Issue - meetings

To receive the annual report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  

A verbal update on the outcome of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s consideration of the annual report will be provided at the meeting.

83.1           Attention was drawn to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report 2021/22, circulated with the Agenda at Pages No. 148-182, which Members were asked to note.

83.2           In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee advised that it had been positive that for the majority of the year Councillors had been able to meet face to face. In terms of the Committee’s work programme during the year, it had been comprehensive and varied. It continued to monitor the delivery of the Council Plan and COVID-19 Corporate Recovery Plan, had reviewed the delivery of key strategies such as Economic Development and Tourism, Housing and Homelessness and Workforce Development and considered strategies on the Council’s digital approach and social media prior to approval by Executive Committee. It had also received informative presentations from external bodies such the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, Bromford Housing, Severn Trent and Ubico. The Committee would look to build on this even more as it moved into 2022/23.

83.3           On behalf of the Committee, she offered thanks to Councillors David Gray, John Murphy and Jill Smith who kept the Committee updated on the Police and Crime Panel, Gloucestershire Health Overview Scrutiny Committee and the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee. Moving forward the Committee was looking to build on its effectiveness and its work programme for next year was shaping up well. She offered her thanks to all Members of the Committee for their sterling work during the year and for all Officers who supported the Committee, in particular the Chief Executive who was due to retire in June – he had been a staunch advocate of the Committee and rarely missed a meeting.

83.4           Accordingly, it was

                  RESOLVED          That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report                              2021/22 be NOTED.

To approve the annual report as required by the Council’s Constitution to ensure that the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are promoted, both internally and publicly, to reinforce transparency and accountability in the democratic process. 

106.1        The report of the Head of Corporate Services, circulated at Pages No. 81-118, attached, at Appendix 1, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2021/22.  Members were asked to approve the report.

106.2        The Head of Corporate Services advised that the Council’s Constitution required that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee provide an annual report to Council on its activities and the report attached at Appendix 1 was due to be considered by the Council at its meeting on 12 April 2022.  The report gave an outline of the work carried out by the Committee during the year and included, as appendices, the outcomes of the workshop on the effectiveness of the Committee and the  Committee’s draft work programme for 2022/23.  Members were asked to approve the report prior to its consideration by Council.

106.3        Accordingly, it was

RESOLVED          That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2021/22 be APPROVED.