Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee for the period until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Mark Roberts be elected Chair of meetings of members of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

To approve as a correct record and order that the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 April 2021 be signed.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 26 April 2021 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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 interest which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

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

The report outlines the work undertaken by Scrutiny Committees during the 2020/2021 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 Scrutiny Annual Report 2020/21 (copies of which had been circulated).

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was disappointing that the final report of the scrutiny review undertaken by the Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee with regard to the Council’s Policy for Active Streets, Play Streets and School Streets had not yet been received.

·         It was stated that the Cabinet needed to provide a response to the recommendations made by the scrutiny reviews that had submitted their final reports.

·         It was confirmed that Jonathan Davies would be taking up the role of Statutory Scrutiny Officer.

·         The Scrutiny Committee reiterated its view that more work was need with regard to the governance of outside, or partner, bodies and organisations.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be approved for submission to the next ordinary meeting of the Council Meeting.

(2) That it be noted that the scrutiny committees awaited the Cabinet’s response to those scrutiny review final reports that had been submitted during the last municipal year.

To consider a report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance)

The report presents for comments the suggested arrangements for Scrutiny Review topic selection in 2020/2021.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report prior to its submission to the Scrutiny Committees in the September cycle.

Officer Contact: Damian Eaton on Tel: 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

The Statutory Scrutiny Officer and Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) suggesting a process for the selection of Scrutiny Review topics for the 2021/2022 municipal year.

RESOLVED – That the report be approved and that it be circulated to the five Scrutiny Committees for consideration.

To consider and determine the 2021/22 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 2021/22 municipal year.

The following suggestions were made:-

·         How actions agreed as part of motions passed by the Council Meeting were acted upon.

·         The arrangements for the governance of partner organisations.

A further discussion took place in relation to the impact of the reduction in the number of scheduled meetings of scrutiny committees throughout the year, however it was noted that this matter had been discussed several times in the past and most recently at the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

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.