Agenda item

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Corporate Services has been invited to the meeting to discuss the way forward regarding the Scrutiny Protocol. 

A copy of the minute for this item and the report submitted to the meeting held on 1^st August 2024 are attached. 

Councillor Jason Wood, Cabinet Member with responsibility Corporate Services, had been invited to the meeting to discuss the way forward regarding the Scrutiny Protocol. 

A copy of the minute for this item and the report submitted to the meeting held on 1^st August 2024 was provided.  The minute recommended: 

(1)        That the Committee recommend the introduction of a Pre-decision Scrutiny Protocol.

(2)         The Committee request that the following be included in a Pre-decision Scrutiny Protocol: 

·       The way in which senior officers and Cabinet will keep scrutiny informed of the outlines of major decisions as they are developed, to allow for discussion of scrutiny’s potential involvement in policy development. This involves the building in of safeguards to mitigate risks around the sharing of sensitive information with Scrutiny members. 

·       That the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Vice-Chair and Pre-Scrutiny Committee Champion be invited to Cabinet briefings and be permitted to ask questions at those briefings. 

·       That a Pre-Scrutiny meeting be arranged when required by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider the forthcoming list of Key Decisions. The meeting would include the Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee, Chair and Vice Chair of the Budget and Performance Panel, the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Champion and relevant officers identified by the Chief Executive. This enabled those Members to query and question officers on issues that were to be considered at the next Cabinet meeting and obtain information on background papers/list of the documents submitted to the decision taker for consideration in relation to the matter. 

·       That a meeting with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Chair of the Budget and Performance Panel and Cabinet Members be arranged at the beginning of each municipal year to discuss forthcoming Key Decisions, projects and ways in which Scrutiny can be involved at an early stage of the decision-making process. 

·       That, with regard to the list of Key Decisions, the Committee recommends a commitment to provide an extended list of Key Decisions for a period of 6-12 months to better enable scrutiny identification of future decisions for early Pre-Scrutiny and provide improved transparency. 

·       That, as part of the consultation process, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be consulted on all major projects as a matter of course. 

Minute 13 refers. 

The Cabinet Member advised that this had been discussed at political Cabinet on 15^th October.  At that meeting a number of queries had been raised with regard to scrutiny members attending Cabinet Briefings and also the list of Key Decisions being provided for a period of 6-12 months to better enable scrutiny identification of future decisions for early Pre-Scrutiny and provide improved transparency.  With regard to briefings, and following discussions with the Chief Executive, it was suggested that a scrutiny briefing on Cabinet reports be provided on the Thursday following the Cabinet briefing on the Tuesday.  It was noted that, for briefings only, an additional cover sheet is to be provided to summarise the information contained in reports.  It was also reported that it was felt that providing a list of Key Decisions for a period of 6-12 months would not be possible, as this would only contain items such as the Capital Programme. 

Members of the Committee felt that Scrutiny Briefings would be beneficial.  They also informed that they wished to be involved at an early stage to pre-scrutinise and to be less reactive.  The Committee felt that by creating Task Groups would assist with the work of Cabinet and also assist Officers.  The recommendations of the recent Peer Challenge Review with regard to the work of scrutiny were also referred to. 

Councillor Wood also informed of information available for all Councillors regarding Quarterly Monitoring.  It was felt that a training event should be arranged via the Cabinet Member with responsibility and Chief Officer. 

The Cabinet Member then answered questions from Members of the Committee. 

It was noted that the Cabinet Member would consider the issues raised, discuss with Officers and report back to the Committee in order to jointly agree a Protocol. 

Resolved :-

(1)        That briefings for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be arranged for the Thursday before Cabinet meetings. 

(2)        That the Cabinet Member report back to the Committee with the issues raised at a later date.