Verbal update on the Chairman's Quarterly Meeting with the Leader
Minutes:
The Chairman advised that the reason for the
Chairman’s quarterly meeting with the Leader was to maintain
a regular update between the Boards and the Cabinet in order to
make the Overview and Scrutiny process more effective. The following issues had been discussed:
- The attendance of portfolio holders
at task group and Board meetings. It
was confirmed that since this meeting had taken place, portfolio
holders had attended meetings.
- A better definition and
understanding of the respective roles of both the Overview and
Scrutiny Boards.
- Pressure on officer time,
particularly in respect of attendance at task group
meetings. The Scrutiny Officer
confirmed that this should be addressed as part of the planning of
the new Work Programme. The Corporate
Management Team had already been approached in respect of topics
and suitable dates for investigation, for inclusion in the Work
Programmes and planning.
- The need to build upon a strategic
approach to work planning and plan over a longer period, to
consider fewer items, and to focus on “high value”
investigations with a clearer purpose.
The inclusion of terms of reference for each topic would be
essential in focusing the Boards.
- The Overview and Scrutiny Annual
Report
The Chairman reminded Members that if there
was any particular item they wished to be raised at future meetings
with the Leader, the Scrutiny Officer should be contact in the
first instance to ensure that these were passed on.