Issue - meetings

To receive the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24 (report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which asked Council to receive the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24.

The Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel and the Chairman of the Policy Development Panel presented the report.

·       The Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel thanked all involved over the period including officers, members and outside contributors.  He also commented that as a critical friend of the Authority, the Performance Monitoring Panel could return more benefit if Portfolio Holders, the Executive and officers used the Panel more in a pre-scrutiny capacity.

·       The Chairman of the Policy Development Panel reiterated his thanks to the Panel for its work.

Councillor Worth thanked both Panels for the work they undertook.  It was an important part of the Council’s work, and it was beneficial for Cabinet to have issues scrutinised prior to their consideration of matters.  He also took on board the suggestion by the Chairman of the Performance Monitoring Panel regarding the benefit of pre-decision scrutiny.

DECISION:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24 be received.

To note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 prior to its presentation at Council (report of the Assistant Director – Governance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which asked the Policy Development Panel to note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 prior to its presentation at Council.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report which included the following main points:

• That the council’s overview and scrutiny committees were required to report annually to Full Council on their work programme activities. In this respect, the report included the following summary of overview and scrutiny activity for the year:

o   Role and function of scrutiny;

o   Committee memberships;

o   Corporate Management support;

o   Meeting dates and summary of work undertaken by each Panel;

o   Task Groups;

o   Scrutiny activity in the district; and

o   Joint scrutiny of areas of mutual interest across the partnership region undertaken with scrutiny members from East Lindsey District Council and Boston Borough Council.

• The report had been presented to Performance Monitoring Panel members at its meeting held on 23 July 2024, and members of the Policy Development Panel were given the opportunity to comment on the report at the current meeting.

Members considered the report and stated that they were very happy with the document as written. There were no further comments.

AGREED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 be noted and recommended to Council.

To note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 prior to its presentation at Council (report of the Assistant Director – Governance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which asked the Performance Monitoring Panel to note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 prior to its presentation at Council.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report which included the following main points:

• That the council’s overview and scrutiny committees were required to report annually to Full Council on their work programme activities. In this respect, the report included the following summary of overview and scrutiny activity for the year:

o   Role and function of scrutiny;

o   Committee memberships;

o   Corporate Management support;

o   Meeting dates and summary of work undertaken by each Panel;

o   Task Groups;

o   Scrutiny activity in the district; and

o   Joint scrutiny of areas of mutual interest across the partnership region undertaken with scrutiny members from East Lindsey District Council and Boston Borough Council.

·       The report would also be presented to the Policy Development Panel on 9 September 2024 prior to being presented at Full Council on 2 October 2024.

Members considered the report and made the following comment:

·       Members welcomed the report which they stated was well-written, comprehensive and concise.

AGREED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/2024 be noted and recommended to Council.