Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 April 2012 be approved.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Jack Cohen who was substituted by Councillor Susette Palmer. 

An apology for late arrival was received from Councillor Kath McGuirk.

a)      Personal and Prejudicial Interests

b)      Whipping Arrangements ( in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 17)

Details of the questions asked and the answers provided were published with the agenda papers for the meeting.  Verbal responses were given to supplementary questions at the meeting.

(submitted in accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9) (if any)

None.

Cabinet 20^th February 2012

Cabinet Resources Committee  28^th February 2012 ;or

Any action taken by Cabinet Member(s) and /or Directors/Chief Officers under delegated powers (Executive Functions)

(A)       Delegated Powers Report 1663, 18 May 2012:

The Committee considered the following decision taken under delegated powers by the Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families dated 18^th May 2012 and asked questions of the Cabinet Member and officers in respect of the following:

RESOLVED that:-

(1)       Officers were requested to consider how they might support Children’s Centres to continue to provide childcare for 48 weeks a year and report back to the Committee on how the Children’s Service propose to extend the Free Education for Less Advantaged Two Year Olds Scheme to achieve 800 places.

(2)       the Committee decided not to refer the above matter back to the Cabinet Member for Education Children and Families for reconsideration.

(Submitted in accordance  with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure  Rule 22) (if any)

None.

The Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families and the Assistant Director of Strategy presented a report on the Barnet’s Skills, Employment and Enterprise Action Plan.  The Committee were requested to consider the Action Plan and make comments and/or recommendations on the proposals to the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families.

During debate, Councillor Alison Moore proposed the following recommendations be made to the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families on the report:

1.            That the business community are fully consulted;

2.            That there is representation from the business community on the Barnet Skills and Enterprise Project Board;

3.            That there is youth representation on the Barnet Skills and Enterprise Project Board;

4.            That a mechanism for monitoring and reporting progress be established;

5.            That the Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families and the Leader be requested to provide a formal feedback report on the Cabinet discussion on the Action Plan; and

6.            That Cabinet note the concern that (as referred to on page 18, last bullet point in section 2 of the matrix) the development of local procurement and supply chain opportunities runs counter to the drive in One Barnet to reduce the number of suppliers and work through larger formalised contracts.

The Committee did not endorse the inclusion of all these recommendations.

RESOLVED that the following comments and recommendations be made to the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families in relation to the Skills, Employment and Enterprise Action Plan:-

(1)         the Action Plan be amended to omit paragraph 9.5.2 of the report relating to establishing a task and finish group as this would not be the most appropriate mechanism for ensuring effective delivery of a package of support for young people.

(2)         the Committee do not support the inclusion of comments relating to the riots on page 13 of the Action Plan and request that it be removed.

(3)         the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families should seek to actively involve local business groups on the Skills and Enterprise Project Board.

(4)         there should be greater clarity and less bureaucracy for local businesses and public agencies regarding how to establish apprenticeship schemes.

(5)         the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families should consider mechanisms for monitoring the success of the Action Plan

(6)         the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families should consider what steps the Council could take to prevent jobs from moving out of borough

(7)         the Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families should consider how to reach young people not in education or employment and encourage their involvement in apprenticeships.

The Highways Manager Traffic and Development provided an update to the Committee on the East Finchley Impact Assessment.  The Committee were informed that Officers from Environment, Planning and Regeneration were working with WalkSafe N2 on considering possible options to improve pedestrian safety in East Finchley.

A representative from the Walk Safe N2 Group addressed the Committee to express her satisfaction with the progress of the assessment and the implementation of pedestrian safety measures in the area.

The Cabinet Member for Environment informed the Committee that he would visit the area and formally meet with the Group to discuss the options.  A report detailing proposed actions would be reported to the Finchley and Golders Green Area Environment Committee for consideration at the appropriate time.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)    a report on road safety measures in the East Finchley area be presented to a future meeting of the Finchley and Golders Green Area Environment Committee for consideration.

(2)    the progress made by officers from Environment, Planning and Regeneration and WalkSafe N2 on actions taken to improve pedestrian safety in East Finchley be noted.

The Overview and Scrutiny Manager introduced the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2011/12.  Members requested that the section of the report relating to petitions be amended to highlight that the Committee were responsible for receiving petitions which had received between 2,000 and 7,000 signatures. 

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report be approved for submission to Council on the 10^th July 2012, subject the amendment outlined above.

The Overview and Scrutiny Manager provided an update to the Committee on the progress of the Task and Finish Groups convened at the 18 April 2012 meeting.

RESOLVED that the progress made by the Scrutiny Office in drafting Task and Finish Group feasibility studies and arranging meetings be noted.

The Committee considered the Cabinet Forward Plan for the period May to July 2012 which had been tabled at the meeting.  Members discussed its usefulness in planning the Committee’s Forward Work Programme and undertaking pre-decision scrutiny.  

The Committee identified that a Cabinet Forward Plan which covered a period of between 6 and 12 months would enable Scrutiny to be more effective in developing its forward work programme and undertaking pre-decision scrutiny.  

RESOLVED that:-

(1)    the Chairman agreed to discuss with the Leader the proposal to develop a Cabinet Forward Plan to cover a period of between 6 and 12 months to facilitate greater involvement of Overview and Scrutiny Members in key decisions taken by Cabinet.

(2)    the Cabinet Forward Plan be noted.

The Committee considered the Forward Work Programme 2011/12.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Chairman highlighted that improvements need to be made to the process of providing feedback to the Committee on comments and/or recommendations made on agenda items.  It was agreed that this was an issue across all overview and scrutiny committees. 

RESOLVED that an Overview and Scrutiny Chairman’s meeting be convened to consider mechanisms for providing feedback to committees on comments and/or recommendations made.