Agenda item

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (OSMC), Councillor Jane Kidd, presented a report which provided a summary of the key work undertaken by the OSMC and its four Standing Panels, covering the period of May to December 2019, and identified future work plan issues.

In introducing the report, Councillor Kidd conveyed her thanks to all Members, the Executive and Officers, who had contributed to the Overview and Scrutiny process, and partners, stakeholders and the public, who had taken the time to attend meetings and engage in the Overview and Scrutiny process.

It was noted that the work of Overview and Scrutiny contributed to the main Doncaster Growing Together Themes of Working, Living, Caring, Learning and Connected Council.  The OSMC scrutinises the quarterly performance and finance report and at each session identifies a particular service to focus on, such as the Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, St. Leger Homes of Doncaster or Adult Social Care.  As a way of holding the Executive to account, the relevant Cabinet Members were invited to Overview and Scrutiny meetings to respond to questions, and also provided an opportunity for Members to better understand the key challenges faced in the Council delivering services.

Councillor Kidd spoke of how Scrutiny had received information from a number of partners including NHS organisations, Doncaster Children’s Services Trust, St Leger Homes, Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. To understand issues from a service user’s perspective, Overview and Scrutiny had also engaged with individuals in order to learn about the experiences of those with autism and learning disabilities, and regularly invited young advisers to its Children and Young People’s Scrutiny meetings to contribute to its debate and discussion.

Councillor Kidd highlighted that one of the most significant pieces of work undertaken had been the OSMC’s review to consider how Members could help to support volunteers and community groups, to help the Council achieve local priorities. It was proposed that Members would have a small locally devolved budget to assist and support these activities in the form of small grants. As well as undertaking a site visit to Barnsley Council and a conference call to Nottingham Council to learn from best practice, the OSMC held a number of workshops and invited all Members to attend and give their views on how the new arrangements could work in practice.  The Committee would be agreeing its recommendations at its meeting on 6thFebruary.

Looking forward to 2020, Councillor Kidd concluded by informing Members that the major issues Overview and Scrutiny needed to focus on were:-

•     The Mayor’s Budget Proposals 2020/21 - 2022/23

•     Climate Change Agenda and Strategy

•     Homelessness and the Rough Sleeping Strategy

•     Living Well and Ageing Well Themes

•     The Youth Council - Priorities

•     Reviewing strategies for reducing Crime and Disorder

•     The Council and partners response to the flooding

•     Exclusion rates from Academies 

Following the presentation of the report, Members of the Council were afforded the opportunity to comment on the report.

RESOLVED that the work of Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee and its four Standing Panels for the period May to December, 2019, be noted.