Issue - meetings

Members considered the content of the Overview and Scrutiny Board’s Work Programme.  Officers explained that a number of items had been suggested for inclusion on the Work Programme by members of the Board in the previous municipal year.  In respect of these items Members expressed particular interest in continuing to receive quarterly updates on the application backlog in the Planning Department. 

The focus of the report on the subject of the Staff Survey was briefly discussed.  The Chairman explained that the Board had reviewed the outcome of a previous Staff Survey and had identified concerns particularly in relation to bullying and the frequency of staff performance appraisals.  The Board had also contributed to the 10 key issues which Members had felt needed to be tracked and had been keen to provide input into future versions of the survey.

Councillors’ Ipads had also been the subject of a discussion at a Board meeting in the previous municipal year.  The extent to which problems with the Ipads had been resolved in recent months was briefly discussed and it was noted that some new Members had encountered practical difficulties in respect of using the equipment.  However, Members concurred that until and unless concrete problems were identified it would be more appropriate to list this item for consideration at a later date if required.

Overview and Scrutiny Members had previously undertaken a number of reviews of car parking.  Members suggested that the appropriate time for the Board to revisit this subject would be once the trial for free evening car parking in Bromsgrove had come to an end.  There was the possibility that a mechanism had already been identified for a review of this trial and that a date had been set for this review.  Officers were asked to seek clarification on this point to enable the Board to determine the most appropriate time for scrutiny to contribute to the process.