Issue - meetings

(a)      To receive and note the minutes

(b)      To consider any recommendations contained within the minutes

There are no recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 16^th October 2023. The Board is considering a report which follows on from the Governance Systems Review at its meeting on 20^th November 2023. If these recommendations are agreed by the Board, they will be published in a Supplementary Papers pack for this Cabinet meeting.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board provided a verbal update in respect of the Board meeting held on 16^th October 2023; andin doing so explained that there were no recommendations to Cabinet made at that meeting. He did explain, however, that a Task Group to investigate the topic of Community Supermarket / Food Bank provision in the District had been established and was due to hold its first meeting in December 2023.

Cabinet welcomed the work that was being undertaken by the Board in this area. It was understood that a list of food banks had been provided to the Board in order to undertake the investigation. Members were informed that this had been provided by Officers and would be updated regularly by the Bromsgrove Partnership.

There was a brief discussion regarding the ‘poor’ rating that had recently been given to the Hillcrest Mental Health Ward. It was noted that there had been discussions regarding this at a recent Worcestershire County Council, Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, where an alternative provision was discussed. Further updates in respect of this would be available soon.

Following the verbal update, the Principal Democratic Services Officer presented the update report for the Governance Systems Review, which had been considered at the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting on 20^th November 2023. During the presentation the following was highlighted for Members’ attention:

·       The update highlighted the work undertaken at the Council to implement the recommendations made by the Governance Systems Task Group and approved at the Council meeting held on 20^th September 2023.

·       It had been agreed that the Constitution Review Working Group (CRWG) would meet on a monthly basis in order to ensure that all changes would be delivered by the start of the municipal year 2024/25. Thus far, the CRWG had discussed the draft Terms of Reference for Cabinet Advisory Groups (CAGs) and the draft Memorandum of Understanding for cross party working.

·       It had been agreed that the term “Cabinet Advisory Groups” (CAGs) would be used instead of Cabinet Advisory Panels.

·       That the CAGs were separate to the scrutiny function that was already in place at the Council and that these groups would not  duplicate the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

·       That it would be up to the relevant Portfolio Holder to call a CAG meeting throughout the municipal year on a topic at an early stage of discussion.

·       Included in the draft calendar of meetings for the 2024/25 municipal year were several dates for the CAG meetings which could be used if necessary. However, extra meetings could potentially be held on an ad hoc basis where required.

Members were informed that there had been general agreement from the Board at its meeting on 20^th November 2023 in respect of the recommendations included in the report. However, some slight amendments had been agreed. These were as follows:

1)    The terms of reference for the Cabinet Advisory Groups be approved, subject to addition of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49