NOTICE OF MEETING

Chair : Councillor A C Johnson

Tel :    01270 820124

Fax: 01270 628204

E-mail: agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk

To:       Members of the Organisation Scrutiny Committee

(Councillors W T Beard, J A Beech (Deputy Chair), D H D Charlesworth, H W Curran, R E Dodd, B Evans, K Healey, A C Johnson (Chair), Z S Krizanac, J Lewis, A Moran (Deputy Chair), D J Straine-Francis)

Chief Executive, Executive Directors, Assistant Chief Executive

Other recipients of the agenda

Local Press and Radio

Notes for Members of the Public

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.

If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks. There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible. Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms or in the Public Gallery, other than beverages offered by the Council during Committee breaks.

Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building. Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Carol Jones the Committee Officer (details on front page).

AGENDA

1          Apologies

2          Declaration of Interests

Any Member present (including non-Committee Members) to declare any personal or prejudicial interest, and the nature of the interest, which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors, are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

3          Whipping Declarations

Members to declare in respect of items where the whip has been applied.

4          Record of Meeting

To approve as correct, the Record of the Meeting held on 23^rd July 2007. (4)

5          Board Business

5.1       Board Meeting – 20th September 2007

The Committee is invited to comment on Board reports which fall within its remit. 

5.2       Provisional Items (Board’s Forward Plan)

To consider the Board’s Forward Plan for November 2007 and January 2008.  (5.2 Nov 07) (5.2 Jan 08)

5.3       Responses/Referrals from the Board or Council

There are no responses/referrals from the Board or Council on this occasion.

6.         Capital Projects Monitoring – 2007/2008

To consider the report of the Executive Director (Treasury and Corporate Support) which identifies progress on capital project schemes to 31^st July 2007. (6)

7          Polling District Review

At the previous meeting, the Committee considered a report on the elections process leading up to the elections in May 2007.  At that meeting, Members were informed that a report on the Polling District Review would be submitted to the Board in the Autumn.  The report is now available, and has been included on the Board agenda for its meeting on 20^th September 2007, at which time the Board will be asked to approve it for consultation purposes.

A copy is enclosed (7) and Members are invited to submit comments to the Board.

8.         Work Programme

8.1       ICT Service Provision for Members

At the previous meeting a number of issues were raised in respect of the Committee’s review of ICT services for Members.  A copy of a proposed Terms of Reference was issued under separate cover to all Members of the Committee.  For ease, a copy is attached. (8.1)

The Committee is asked to approve the Terms of Reference.  The Executive Director (Treasury and Corporate Support) will up-date Members on investigations carried out since the last meeting.

8.2    Communications

Jo Vause, the Communications Manager, will be in attendance for this item and will outline her role and that of the Communications Team.

8.3       Member Support and Development

At the previous meeting, Members agreed that at its meeting in September, a presentation be made to Members which addressed the issue of abortive costs accruing to the authority as a result of late cancellations of training sessions which had been arranged in accordance with the agreed Member Development Programme.

Diane Moulson (Democratic Services Officer) will be in attendance for discussion of this item and will give an overview of the current arrangements, covering the following which were identified at the previous meeting –

Ø       Does the Member Development Programme meet Members’ needs, taking into account personal development and training considered to be mandatory?

Ø       Are the topic areas appropriate? 

Ø       Does the method of delivery engage Members?

Ø       What are the difficulties experienced in attracting Members to specific training sessions?

Ø       Timing of training sessions:   are they held at the most convenient time for Members?

Ø       What is the value of Member training?  Should it continue or be abandoned?

Ø       Are training sessions promoted adequately and in a timely manner?

8.4       Emergency Planning

The Committee is reminded that Paul Eeles, Emergency Planning Officer, and Roger Booth, District Emergency Planner, will be in attendance at the November meeting to give an overview of the Borough emergency planning procedures.

9.         Community Leadership Programme

To report that, in line with the provisions of the Community Leadership Programme, Councillor Margaret Simon, Portfolio Holder for Customers, together with her advisory group, is making arrangements for a Borough Debate to be held on the evening of Wednesday, 17^th October 2007. 

The topic of the debate has yet to be finalised, but is expected to focus on transport, taking into account congestion and environmental issues.   

10.             Date of Next Meeting

20^th November 2007

This agenda can be made available in larger text on request