Pre scrutiny / scrutiny areas of investigation and influence

Action/s

Outcome/s

Estimated impact / influence

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

Completion of in-depth scrutiny reviews, begun in 2007/08:

- Lyndhurst traffic congestion and bypass issue

- Transport in the Community

Identification of and initiation of other reviews:

- light touch review of the State of Hampshire Roads

- in-depth review of road infrastructure and housing growth (on-going)

Monitoring outcomes of scrutinies from previous year, 2007/08:

- street lighting

Report and recommendations endorsed by the Environment and Transportation Select Committee in April 2008, and directed to the Cabinet

Responses to key recommendations were identified for monitoring and follow up; this is on-going during the year, at quarterly meetings of the Committee, following an agreed timetable

Report and recommendations endorsed by the Environment and Transportation Select Committee in April 2008

Responses to key recommendations were identified for monitoring and follow up; this has happened and is on-going throughout the year, at quarterly meetings of the Committee, following an agreed timetable

Review summary and recommendations endorsed by the Committee members at the review

Follow up of Executive response was identified for monitoring of outcomes; this is on-going

N/A

- Real-time scrutiny of progress with recommendations at July Committee meeting

The report prompted a written response from the key decision maker (Executive Member) , informing the Committee about work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

All recommendations accepted except one.

Outcome monitoring has shown that the review's comments and recommendations have been taken into consideration in on-going and newly initiated work

The Committee's recommendations were communicated to the key decision maker: the Executive Member

The report prompted a written response from the Executive Member informing the Committee about the work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

The majority of recommendations were accepted.

Outcome monitoring has shown that the review's comments and recommendations have been taken into consideration in on-going and newly initiated work

The report prompted a written response from the Executive Member informing the Committee about the work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

N/A

Opportunity for Members to clarify areas of progress, and to influence new developments

2. Questioning and exploring areas of interest and concern

There has been consideration of various topics at the quarterly Select Committee

Meetings, eg. waste, flooding, community transport etc. (see details in table below)

Various, eg.

- Overview and `real-time' scrutiny

- No further action

(see details below)

See details in table below

3. Monitoring the strategic management of performance

Monitoring of the following areas:

- Environment Department performance issues, relating these to budgetary issues

- Local Transport Plan

See details in table below

See detail in table below

4. Pre-scrutinising recommendations from the Decision Programme

Consideration of decision lists relating to Environment Department and Recreation and Heritage Department prior to each quarterly meeting

Chairman attendance at Environment Executive Member meetings

Certain proposals for decisions have been scrutinised by the Committee: eg.

- Capital Programme and Revenue budget (mid year 2007/08, and proposals for 2009/10)

- Hampshire Minerals Plan

See details in table below

See detail in table below

5. Monitoring the impact of external agencies on the people of Hampshire

Integral to the scrutiny review and monitoring of outcomes processes eg. through the Transport in the Community, and Lyndhurst reviews (Transport providers, Police)

Carried out through the questioning and exploring of areas of interest eg. flooding. (see detail below)

See details in table below

See details in table below

DETAIL OF SELECT COMMITTEE WORK

PRC 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

Completion of in-depth scrutiny reviews, begun in 2007/08:

- Lyndhurst traffic congestion and bypass issue

- Transport in the Community

Identification of and initiation of other reviews:

- light touch review of the State of Hampshire Roads

- in-depth review of road infrastructure and housing growth (begun in December 2008 and on-going)

Monitoring outcomes of scrutinies from previous year, 2007/08:

- street lighting

Report and recommendations endorsed by the Environment and Transportation Select Committee in April 2008, and directed to the Cabinet

Responses to key recommendations were identified for monitoring and follow up; this is on-going during the year, at quarterly meetings of the Committee, following an agreed timetable

Report and recommendations endorsed by the Environment and Transportation Select Committee in April 2008

Responses to key recommendations were identified for monitoring and follow up; this has happened and is on-going throughout the year, at quarterly meetings of the Committee, following an agreed timetable

Review summary and recommendations endorsed by the Committee members at the review

Follow up of Executive response was identified for monitoring and follow up; this is on-going

N/A

Real-time scrutiny of progress with recommendations at July Committee meeting

The report prompted a written response from the key decision maker (Executive Member) , informing the Committee about work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

All recommendations accepted except one.

Outcome monitoring has shown that the review's comments and recommendations have been taken into consideration in on-going and newly initiated work

The Committee's recommendations were communicated to the key decision maker: the Executive Member

The report prompted a written response from the Executive Member informing the Committee about the work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

The majority of recommendations were accepted.

Outcome monitoring has shown that the review's comments and recommendations have been taken into consideration in on-going and newly initiated work

The report prompted a written response from the Executive Member informing the Committee about the work that would address the recommendations accepted by the Executive.

N/A

Opportunity for Members to clarify areas of progress, and to influence new developments

Questioning and exploring areas of interest and concern

Consideration of topics at quarterly Select Committee

meetings:

a) Waste

b) Flooding

c) Display Energy Certificates (DECs)

d) Trade Waste Controls

e) Community Transport

f) Hampshire Waste Management Sites Plan

g) Vehicles in the Countryside

Various:

a) research of topic with a view to prioritising it for in-depth review. Decision to include aspects in quarterly meetings for real-time scrutiny instead.

b) Emergency planning and highways arrangements for the county in the event of flooding were overviewed at the July Select Committee meeting

c) Information on implementation of new energy efficiency programme (DECs) in Hampshire County Council led to real-time scrutiny at January meeting

d) Information on implementation of trade waste controls led to real-time scrutiny at October meeting

e) Overview of impact of tendering changes (on-going) with a view to real-time scrutiny

f) Not considered in the light of

advice from the Executive

Member in April in relation to

timing of related work

g) Real-time scrutiny of impact of

new policy relating to the use

and management of motor

vehicles on rights of way and

unsurfaced roads in the

countryside at a quarterly

meeting

Various:

a) Overview and real-time scrutiny of Materials Resources Strategy in October allowed Members to challenge the breadth and direction of the strategy, to their satisfaction

b) Overview allowed Members to engage with a new subject, and decide to plan for further light touch scrutiny the following year. This is in keeping with recommendations about scrutiny from the national Pitt Report on flooding (2008)

c) Overview, followed by real-

time scrutiny, allowed

Members to act as a critical

friend to the Executive

endorsed implementation

strategy, and to identify it as a

performance monitoring topic

for 2009/10

d)..Overview, followed by real-

time scrutiny, allowed

Members to act as a critical

friend to the Executive

endorsed implementation

strategy, and to identify it as a

performance monitoring topic

for 2009/10

e) To be completed

f) Deferred to 2009

g) The Members endorsed the

progress made, to their

satisfaction

Monitoring the strategic management of performance

Monitoring of the following areas:

a) Environment Department performance issues: performance considered twice during the year - mid-year and end of year - linked to budgetary information

b) Local Transport Plan 2006

-2011

Various:

· Receipt of information,

clarification of issues, and

further in-depth information

where this was needed

· Encouragement to officers,

where appropriate

Various:

· Members exercised their role as challengers through questioning plans for improving on areas of weakness

· Members assured about improvement over time, as recorded in the Local Transport Plan progress report

Pre-scrutinising recommendations from the

Decision Programme

Consideration of decision lists relating to Environment Department and Recreation and Heritage Department prior to each quarterly meeting

Chairman attendance at Environment Executive Member meetings

Certain proposals for decisions have been scrutinised by the Committee: eg.

- Capital Programme and Revenue budget (mid year 2007/08, and proposals for 2009/10)

- Hampshire Minerals Plan

Exercise of Committee's duty to pre-scrutinise decisions at quarterly meetings, and at other specially focused meetings in between

· Challenge to decisions to be made, through real-time scrutiny

· Reduced impact of the challenge role with regard to the Minerals Plan, on account of incomplete availability of information sufficiently in advance

Monitoring impact of external agencies on the people of Hampshire

1. Integral to the scrutiny review and monitoring of outcomes processes eg. through the Transport in the Community, and Lyndhurst reviews (Transport providers, Police)

2. Carried out through the questioning and exploring of areas of interest eg. waste, flooding etc (see above)

3. Direct invitation to external agency (Environment Agency) to meet with the Select Committee

1. Identification of which work involving relationships with external agencies to include in the outcome monitoring of the reviews

2. Highlighting of, and response to, issues affecting the people of Hampshire

3. To take place in March 2009

1. Outcome monitoring of review recommendations relating to external agencies during the year keeps issues and progress transparent. Impact of review recommendations made visible

2. Questioning and exploring allows Members to decide whether scrutiny is appropriate eg. flooding

3. To identify after March 2009 meeting

Dealing with other topics

· Introduction of Lead Scrutineer role within the Select Committee

· Consideration of the role by Members with reference to the potential role profile

· Members felt that they were generally too heavily committed at the time to adopt the role, but wish to reconsider it again in 2009-02-03