Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

The Committee considered a report of the Borough Solicitor on draft Terms of Reference, membership and meeting dates.

At the annual council meeting, approval had been given to splitting the responsibilities of the existing Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee so as to allow two new scrutiny committees to concentrate on the detailed work in the two areas: Adult Social Care, and Health and Wellbeing. 

The powers of the existing Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee

were set out in Appendix A to the report and in Appendix B were the

proposed separation of powers and their allocation to an Adult Social Care

Scrutiny Committee, and a Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee.

Council had agreed the provisional terms of reference for the new

Committees and extended an invitation to each of the Overview and Scrutiny

Committees, the Scrutiny Chairmen and the Constitution Committee to

consider the terms of reference and submit any views to the Borough

Solicitor.  A report would then be submitted to the July Council meeting to

approve the terms of reference.

Members of the Committee queried the rationale behind the decision to split the responsibilities between two committees and were advised that it was based on the extra workload that would be generated by the transfer of the responsibility for public health into the Council from the Primary Care Trust.  It was noted that the Cabinet Members’ Portfolio responsibilities had not yet been finalised and until this had happened, Scrutiny Committee remits could not be finalised either.  A meeting of the Scrutiny Chairmen’s Group was to take place next week to discuss Cabinet Portfolio responsibilities with the Leader of the Council.

Members of the Committee strongly expressed the view that “wellbeing” should be a major part of its remit and this should be reflected in any approved Terms of Reference; this should include both the strategic and operational aspects of wellbeing.  It was also felt that there would be strong links between the work of this Committee and the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and it was therefore important to share work programmes in case any joint working was needed in the future; there may also be similar links with the Children and Families Scrutiny Committee.  It was explained that this potential situation was recognised by officers and that one of the roles undertaken by the Scrutiny Chairmen’s Group was to have an overview of all work programmes and ensure there was shared working where required and avoid any duplication.

The Committee also discussed frequency and timing of meetings and agreed that meetings should be held on alternate months on Thursday mornings.

RESOLVED:  That

(a) the Borough Solicitor be advised that the Committee strongly believes that its Terms of Reference must include specific reference to “wellbeing”  and this should cover both strategic and operational aspects of wellbeing;

(b) that future meetings of the Committee be held on alternate months on Thursdays commencing at 10.00 am as follows:

28 July;

8 September;

10 November;

12 January;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7