Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that Councillor D. L. Pardoe be elected as Chairman of the Board for the ensuing municipal year.

RESOLVED that Councillor C. B. Taylor be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board for the ensuing municipal year.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor R. J. Deeming.  It was noted that a nomination to the Board had not yet been received from the Labour Group.

No declarations of interest or whipping arrangements were received.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board held on 22nd April 2010 were submitted.  The Chairman brought Members attention to a small discrepancy at Minute No. 88/09 in respect of 17.9c.

RESOLVED that the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The Chairman of the Task Group gave a brief summary of the Task Group‘s aims and objectives and how he hoped these would be achieved through the implementation of the recommendations and gave specific reference to the diagrams within the Executive Summary of the report, which highlighted the areas which were covered by the recommendations.

The Chairman of the Task Group took the opportunity to thank fellow Members of the Task Group and the Committee Services Officer for their hard work and support.  The Task Group Chairman confirmed that the draft report had been presented to both the Corporate Management Team and Leader’s Group and, if approved at this meeting, would be presented to Cabinet on 30th June 2010.

The following points were raised by the Board:

Ø      The important role that Councillors should play in improving residents’ satisfaction.

Ø      That everyone involved with the Council should be involved in order to make a difference.

Ø      Work should be carried out to promote the good things that the Council does.

Ø      Ensure that all parts of the district feel that they “belong” to Bromsgrove District Council.

After discussion it was agreed that Recommendation 1 needed to be amended and that Recommendation 3a would be incorporated within Recommendation 3.

The Board thanked the Task Group Chairman, Members and Committee Services Officer for the report and thanked the Portfolio Holder for his comments and support of the report.

RESOLVED:

(a)               that subject to the minor amendments requested during the meeting, the report and recommendations be approved; and

(b)               that the report be submitted to Cabinet for approval of the recommendations.

The Board considered the Legal Team’s comments on the proposed amendments to the Call-In Procedure, which had been put forward at the Scrutiny Board meeting held on 22nd April 2010.  The Board agreed a small amendment at 17.4 of the Call-In procedure.

The Senior Solicitor reminded Members that any changes to the Constitution need to be approved by the Full Council. After further discussion it was

RESOLVED that the points raised by the Board in relation to changes to the call-in procedure be referred to the Monitoring Officer for consideration as part of the next review of the Council’s Constitution.

Members considered the report prepared by the Senior Solicitor following their request for further information by the Board at the meeting held on 23rd March 2010.  It was confirmed that the Council does not have any statutory responsibilities to residents of almshouses. It was considered that the scrutiny request completed by a member of the public was of a personal nature and therefore it would not be appropriate for the Board to investigate it further.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that the report be noted;

(b)       that the Legal Team liaise with the Strategic Housing Team and write appropriately to the member of the public concerned; and

(c)        that the Board take no further action.