Maidstone Borough Council
Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 24 May 2011
Work Programming 2011-2012
Report of: Overview & Scrutiny Officer
1. Introduction
To consider topics for the Committee’s work programme in the 2011/12 municipal year
2. Recommendation
2.1 That Members:
· Discuss work coming up for the Council in 2011-12 with senior officers to inform the Committee’s work programme in 2011-12;
· Consider the suggested review topics and suggest any other topics they wish to review in 2011-12;
· Determine which review topics to include in the Committee’s work programme for 2011-12; and
· Consider the terms of reference for topics selected.
3. Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 The Scrutiny Committees are required to create a work programme for the next municipal year. The scrutiny team have received a number of topic review suggestions from the public, Members and Officers. The suggestions received so far have been researched and a scoping document for each has been prepared.
3.2 In order to provide some background information regarding priority areas and responsibilities included in this report is the following information:
· The Committee’s remit;
· Relevant issues referred to the Committee by the 2010/11 Overview and Scrutiny Committees;
· Suggested topics for review (as submitted so far); and
· The Council’s vision and key objectives as identified in the Strategic Plan.
3.3 Members of the scrutiny team will lead a workshop with the Committee to gather ideas and to agree which topics to review during its 2011/12 work programme.
4 Setting the Work Programme
4.1 Unfortunately the Committee does not have the time or resources available to review all of those topics identified by Members as of interest. The Committee is therefore required to select those topics for review that it feels are the most important for 2011-12.
4.2 The Committee can choose up to 2 major reviews; these can be conducted in traditional Committee meetings or as working groups. The draft work programme attached at Appendix B shows how the reviews can be timetabled into the Committee’s work programme.
4.3 One-off reviews can be programmed into the work programme at any time; when deciding on this, Members should be mindful of other committee work being undertaken at that time (including budget, cabinet and performance scrutiny, which are to be carried out by the Corporate Services OSC in addition to review work). Clearly less one-off reviews can be undertaken if 2 major reviews take place.
4.4 The complete work programme does not need to be drawn up immediately; Members are recommended to allow some flexibility in the work programme to allow for new issues to arise.
4.5 Suggested Topics for Review
· How is the relationship between KCC and its local authorities/residents/social housing? Are there significant weaknesses reflected in poor communication?
· LSP and locality boards – how the LSP is performing and how locality boards will work
· Making the best use of our assets; where are we at? Where are we going with them?
· The Print Room and Printer contract
5. Impact on Corporate Objectives
5.1 The Committee will consider reports that deliver against the following Council priority:
· Corporate and Customer Excellence.
5.2 The Strategic Plan sets the Council’s key objectives for the medium term and has a range of objectives which support the delivery of the Council’s priorities. Actions to deliver these key objectives may therefore include work that the Committee will consider over the next year.
Appendices
· Committee’s terms of reference
· Draft Work Programme
· The Council’s priorities and outcomes as identified in the Strategic Plan