Contact: Philippa Smart e mail:[email protected], ext 7336

1 Summary and purpose

1.1 The Safe and Healthy Committee Select Committee confirmed its work programme for the first time at the July 2007 meeting; the programme serves the purpose of recording the work of the committee, both overview, pre scrutiny and scrutiny, and acts as a live record for matters forward planned.

1.2 In order to ensure a continuous cycle of scrutiny over the period 2008/2009, this report proposes an approach to identifying possible scrutiny topics for inclusion in the committee's programme for the coming year, in preparation for prioritising these at the April 2008 Select Committee meeting.

2 Scrutiny work 2007/2008

2.1 In July 2007, topics identified by the committee for scrutiny were:

* Alcohol - access to appropriate services, including mental health

* The Third Sector - making the best use in the public sector

* Adult Services contracting - the balance between spot and block contracting

`Alcohol' and `The Third Sector' were selected for in depth review, priority being given to the former. `Contracts' was chosen as a light touch scrutiny, to be undertaken alongside an in depth review.

2.2 Progress has taken place with the in depth review on access to services for people with alcohol problems; a review group has been meeting and considering evidence from a number of stakeholders. The review is in its concluding phase, work focusing on the drafting of a report and recommendations; the timescale for completing the report is April 2008.

2.3 Scoping of the Adult Services contracting topic has begun; timing for the scrutiny is likely now to place it in the first quarter of 2008/09.

3. Scrutiny topic identification for 2008/2009

3.1 The Hampshire County Council operating protocols for overview and scrutiny refer to topics for scrutiny being put forward from internal and external sources.

3.2 In order to guide and generate ideas for topics the following principles are proposed:

· identified as a particular concern to residents and not necessarily solely within the remit of the council

· focus on areas of poor performance

· focus on areas of apparent high cost and poor performance

· focus on the delivery of improved outcomes for local people not simply the internal structures or functions of local organisations

· assist the council to achieve its corporate objectives

· be identified by either senior managers or cabinet as a problematic area where the resources of overview and scrutiny would help identify service solutions

· focus on a high level of complaints

· focus on an area in which the council wishes to develop policy

· focus on an area in which government legislation is being developed and which would benefit from early consideration by overview and scrutiny

· be informed by the programme of inspection work to be undertaken by external inspectors in order to support rather than duplicate investigation

· be informed by services own service improvement programme, adding value to this process by offering support to service investigations rather than duplicating

3 Recommendation

3.1 That the Safe and Healthy People Select Committee agree the principles for seeking ideas for scrutiny topics for 2008/2009 from internal and external sources, and task the Scrutiny Officer to invite topic ideas from Hampshire County Council Members and Officers, as well as key third sector and crime and disorder county wide organisations.

4 Financial implications

4.1 None

5 Impact assessment

5.1 None

6 Crime Prevention

6.1 None

7 Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied on to a material extent in the preparation of the report.

NB. This list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None.