Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2020.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 27 July 2020.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

To consider any call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer will attend the meeting to facilitate a discussion on the Portfolio Performance and Resources Draft Agreements for 2020/21 that have already been considered by scrutiny committees during the week commencing 21 September 2020 and the progress towards the implementation of suggestions previously made the scrutiny committee in relation to the reporting arrangements.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer attended the meeting to facilitate a discussion on the Portfolio Performance and Resources Draft Agreements for 2020/21 that had already been considered by scrutiny committees during the week commencing 21 September 2020 and the progress towards the implementation of suggestions previously made the scrutiny committee in relation to the reporting arrangements.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The categorisation of different types of indicator between those that were council indicators; partnership indicators; and contextual indicators was welcomed.

·         The provision of additional information identifying those indicators which may have been impacted by covid-19 was highlighted as being particularly useful, although it was noted that this was often difficult to fully disaggregate.

·         It was suggested that where new measures had been introduced to replace existing calculation methods, that comparative information should be provided on an interim basis to allow members to have relevant comparative data.

·         It was suggested that an additional indicator around school admissions should be considered for inclusion in future reports to the Children & Families and Corporate, Resource Management & Governance Scrutiny Committees.

·         With regard to the portfolio dashboards that had been demonstrated to members last year, it was stated that it was proposed to undertake further online sessions with members.  Members expressed the view that bespoke committee-based sessions were considered most beneficial, with the flexibility to allow non-members to attend.

RESOLVED – That the update be noted.

To consider and determine the 2020/21 work programme for the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer and Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) to report at the meeting.

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer and Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) attended the meeting to seek the Scrutiny Committee’s view on the development of a work programme for the committee for the remainder of the 2020/21 municipal year.

The following suggestions were made:-

·         The extension of invitations to the two newly appointed Deputy Chief Executives.

·         An end-of-year evaluation of the scrutiny review programme and scrutiny generally.

·         Inviting representations from other local authorities on how scrutiny worked there to see whether there were any lessons or best practice that could be implemented at Stockport.

·         Further consideration of training opportunities for scrutiny members.

RESOLVED – That the Statutory Scrutiny Officer and Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) be requested to develop and submit a work programme for the remainder of the municipal year for consideration at the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) will attend the meeting to provide an update on the progress towards commencing work on the scrutiny review topic selected by the scrutiny committee for review during 2020/21.

The Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) attended the meeting to provide an update on the progress towards commencing work on the scrutiny review topic selected by the scrutiny committee for review during 2020/21.

It was reported that the officer review team would be led by the Monitoring Officer alongside colleagues in the Finance team, with the first meeting of the Panel proposed to meet in late October 2020. 

In response it was stated that it was important that the review concluded its work within the current municipal year, and that there was merit in using the already scheduled meetings of the Scrutiny Committee to undertake some of the work associated with the conduct of the review.

RESOLVED – That the position be noted.

To consider a joint report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal & Democratic Governance) and the Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

The report outlines the work undertaken by Scrutiny Committees during the 2019/2020 municipal year and looks to the challenges and opportunities in the forthcoming year.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider and comment on the report prior to its submission to the Council Meeting.

Officer Contact: Vicki Bates on Tel: 0161 474 3219 or email:vicki.bates@stockport.gov.uk

The Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal & Democratic Governance) submitted the draft Scrtuiny Annual Report 2019/20 (copies of which had been circulated).

RESOLVED – That the report be approved for submission to the next ordinary meeting of the Council Meeting.