Agenda and minutes

Mr. M.B. Page CC – Cabinet Support Member – Finance and Resources.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2006 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The following members of the Committee declared personal non-prejudicial interests in their capacity as District Councillors in relation to the consultation paper on Local Strategic Partnerships:

Mr. Hunt, Mr. Galton, Dr. Hill, Mr. Houseman, Mr. Jones, Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Snartt.

There were no declarations of the Party Whip.

The Chief Executive reported that there were no petitions to be presented.

The Commission considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services (Designate) concerning the draft Children and Young People’s Plan 2006 to 2009.  A copy of the report, marked ‘A’, is filed with these minutes.

The Commission also noted the comments of the Education Scrutiny Committee which had considered the Plan at its meeting on 27^th February, 2006.  A paper setting out the decisions of the Education Scrutiny Committee is also filed with these minutes.

The Commission was advised that the Plan sought to outline in a single document how the needs of young people in Leicestershire would be met and identified areas for improvement.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet be advised that the Commission:-

a)                 notes and welcomes the Plan and the key outcomes contained therein;

b)                 recognises the need for effective scrutiny mechanisms to be developed to scrutinise partnerships and partnership plans and has requested the Chief Executive to submit an options paper to a future meeting.

The Commission considered a report of the Chief Executive on the background to and progress in developing a Change Management Programme for the Council.  A copy of the report, marked ‘B’, is filed with these minutes.

In response to questions the Commission was advised as follows:

(i)         A key driver for establishing the programme was an issue of capacity within the organisation particularly in undertaking development work whilst still delivering high quality services;

(ii)        A Chief Officer was leading each Programme Board and the Corporate Management Team met fortnightly to discuss and review progress;

(iii)       A review of current projects was underway.  That review would look critically at the business case as well as interdependencies between projects.  It was envisaged a number of projects would not continue following the review and some projects would be re-scoped.  The outcome of this process would be reported to members;

(iv)       The Change Programme Board would assess the business case for each project.  Such a business case would need to spell out clearly the objectives of the project and the expected outcomes.  Project Managers and Teams would be held accountable against the agreed business plans;

(v)        The budget for the Change Management Programme was essentially an “Invest to Save” budget.  Efficiencies realised would be cashable on improving service delivery.  The issue of ‘low priority services’ would be addressed separately.

RESOLVED:

a)                 That the development of the Change Management Programme for the County Council be welcomed and supported;

b)                 That a further report be submitted to a future meeting on the outcome of the current review of existing projects and details of the new projects to be included in the Change Management Programme;

c)                  That the Cabinet be asked to consider including a scrutiny representative on the Change Management Board so that there is a wider understanding and ownership of the overall objectives and particular projects in the Change Management Programme.

The Commission considered a report of the Chief Executive about a consultation paper issued  by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister concerning the role, accountability and governance of LSPs and a proposed response from the Leicestershire Together Board thereto.  A copy of the report, marked ‘C; is filed with these minutes.

The Commission was advised that the Leicestershire Together Board had made amendments to the response in relation to questions 6 and 7.  A copy of the revised response is filed with these minutes.

RESOLVED:

a)                 That the response of the Leicestershire Together Board to the consultation document ‘Local Strategic Partnerships – Shaping their Future’ be noted and supported;

b)                 That in relation to question 26 consideration be given to the following as a possible response:

‘LSPs by their nature require the engagement of independent partners with their own internal mechanisms of scrutiny and monitoring. Effective scrutiny and avoiding multiple scrutiny of LSP or LAA activity is, therefore, much more difficult. That said, early information in relation to key plans/strategies and timely management information coupled with the ability of the Scrutiny Committee of the accountable body to require the attendance of partners on LSPs/LAAs would help.’

The Commission considered a report arising from discussion at the Scrutiny Reference Group on the role of scrutiny and how it might be improved.  A copy of the report marked ‘D’ is filed with these minutes.

The Chairman, Dr. O’Callaghan advised the Commission that he had written to the Leader of the Council on the recent problems experienced regarding decision making in the Education Department.  He had been advised by the Leader that the Cabinet had established an informal group to monitor activities in the Education Department and that the Leader would keep the other Groups aware of any developments.

RESOLVED:

That the Green Paper, together with the views of the meeting of the members of Scrutiny Reference Group and Scrutiny Committee Chairmen as to their preferred option, be forwarded for discussions in Party Groups, informing them that it is the intention of the Commission to consider the outcome of such discussions at its next meeting with a view to asking the Constitution Committee to make appropriate recommendations to the Annual Meeting of the County Council on a possible new Scrutiny Structure.

1^st March 2006

2.00 – 3.40 pm.                                                                                     CHAIRMAN