Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors I Amos, Ibison and Jones.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 19 June 2017

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 19 June 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Service Director Health and Wellbeing, Mark Broadhurst, will attend the meeting to advise councillors about the way in which issues related to children and young people in Wyre are represented in the council’s Business Plan

Mark Broadhurst, Service Director Health and Wellbeing, submitted a report which included a draft scoping document for a potential scrutiny review of the role that the council played in securing better outcomes for children and young people and how this was reflected in the Business Plan.   

Mr Broadhurst identified a number of priority areas regarding young people including, as examples, childhood obesity, bullying, self-harm, the use of social media and mental health.  Mr Broadhurst emphasized that it was important to be clear about how the council could use its own resources alongside those of partners and other stakeholders to improve outcomes. 

Following discussion it was agreed that a task group should focus on how the council engaged effectively with children and young people.  The draft scoping document should be amended to reflect this and be resubmitted to the next meeting of the committee on 11 September 2017.  Young people’s health issues would be the focus of a separate scrutiny review subsequently. 

RESOLVED that

(i)            Mr Broadhurst be thanked for his report and contribution to the meeting,

(ii)          A revised task group scoping document be submitted to the committee on 11 September 2017, to focus on how the council engages with children and young people, and

(iii)         A task group focusing on children and young people’s health issues be added to the committee’s Work Programme 2017/18.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, will introduce and explain the council’s Campaigns Plan.  Members of the committee will have an opportunity to comment and ask questions.

Marianne Hesketh, Service Director Performance and Innovation, presented the council’s Campaigns Plan for May 2017 – April 2018, which had been compiled by the Policy and Engagement Manager. 

In response to questions from councillors Ms Hesketh confirmed that the council’s Emergency Plans were robust and regularly tested. 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation, Marianne Hesketh, has submitted a report to provide the committee with background information about the progress that has been made around digital transformation within the Council to date.  Marianne Hesketh will attend the meeting to introduce the report and to respond to comments and questions from councillors.

Marianne Hesketh, Service Director Performance and Innovation, submitted a report which included a draft scoping document for a scrutiny review.

Following discussion the draft scoping document was agreed, without any further amendment. The task group would focus on councillor-related issues, and in particular a move to paper-free meetings.  Other borough councils in Lancashire (e.g. Burnley, Chorley, Hyndburn) had already successfully made such a change, as had Hambleton Parish Council.  

It was also accepted that the review should fully consider user needs.  The council’s planning portal was another potential subject for scrutiny within the review.

RESOLVED that

(i)            The Service Director Performance and Innovation be thanked for her report and contribution to the meeting

(ii)          That a Digital Transformation task group be set up, to commence in September, to consider councillor-related issues.

The Service Director Performance and Innovation has submitted a report to update the committee about the progress of the Overview and Scrutiny Work programme 2017/18.

The Chairman, Councillor Michael Vincent, updated members about the progress of the two current task groups. 

The Waste Collection and Recycling Services task group had completed its work and a draft report would be submitted to the committee on 11 September 2017.  It was expected that the final report would be considered by the Cabinet on 18 October 2017.

The task group on the council’s Life In Wyre resident survey was to hold its third meeting on Tuesday 1 August, and was making good progress.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Monday 11 September 2017 at 6pm.

RESOLVED that the next meeting of the committee be held at 6pm on Monday 11 September 2017 at the Civic Centre, Poulton-le-Fylde.