Maidstone Borough Council

Communities, Leisure Services and Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 8 April 2014

Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and Cabinet Member for Environment Review of Cabinet Member Priorities for the Municipal Year 2013-14

Report of: Tessa Mallett, Overview & Scrutiny Officer

1.          Introduction

1.1        The Communities, Leisure Services and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s role within the Overview and Scrutiny structure includes responsibility for holding the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and the Cabinet Member for Environment to account.  As part of this role the Committee are responsible for the scrutiny of the priorities of these Cabinet Members.

1.2        Councillor John A. Wilson is Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and Councillor Marion Ring is Cabinet Member for the Environment.

1.3        Councillors Ring attended the Community, Leisure Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 11 June 2013 to outline her priorities for the 2013-14 Municipal Year.  Councillor Wilson attended the meeting of 16 July 2013 to outline his priorities for the 2013-14 Municipal Year.

1.4        The areas of responsibility for Councillors Ring and Wilson are detailed in Appendix A.

1.5        The Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services Priorities report for 2013-14 is attached as Appendix B.

1.6        The Cabinet Member for Environment priorities report for 2013-14 is attached as Appendix C.

1.7        Councillors Ring and Wilson have been invited to the meeting on 8 April 2014 to provide the Committee with an evaluation of the outcomes of their priorities to conclude the year.  Councillor Ring will do this verbally.  Councillor Wilson has provided a written summary at Appendix D and will be at the meeting to respond to any questions from the Committee.

1.8        Issues the Committee consider priority areas should remain foremost in its mind when considering the updates from Councillors Ring and Wilson.  Committee should look to include reports on any outstanding items in its future work programme, as applicable.

Recommendation

2.1    The Committee are advised to consider the updates from the Councillors Ring and Wilson, evaluating the progress made on their priority areas during the 2013-14 Municipal Year.

3.      Reasons for Recommendation

3.1     The Community, Leisure Services and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee are responsible for holding the Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services and the Cabinet Member for Environment to account.

4.      Impact on Corporate Objectives

4.1     The Committee will consider reports that deliver against all the          Council priorities:

·         ‘For Maidstone to have a growing economy’, ‘For Maidstone to be a decent place to live’, and ‘Corporate and Customer Excellence’.

          4.2    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.