The Scrutiny Committee operates within a work plan which is agreed at the start of the Council year. The Work Plan is  reviewed at each meeting so that it can be adjusted to reflect the wishes of the Committee and take account of any changes to the latest Forward Plan (which outlines decisions to be taken by the Cabinet or Council). The Committee is asked to review and note its work plan for the 2019/20 Council year as well as the proposed scope of this year’s budget review.  

The Scrutiny Officer updated the Committee on changes to its Work Plan, most of which were attributable to slippage of the Cabinet Forward Plan.

No date had been fixed for the Housing Panel to consider Hidden Homelessness. Officers had said insufficient data were available to assist with a meaningful discussion. Members of the Committee suggested that local  voluntary and other organisations might be able to shed some light on this important subject. It would be important to be clear what precisely  was meant by homelessness. Agreed that the Housing Panel should receive a briefing on the matter immediately prior to its April meeting, with a focus, in the first instance at least, on the issues surrounding Hidden Homelessness rather than a deep dive into local data. This to include reference to the means by which overcrowding is determined.

The Committee agreed the proposed scope of the year’s budget review.