council on its workings and make recommendations for future work programmes and amended working methods if appropriate’.
2.2 Attached at Appendix A to the report, is a draft annual report. The following information has been included, based on the framework agreed by the Committee at its December 2023 meeting:
· Foreword from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman
· Brief outline of the Committee’s Remit and Membership
· Member Workshop undertaken at the beginning of the year
· Number of Committee Meetings held across the year, acknowledging Substitute Member attendance
· Pre-decision Scrutiny
· Call-Ins
· The reviews undertaken, including the aim, attendees and evidence provided, outcomes and next steps
· 2024/25 Municipal Year – e.g., Work Programmes & Training
2.3 As the Overview and Scrutiny function continues to develop, the report format and contents are likely to change to ensure it reflects the Committee’s views on its year of work.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 Option 1 – Amend and/or Approve the (draft) Committee report as contained within appendix a to the report.
3.2 Option 2 – Do not amend and/or approve the (draft) Committee report as contained within appendix a to the report. This is not recommended, as the Committee is constitutionally required to report its workings to the full Council.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Option 1 as outlined in point 3.1 of the report.
5. RISK
5.1 As this report and appendix A outline the actions taken by the Committee across this municipal year, there are no risk management implications.
6. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
6.1 As this is the Committee’s first year in operation, there are no consultation results or previous committee feedback to highlight as part of this report.
7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 The report will be presented to the full Council at its meeting on the 21 February 2024, in accordance with Part B4, Rule 1.2.2 of the Council’s Constitution.
7.2 As the agenda for the 21 February 2024 meeting will have been published by the time this report is considered, any amendments made to the report will be reflected in ‘moving’ the report at that meeting.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:
· Appendix A: (draft) Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
Maidstone Borough Council Constitution: (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Maidstone Borough Council Constitution, 11/11/2019 00:00