DETAIL OF SELECT COMMITTEE WORK

Select Committee role

Type of activity and date

Outcome, including action/s

Impact/Influence

Scrutinising the work of the Executive and the County Council as an organisation

In depth scrutiny of Access to Alcohol Services set up and progressed during the year.

Monitoring of carer focused outcomes of Care at the End of Life joint scrutiny with Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC)

- Expected reporting date: April

2008

- Progress oversight and

feedback confirmed with

officers

- Updates to Select Committee

reported by lead scrutineer

Members during the year, and

shared with HOSC

- To be identified after report

published

- Contribution to wider

monitoring of Care at the End of

Life review with benefits for the population of Hampshire

- Involvement of wide range of

Members in monitoring

- Challenge and dialogue with

officers to prompt and

encourage service improvement

and carer strategy development

Questioning and exploring areas of interest and concern

Consideration at quarterly Select Committee meetings:

a) Mental Capacity Act 2005 implementation in Hampshire

b) Offender Management Bill: implications for Hampshire

c) Disability agenda guidance; implications for Hampshire

d) Commissioning Framework for Health and Well Being: national consultation

e) Community Safety Service development: progress and issues

f) Food Service Plan: implementation

g) Hampshire Mental Health Service User Survey 2007: consequences and follow through

h) Local Involvement Network (LINks): significance for the committee and development of implementation in Hampshire

Various:

* additional updates requested to allow oversight of implementation over time

* increased knowledge about changes

* as above

* comments submitted to national consultation jointly with HOSC

* deferred for consideration at more appropriate time

* as above

* progress reports on improvements requested for later in the year

* increased knowledge about changes

Various:

· assurance about the implementation of the Act

· increased knowledge among Members of changes to inform scrutiny role

· as above

· exercise of influence on national strategy development

· greater attention to the voice of Hampshire mental health service users, and higher profile to local government interest jointly with Health

· increased knowledge among Members of changes to strengthen scrutiny role

Monitoring the strategic management of performance

a) use of the 1983 Mental Health Act

b) annual performance against the National Service Framework for mental health

c) adult services performance against national ratings

* annual activity information

received

* report received and issues raised

with further reporting back

requested

* reports received

· challenge and dialogue about care and safety issues for people in Hampshire affected by the operation of sections of the Act

· highlighting of issues where progress is required

· action by the committee to influence partner agencies to strengthen improvement

· confirmation of improvement over time of Adult Services performance and encouragement to officers

Questioning Executive members about performance, direction and decisions

a) Invitation to Executive Member

to give evidence to the Alcohol

review

* attendance by Adult Service Executive Member at Alcohol scrutiny oral evidence session

· Broadening of pool of evidence to include Executive perspective evidence. Consideration by review group members in drawing their conclusions and making recommendations (April 2008)

Pre-scrutinising recommendations from the Decision Programme

Consideration of decision lists from Adult Services and Property, Business and Regulatory Departments at Select Committee Chairman Agenda Planning meetings throughout the year, with a view to identifying items of interest for consideration by Members at Select Committee meetings

Selection of items for pre scrutiny at Select Committee meetings during the year:

- Better Housing Solutions

- Financial Assessment of Adult Services direct payments

- Adult Services revenue budget and capital programme

- Adult Protection

- Enhance provision

· exploration of aspects of topics and appropriate challenge

· requests for additional reports where necessary

· direct communication of comments and challenges about the budgets to the Executive Member, present at the meeting

Monitoring impact of external agencies on the people of Hampshire

Probation Service representative attended July 2007 meeting where

The Chief Officer for Hampshire engaged in discussion with Select Committee members about the Probation Service's role as well as the policy direction being taken with regard to the implementation of aspects of the Offender Management Act.

Communication of information about the Probation Service and current policies. Communication of messages to the Probation Service about matters of concern to Members.

· mutual exchange of role and function between the Select Committee and the Probation Service

· raised awareness about Probation and offender issues to strengthen the scrutiny role of Members

Dealing with other topics

Topics raised by committee members in their role as Lead Scrutineer, eg.

- changes to contracting arrangements in Adult Services

Members awareness raised about topics discussed, and ideas for future scrutiny topics identified

Strengthening of Select Committee critical friend and overview role

Contribution to committee scrutiny topic selection

Pre scrutiny / scrutiny areas of investigation and influence

Action/s

Outcome/s

Estimated impact / influence

Consideration of departmental decision lists at Select Committee Chairman Agenda Planning sessions

Included in all Agenda Planning sessions during the year

Selection of decisions for further consideration or not

Exercise of Select Committee role of holding the Executive to account

Pre scrutiny of decisions

Discussion of decision topics at three of the four Select Committee meetings during the year

Challenge to the department originating the decision

- raised awareness of decision topics among the Committee members

- challenge to aspects of proposed decision

Progress with scrutiny reviews

a) In depth scrutiny of Access to Alcohol Services set up and progressed during the year.

b) Monitoring of carer focused outcomes of Care at the End of Life joint scrutiny with Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC)

Expected reporting date: April

2008

- Progress oversight and

feedback confirmed with

officers

- Updates to Select Committee

reported by lead scrutineer

Members during the year, and

shared with HOSC

To be identified after report

published

- Contribution to wider

monitoring of Care at the End of

Life review with benefits for the population of Hampshire

- Involvement of wide range of

Members in monitoring

- Challenge and dialogue with

officers to prompt and

encourage service improvement

and carer strategy development