Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Mrs K Mandry and from Councillors Mrs S M Bayford, A Mandry, Mrs S Pankhurst and P W Whittle, JP.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Scrutiny Board meeting held on 22 January 2015.

It was AGREED that the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Board held on 22 January 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct and disclosures of advice or directions received from Group Leaders or Political Groups, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.

There were no declarations of interest or disclosures of advice or directions made at this meeting.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

There were no deputations made at this meeting.

To receive a presentation by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on the performance of services within the Policy and Resources portfolio over the last year and on future plans.

The Board received a presentation by the Executive Member for Policy and Resources on the performance of services within the Policy and Resources portfolio over approximately the last two years and on future plans. The presentation included details of services relating to Housing Benefits, Democratic Representation, Commercial Estates, Neighbourhood Working, Public Relations and Consultation, Corporate Management, Economic Development, Local Land Charges and Local Tax Collection.

The Executive Member for Policy and Resources answered members’ questions concerning the presentation.

It was AGREED that the Executive Member for Policy and Resources be thanked for his presentation.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources which invites members to review the Board’s work programme for 2014/15 and to consider a draft programme for 2015/16.

The Board considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources which reviewed the Board’s work programme for 2014/15 and suggested a draft work programme for 2015/16.

It was AGREED that:-

(a)          the outcome of the work programme for 2015/16, as shown in Appendix A to the report, be noted;

(b)          the Council be informed that the Board considers that the call-in procedure is operating satisfactorily and that there are no reasons to suggest that the arrangements should be amended for 2015/16;

(c)          the officers be requested to contact the Department of Work and Pensions to enquire about the circumstances relating to the imminent closure of the training centre for the unemployed if Fareham and what arrangements were being put in place for those currently attending the centre to continue their training elsewhere;

(d)          if appropriate, the officers be requested to invite the Department of Work and Pensions to send representatives to the Board meeting on 25 June 2015 for a question and answer session on the matter and, possibly, the partnership concerning the universal credit system that the Council would be required to sign later in 2015;

(e)          if the invitation referred to in (c) above was accepted, an item be added to the work programme for 21 May 2015 for the Board to consider a scoping report on the question and answer session with the Department of Work and Pensions;

(f)           any concerns about patient transport services should be referred to the Executive Member for Health and Housing for onward transmission to the Clinical Commissioning Group;

(g)          information about how the police dealt with drug cases related to homelessness be addressed to the Community Safety Partnership;

(h)          any further suggestions for items to be added to the work programme for 2015/16 be e-mailed to the Chairman, with a copy to the Director of Finance and Resources; 

(i)            subject to (c), (d) and (e) above, the draft work programme for 2015/16, as shown in Appendix B to the report, be approved; and

(j)            the draft work programme for 2015/16, as shown in Appendix A to these minutes, be submitted to the Council for endorsement.

If requested by a member, to consider any item of business dealt with by the Executive since the last meeting of the Board. The relevant Executive meetings are 2 February 2015 and 2 March 2015. (This will also include any decisions taken by individual Executive members during the same time period.)

The Chairman invited members to indicate if they wished to consider any other item of business dealt with by the Executive since the last meeting of the Board. There were no other items of Executive business considered.