Agenda item

Adults and Safer City Scrutiny Panel - work programme

[Earl Piggott-Smith, Scrutiny Officer, to present report]

Minutes:

Earl Piggott-Smith, Scrutiny Officer, presented the work programme report and invited panel comments. Cllr Leach, Chair, advised the panel that David Jamieson, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, had accepted an invitation to attend a future meeting of the panel. A date will be confirmed asap.

 

The panel were advised to submit questions to the Scrutiny Officer in advance of the meeting and these will then to be collated and sent to Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

The panel discussed the idea of having a public meeting to get the views of issues of concern and these will help inform possible lines of enquiry in preparation for the meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

The Chair invited panel members to contact the Scrutiny Officer if they would be interested in arranging a visit to talk to members of the Adult Safeguarding Team.

 

Julia Cleary, Scrutiny and Systems Manager, outlined new plans to deal with the issue of delayed reports and explained that she will be meeting with senior management team regularly to update them on the work programme. In addition, all reports will have to be submitted to modern.gov which will create dates for completing each stage of process for approving draft reports. The Scrutiny and Systems Manager explained the importance of member led scrutiny in suggesting agenda topics and in shaping the content of reports and encouraged panel members to support this work.

 

The Scrutiny and Systems Manager explained changes to the annual scrutiny work planning event. A council wide briefing session will be held in 18 June 2018 for Directors to brief Councillors on the key priorities of the Council. A separate event will be held with only non-executive Councillors to discuss possible agenda topics for each of their panels. The Scrutiny and Systems Manager commented on the positive responses to reviews completed during the year and set out ideas for further raising the profile of scrutiny work across the Council. The Scrutiny and Systems Manager commented on the importance of scrutiny in supporting the work of the Council and the expectation that the plans will lead to reports being submitted on time in the future.

 

The panel discussed the importance of having the time to read reports before panel meetings.  The Scrutiny and Systems Manager commented on the role of panel members in helping to shape the content of report so that they provide answers to their questions. This could include panel members commenting on draft reports. The Scrutiny and Systems Manager commented on work planned to change the culture so that scrutiny in Wolverhampton can move forward. 

 

The panel discussed the need for training and support to newly elected councillors on developing their questioning skills. The panel commented that during induction sessions that it is important that members are clear about the role of scrutiny and advice on how to prepare for scrutiny meetings.

 

The panel discussed a request for the date of panel meeting on 25 September 2018 to be changed. The Scrutiny Officer explained that a reportCalendar of Meetings 2018-2019 listing dates of meetings was approved by Council at a meeting in 13 December 2017.The Scrutiny Officer agreed to discuss the request for a date change with Democratic Services Manager. The issue will also need to be discussed with members of the Adults and Safer City panel about any change in the meeting schedule at the first meeting of the year.

 

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