The Committee and Scrutiny Officer informed the scrutiny committee that since the publication of the agenda Councillor Rindl had tendered her resignation.  This meant that there was currently a vacancy on the committee.

There were no disclosures of interests.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2017 to be submitted and signed.

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2017 were submitted and signed.

To consider any Executive decisions which have been called in by the requisite number of Members.

It was noted that no executive decisions had been called in.

Presentations by Shopmobility and Watford Citizens Advice with an opportunity for scrutiny to ask questions of these commissioned organisations.

The Corporate Leisure and Community Client Section Head stated that following on from the last meeting two further organisations had been invited to speak to the scrutiny committee about their role as a commissioned organisation.  At this meeting representatives were present from Shopmobility and Citizens Advice Watford.  In the new municipal year the scrutiny committee would receive the end of year statistics from all the commissioned organisations.

Shopmobility

Jim Rutledge, informed the scrutiny committee about Shopmobility and the services it provided to visitors to Watford Town Centre.  Over the last year there had been 10,980 visits to the service by 1,400 individuals.  This showed that many visitors returned to use the service again.  He provided a breakdown of the number and types of users.  He referred to the volunteers who supported the service.  The organisation made every effort to retain its volunteers and there was currently a waiting list of people wanting to help.  The volunteers ranged in ages from 16 to over 80.  The majority were retired.  The volunteers had a wide range of skills.  The organisation gave long service awards to their volunteers.  Two of the volunteers had received an Audentior Award.

The scrutiny committee made a number of comments and posed several questions about funding and charging users for hiring the equipment.

The Corporate Leisure and Community Client Section Head commented that officers had held discussions with the organisation about differentiating between resident and non-resident users.  It was estimated that the split was about 50%.  It was recognised that people coming from outside the borough were spending their money in the town.

Jim Rutledge added that people coming from outside Watford were making a conscious decision to visit Watford and therefore bringing revenue into the town.  An average visit usually comprised at least two people.  The service had been provided for over 20 years and a conscious decision had been made not to charge for the loan of a manual or battery powered wheelchair.  There was a daily charge of £2 for those people wishing to borrow a wheelchair on a long term.  The organisation realised that in the future it may need to charge for all its services. 

Jim Rutledge informed the scrutiny committee that the organisation had a Fundraising Manager.  A variety of events were held to raise further funds for the organisation. 

Marilyn Carvell stated that the council provided £36,000 in grant support.  This was very much appreciated and not taken for granted.  In the past the Harlequin used to provide some funding but this had stopped since it had become Intu.  She had taken part in an accessibility tour of the town centre with the manager from the Business Improvement District (BID) and had helped to identify ‘pinch points’ in the town for wheelchair users.  Instructions on how to donate to the organisation were available on the website.  Following a councillor’s suggestion about monthly direct debits, she said this was something they could think about for the future.

The scrutiny committee asked various  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78.

Report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head

The scrutiny committee received a report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head which set out the results of the key performance indicators for the third quarter of 2016/17.  It was noted that the results of the customer services performance indicators were circulated prior to the meeting.

The scrutiny committee was asked to email the Partnerships and Performance Section Head if there were any questions they wished to raise.

RESOLVED –

that the report be noted.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the latest edition of the Executive Decision Progress Report and consider whether any further information is required.

The Scrutiny Committee received the latest edition of the Executive Decision Progress Report for 2016/17. 

The Chair informed the scrutiny committee that the last decision regarding the ‘pilot modular building project’ should have indicated that she had been informed that the decision was to be taken and not the Chairman of Watford Borough Council.

RESOLVED –

that the updated report be noted.

Councillor Hastrick, the Council’s appointed representative to the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee to provide an update.

Councillor Hastrick provided the scrutiny committee with an update on the county’s Health Scrutiny Committee.  At the last meeting, the scrutiny committee had reviewed the various National Health Service budgets.  A further meeting was due to be held on 30 March when the full report would be available.  She would ensure that it was circulated to this scrutiny committee.

Report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer

To review Cabinet’s response to the Neighbourhood Forum Task Group’s recommendations

The scrutiny committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer including the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 6 March 2017 and the revised protocol and guidelines.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer reported that Cabinet had reviewed the task group’s recommendations, which had been amended by the small working group led by the Mayor. 

Following Councillor Dhindsa’s question about his enquiry at the last meeting, the Committee and Scrutiny Officer advised that she had contacted the Head of Democracy and Governance the following day.  It had been noted that Neighbourhood Forums were an executive function and the task group had comprised councillors from the current political groups on the council.

Following a question about the recommendation that had proposed transferring any remaining funds to the Chairman’s charities, Councillor Cavinder, chair of the task group and member of the working group, explained that it had not been agreed as it had been suggested that councillors may be able to carry funding over to the following year.

RESOLVED –

that Cabinet’s comments and decisions be noted.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Budget Panel has met on the following occasion –

·             21 February 2017

The minutes are available on the Council’s website – www.watford.gov.uk/budgetscrutiny

The Chair of Budget Panel to provide an update to the Scrutiny Committee.

No update had been provided by the Chair of Budget Panel.  The minutes were available on the council’s website.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel met on the following occasion –

·             22 February 2017

The minutes are available on the Council’s website - http://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=223

The Chair of Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel to provide an update to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair of Outsourced Scrutiny Panel, Councillor Williams, reported that at the last meeting the panel had received the latest performance information and a presentation from Human Resources on its work.

Since the last Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Community Safety Task Group has met on the following occasion –

·             22 March 2017

The minutes are available on the Council’s website - http://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=209

The Chair of the Community Safety Partnership Task Group to provide an update to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair of the Community Safety Partnership Task Group, Councillor Martins, informed the scrutiny committee that the task group had reviewed its working arrangements as it had become too operational and needed to look at the strategic level.  Three themes had been chosen for the 2017/18 work programme.  He was still proposing a change of name for the task group and would ensure a report was presented at the next available Constitution Working Party.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer added that the task group had reviewed terms of reference and these would be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting in June.  At that meeting the scrutiny committee would be appointing membership of the task group and chair.