Agenda and minutes

To note any changes in membership of the Panel made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.

The Committee noted that Councillor Letts was in attendance as a nominated substitute for Councillor R Williams in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of:

• Scrutiny Panel A on 3^rd February 2011; and
• Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee on 28^th July 2011.

and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVED: that the minutes for the meetings of

• Scrutiny Panel A on 3^rd February 2011; and
• Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee on 28^th July 2011.

be approved and signed as a correct record.  (Copy of the minutes circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance

·  detailing items requested for discussion from the current Forward Plan;and

·  seeking the Committee’s indication as to what items will be required for discussion scheduled for the period October 2011 to January 2012,

attached.

Appendix: Forward Plan – Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document

Report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport / Head of Planning and Sustainability detailing the forthcoming Cabinet decision, attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing items requested for consideration on the current Forward Plan and seeking the Committee’s indication as to what items will be required for discussion scheduled for the period October to January 2012. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED:

(i)  That the Committee indicated that the following items detailed in the October to January 2012 Forward Plan be discussed at the October meeting of the Committee:

·  The transfer of directly provided Adult Social Care services to an alternative organisational form;

·  Integration of Wessex Youth Offending Team Operations for Southampton within Southampton City Council from April 2012, incorporating the Annual Youth Justice Plan;

·  Confirmation of an Article 4(1) Direction;

·  Southampton City Council’s Change Programme; and

·  General Fund Revenue Budget 2012/13 to 2014/15.

(ii)  that the Committee noted the report of the Head of Planning and Sustainability detailing the New Parking Standards Supplementary Planning Document (SPD);

(iii)  that the Committee urged the Cabinet Member to continue with plans to bring forward a further document that would address concerns over parking in houses of multiple occupation;

(iv)   that the Committee noted concerns of Councillor Vinson that the implementation of parking standards for houses of multiple occupancy would not be considered until spring of 2012

Report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the First Quarter performance monitoring for 2011/12, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the First Quarter performance monitoring for 2011/12. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED 

(i)  that the Committee review the Children’s Service and Learning Portfolio performance indicators with the publication of the next quarter figures; and

(ii)   that progress in implementing the recommendations generated by the Scrutiny Inquiry into the links between crime and disorder and absence from school is reported to a future meeting of the Committee.

Report of the Head of Policy and Performance, detailing actions and monitoring progress of the recommendations of the Panel, attached.

The Committee noted the report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the First Quarter performance monitoring for 2011/12. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the potential impacts of the plan Central Government welfare reforms, attached.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Policy and Performance detailing the potential impacts of the plan Central Government welfare reforms. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED  that analysis is undertaken and circulated to the Committee on the predicted impact of the welfare reforms on wards.

Report of the Director – Economic Development setting out an introduction to issues relating to the national Big Society programme and the local response, attached.

The Committee noted the report of the Director of Economic Development setting out an introduction to issues relating to the national Big Society programme and the local response. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Councillor Baillie, Cabinet Member for Housing, outlined the Executive’s vision for the Big Society.

The Committee discussed:

·  the ideas and principles behind the Big Society;

·  the information available to Councillors to help them understand the practicalities of how the Council will be able to support communities and develop the Big Society ;

·  the success of the community project St James Park as an example of the Big Society in action.

In addition the Committee received a presentation from Paul Raynes Head of Localism and Finance Programmes at the Local Government Group.

The Committee discussed:

• the importance of the Big Society in delivering the Governments plans for the future of local democracy;
• that a key component of the Big Society was a strong healthy democracy that enabled groups and individuals to embed themselves within the democratic process;
• that key elements of the Localism Bill were there to ensure that the principles of the Big Society could be enacted;
• the importance of ensuring that the existing local democratic structures are not sidelined but enhanced by moves toward greater public involvement;
• discussed how central government tended to learn from previous initiatives;
• the general power of competence;
• the concern that some elements of society would be better able to engage in developing the Big Society by, for example, being more able to complete the necessary paperwork.  The Committee suggested that the Inquiry should look at ways in which this inequality could be minimised and what support would be required;
• the numbers of volunteers in the Southampton area; and
• the likelihood of new volunteers being engaged long term with organisations.

Report of the Director – Economic Development providing an overview of national initiatives and an update on local initiatives that contribute to the Big Society agenda, attached.

The Committee noted the report of the Director of Economic Development providing an overview of national initiatives and an update on local initiatives that contribute to the Big Society agenda. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED that the Committee confirmed that the inquiry would look at the following aspects during the course of the inquiry, alongside volunteering and resourcing the Big Society:

• Communities;
• Localism Bill; and
• NEETs and Learning.