Agenda Item No
The Vale of Glamorgan Council
Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning): 27th April 2009
Report of the Director of Legal, Public Protection and Housing
Services
Scrutiny Forward Work Programme 2009/10
Purpose of the Report
1. To consider a
Work Programme for the Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning)
2009/10.
Recommendations
1. That the
Scrutiny Committee confirms the outcome of its Work Programme for
2009/10 as detailed in Paragraphs 3 - 8 and 11 of this report.
2. That the
Scrutiny Committee keeps the issue of resourcing scrutiny support
under review.
Reasons for the Recommendations
1. To confirm the
Committee's Work Programme for 2009/10.
2. To consider
matters as and when they arise and in light of limited
resources.
Background
2. The Scrutiny
procedural rules contained in Part 4(E) (Paragraph 8) of the
Council's Constitution provide that the Scrutiny Committees should
determine their Work Programmes for each financial year. In
doing so, Committees should also take into account the wishes of
Members of the Committee who are not Members of the largest
political group on the Council. The Work Programme also
informs the Annual Report, which has to be presented to Full
Council and includes the workings of the Committee, any
recommendations for future Work Programmes and any recommendations
for amended working methods if appropriate. Members are
advised that the Annual Report is to be presented to the Scrutiny
Committee for consideration at its April 2009 meeting, following
which it will then be presented to Full Council on 6th May,
2009.
Relevant Issues and Options
3. The purpose of
the Forward Work Programme is to help to ensure organisation and
focus is achieved in the undertaking of inquiries via the scrutiny
process and to support and challenge the Council's decision
making.
4. In undertaking
their monitoring and evaluation role throughout the year Scrutiny
Committees consider as part of their Work Programme the following
items:
· Quarterly
Service Performance Monitoring
· Revenue and
Capital Expenditure Monitoring - monthly monitoring
· Budget
Proposals - annual reporting
· Service
Planning - annual reporting
· Improvement
Plan and Corporate Plan - annual reports
· Decision
Tracking of its Committees' recommendations in order to evaluate
and
monitor
scrutiny performance - quarterly monitoring
· The receipt
of other reports as determined by the Committee as and when
appropriate
· Emerging
strategies from the Corporate Plan and Community Strategy.
5. As part of the
process for consulting on the contents of the Scrutiny Committee
draft Work Programmes for this year a different approach has been
taken with consultation being undertaken with each Political Group
with the view to obtaining each Group's comments on a draft Work
Programme for 2009/10 in respect of all Scrutiny Committees.
Meetings were subsequently held with the Labour and Conservatives
groups on 23rd and 27th February 2009
respectively.
6. Officers were
also due to meet with the Independent Group on 20th February 2009
but this was unavoidably cancelled. However, following
contact with the Group via e-mails, the Independent Group has
submitted its comments on this matter.
7. With regard to
the Plaid Cymru Group, this Group held its own meeting on
27th February (officers were not in attendance). No
comments have been received from the Plaid Group on the Work
Programme to date. However, it should be noted that
Councillor C.J. Williams has separately and outside the above
process requested for a topic to be included in the Economy and
Environment Scrutiny Committee's Work Programme.
8. Representations
received on the Work Programme in relation to the remit of this
Committee as a result of the above exercise are summarised
below:
· The Review
of Youth Provision in the Vale of Glamorgan - to undertake a review
of progress made regarding implementing the Action Plan relating to
youth provision in the Vale of Glamorgan and in particular in
Penarth, since the previous review undertaken in 2006.
· *The
following subjects were agreed to be included for consideration by
way of regular progress reports in 2008/09 but have not yet been
reported upon. The Committee will need to consider these matters
are slipped in to next years work plan.
School Councils and the Children and Young
Peoples Plan.
*The
Committee will also receive at this meeting a report on the Review
of Children and Young People not in Education, Employment and
Training which includes a number of recommendations that dependent
on Members views will need to be considered as part of the 2009/10
work programme.
· Members may
also wish to receive standard report items with regular updates on
progress in respect of the following issues as part of their work
programme for 2009/10:
Progress on delivery of the School Investment
Strategy
Quality arrangements within the Directorate for
Self-Evaluation
Progress on meeting Special Educational Needs
Assessment of current Anti- Bullying policies in
schools
Progress in relation to WAG’s proposals for 14
–19 Transformation
Youth Participation Strategy
Library Standards
(Items flagged with * represent
slippage or ongoing from current year work programme.)
9. Directors have
been consulted on the draft Work Programme for 2009/10 and have
raised no issues regarding the proposals other than to indicate
that reports will also be submitted to Cabinet on some of the
issues raised by Scrutiny Members.
10. Any Work Programme agreed
should also take into account the Forward Work Programme of the
Cabinet.
11. In addition to the above
matters, Members' attention is also drawn to a number of
improvement studies below and also attached at Appendix
1, which are part of the Council's Regulatory Plan to be
undertaken by the WAO in liaison with the Improvement Team during
2009/10. These studies will be reported upon to the relevant
Scrutiny Committees during the life of the Plan however, these
studies indicate the breadth of work likely to arise and
corresponding demands placed on the Improvement Sections'
resources:
12. The following are national
studies (applicable to this Scrutiny Committee) that will require
consideration by the Council (see Appendix
2 for a list of the studies applicable to the Council’s other
Scrutiny Committees):
· Nutrition in
schools
· Education of
looked after children
· St Athan and
the Red Dragon project
· Capital
investment in schools
13. Pro-formas for
suggestions for topics have been published and are also available
for the public and / or Members to complete via the Council's
website and the Scrutiny and Committee Services Section.
14. The Scrutiny and
Committee Services Section has prepared guidance booklets, which
are available for members of the public, Members, officers and
witnesses invited by Committee on the role of Scrutiny and the way
in which they can be involved in the process. The National Assembly
for Wales Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee Inquiry
into Local Government Scrutiny and Overview Arrangements published
in March 2009, has commended this section and the Council for
developing these. Revisions to the Scrutiny Handbook have
also been undertaken. These publications are also available
on the Council's website, at Public Libraries, Council Offices and
via the Scrutiny and Committee Services Section.
Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)
15. In considering an
effective Work Programme, The Operational Manager (Corporate Policy
and Communications) has recently raised concerns regarding the
implications for Scrutiny support of a reduction in staffing levels
within the Improvement and Development team from 5 to 3.5
officers. In broad terms, the reduction relates to one
officer continuing to devote approximately 50% of their time to the
Youth Offending Service and to the non-filling of a recently
vacated post (Scrutiny and Performance Officer).
16. In bringing to
Members' attention the specific proposals of the Operational
Manager to deal with the above, it is equally important that
Members are made aware of the way in which Scrutiny support has
evolved over the last two years or so. Given known capacity issues
within the Improvement and Development Team many of the initiatives
have been delivered / governed by the Scrutiny and Committee
Services Section (notwithstanding the Section has its own issues in
terms of lack of resources). These include, for instance:
· a
significant increase in support for Task and Finish Group work
· development of the
Scrutiny website
· development / production
of a range of specific guidance material for the various
participants in the Scrutiny process
· delivery of the majority
of the two-year Scrutiny Action Plan.
17. The proposals
of the Operational Manager (Corporate Policy and Communications)
are set out below and no spare capacity exists within the Scrutiny
and Committee Services Section. Indeed, depending on Member
aspirations in respect of, for example, Work Programmes, the extent
of resourcing issues within the section will also need to be taken
into account. Bearing in mind the capacity issues, areas such
as Task and Finish Group work will out of necessity need to be
dealt with on the basis of new work commencing when other work
concludes.
18. With regard to
the Improvement and Development Team, the workload will need to
reflect its reduced capacity.
19. IDT will
continue to arrange and support Performance Panels and continue to
oversee Ffynnon development, as it enables reduced workloads across
the Council, reducing both time involved in performance reporting
and in streamlining the processes for information collection.
20. With a
reduction in 1.5 posts, regular attendance at Scrutiny meetings is
becoming extremely difficult. Given that IDT involvement in
the formal Scrutiny process is minimal, it is intended that they
will no longer regularly attend meetings.
21. With regard to
the Scrutiny and Committee Services section, it is estimated that
the Section is able to devote the equivalent of no more than 2 FTE
officers to supporting the Scrutiny function. Members will
also be well aware of the significant amount of officer time taken
up by all the other Committees of Council and of servicing
Cabinet. Notwithstanding this, significant progress has been
made given that in addition to limitations on resources it should
be noted that, from 1st October 2009, local authorities will
have responsibility for scrutinising crime and disorder matters
(including the discharge by the responsible authorities e.g.
police, fire, local authorities, of their crime and disorder
functions). Consideration is currently being given as to how
these new responsibilities can be incorporated into the Council's
political management structure in the most efficient manner bearing
in mind capacity issues.
22. The Welsh
Assembly Government is also in the process of developing
legislation, which will further impact on the requirements upon
local authorities in terms of Scrutiny responsibilities. All
of the above mean that the issue of resourcing of Scrutiny support
will need to be kept under review.
Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)
23. None as a
direct result of this report.
Crime and Disorder Implications
24. None as a
direct result of this report.
Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language
issues)
25. None as a
direct result of this report.
Corporate/Service Objectives
26. The production
of a Work Programme provides the Committee and the Council with a
programme of anticipated workload for the forthcoming year.
All the issues in the proposed Work Programme contribute towards
the Council's Community Leadership Corporate Objective.
Policy Framework and Budget
27. The Forward
Work Programme falls within the Policy Framework and Budget and is
in accordance with the Council's Constitution. The Forward
Work Programme forms part of the Annual Scrutiny Report, which,
under Article 6 of the Constitution, will be presented to Full
Council.
Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)
28. Consultation
with all political Groups has been undertaken as referred to in
paragraphs 5,6 and 7 of this report.
Relevant Scrutiny Committee
29. All.
Background Papers
Council Constitution
Cabinet Forward Work Programme
Contact Officer
Jeff Rees (Principal Scrutiny & Committee
Services Officer)
Officers Consulted
All Directors, Head Of Visible Services,
Operational Manager (Waste Management & Cleansing), Operational
Manager (Democratic Services), Operational Manager (Corporate
Policy & Communication).
Responsible Officer:
Peter H. Evans
Director of Legal, Public Protection and
Housing Services