Agenda item

Committee is asked to approve its Work Programme, including identifying topics for scrutiny, that will help to achieve the Council’s key priorities and associated objectives.

The Committee noted the work programme and identified topics for review. It was decided to leave topics for consideration listed with the exemption of Environment Strategy as it was felt that this topic had already been scrutinised at the Policy Overview Working Group.  There was some confusion with the title of the Budget Consultation and was agreed to change the wording to Budget Setting Process. Members further agreed that the person suggesting a topic to the Committee should attend the meeting to submit their request. 

There were two Scrutiny suggestions put to the Committee, Voter Disenfranchisement suggested by Councillor H Land and Building Control suggested by Councillor B C Carr.

Members discussed the issues raised for voter disenfranchisement and the outcomes to understand the levels of disenfranchisement in terms of numbers and demographics, whether the ID requirements impacted on turnout, and to understand the levels of awareness regarding ID requirement amongst the general population. It was concluded that as Voter ID was a national requirement from Government and Broxtowe figures were low, who chose not to return to a polling station to vote, the topic would not be added to the work programme.  The second scrutiny suggestion to look at the Shared Service provided by Erewash Borough Council Building Control and the poor level of service provided to Broxtowe residents and Councillors with a request that Managers of the service attend the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to explain the processes, service levels and explanation of the delays and poor service. An update was provided at the meeting that a report would be going to Cabinet and to request the Committee put the request on hold until further details were provided.

The D H Lawrence Museum topic was proposed by Councillor P J Owen to review the marketing of the venue and potential improvements following the visitor figures reported to the budget scrutiny meeting of January 2023. The committee agreed for the topic to be reviewed and scoped by a small working group at an informal meeting to be arranged.

The Markets in Broxtowe topic was proposed by Councillor P J Owen to discover the effectiveness of the team and to review whether footfall in town centres had been improved. The Committee agreed for a small working group to scope and scrutinise the topic.

The review of Scrutinising the Budget Setting Process was proposed by Councillor S Dannheimer. The Committee agreed to add to the work programme and to be scoped and scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 21 September. The review would consider more suitable ways of scrutinising the budget rather than just the method which had been used, which are the two January meetings.

          Resolved that:

1.     The scrutiny topics, for Voter Disenfranchisement not to be added to the Scrutiny Work Programme and Building control be put on hold until after the Cabinet report had been received.

2.     A Working Group for the DL Lawrence Museum topic appointed Councillor K Woodhead as Chair, Councillor A W G A Stockwell as Vice Chair, and Councillor W Mee be approved

3.     A Working Group for the Markets in Broxtowe topic appointed Councillor S P Jeremiah as Chair, Councillor J M Owen as Vice-Chair, and Councillor CM Tideswell be approved.

4.     The Budget Setting Process be scoped and scrutinised at the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

5.     The work programme be updated to remove the topic Environment Strategy and to update the wording Budget Consultation with Budget Setting be approved.