Agenda and minutes

The Chairman advised the Committee of the change in the membership of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in the supplemental front sheet circulated at the meeting.  He stated that Councillor Mrs Vina Mithani had been appointed as an Ordinary Member of the Committee and as the Policy Lead Member for Adult Health and Social Care.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 6(a) – Year Ahead Statement 2008/09

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meetings held on 13 November 2007 and 20 November 2007 be agreed and the Chairman be authorised to sign them when published in the Council Bound Minute Volume.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

The question and answer session will focus on the Year Ahead Statement 2008/08 attached at item 6(a)

On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman welcomed the Deputy Leader and the Chief Executive to the meeting.  It was noted that the Leader was unwell and had sent his apologies to Members. He would be happy to attend a future meeting of the Committee. Members wished him a speedy recovery.

The Chairman also welcomed the co-opted members to their first question and answer session with the Deputy Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

The meeting and questions had been based around the Year Ahead Statement 2008/09 and arranged under the following themes:-

Deliver better environmental services and keep crime low, Redevelop the town centre, Improve the well-being of adults and children and the care of those who most need our help, Extend community use of schools while making education in Harrow even better, Improve the way we work for our residents, Develop communities where people from different backgrounds get on well together and Central government grant/Local lottery.

Before receiving questions, the Deputy Leader thanked Members for the invitation to discuss the Year Ahead Statement 2008/09, a first element of the Council’s Corporate Plan.

The Deputy Leader referred to the Council’s Vision of being “recognised as one of the best London Councils by 2012 in a borough that was cosmopolitan, confident and cohesive”; a vision which was intended to coincide with the 2012 Olympic games in London.  The vision had been driven partly by the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) review, which had indicated that the Council needed to strengthen its vision and priorities. The Council had accepted that its performance needed improving, and had tasked itself to be the best London Council by 2012.  He referred to the new and reduced set of vision statements and the focused set of corporate priorities, details of which were set out in the Chief Executive’s report.

The Committee was informed that the vision statements could only be delivered with the commitment of staff and the Council’s partners, notably those that formed the Harrow Strategic Partnership (HSP).  The Deputy Leader stated that each of the 6 corporate priorities would link to new flagship actions, each of which would be tangible and measurable, details of which would be submitted to Cabinet at its meeting in January 2008 and to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the New Year.  The Council’s Year Ahead Statement would then be amplified by the flagship actions supported by Service Plans from each of the Directorates and linked to the Council’s Corporate Plan and the Budget.  Any comments made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be incorporated.

The Chief Executive outlined the non-political issues and obstacles facing the Council, and referred to the following 9 steps that had been put in place to help the Council achieve its vision:-

Vision and Priorities, Structures to reflect the needs and priorities of the organisation, Finance, Investment in staff/Members, Work Life balance, Performance management, Cultural change and Improved communications.

He stated that whilst good progress had been made, a great deal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 247.

RESOLVED:  That the query relating to the legal basis of the decision taken by Council in relation to the pan-London Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee, referred to in the ‘Note’ relating to Minute 209, be actioned prior to the next meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the officer respond to Members about the nature of the complaints about policy and procedural requirements not being met and whether they related to any systematic issues, as referred to in paragraph 3 of the preamble to Minute 234 of the minutes of 20 November 2007 meeting of the Committee.