Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Democratic and Civic Support.

People Scrutiny Committee, Place Scrutiny Committee and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee have considered this report and there comments will be reported.

The Corporate Manager Democratic and Civic Support presented the report on the annual update in respect of the Scrutiny work achieved during the municipal year 2017/2018 which had included working with outside organisations such as Devon County Council and IKEA.  Members were advised that the report had been to the three Scrutiny Committees who had commented on the decision not to fill the Scrutiny Programme Officer post due to budget restraints with two committees asking that this decision be reviewed in two years’ time.

The Corporate Manager Democratic and Civic Support advised that the scrutiny function would continue in the Council with Service Leads being more actively involved rather than having dedicated scrutiny support.

Members thanked Anne-Marie Hawley in her role as the Scrutiny Programme Officer for her comprehensive and excellent work.

RESOLVED that Annual Scrutiny Report 2018 be approved.

To consider the report of the Corporate Manager Democratic and Civic Support.

The Director presented the report providing an annual update on the Scrutiny work achieved during the Municipal Year 2017/18. The report provided the Scrutiny Committee with an opportunity to:-

a)    track the progress of the Scrutiny function and process at Exeter City Council;

b)    comment upon the progress and direction of Scrutiny over the past year and into the future;

c)    ensure that the Scrutiny Committees were kept fully up to date in relation to the Task and Finish Groups and what they had achieved, and

d)    to illustrate how effective Scrutiny could contribute towards an accountable, transparent and democratic process.

The Director outlined the great breadth of work and the various Task and Finish Group priority topics identified during the Scrutiny Work Programme meetings that were held between November 2017 and July 2018. These had included both Members, other local authorities with contributions from a range of external organisations and speakers. The Director addressed the issue that the Scrutiny Programme Officer had now taken up another post within the Council and the decision had been made not to fill the vacant post.  She indicated that Members of the other Scrutiny Committees had voiced some concern and referred to the financial challenges which were facing the Council, and whilst it was appreciated that this result was far from ideal, the action was appropriate in the context of the savings that needed to be found. She added that where possible the work of the task and finish groups would be continued by the Democratic Services team, with service leads having to take a more  involved role in the groups, where this was possible with other service priorities.  Members would have the opportunity to raise this as an issue during the forthcoming budget setting process.  The Director wished to reassure Members that scrutiny was still seen as an important element of the Council’s democratic process, and this had recently been reaffirmed with the Council’s decision to retain the existing three scrutiny committee structure.

Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee noted and approved the Annual Scrutiny report.