Agenda item

Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered this call-in, which had been requested by Councillors Johnson, Linforth-Hall and Shimell.  The committee heard from the cabinet member and strategic director, and from representatives of the parents and carers association for Queens Road and Riverside day centres.

Having scrutinized the decision and noting the cabinet member’s commitment to produce a report setting out the lessons that have been learned from this consultation process, the committee decided NOT to refer the decision back to the cabinet, and to make the following recommendations:

·  That the cabinet reviews council policy on how buildings are declared surplus or their use is changed, highlights that revised policy with officers at the earliest opportunity, and confirm whether existing policy was followed in this case

·  That the cabinet refreshes policy on responding to information requests and highlight to all officers to ensure compliance with freedom of information and environmental information requests

·  That the cabinet ensures that all families and service users have clear information about how to make a complaint if unhappy with their initial assessment

·  That the cabinet should be mindful of and follow Department for Communities and Local Government best practice on consultation, and in that work be sensitive to the needs of vulnerable and disabled people