Apologies for absence were received from the Partnerships and Performance Section Head as she had to attend another meeting.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2012 to be submitted and signed. (All minutes are available on the Council’s website.)

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2012 were submitted and signed.

To note the minutes of the following meeting –

·               Community Safety Partnership Task Group 11 July 2012

The Scrutiny Committee was asked to note the minutes for Community Safety Partnership Task Group, which had met on 11 July 2012.  The minutes were available on the Council's website.

Following a question about the number of times the Task Group would be meeting, the Committee and Scrutiny Officer explained that the Council had to hold at least one meeting each year.  The Task Group was required to review the Community Safety Partnership's targets for the previous year and the priorities for the forthcoming year.  Discussions had been held with the Chair of the Task Group, Councillor Martins, the Community Safety Manager and Democratic Services Officers about the approach for the future.  It had been agreed that the first meeting of the Municipal Year would remain as at present and would review the performance of the Partnership's performance for the previous year and the current priorities.  Other meetings would be set up as necessary.  Consideration was being given to whether the Task Group would be able to comment on the draft Strategic Assessment, approximately in December.

Councillor Bell noted the reference to the Antisocial Behaviour Action Group (ASBAG) in the minutes and advised that he had attended one of its meetings.  He suggested that Councillors might wish to go along to one of the meetings as he felt they would find it interesting.

Councillor Martins commented that it had been agreed that the Task Group would take a more strategic approach.  There would be one main subject at a meeting.  For example the next meeting would be looking at Domestic Violence and whether the services linked together to support people.  A more holistic approach was being taken.

The Chair, Councillor Collett, asked that the Task Group take into account how men could also be victims of domestic violence and what support they received.

RESOLVED –

that the minutes of the Community Safety Partnership Task Group meeting held on 11 July 2012 be noted.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the outstanding actions and questions from previous meetings.

The Scrutiny Committee received an update incorporating the outstanding actions and questions raised at previous meetings.  Responses were included within the document. 

Members considered the responses to each of the outstanding actions and questions. 

OA 6 – Benefits Service Update

The Chair invited Councillor Watkin, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Shared Services, to update the Scrutiny Committee on the Benefits Service.

The Portfolio Holder informed the Scrutiny Committee that there was evidence that the service was resolving the problem with the number of outstanding claims.  He reminded Members that there were two relevant performance indicators; changes in circumstances and outstanding claims.  The outstanding claims referred to those people waiting to receive any benefits from the Council. 

The Portfolio Holder said that when he had been chairing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Members were continually told how many documents were outstanding.  When he had been made Portfolio Holder he had asked that the number of outstanding claims was provided instead.  He received a weekly report from the service.  There had been a thorough review of the performance of all teams in the section.  The process was ongoing.

The Portfolio Holder reported that the average time to process a claim was 27 days against the target of 25.  The number of outstanding claims at 2 July was 309; this figure had been reduced and it was now standing at 124.  The service was beginning to see a change.  The situation with regard to change in circumstance applications was not as good.  The number of outstanding documents barely changed from one week to the next.  The number of documents processed varied dramatically.  He advised that SERCO was only paid for the actual work it carried out.  A review into the relationship with SERCO was currently under way.  He was unsure of the terms and conditions in which the company had been employed.  A report was being presented to the Shared Services Joint Committee at its next meeting.

Councillor Aron said that she was concerned about the impact the backlog had on the individuals concerned.  She had a case where the residents had moved from Watford to Dacorum; they had made the last payment due but had still received a reminder for non-payment.  The situation had since been resolved, but it had been very distressing for the people concerned.  She asked whether there was the same problem in this service.

The Portfolio Holder advised that this related to the Revenues section and generally that service's performance was adequate.

The Vice-Chair, Councillor Khan thanked the Portfolio Holder for being open and transparent about the figures.  He stated that he was a member of the Shared Services Joint Committee and had been sceptical about the actions being taken.  The people caught by the problems with the Benefits Service were vulnerable people.  The problem needed to be resolved.  He added that he had noticed two signs in the Customer Service Centre (CSC) which caused him some concern.  One of these signs indicated that there were delays with benefit  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

This report sets out the performance data for the first quarter of 2012/13.

The Scrutiny Committee received a report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head setting out the Key Performance Indicators and the first quarter performance measures for 2012/13.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer advised the Scrutiny Committee that if there were any performance measures not listed which Members would like to see included in the future, they could contact the Partnerships and Performance Section Head and she would investigate the possibility.

Councillor Bell referred to the presentation by the Portfolio Holder earlier in the meeting and how he had spoken about the number of outstanding documents.  In this report it referred to the average time taken to process change of circumstance applications.  There needed to be consistency.

Councillor Aron commented that in Appendix B, reference RB2 KPI1ii, it was not clear that this indicator only related to benefit applications.  There needed to be more clarity in the document.

Councillor Martins asked for further clarification on Cor 3.  The target had not been achieved and yet the trend showed an improvement.  It was noted that Environmental Services was the Service Lead on this performance measure.  Members questioned whether it only related to complaints about that service.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer advised that she would relay the questions to the Partnerships and Performance Section Head.  She added that she would circulate a copy of the complaints procedure so that Members were aware of exactly what happened.

The Chair informed the Scrutiny Committee that she had asked the Partnerships and Performance Section Head to find out if it would be possible to get further performance information on sickness statistics.

RESOLVED –

that the Partnerships and Performance Section Head be asked to respond to the Scrutiny Committee's questions.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to review the Task Group’s conclusions and consider any further action.

The Scrutiny Committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer including the final report of the Waste and Recycling Task Group.

Councillor Aron, who had chaired the Task Group's last meeting, explained that the Task Group had found it difficult to make any recommendations until the situation regarding the service was known.

The Chair suggested that Members continue to monitor the situation with the service.

RESOLVED –

that the Waste and Recycling Task Group's report be noted.

This report sets out the final report, including conclusions and recommendations, of the Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Framework Task Group.

The Scrutiny Committee received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Officer including the Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Framework Task Group's final report.

The Chair stated that the report had been well written and she wished to thank the Task Group and the officers for their detailed work.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer explained that Community Services would be presenting their report on the Commissioning Framework to Cabinet in October.  The Task Group's report would be included as an appendix.

The Vice-Chair asked for clarification on the small grants fund and why it had been decided to set a maximum limit of £2,000.

Councillor Rackett responded that this was intended to be small grants to enable as many small organisations as possible to be able to apply for it.

The Committee and Scrutiny Officer added that the Task Group had been asked for their views about the small grants fund and whether it should be retained.  The recommendations in the report were the same as for the current small grants fund.

The Chair noted the comments in the report regarding domestic abuse.  She stated that men could also be victims of domestic violence and this was an area often forgotten.  She asked that the Community Safety Partnership Task Group included this in their review.

Councillor Martins advised that he would refer this to the Community Safety Manager.

Councillor Aron understood that the Watford Women's Centre was now looking after male victims of domestic violence.  Councillor Hofman advised that the Centre was undergoing a 're-brand'.

Councillor Bell said that it was important that when Charter Place was refurbished there was still a centre where vulnerable men and women could access services.  If it was not it Charter Place these people would need to know where they could go.

RESOLVED –

that the Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Framework Task Group's final report be endorsed.

·               Wednesday 3 October 2012 (call-in only)

·               Thursday 25 October 2012 (call-in only)

·               Wednesday 21 November 2012

·               Wednesday 3 October 2012 (call-in only)

·               Thursday 18 October 2012 (call-in only)

·               Wednesday 21 November 2012