Issue - meetings

The attached documents are for background information:

Ø  Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference

Ø  Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

Ø  Review of the work programme 2016-2017

Ø  Current draft work programme for 2017-2018

Ø  Cabinet Forward Plan

The Committee considered the background documents including its Terms of Reference and Procedure Rules and clarified the scope of its powers.

Resolved to note the background documents setting out the role of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee will receive a training session on the role of scrutiny, facilitated by Ann Reeder, an Adviser and Regional Advocate for the South of England with the Centre for Public Scrutiny.

The attached documents are for background information:

Ø  Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference

Ø  Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules

Ø  Review of the work programme 2015-2016

Ø  Current draft work programme for 2016-2017

Ø  Cabinet Forward Plan

During this session, councillors will be invited to consider suitable topics for inclusion on the Committee’s Work Programme.

If councillors already have in mind any particular topic they wish to raise it would assist the Chairman if you could notify him in advance of the meeting, providing a broad outline of the matter.

Councillors will still be able to add further topics at the Committee meeting.

Ann Reeder, an expert advisor and regional advocate for the South of England with the Centre for Public Scrutiny facilitated a training session on the role of Overview and Scrutiny. The session gave an outline of what Overview and Scrutiny is, how it works and what it can achieve.

The Committee discussed and identified topics it would like to consider for inclusion in its work programme for the coming year.

Members raised concerns referred to them by local residents concerning the actions of a private car park in Ashford which was deterring people from shopping in the high street. The Chairman noted that he was also aware of parking issues in Stanwell caused by its proximity to Heathrow airport. He proposed that the Committee as a whole undertake an assessment of parking amenities, both public and privately run in Ashford and Stanwell, and consider any changes that may be required.

Members reported that residents were not aware of what the Council was doing and suggested that a task group be set up to look at the Council’s Communications Strategy and the activities that the Council needed to promote.

Members also felt that the parks’ bylaws and the management of open spaces generally were in need of review. The Chairman proposed that a task group be set up to look at these matters.

The Committee agreed to set up two Task Groups: to review the Council’s Communications Strategy, to include Councillors Capes (Lead member), Doran, Islam and Mooney and to review the parks and open spaces bylaws and management of open spaces, to include Councillors Francis (Lead member), Islam and Spoor.

The Chairman advised that he had received a number of complaints from taxi drivers about the provision of taxi ranks in the Borough and how this provision impacts on the economic needs of the Borough. Taxi drivers had also queried whether they were getting value for money from the Council’s charges.

The Committee agreed to review the Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy, with particular regard to provision of taxi ranks, whether the economic needs of the borough are adequately served by the present regime and whether the present fees charged represent value for money.

Members also raised issues in relation to economic matters which the Chairman agreed the Economic Development Task Group would be happy to look at, and highways matters which needed to be referred to Surrey County Council’s Local Committee in Spelthorne.

Resolved to:

1.    include in the Committee’s work programme for 2016-2017:

(a)       An assessment of parking amenities, both public and privately run in         Ashford and Stanwell, and consider any changes that may be required;    and

(b)          A review of the Council’s Taxi Licensing Policy, with particular regard to    provision of taxi ranks, whether the economic needs of the borough are          adequately served by the present regime and whether the present   fees charged represent value for money; and

2.    set up Task Groups to review:

(a)       the Council’s Communications Strategy, comprising Councillors                 Capes, (Lead member), Doran, Islam and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162