Agenda item

The Committee received a report which proposed changes to the Overview & Scrutiny governance regime.   Members were reminded that following a Member-led review of Scrutiny in 2013 it was recognised that the majority of councils across London, and many nationally, had an “overarching” Overview and Scrutiny committee which co-ordinated the work of thematic sub-committees, oversaw requisitions of executive decisions and ensured the avoidance of duplication in terms of topic groups and other scrutiny activities. 

Since Overview & Scrutiny (O&S) coming into force in 2002, Havering had adopted an O&S structure in which individual committees took ownership for scrutinising specific areas of responsibility, operating their own requisition powers.  Currently, there were seven O&S committees:

Value, Towns and Communities, Environment, Children and Learning, Individuals, Health and Crime and Disorder

As part of the 2013 review, Best Practice authorities in O&S - as recognised by the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) - were visited.  Visits to Enfield and Hackney demonstrated the advantages of an overarching scrutiny board which coordinated the work of themed committees.  As a consequence of the findings of the 2013 review, it was proposed that a single O&S Board be established in Havering to undertake all call-in functions and to act as a vehicle by which the effectiveness of scrutiny would be monitored and where work undertaken by themed sub-committees could be co-ordinated to avoid duplication and to ensure that areas of priority were being pursued. 

This Board would subsume the role of the current Value Scrutiny Committee which oversaw general management matters.  It was also proposed that the other current O&S committees would become sub-committees to the new Overview and Scrutiny Board.  Those sub-committees could continue to form topic groups of their own choosing.

It was envisaged that in order for the proposed arrangement to function effectively, the Chairs of the O&S sub-committees would have automatic membership of the new O&S Board.  The Board would need to be politically balanced and its size would therefore need to depend upon the political balance of the distribution of Chairs of sub-committees (which with the current distribution of group membership would mean a Board of 16 members (there being a need for additional members to achieve the correct balance).

The matter was closely debated by Members and a number of differing views presented, including that the creation of an over-arching O&S Board was simply adding another layer to the process.  There were doubts about whether a Board with a membership of 16 would be too unwieldy and concerns were expressed that this version could stifle meaningful scrutiny just as easily as facilitating it.

Some Members expressed doubt as to whether the proposed changes would add any value to O&S as a check to the Administration as it placed all the call-in powers in the Board and that could mean that call-in itself might not function as it was intended.

There was a degree of caution about the intention to move to this model, reducing all the current Chairs to the status of chairs of sub-committees, whilst elevating one of their current number to the Chair of the O&S Board.  It was mooted that this was a means of re-distributing allowances from Overview and Scrutiny to fund additional Cabinet places.

There was however support for the adoption of the proposals as it would enable a more strategic approach to O&S which was missing within the existing structure.

Having discussed the matter at length, the issue of whether to accept the recommendations as set out in the report was put to the vote.

In favour of the motion: Councillors: Michael White, Roger Ramsey, Melvin Wallace, Osman Dervish, Joshua Chapman, Clarence Barrett, Darren Wise and Lawrence Webb

Against the motion: Councillors: Ray Morgon, Jody Ganly, Barbara Matthews, David Durant and Philip Hyde

The motion was CARRIED by eight votes to five.

The Committee RESOLVED to recommend to Council that:

1)           An overarching Overview & Scrutiny Board be established in accordance with political balance rules

2)           The following Overview and Scrutiny committees be converted to sub-committees of the overarching Overview & Scrutiny Board:

·         Towns & Communities

·         Health

·         Individuals

·         Environment

·         Crime and Disorder

·         Children & Learning

3)           Council to nominate one of the chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny sub-committees to Chair the Overview & Scrutiny Board

4)           The Overview & Scrutiny Board to comprise all of the chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny sub-committees together with such other members nominated to the Board to meet the political balance requirements.

5)           Using her delegated powers, the Council’s Monitoring Officer makes the necessary changes to the Council’s Constitution in respect of the proposed revisions to Overview and Scrutiny.

6)           Council should receive nominations for the appointment of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board.