Meeting documents

Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday, 11th June, 2013 7.30 pm

Place:
Civic Suite, Gibson Building, Kings Hill, West Malling
ItemDescriptionResolution
PART 1 - PUBLIC
OS 13/012 Declarations of interest.
There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.
OS 13/013 Minutes
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 29 January 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
OS 13/014 Re-appointment of Co-opted Members
RESOLVED: That pursuant to Article 6.05 of the Council's Constitution, Dr G Court, Mr P Drury, Mr D Still and Mr D Thornewell be co-opted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the current municipal year.
MATTERS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CABINET
OS 13/015 Review of Parking Management and Enforcement
The Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health reported on the conclusions of the review carried out via the Scrutiny Panel and put forward recommendations for action on parking management and enforcement.

Careful consideration was given to the key issues which were examined in detail in the report. Members noted the Borough Council's excellent record on the number of tickets that went to appeal and felt that this demonstrated that a balanced and reasonable approach to parking enforcement.

RECOMMENDED: That the recommendations set out in the report be endorsed and implemented, subject to the following amendments:

- Recommendation 6:

At this point in time retaining local control and the ability to respond quickly to requests outweigh any potential savings which could be made by outsourcing this service. However, sharing back office or service management may offer some potential opportunities for efficiencies, particularly in the light of possible changes to the parking regime in Tonbridge town centre.

- Recommendation 16

That a charge of £50/year be applied to all new applications and renewals where the national scheme does not apply. This will invariably be less than charges made by other districts in Kent.
*Referred to Cabinet
OS 13/016 Housing and Council Tax Benefits, Council Tax Reduction Scheme Anti-Fraud Policy
Members reviewed the Housing and Council Tax Anti-Fraud Policy and considered amendments proposed by the Audit Committee at its meeting on 8 April 2013.

It was reported that the Policy had been updated to include a definition of Council Tax Reduction Scheme fraud but the majority of amendments took place in the Prosecution Policy. A copy of the policy was attached as Annex 1 to the report.

RECOMMENDED: That the revised Benefits Anti-Fraud Policy be adopted.


*Referred to Cabinet
OS 13/017 Corporate Performance Plan (2012/15) - Review and Update
The joint report of the Leader and Chief Executive invited Members to review the Borough Council's updated Corporate Performance Plan for 2012/15, which had been circulated as a separate document. The Plan included a review of progress after the first year of its three year term, with further progress expected in the second and third years.

It was reported that the updated Plan showed extremely good progress during its first year based against the improvement themes, assessment of performance indicator results against targets and comparison of year on year indicator results.

An explanation of how indexation, performance and target figures had been calculated was provided and welcomed by the Committee.

It was noted that the Corporate Performance Plan was a principal means of driving performance improvement and delivery for money. It communicated clearly to Members, staff, stakeholders and residents the Borough Council's key priorities and targets, how the priorities and targets were achieved and where the Borough Council was looking to improve.

Queries relating to the target setting for council tax benefits and change of circumstances and policy issues relating to the Local Plan and the reintroduction of rail services were addressed satisfactorily at the meeting.

Members commented that the Plan was a useful and informative document which set the context for performance in an easily understood format. It was also an important tool to measure, assess and challenge performance, priorities and objectives.

RECOMMENDED: That the Corporate Performance Plan 2012/15 be adopted.
*Referred to Cabinet
DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE
OS 13/018 Future Scrutiny Review Programme
The report of the Management Team set out a suggested different approach to the future Scrutiny review process. This was driven by the necessity for the Borough Council to identify and implement considerable financial savings to achieve targets set out in the Medium Term Financial Strategy over the next six years.

It was intended that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would have a key and influential role in the evaluation of a range of potential future financial savings. The recent value for money reviews already undertaken by the Committee had established a process which could be carried forward.

An initial list of topics for review were set out in paragraph 1.3.2 of the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1) the approach adopted for future scrutiny reviews, as set out in the report, be endorsed; and

(2) informal review groups be established, as set out in paragraph 1.3.4 of the report, to investigate Media and Communications issues and Borough Council agendas and printing.
MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION IN PRIVATE
OS 13/019 Exclusion of Press and Public
There were no items considered in private.
The meeting ended at 2025 hours

Attendance Details

Present:
Cllr Miss A Moloney (Chairman), Cllr T J Robins (Vice-Chairman), Cllr Mrs E A Simpson (Vice-Chairman), Cllr A W Allison, Cllr J Atkins, Cllr Ms J A Atkinson, Cllr Mrs P Bates, Cllr D J Cure, Cllr R W Dalton, Cllr D W P Evans, Cllr Mrs E M Holland, Cllr D Keeley, Cllr Mrs F A Kemp, Cllr S M King and Cllr A G Sayer and Mr D G Still and Mr D Thornewell (Co-opted Members).
In attendance:
Councillors Mrs Anderson, Balcombe, Baldock, Bolt, Mrs Heslop, N Heslop, Jessel, Luker and Rhodes were also present pursuant to Council Procedure Rule No 15.21

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor C Brown and Dr Court (Co-opted Member).