Agenda and draft minutes

The Committee noted the evacuation procedure.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 17 December 2024.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 December 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered a report which presented proposals for the scrutiny work programme for 2025/26.

Each year the Chair of Executive Scrutiny Committee wrote to all Members inviting them to put forward suggestions for in-depth scrutiny review topics. Executive Scrutiny Committee was the decision-making body that set the priorities and programme for the year ahead, allocating in-depth reviews to individual Select Committees. The setting of an annual work programme did not preclude topics being added to the programme mid-year where the need arose.

Over the years, topics had been selected which aligned with the priorities of the Council and this had been reflected in the prioritisation of the topics by Members. Currently the work programme of in-depth reviews was focusing on supporting the Council’s priorities as part of the Powering Our Future (POF) programme. In view of the continued importance of aligning the Scrutiny Programme with the POF transformation work, it was proposed that this should remain the focus for 2025/26. The Chair of the Committee had communicated this proposal to all Members at the same time inviting Members to advise of any additional urgent matter which they felt should be reviewed in 2025/26.

The usual pro forma templates had been completed in respect of all the proposed topics and were appended to the report. To aid prioritisation, a scoring system had been used to allocate a score to each topic suggestion.

Members discussed the scoring and relative priority of each topic, particularly taking into account other work which was taking place around the suggested topics. After voting on whether to include each topic proposed it was:

AGREED that in depth scrutiny reviews be allocated to the thematic Select Committees, in order of start date, as follows:

Adult Services and Health              Carers Support

                                                            Adult Education and Skills

Children and Young People          Additionally Resourced SEND Provision

                                                            Children not in School

Community Safety                           Children affected by Domestic Abuse

Community Participation Budgets and Ward Transport Budgets

People                                               Partnership Working in Early Help

                                                            Post 16 Provision

Place                                                  Muslim and Faith Burial Provision

                                                            Governance of Capital Projects

AGREED that the Executive Summary be noted.

AGREED that the Forward Plan be noted.

Members were provided with updates from the Chairs of each Select Committee.

Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee.

Members commented that it would be helpful if the timing of this Select Committee could be put back to 4.30pm in view of other meetings scheduled to take place on the same day.

Children and Young People Select Committee

Members noted the update from the Children and Young People Select Committee.

Community Safety Select Committee

Members noted the update from the Community Safety Select Committee.

People Select Committee

Members noted the update from the People Select Committee.

Place Select Committee

Members noted the update from the Place Select Committee.

AGREED that the updates be noted.

AGREED that the Work Programme be noted.