Archived decisions

Decision Maker:

Cabinet

Date of Decision:

22 September 2008

Decision Title:

Proposed response to the recommendations arising from the Policy and Resources Select Committee's review of the County Council's current scrutiny arrangements

Decision Reference:

254

Report From:

Cabinet Working Group

Contact name:

Denise Holden and Debbie Vaughan on behalf of the Cabinet Working Group

Tel:

01962 847338
01962 847330

Email:

[email protected]
[email protected]

1) Summary

The following decisions were made:

1.1. That Cabinet approved the proposed response of the Cabinet Working Group to the recommendations arising from the recent review of the County Council's existing scrutiny arrangements, subject to some strengthening of the response to Recommendation R.


1.2. The Cabinet's agreed response will be considered by the Policy and Resources Select Committee on 14 October 2008.

2) Reasons for the decision

2.1. In the autumn of 2007, the Policy and Resources Select Committee carried out a thorough review of the County Council's existing scrutiny arrangements. The aim of the review was to consider the progress of the Select Committees to date and to gauge Members' and senior officers' current perceptions and understanding of scrutiny. Through this process the review looked at the current scrutiny operating protocols to identify opportunities for improving the delivery of a robust scrutiny function at the County Council, which included the working of partner and other organisations. The report of the Policy and Resources Select Committee detailing its findings and recommendations is available on the County Council's website: (insert link - not available until 5 September)

2.2. The report of the Policy and Resources Select Committee and its recommendations was considered by the Cabinet on 7 July 2008 which resulted in a Cabinet Working Group being convened to consider specifically recommendations A, A1, B, C, D, E, F, G, L, M, O, P, Q, R, T and U.

2.3. The Cabinet Working Group comprising Councillors Cartwright, Collett, Ellis, Felicity Hindson, Jo Kelly and Perry have met to consider the recommendations and to prepare their response. In determining its response, the Review Group were mindful of the important role County Councillors have in terms of community leadership and the work they do to enable the County Council to achieve its objectives, including those of the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) and the Hampshire Local Area Agreement (LAA). The draft response is accordingly attached as an appendix for consideration by the Cabinet. For completeness, the full set of the Scrutiny Review recommendations have been included in the appendix; the recommendations that are outside of the remit of this working group are being progressed by the relevant Select Committee(s) as stated.

3) Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. No other options were considered as the procedure for receiving and responding to reports from Select Committees is set out in Part 3D of the County Council's Constitution.

4) Conflicts of Interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker:

None

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive Members consulted:

None

5) Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee:

Not applicable.

6) Any reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent :

Not applicable.

7) Statement from the Decision Maker:

Approved by:

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Date:

22 September 2008

Councillor T.K. Thornber, CBE

Chairman of the Cabinet