Agenda item

5.1  The chairs of the scrutiny sub-committees outlined the work programmes proposed at their initial meetings.

5.2  In response to questions, Councillor Gavin Edwards, chair of the housing & community safety scrutiny sub-committee, confirmed that the sub-committee was aware of the previous scrutiny review of housing repairs.  The intention of the sub-committee was to focus on the specific issue of performance management and would take the pervious review into account as background information.

5.3  Members highlighted imminent changes in housing benefits and asked whether the sub-committee had considered reviewing the impact on Southwark.  Councillor Edwards explained that the sub-committee had not considered this but could review their work programme at a later date if there proved to be a major impact on Southwark.  Councillor Tim McNally reported that he had already raised this as an issue and would be happy to circulate the results of his enquiry.

5.4  A member asked whether overview & scrutiny committee or the housing & community safety scrutiny sub-committee might review the result of bringing revenues and benefits fully back in-house.  Councillor McNally suggested that it would not be appropriate for overview & scrutiny committee to take the lead on this as three members were former members of the executive who had been involved in the decision to bring the service back in-house.

5.3  Councillor Mark Glover, chair of the regeneration & leisure scrutiny sub-committee, indicated that the review of funding generated by Section 106 would cover all community council areas to assess what income streams were supporting regeneration borough-wide.

5.4  The chair asked that, in reviewing service changes to drug and alcohol treatment at Marina House, the health & adult care scrutiny sub-committee join this up with the work of officers in children’s services.

5.5  The chair also reported that the housing & community safety scrutiny sub-committee was proposing to co-opt representatives from the tenants and home owners councils.  In response to members’ comments, the chair of the sub-committee agreed to extend the proposed co-option to include a representative and reserve from each body.

5.6  The committee considered the proposed cabinet member interviews.  The chair explained that the intention was to invite members of the housing & community safety and leisure & regeneration scrutiny sub-committees to attend overview & scrutiny committee when the cabinet members for housing management and regeneration & corporate strategy were being interviewed.  The sub-committee members would also be invited to submit questions in advance of the meeting.  Councillor Edwards confirmed that this would not preclude the sub-committees inviting either member to attend a meeting to give evidence on specific reviews.

5.7  The committee discussed whether or not it would request written answers to questions in advance of meetings.  Members considered that the deadline for questions should be set sufficiently in advance of meetings to allow cabinet members to provide written answers.  The chair indicated that she and the vice-chair would raise the issue with the Democracy Commission.

  RESOLVED:

1.  That the work programmes of the scrutiny sub-committees be agreed.

2.  That the proposed cabinet member interviews be agreed and the committee invite the attendance of cabinet members on the following dates:

September:   Councillor Ian Wingfield, Deputy Leader & Housing Management

November:   Councillor Richard Livingstone, Finance & Resources

January:   Councillor Peter John, Leader

February:   Councillor Fiona Colley, Regeneration & Corporate Strategy