Contact:

Contact:          Xanne Blythe

Direct Dial:    01934 634621

E-mail:            xanne.blythe@n-somerset.gov.uk

Date:               2nd September 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Sir or Madam

 

Community Services Policy & Scrutiny Panel

Wednesday 10th September 2003, 6.00 p.m., New Council Chamber, TOWN HALL

 

A meeting of the Panel will take place as indicated above.  The agenda is set out overleaf.

 

 

Yours faithfully

 

 

 

 

Solicitor to the Council

 

 

 

 

To:       Members of the Panel

 

Councillors:

 

Andy Cole (Chairman), Ian Bates(Vice-Chairman), Ian Baker, Bob Bateman, Greta Lewis, Audrey Telling, Clive Webb, Andy Wright.

 

 

 

 

All other Members of the Council (for information)

AGENDA

 

** Following agenda item 8.1 it is proposed that the Panel consider the items in the following order: item 8.3 and 7.1, item 8.2 and item 8.4.**

 

1                    Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

2                    Public Discussion (Standing Order SSO 9)

To receive and hear any person who wishes to address the Panel.  The Chairman will select the order of the matters to be heard.

 

3                    Declarations of Interest by Members

4                    Minutes

4.1              Panel Meeting – 23rd July 2003, (page 4)

 

5                    Matters referred by Council, the Executive, other Committees and Panels (if any)

 

6          Confirmation of Community Services Scrutiny and Policy Panel Start Time

 

7          Confirmation of the Draft Work Planning. This item is under consideration for inclusion on the Work Plan.

7.1       Background Information on Voluntary and Community Sector “Compact” Contracts, Derek Carter (Youth & Community Manager) (page 7)

8                    Matters for Consideration

A         Policy Related Matters

 

            8.1       Presentation: Nailsea Swimming Pool Interest Group, N Tucker. (page 10)

8.2       Report on Young People’s Leisure Time linked to Increasing Community Safety and the Reduction of Crime, David Lawrence (Assistant Director of Development & Environment) (page 60)

B         Scrutiny Related Matters

 

C         Performance Related Matters

 

8.3       Best Value Review of Partnerships and Challenge Workshop, James Foster (Review Lead Officer) (page 63)

 

8.4              Performance Monitoring Report, Paul Morris (Head of Performance Improvement & Personnel) (page 70)

 

           

           

____________________________________

 

 

 

 

EXEMPT ITEMS

 

Should the Panel wish to consider a matter as an Exempt Item, the Panel will be invited to pass the following resolution –

 

“(1)      That the press, public, and officers not required by the Members, the Chief Executive or the Director, to remain during the exempt session, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the ground that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972.”

 

Also, if appropriate, the following resolution should be passed –

 

“(2)      That members of the Council who are not members of this Panel be invited to remain.”

 

MOBILE PHONES, PAGERS AND SIMILAR CALLING DEVICES

 

All persons attending this meeting are requested to turn off these devices in accordance with the Council’s statement concerning disturbance caused by such apparatus.  The Chairman may approve an exception to this request in special circumstances.

 

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

 

ON HEARING THE ALARM – (a continuous two tone siren)

 

Leave the room by the nearest exit door.    Ensure that windows are closed.

 

Last person out to close the door.

 

DO NOT stop to collect personal belongings.

 

DO NOT use the lifts.

 

FOLLOW the green and white exit signs and make your way to the assembly point.

 

DO NOT re-enter the building until authorised to do so by the Fire Authority.

 

GO TO ASSEMBLY POINT D – THE CAR PARK OPPOSITE MAIN RECEPTION

 

AGENDA CONFERENCE

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Officers

The agenda conference will be held on Wednesday 10th September at 4.30p.m. in the Steepholm Room.

 

DRAFT

MINUTES

OF THE MEETING OF THE

Community Services Policy AND Scrutiny Panel

Wednesday 23rd July 2003

HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, SOMERSET.

 

Meeting Commenced:  2.30 p.m.        Meeting Concluded:      3.20 p.m.

 

PRESENT:  Councillors Andy Cole (Chairman), John Daws (substitute for Ian Bates), Derek Kraft (substitute for Bob Bateman), Greta Lewis, Sally Tabrett (substitute for Ian Baker), Audrey Telling, Clive Webb and Andy Wright.

 

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:  Councillors Ian Bates, Ian Baker and Bob Bateman.

 

 

COM

1         

Work Plan (Agenda Item 5.1)

 

The Chairman presented the Work Plan report that gave guidance on the consideration of a draft work programme.  The Chairman suggested a topic for inclusion on the programme, as detailed below and invited Members of the Panel to make suggestions for inclusion on the Work Plan.

 

(1)     Suggested topic from the Chairman:

 

(a)     To ascertain or identify if there is a need for swimming pools across the area of North Somerset, to include Nailsea. North Somerset Council is currently beginning research on this issue and Officers would supply the Panel with an initial report for background information at the September meeting

 

It was agreed to invite Mr N Tucker Chairman of Nailsea Swimming Pool Interest Group to attend the next Panel meeting as an expert witness.

 

Debate ensued:

 

(2)     Other issues raised

 

(a)           Shane Trevett, Scrutiny and Performance Team Manager, explained the terms on the agenda identified as policy-related matters, scrutiny-related matters and performance-related matters.  He added that the Panel would be consulted on the second Medium Term Financial Plan as part of the input to preparing the budget.  In addition, a quarterly report on performance-related issues would be submitted to the next meeting of the Panel in respect of services that came within its remit.

 

(b)          Topics listed in the Work Plan such as “Re-letting of Leisure Centre Contracts” would be more scrutiny based rather than policy development based.

 

(c)           All Panel Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen will meet regularly to discuss selected topics, co-ordination and avoiding duplication of Panel’s work will be an important role for that meeting.

 

(d)          A review of new Community Services, linking library services and access to Information Technology services. This would include working towards issuing a policy in line with the Council I.T. Strategy and Option 6.  Reports from officers on these items are pending in September or October 2003.

 

(e)           The Community Strategy Plan and the Annual Library Plan listed within the Work Plan were highlighted as part of the Policy Framework in the Constitution and were both statutory requirements.

 

(f)            The DCMS required all Local Authorities to produce a Library Plan and submit this to the DCMS for approval.  Currently the submission of a Public Library Position Statement is required being less verbose, due for completion by next September. It was suggested rather than readdress the whole statement other issues relating to the Library Service could be reviewed by the Panel.

 

(g)