Agenda item

Purpose: To receive new items and agree and prioritise the work programme of the Commission for the remainder of 2013/14.

The Commission considered its work programme for the remainder of 2013/14 and into 2014/15.

Councillor Quentin Webb advised the Commission that the recommendations that arose from the review into eligibility criteria had all been accepted by the Executive. The Chairman thanked the members of the Task Group for the work undertaken.

Councillor Webb additionally advised the Commission that the first meeting of the Task Group looking into homelessness amongst young families would be held on 3 March 2014 when the terms of reference would be agreed.

Councillor Jeff Beck informed the Commission that the expected last meeting of the Shaw House Task Group had been cancelled due to flooding and had been rearranged for 7 March 2014.

Councillor Laszlo Zverko enquired about the terms of reference for the review into energy saving and requested that information be provided on contract renewal procedures from the point of providing notice of renewal and the number of contracts for both gas and electricity. Councillor Tony Vickers asked that consideration also be given to methods for generating energy.

[7:05pm: Councillor Emma Webster joined the meeting.]

The Commission considered three new topics for scrutiny:

The governance arrangements in place for Children’s Services

Councillor Gwen Mason asked if it was appropriate to include consideration of the Children and Young People Partnership when it had met only once. Nick Carter suggested that it might be appropriate if Members wished to ask why it had only met once.

The Commission agreed to add this item to the work programme.

Fairer Contributions Policy for non-residential care services

Councillor Mason requested that this item be added to the work programme as issues had been raised via the Disability External Scrutiny board and the West Berkshire Disability Alliance who had commented on the clarity and appropriateness of the policy in relation to Disability Related Expenditure.

The Commission agreed to add this item to the work programme.

The response to the flooding situation in West Berkshire

Councillor Alan Macro requested that an item be added to the work programme to consider the response given by all relevant organisations, including the Council, to the recent flooding in West Berkshire. Councillor Macro highlighted that this had been the third major flooding incident in ten years and he believed it important to continue to learn from these events in order to improve future responses.

The Chairman reminded the Commission of the scrutiny review into the flooding of July 2007, commenting on the success of some of the measures taken as a result of the review.

Councillor Vickers supported the request, and commented that this flooding had been significantly different to previous events and therefore a new review would be likely to uncover new issues and mitigation methods.

The Commission agreed to add this item to the work programme.

The Commission wished to thank all of the services that had assisted in recent weeks, and particular mention was made of the 33 fire authorities from other areas of the country who had contributed.

Resolved that:

·        The review into energy saving within the Council would include consideration of:

o       contract renewal procedures from the point of providing notice of renewal;

o       the number of contracts for both gas and electricity;

o       methods for generating energy.

·        The following items be added to the work programme:

o       The governance arrangements in place for Children’s Services;

o       Fairer Contributions Policy for non-residential care services;

o       The response to the flooding situation in West Berkshire.