The Committee noted that Grants Best Value Action Plan had been developed to address the findings of the Best Value (BV) Inspection.  A key Best Value action being to review arrangements, post Commissioners, for future executive decision-making. The Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee (GSSC) was established in April 2016 to provide cross party pre-decision scrutiny as part of revised governance arrangements.

In addition, the Committee was reminded that a report to Overview and Scrutiny Committee, from the Corporate Director, Resources, to establish the GSSC had also recommended that a report be presented within three months of the first meeting, to review the work of the Sub-Committee, identifying whether changes are needed to its composition and Terms of Reference. This report therefore sets out the findings of the review of the operation of the Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

The main points of the discussion may be summarised as follows:

The Committee:

·         There are five Members on the GSSC, made up of Members of the OSC. It is important there is cross-party cooperation on this Committee because of its vital role in the grants process to ensure that an objective, fair and transparent approach is taken;

·         The Independent Group reiterated their concerns about their level of representation (one Member) on the Sub-Committee. Instead they repeated their view that as the largest opposition group on the Council they should have two Members on this Committee;

·         Noted that the GSSC terms of reference identify the Chair of OSC as the Chair of the GSSC. In addition, OSC noted that in recent months, there had been a number of significant changes to Overview and Scrutiny, including the establishment of a Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee and the development of an ambitious work programme for 2016/17. The Council’s lead Directorate for Grants is Resources. Given both the existing significant responsibilities of the Chair of OSC, and the potential benefit of aligning the Grants Scrutiny Lead Portfolio with the relevant Directorate, the report proposed that Chair of GSSC should be the Scrutiny Lead Member for Resources;

·         That at its meeting on 4th April 2016, it had agreed to the establishment of the GSSC which will act as the cross party member forum that will scrutinise the proposed award of grants prior to their consideration at Commissioners Decision Making Meetings. The OSC had also agreed that a report be presented to the Committee in 3 months to review the work of the GSSC and whether changes need to be made to its terms of reference or composition; and

·         That Group Leaders should ensure their Members who are appointed to this and all other Scrutiny Committees attend the meetings or send deputies.

As a result of discussions on the above the Chair Moved and it was:-

RESOLVED to agree the revised Terms of Reference for the Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee as set out in the report.