Agenda and minutes

To receive disclosures of personal interest from Members in accordance with

the Code of Conduct

Note:

1. Members are requested to identify the item number and subject matter

that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal

interest: and

2. Where Members withdraw from a meeting as a consequence of the

disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chairman when

they leave.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, there were no declarations made pertaining to the agenda.

To receive for approval the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 27^th March 2023

RESOLVED: The minutes of the meeting held on the 27th March 2023 were approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting

Information is provided in respect of relevant consultations for consideration by the Committee.

The Principal Scrutiny Officer reminded members of the consultations open to members to respond to should they wish to feed into these

The opportunity for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to comment as consultees, on the Public Participation Strategy, following the launch of a public consultation on the Strategy as required by the Local Government & Elections Act 2021.

The Service Director Democratic Services and Communications presented the report to Members which provided them with the opportunity to formally respond to the Consultation on the draft Public Participation Strategy (Appendix A) as required by the Local Government & Elections Act 2021 before it is approved at Council in July 2023

He advised Members that the Act places a number of duties on local authorities regarding participation which are highlighted below:

•           Promote awareness of the functions the council carries out to local   residents, businesses and visitors.

•           Share information about how to go about becoming an elected member and what the role of councillor involves.

•           Provide greater access to information about decisions that have been made, or that will be made by the council.

•           Provide and promote opportunities for residents to provide feedback to the council, including comments, complaints and other types of representations.

•           Promote awareness of the benefits of using social media to communicate with residents to councillors.

A Member referred to Section 3 of the report and asked how success be measured and what are the benchmarks to ensure targets are being met.  The Service Director Democratic Services and Communications responded that there is evidence available of public participation through our consultations, where views are sought on key decisions or services changes.  However, benchmarking can be a difficult task as when a difficult subject matter is being considered, it is easier to gain public participation.  One of the improvements we are being explored is for the public to influence Committee work programming.  He added that there is also data available on the viewing for the live broadcasting of meetings, but recognised there is much more we can do moving forward.

A Member commented on the accessibility of the Strategy and recommended an easy-read version be made available for the public which would be more engaging and easier to understand.

A Member asked if there was more we could do to engage the public in the Scrutiny process to ensure as many people as possible are aware that the Scrutiny meetings are taking place.

The Service Director Democratic Services and Communications commented that there are many areas we could improve on and we will continue to build on, such as the promotion of recently published Scrutiny Chairs Blogs, he added that whilst the mechanism has always been in place for the public to participate in a Scrutiny/ Council meeting the document may not have been as visible as it could have been, once this Strategy is approved, improvements will be made to better signpost and share on our Council webpages, such as a banner on the home page and signposting to Scrutiny pages and public participation documents. He further added that the promotion of Committees through social media will also be reviewed and once we have secured the public engagement we will be able to demonstrate the impact of the engagement.  

A Member asked what work has been undertaken to understand the challenge of the general  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider the Cabinet Work Programme and identify key items for consideration at the Overview and Scrutiny Committees

The Service Director Democratic Services and Communications presented the report to Members to provide an opportunity for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the Cabinet Work Programme to determine if there are items that they wish to include in their Scrutiny Work Programme and the opportunity to consider items for referral to the thematic Scrutiny Committees, for purposes of Pre-Scrutiny and to support them in determining a Work Programme.

Members were reminded that the Scrutiny Work Programmes will remain a flexible “working” document, which will allow for a more flexible approach to be adopted and to recognise the needs of emerging priorities and provides opportunity for Scrutiny Working Groups to be taken forward and training provision where requested

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee are advised that where items have been identified as part of the ongoing updates section in the cabinet work programme, specific timelines will be identified and opportunity will be provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to determine whether such matters should be added to their Work Programme for consideration.

A Member asked if the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) would go to the Education and Inclusion Scrutiny Committee as it has done annually previously.  The Member also asked if a broader report could come to Overview and Scrutiny Committee with specific targets and KPIs, the Member felt this was necessary to highlight the importance of the work on the Welsh Language Scheme

The Service Director responded that Education will  consider the WESP in Education context, but we could also bring a report forward to Overview and Scrutiny Committee at an appropriate time so Members can be updated and scrutinise the partnership working that is behind Welsh Language in Education Services.

Members requested that the following items are also brought forward to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration at an appropriate time on the Work Programme.

•           Coal Tips

•           Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

•           Partnership Working

•           Pressures facing Social Services Directorate

RESOLVED to:

Agree the matters arising from the Cabinet Work Programme for inclusion in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s Work Programme for the 2023/24 Municipal Year and the matters raised by Members, as above.

Agree to the inclusion of topics, listed in 6.1 of the report in the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme or where necessary, refer such matters to the thematic Scrutiny Committees.

To consider any items, which the Chairman, by reason of special circumstances, is of the opinion should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None received