Councillors J Allen, DM Beith, FI Simpson, RT Pearson, TJ Tyler and PS Watts.
239.
1. Apologies
Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor JD Peggs.
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240.
2. Declaration Of Interest
Councillor J Allen declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 4: Discretionary Rate Relief, as a member of the committee of Branxton Village Hall.
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241.
3. Minutes Of The Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Held on 23rd August 2007
DECISION: To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 23rd August 2007.
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242.
4. Discretionary Rate Relief
DECISIONS: (i) To recommend that Council agree to a budget bid for £30,000 for discretionary rate relief being included for the 2008-09 budget setting process, as provided for in the Revenues and Benefits Service Plan; and (ii) to recommend that Council adopt the Discretionary Rate Relief Policy as included on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s agenda dated 4th October 2007.
[Note: having declared an interest, Councillor J Allen left the meeting for the duration of the item detailed above.]
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5. Performance Management
DECISIONS: (i) To review the scheduled dates of Performance Management reports to ensure that they are able to provide the most useful and current information; (ii) to agree to receive a further report on performance figures at the Committee’s next meeting; (iii) to agree to use the performance management information to identify areas which require further investigation; and (iv) to encourage all Committee members to use the Covalent system to monitor the Council’s performance.
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6. Member Attendance at Council and Committee Meetings
DECISION: (i) To request that officers ensure the Committee calendar for the municipal year is set with regard to known deadlines including the approval of annual accounts; and (ii) to request that officers keep rearranged or additional meetings to a minimum, as these are seen to result in poorer levels of Member attendance.
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7. Berwick Borough Local Strategic Partnership
DECISIONS: (i) To recommend that Council endorse the interim report attached as Appendix 1, and approve the following recommendations:
1. That BBLSP urgently prepare a new sustainable community strategy which has clear strategic objectives, and prioritises these, in order to use its limited resources most effectively.
2. That BBLSP ensure that the work of the thematic Sector Boards is clearly linked to the agreed goals and actions of the new community strategy.
3. That BBLSP map what projects and initiatives are being carried out across the Borough, to obtain a clear picture of all the work which is currently being done.
4. That BBLSP approach the LSP for Alnwick with a view to preparing a northern viewpoint in preparation for the new unitary local authority.
5. That, in the limited time which remains, BBLSP seeks to build partnerships across the Sector Boards to engage all partners in major cross-cutting issues which affect all themes and geographical parts of the Borough.
6. That BBLSP identify projects through the Community Strategy which are deliverable and identify the enabling factor to take these forward.
7. That BBLSP introduce a system to monitor performance as a matter of urgency, to ensure that problems are identified and dealt with at an early stage, and that successes are recognised and celebrated.
8. That stronger Councillor involvement in, and leadership of, the Executive should be considered.
(ii) To allow the Local Strategic Partnership time to consider and implement the recommendations before continuing with the review; and
(iii) to invite Sector Board chairs to meet with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss any problems they face, and to consider what support could be provided to help them to deliver on their targets.
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8. North East Regional Overview and Scrutiny Conference
DECISIONS: (i) To seek a meeting with the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council, to consider what arrangement have been made for scrutiny of the transitional arrangements to the new unitary authority for Northumberland.
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247.
9. Monitoring of Completed Reviews
DECISIONS: (i) To request that a report be submitted to Town Committee regarding the recommendations of the report on the Mayoralty; and (ii) to ensure that the findings of the recycling review are taken on board by the new unitary authority for Northumberland.
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11. Press Release
DECISION: To issue a press release outlining the Committee’s hope that scrutiny will be part of the transitional arrangements for the new unitary authority, and to highlight the County Council’s wish to be included within the recommendations of the Committee’s recent review of grass cutting services.
