Decision details

The Scrutiny Committee received a list of outstanding Actions and Questions.

PI 39 (CCS12 – Complaints resolved at Stage 1) and PI 40 (CCS2 – Improved street cleanliness)

It was noted that a further update would be provided in March when the Quarter 3 performance data was due to be considered.

PI 41 (CCS2 – Improved street cleanliness)

The Chair requested that when officers attended the Scrutiny Committee in March they should be asked to provide financial information in respect of fly tipping.

PI 45 (HR1 – sickness absence)

It was noted that the questions and actions had moved away from the original performance indicator.  The Chair suggested that if the Scrutiny Committee agreed, this item would be removed from the next update.  The Committee and Scrutiny Officer advised that she would start a new reference for any further actions.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer reported that following the publication of the agenda she had received responses from the Head of Community and Customer Services and Head of Revenues and Benefits.  She informed the Scrutiny Committee that the Housing Service provided a drop-in session at set times each day of the week.  The information was available on the Council’s website.  When an advisor was not on duty the member of the public would be offered the option of contacting the service by telephone.

The Head of Revenues and Benefits had advised that the number of staff present in the Customer Service Centre had increased from one officer to two approximately a year ago.  A third officer was located in the Customer Service Centre’s back office for those times when an additional officer was required in the main reception area.  He had added that if another officer was required to be constantly present in the Customer Service Centre this would have an impact on processing claims.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer stated that the full responses would be circulated to the Scrutiny Committee and would be attached to the minutes for this meeting.

Councillor Bell asked whether the recent letters sent to those people on the housing list had had an impact on the number of visitors to the Customer Service Centre.  The Committee and Scrutiny Officer said that she would contact the service and report back to the Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Taylor suggested that average waiting times for Revenues and Benefits could be added to the information reported to the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer responded that she would contact the Head of Revenues and Benefits to ask if this information could be provided at future meetings.

PI 47 (Review of the Corporate Plan)

The Chair informed the Scrutiny Committee that she had met with the Partnerships and Performance Section Head and Committee and Scrutiny Officer and reviewed the Corporate Plan.  A number of areas had been suggested as potential scrutiny topics and would be included in the work programme for 2015/16.

In response to a question about a future review of Communications and its content, the Committee and Scrutiny Officer explained that only the subjects had been identified and further work needed to be carried out on the scope of the reviews.  The Scrutiny Committee would be able to discuss the subjects in more detail at its first meeting in the new Municipal Year.  Members would be able to suggest specific requirements for each subject that they wanted to scrutinise. 

Councillor Khan commented that in his opinion too much work had been taken from Overview and Scrutiny Committee and transferred to Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel.  He felt that all performance indicators should be reported to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  This Scrutiny Committee should have an overview of all scrutiny within the Borough. 

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer advised that when Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel had been established, it had been agreed that the terms of reference should include the review of the relevant performance indicators for the outsourced services.  She added that the Scrutiny Panel was able to monitor the indicators and identify any issues as they arose; it was immediately able to review its work programme and amend it as necessary.  The Scrutiny Panel had also requested additional performance data following its reviews.

Councillor Taylor, who chaired Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel, suggested that the Constitution Working Party could be asked to review the arrangements and consider whether further changes needed to be made to the terms of reference for Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor Khan commented that if he wished to raise a matter at this meeting about a service which had been contracted out, he was unable to and would have to wait until the relevant scrutiny meeting met. 

RESOLVED –

1.         that the update be amended as noted.

2.         that the Committee and Scrutiny Officer contact the Head of Democracy and Governance to request a meeting of the Constitution Working Party be arranged to review the terms of reference for Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel.