Agenda item

To set out the Work Programme of the Performance Monitoring Panel, and

 

·        To give consideration to the invitation to the Police and Crime Commissioner to attend a future meeting of the Performance Monitoring Panel

·        To give consideration to scrutiny of the Emergency Plan, as discussed at the Council meeting held on 26 February 2014

 

(report of the Assistant Director Democratic Services enclosed).

 

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director (Democratic Services) which set out the Work Programme of the Performance Monitoring Panel.  The Work Programme consisted of two separate sections, the first setting out the dates of future Panel meetings along with proposed items for consideration, and the second setting out the Task Groups that had been identified by the Panel.

 

The Principal Member Services Officer invited the Panel to consider the following issues:

 

·        Invitation to the Police and Crime Commissioner to attend a future meeting of the Performance Monitoring Panel; and

·        To give consideration to scrutiny of the Emergency Plan, as discussed at the Council meeting held on 26 February 2014.

 

Attendance by the Police and Crime Commissioner

 

At one of its previous meetings, the Panel had requested that the Police and Crime Commissioner attend a meeting to answer members’ questions on Crime and Disorder.  The Principal Member Services Officer reported that efforts had been made to invite the Commissioner to a meeting, but no response had been received regarding attendance.  Members were therefore asked how they wished to proceed. 

 

Members commented that the role of the Police and Crime Commissioner dealt more with financial matters and responsibility for assets than operational matters, which was the area that they wanted more information on.  It was suggested that Chief Constable Neil Rhodes was a more appropriate officer to attend.

 

The Chairman requested that members consider what questions they would wish to ask.  The following points were suggested:

 

·        What was the role of police officers now?

·        If the numbers of officers was the same, why were they not visible?

·        What assistance did the police require from us and what did we require of them?

·        What were the proposals to address issues in rural areas?

·        What was the role of PCSOs?

·        Communication

·        Reported crime

 

It was agreed that the questions to be asked be considered more fully at the next Panel meeting.

 

Emergency Plan

 

Members considered the effectiveness of the Authority’s Emergency Plan and felt that there was a possible indication that the current plan may not be sufficiently robust.  Currently, in the event of an emergency, a dedicated officer was called who coordinated the situation.  It was suggested that this system may have changed and that all who needed to be aware of procedure may not be. 

 

Members agreed that the robustness of the Authority’s Emergency Plan should be looked at, that the item be added to the Work Programme, and considered when there was more capacity to undertake the work.

 

East Midland Ambulance Service call performance

 

Councillor Brewis suggested that a representative from the South Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) be asked to attend a future meeting of the Panel to explain why this was the poorest performing area in the East Midlands.  It was agreed that a representative be asked to attend to explain the poor performance of the ambulance service.

 

Company authority

 

Councillor Alcock commented that some of the recommendations from the Red Lion Quarter Task Group and the Community Interest and other Local Authority Companies Task Group did not appear to have been picked up.  The Principal Member Services Officer advised that an update on the progress of these recommendations was due at the next meeting of the Panel.

 

Effectiveness of CCTV Task Group

 

Members considered the way forward for the Effectiveness of CCTV Task Group, following the information provided by the Portfolio Holder for Localism and Big Society earlier in the meeting.  It was agreed that the Task Group could not do much whilst the new system was being introduced, but once it was in operation and had been working for a while, information would be available for scrutiny.  The Portfolio Holder had advised that performance data would be available on amonthly basis after the new system became operational.  The Panel felt that it should be made clear that it would be monitoring the performance of the system.  It was agreed that the Task Group remain on the Work Programme until such point as performance information was available, from which point it would be in place to scrutinise the information.

 

Leisure Task Group

 

It was noted that Councillor Woolf had been replaced by Councillor Casson on the Leisure Task Group, and that this fact needed be updated on the Work Programme.

 

Task Group members commented that there appeared to be a lack of information coming forward when requested by the Task Group.  At the most recent meeting, the Lead Officer had promised that this information would be provided at the next meeting.  If this did not happen, the issue should be taken forward with the Task Group sponsor.  It was also noted that the Lead Officer should be present at all meetings, and that this was not currently happening.

 

Portfolio Holder attendance at Panel meetings

 

The Chairman suggested that the Panel may wish to start a programme of systematically inviting Portfolio Holders to Panel meetings.  It was proposed that they would be asked to update members on the work that their departments were undertaking, and that financial issues should also be included in the updates.  The Panel agreed that this idea should be taken forward, that a programme be put together with a Portfolio Holder being invited to every other meeting of the Panel, and that the Leader of the Council should be included as one of the Cabinet member to be invited. 

 

Name of Scrutiny Panels

 

The Principal Member Services Officer stated that some members had raised the issue of the names of the two scrutiny panels (the Performance Monitoring Panel and the Policy Development Panel), and that their names should possibly be changed as it was not clear to the public what the role of each Panel was.  Members considered the issue and agreed that the Performance Monitoring Panel should be changed to the Performance Scrutiny Panel.  The issue also had to be considered at the next available meeting of the Policy Development Panel.

 

Frequency of Panel meetings

 

The Principal Member Services Officer raised the issue of frequency of meetings as it had been suggested that meetings should take place more often.  The current meeting frequency was five per year.  The Panel considered the issue, and agreed that the current frequency was sufficient, and that additional meetings could be called if necessary.

 

AGREED:

 

a)     That both sections of the Panel’s Work Programme, as set out in the report of the Assistant Director (Democratic Services) be noted;

 

b)     That Chief Constable Neil Rhodes be invited to a future meeting of the Panel to answer members’ questions on crime and disorder and operational policing;

 

c)      That at the next meeting of the Panel on 24 June 2014, consideration be given to questions to be asked of Chief Constable Neil Rhodes;

 

d)     That scrutiny of the Authority’s Emergency Plan be added to the Panel’s Work Programme, and work start on it when the work of Task Groups currently ongoing was complete;

 

e)     That a representative from the South CCG or EMAS be asked to attend a future meeting of the Panel to explain the poor performance of the ambulance service in the region;

 

f)        That the Effectiveness of CCTV Task Group remain on the Work Programme until such point as performance information on the new CCTV system was available, at which point it would then scrutinise this performance information;

 

g)     That information on the Work Programme relating to the Leisure Task Group be updated, and that provision of information requested by the Task Group and attendance by the Lead Officer be monitored;

 

h)      That Portfolio Holders, including the Leader of the Council,  be invited to attend Panel meetings, to provide updates on the work that their departments were undertaking, and that financial issues should also be included in the updates.  A programme of attendance to be drawn up, with a Portfolio Holder update at every other Panel meeting;

 

i)        That the name of the Performance Monitoring Panel be changed to the Performance Scrutiny Panel; and

 

j)        That the current meeting frequency of five meetings per year continue, with the option of calling additional meetings if necessary.