There was a change of membership for this meeting: Councillor Joynes replaced Councillor Bell.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Martins.

Councillor Hastrick informed the Scrutiny Committee that with reference to minute number 20 she was on the Board of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB), which was referred to in the report. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2013 to be submitted and signed. (All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 June 2013 were submitted and signed.

Following the recent press release about the new car parking charges at Watford General the Chair suggested that, she wrote to the Director of Strategy and Infrastructure, on behalf of the Scrutiny Committee, expressing Members disappointment at the overall increase in parking charges.  She agreed that she would circulate the draft letter to the Scrutiny Committee prior to sending it to the Director.

RESOLVED –

that the Chair writes to West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust expressing the Scrutiny Committee’s disappointment with the new car parking pricing structure.

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

No Executive decisions had been called in.

On 22 December 2011 Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the called in Cabinet Decision “Review of three year grant funding programme to achieve savings”.  The Scrutiny Committee ratified Cabinet’s decision but added that it wished to examine the long-term impact on the four organisations which had been subject to the largest cuts.

Corporate Services and Client Strategy have provided the attached summary on the impact of the funding cut on the four organisations.

The Scrutiny Committee received an update from the Commissioning Manager on the long term impact on the four organisations which had received the largest cuts to their grants from April 2012.  The update had been requested at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22 December 2011, when Members had reviewed the called in decision “Review of three year grant funding programme to achieve savings”, which had originally been agreed by Cabinet. 

Watford Muslim Community Project

The Commissioning Manager informed the Scrutiny Committee that officers had met with trustees from the Watford Muslim Community Project on 15 July.  The trustees had prepared a list of actions to be completed before handing the keys back to the council.  The final handover was scheduled for 2 August and officers were continuing to work with the Project’s representatives.

The Commissioning Manger provided a brief summary of the outreach service the Council had commissioned from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) in the event that the Muslim Community Project ceased providing services..  The commissioned service was for a period of one year.  During the period the CAB had provided the outreach service the Council had only received one complaint, which had been at the start of the project.  There had been no further complaints received and the Council’s officers and the CAB were not aware of any negative impact expressed due to the closure of the Project.  Officers had asked the CAB to review the outreach service as part of their overall service provision and in doing so ensure that they engaged with the key stakeholders in West Watford.

The Vice-Chair commented that he was aware that the Vicarage Ward Councillors’ casework had increased since the closure of the Watford Muslim Community Project.  The casework included visa enquiries and translation.  He added that he had also had people from West Watford contacting him.  Previously these residents would have approached the Project.

The Commissioning Manager said that it was helpful to be made aware of this information.  The CAB was required to provide an outreach service to all users in West Watford.  Officers were not aware of any negative impact expressed due to the closure of the Watford Muslim Community Project.  The Commissioning Manager believed that part of the organisation’s services had not been funded by the Council, for example visa and translation services.  The Council’s officers had ensured that the CAB had the relevant expertise to be able to provide the required advice. 

Following further questions from the Scrutiny Committee, the Commissioning Manager advised that the outreach project had come to the end of the agreement.  The CAB had been granted funding to provide a time limited outreach project.  The advisor had been based at Westfield Children’s Centre for three days each week. The CAB had chosen this venue as being culturally sensitive as it was understood to be used by all parts of the community.  The CAB had also tried to secure another site at a GP surgery, but this had not happened  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the report provided by Corporate Strategy and Client Services in response to the Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Framework Task Group’s recommendations.

The following documents are provided –

·               The Task Group’s recommendations and Cabinet’s response

·               Appendix 1 – Update on the implementation of the commissioning process for the service priorities identified in the Commissioning Framework document

·               Appendix 2 – Small Grants Fund update

The Scrutiny Committee received the review update on the progress of the Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Framework and Small Grants Fund.

The Vice-Chair commented that the Small Grants Fund needed more publicity.  He suggested that venues where small groups could hire the premises needed to be provided with publicity material, for example church halls.

The Commissioning Manager advised that she would ensure that this was done.  She would also provide Members with additional posters.

The Scrutiny Committee requested that the uptake of the Small Grants Fund be reviewed in on year.

RESOLVED –

1.         that the update be noted.

2.         that a review of the Small grants Fund be carried out in one year.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the appointment of Task Group Chairs and suggested guidance notes for members of Task Groups.

The Scrutiny Committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer setting out suggested proposals for the election of Task Group Chairs.

Following Members’ concerns about Overview and Scrutiny Committee appointing the Task Group Chair, the Committee and Scrutiny Officer suggested that another option might be to invite the proposer of the scrutiny suggestion to early meetings with officers or external organisations in order to discuss the topic and possible supporting information.  In this format the Chair would still be appointed at the first Task Group meeting.

Members preferred this alternative proposal and agreed that officers proceed in this manner with all new Task Groups.

The Scrutiny Committee also reviewed the suggested guidance for Task Groups.  They welcomed the guidance and asked that a similar guidance or letter be prepared for witnesses attending Task Groups and other scrutiny meetings. 

RESOLVED –

1.      that the person proposing the agreed scrutiny topic be invited to initial meetings with officers or external organisations.

2.      that the guidance for Task Group members be noted.

3.      that guidance for scrutiny witnesses be drafted and presented to a future meeting.

·               Thursday 26 September 2013

·               Thursday 24 October 2013 (For call-in only)

·               Thursday 28 November 2013

·               Thursday 26 September 2013

·               Thursday 24 October 2013 (For call-in only)

·               Thursday 28 November 2013