Maidstone Borough Council
Community, Environment and Housing
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 9 September 2014
Future Work Programme and SCRAIP Update
Report of: Tessa Mallett, Overview and Scrutiny Officer
1. Introduction
1.1 The Committee are asked to consider the future work programme, attached at Appendix A, to ensure it is appropriate and covers all issues Members currently wish to consider within the Committee’s remit.
2. Recommendation
2.1 That the Committee considers the future work programme, attached at Appendix A, and the update provided in section 7.1 (below).
2.2 That the Committee considers the List of Forthcoming Decisions, relevant to the Committee at Appendix B, and discuss whether any of these items require further investigation or monitoring.
2.3 That the Committee considers its continuous professional development needs and recommends possible training or development sessions it would like to undertake.
3 Future Work Programme
3.1 At the future work programme workshop on 17 June 2014 members agreed the topics they wanted programmed in for the 2014-15 Municipal Year. The topic suggestions were made by members of the public, Parish Councils, officers and local press.
3.2 Throughout the course of the municipal year the Committee is asked to put forward, and review, work programme suggestions.
3.3 The Committee’s work programme is currently very full. Members are asked to consider the work programme to ensure it remains appropriate, realistic and covers issues Members currently wish to consider within the Committee’s remit.
3.4 The Committee is reminded that the Constitution states under Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules number 9: Agenda items that ‘Any Member shall be entitled to give notice to the proper officer that he wishes an item relevant to the functions of the Committee or Sub-Committee to be included on the agenda for the next available meeting of the Committee or Sub-Committee. On receipt of such a request the proper officer will ensure that it is included on the next available agenda, the Member must attend the meeting and speak on the item put forward.’
4 List of Forthcoming Decisions
4.1 The List of Forthcoming Decisions (Appendix B) is a live document containing all key and non-key decisions.
4.2 Due to the nature of the List of Forthcoming Decisions, and to ensure the information provided to the Committee is up to date, a verbal update will be given at the meeting by the Chairman. The Committee can view the live document online at: http://meetings.maidstone.gov.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=443&RD=0
6. Scrutiny Committee Recommendation Action and Implementation Plan (SCRAIP) Responses
6.1 The issue of making, and monitoring, recommendations is an important part of the scrutiny process. SCRAIPs set out recommendations following scrutiny meetings/reviews and information is sought on the plan as to whether recommendations are accepted, the action to be taken and by who.
6.2 There are no SCRAIP updates to report at this meeting.
7 Future Work Programme Update
7.1 Following discussions between the Chairman and officers the following item, originally scheduled for September 2014, will now need to be considered at a later date:
· Private Rented Sector Update
7.2 The Housing and Community Services Team are currently running a second collective switching campaign. If Committee are interested a report could come to the meeting of 13 January or 10 February 2015 providing an update/overview of the scheme.
7.3 The meeting of 14 October 2014 will be this Committee acting as the Crime and Disorder OSC. The agenda, outlined in the FWP, was agreed on 17 June 2014. At this meeting the Committee also discussed inviting the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner (Kent PCC) to this meeting to be interviewed. The Committee are asked to confirm this is something they would like to do. The Committee are also asked to confirm the focus of their interview with the Kent PCC.
8. Impact on Corporate Objectives
8.1 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.
8.2 The Committee will consider reports that deliver against the following priorities:
· ‘For Maidstone to have a growing economy’ and ‘For Maidstone to be a decent place to live”.
9. Financial Implications
9.1 To assist O&S committees in their inquiries, a small budget is available for the purchase of necessary equipment and to cover the costs of training, site visits, meetings in locations other than the Town Hall, witness expenses, specialist advice, books and any other cost that might be legitimately incurred by the committees in the course of their activities.
10. Relevant Documents
10.1 Appendix A – Future Work Programme
Appendix B – List of Forthcoming Decisions
11. Background Documents
11.1 None