Agenda item
Chair's advice of Key Issues or Questions in relation to Unrestricted Business to be considered
To receive any advice of key issues or questions in relation to the unrestricted business of the Cabinet, arising from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 7th October 2008.
Decision:
Sheet of questions and comments arising from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 7th October 2008. Tabled by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Resolved
1. That the questions and comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted, and that these be given consideration during the Cabinet deliberation of the items of business to which the questions and comments related.
2. That the concern of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the response time to Member’s Enquiries on the part of some of the Authority’s Registered Social Landlords partners, be noted; and that the Chief Executive be requested to write to such partner organisations emphasising both the importance of the enquiries and the expectations of the Authority in relation to their responses.
Action by:
ASSISTANT CHIEF EXECUTIVE (L. Ali)
Executive Team Leader, Democratic Services Chief Executive’s (A. Taylor)
Minutes:
The Chair informed members of the Cabinet that Councillor Asad, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, had Tabled a sheet of questions/ comments arising from the deliberations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, held on 7th October 2008, in respect of the unrestricted business contained in the agenda for consideration, a copy of which would be interleaved with the minutes.
Councillor Asad, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:-
· Thanked Councillor Peck, Lead Member Resources and Performance, for attending the Overview and Scrutiny Committee the previous evening to respond to the “Call In” of the provisional decision of the Cabinet, taken in September 2008, in respect of 33-37 The Oval and Bethnal Green Gasholders Site, E3. Continued by informing members of the Cabinet that after lengthy deliberation of the “Call In” the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the decision previously taken by Cabinet. However members of the Committee had raised a number of issues which the Committee considered should be encompassed within the investigation to be undertaken by Mr Smith, Chief Executive, including:
o Transparency and openess to consultation with members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Development Committee and Strategic Development Committee.
o Consideration of whether the Developer tried to mitigate any loss to the Council and development activity had been halted as soon as possible.
o A review of the Authority’s Scheme of Delegation [delegated powers].
o Exploration of ways to increase community awareness about such developments through the Local Area Partnerships.
· Thanked Councillor Ali, Lead Member Health and Wellbeing, for attending the Overview and Scrutiny Committee the previous evening for the “Scrutiny Spotlight” and outlined the key issues on which this discussion focused.
· Informed members of the Cabinet of the Committee’s consideration of a report regarding performance in respect of Member’s Enquiries. Progress made with the Members Enquiries Business Process Improvement Project had been welcomed. However the Committee remained concerned about the quality of response that the Authority was receiving from both Council and external partners, and was particularly concerned about the response time from some Registered Social Landlords. The Cabinet was advised to request that Officers continue discussions to improve both the quality and response time for Member’s Enquiries.
· Informed members of the Cabinet that he had nothing to add to the questions/ comments raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in the tabled paper regarding: -
o Item 6.2 The Provision of Structural Checking Consultancy Services for Building Control - Contract No. DR3040 Building Control (Item 6.2Higher Value Works) - (Three Year Contract with 1 Year Extension) Contract No. DR3011 Building Control (Lower Value Works) - (Three Year Contract with 1 Year Extension) (CAB 053/089)
o Item 7.1 Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Wave 5 Outline Business Case (CAB 055/089)
o Item 8.1 ASBO Publicity Protocol ( 059/089)
o Item 10.1 Priorities and Arrangements for Mainstream Grants 2009-2012 (060/089)
Mr Smith, Chief Executive, responded that he would consider recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the nature and scope of the investigation he had been requested to undertake in relation to the 33-37 The Oval and Bethnal Green Gasholders Site, when these had been presented to him in detail. However on the basis of the issues outlined by Councillor Asad, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, he did not envisage any difficulty with the incorporation of these into the matters to be examined by the investigation.
Councillor Francis, Lead Member Housing and Development, noted the concerns raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the performance of some Registered Social Landlords in relation to both the quality and response time for Member’s Enquiries; commenting that most Members acknowledged that this was this was a matter of concern. Accordingly Councillor Francis, proposed the following motion for the consideration of members of the Cabinet:
“That the concern of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the response time to Member’s Enquiries on the part of some of the Authority’s Registered Social Landlords partners, be noted; and that the Chief Executive be requested to write to the Chief Executive’s of such partner organisations emphasising both the importance of the enquiries and the expectations of the Authority in relation to their responses.”
The Chair thanked Councillor Asad for presenting the contribution of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and then Moved (taking account of the proposed amendment from Councillor Francis), and it was: -
Resolved
1. That the questions and comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted, and that these be given consideration during the Cabinet deliberation of the items of business to which the questions and comments related.
2. That the concern of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the response time to Member’s Enquiries on the part of some of the Authority’s Registered Social Landlords partners, be noted; and that the Chief Executive be requested to write to such partner organisations emphasising both the importance of the enquiries and the expectations of the Authority in relation to their responses.