Items
| No. |
Item |
1. |
Apologies for Absence and Substitutions
The Quorum for this Committee is four Members
and substitutes are allowed.
|
2. |
Declarations of Interest
Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in
any of the following agenda items. Guidance on this is set out at
the end of these agenda pages.
|
3. |
Standing Item: Work Programme and Forward Plan  PDF 66 KB
Pat Jones, Principal Scrutiny Officer, Tel: (01865) 252191,
Email phjones@oxford.gov.uk;
Mathew Metcalfe, Democratic and Electoral Services Officer, Tel:
(01865) 252214, Email: mmetcalfe@oxford.gov.uk
|
Background
information
|
|
The work programme needs to reflect the wishes
and interests of the Committee. It is
presented here and at every meeting to allow members to lead and
shape their work.
|
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Why is the item on
the agenda?
|
|
To agree the lines of inquiry
for forthcoming meetings and to take an overview of
progress.
A verbal update will be given
on the Covered Market Review.
Included also is the latest
Forward Plan to allow the Committee to identify any decisions they
may wish to pre-scrutinise.
|
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Who has been invited
to comment?
|
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The Principal Scrutiny Officer,
will present the work programme and answer questions from the
Committee.
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What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
The Chair and Vice-Chair will
continue to monitor the Committee’s work programme and report
to future meetings.
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Additional documents:
|
4. |
Standing Item: Report back on the Committee's recommendations to the City Executive Board and on matters of interest to the Committee PDF 181 KB
Pat Jones,
Principal Scrutiny Officer
Tel: (01865)
252191, email phjones@oxford.gov.uk;
Mathew Metcalfe,
Democratic and Electoral Services Officer
Tel: (01865) 252214, email:
mmetcalfe@oxford.gov.uk
|
Background
information
|
|
This Committee has made a
number of recommendations to the City Executive Board and officers.
This item reports on the outcomes from these.
|
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Why is the item on
the agenda?
|
|
To present to the
committee:
- The table of
responses to all recommendations to date.
- The full text of
reports made since the last meeting, approved by the Chair and
other Lead Members of the committee, and the results of
these.
Four reports has been produced
since the last meeting:
- Integrated report
Qtr.2
- Procurement
Strategy
- Treasury Management
mid year review
- Local Council Tax
Support Scheme
The full text of the reports
and responses are presented.
|
|
Who has been invited
to comment?
|
|
Officers will go through the
outcomes and answer questions.
|
|
What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
Any further follow up will be
pursued within the work programme.
|
|
5. |
Finance and Performance Panel Budget Review - Update
Contact Officer:
Pat Jones, Principal Scrutiny Officer
Tel: 01865 252191, email: phjones@oxford.gov.uk
|
Background
Information
|
|
The Budget Review Group was established to
review the proposals and principles within the Medium Term
Financial Strategy and budget for robustness and
deliverability.
|
|
Why is it on the
agenda?
|
|
To update the Committee on the work of the
Review Group with regard to the proposed 2013/17 budget.
|
|
Who has been invited
to comment?
|
|
The Chair of the Review Group (Councillor Mike
Rowley) and Pat Jones will update the Committee on the current
position.
|
|
What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
Comments from the Committee will be passed
back to the Review Group.
|
|
6. |
Welfare Reform Update: Department for Work and Pensions Pilot Schemes PDF 103 KB
Contact Officer:
Helen Bishop, Head of Customer Services
Tel: 01865 252233, email: hbishop@oxford.gov.uk
|
Background
Information
|
|
From April 2013 Local Councils are required to
agree their own Council Tax Benefit Scheme. Alongside this, proposals for major welfare reform
are also being developed. The
Committee has seen and commented on proposals for the Council Tax
Benefit Scheme and heard details of two pilot projects linked to
Direct Payments and the Local Authority role in Universal
Credit.
|
|
Why is it on the
agenda?
|
|
Committee asked for an update
on the Direct Payments project in particular and had two specific
lines of inquiry:
- The effects on rent
arrears and tenancy management.
- Support and debt
advice.
The report also provides an
update on the pilot scheme looking at the Local Authority role in
Universal Credit.
|
|
Who has been invited
to comment?
|
|
Councillor Ed Turner, Board Member, Finance
and Efficiency, the Head of Customer Services, Helen Bishop and the
Head of Finance, Nigel Kennedy.
|
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What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
Any comments will be passed to the City
Executive or Board Members.
|
|
7. |
Landlords Survey Results PDF 87 KB
Contact Officer:
Ian Wright, Environmental Development
Tel: 01865 252553, email: iwright@oxford.gov.uk
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Background
Information
|
|
At its meeting on
27th November 2012, the Value and Performance Scrutiny
Committee received a report which provided an update on the
introduction of the mandatory licensing scheme for HMOs The first stage in Oxford begun in January
2011 with the second stage in January 2012. Following the introduction the Council conducted a
survey of landlords.
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Why is it on the
agenda?
|
|
The Committee asked to see the results of the
survey of landlords in Oxford.
|
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Who has been invited
to comment?
|
|
Councillor Ed Turner, Board Member Finance and
Efficiency and Ian Wright, Environmental Development.
|
|
What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
Requirements for further reporting will be
reflected in the Committees work programme.
|
|
8. |
Equalities & Diversity: Update report PDF 97 KB
Contact
Officer: Jarlath Brine, Equalities
& Diversity Business Partner/Apprentice Project
Leader
Tel: 01865 252848,
email: jbrine@oxford.gov.uk
|
Background
Information
|
|
The Committees work programme for this year
included a continuing item to monitor the Councils workforce and
its match to the population of Oxford.
|
|
Why is it on the
agenda?
|
|
The Committee asked for an update on the Councils
work force data. The specific lines of
enquiry raised by the Committee are:
·
How our workforce matches to the population it
serves across the equality strands
·
What we are doing to try to bridge any gaps and how
successful are we being
·
What is the representation of our workforce when
looked at across grade bandings and what issues does this
show
·
Our latest recruitment data
The Committee also asked for a further update on the
Councils Apprentice Scheme.
|
|
Who has been invited
to comment?
|
|
Councillor Bob Price, Simon Howick (Head of Human Resources and Facilities) and
Jarlath Brine (Human Resources and
Facilities)
|
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What will happen
after the meeting?
|
|
Requirements for further reporting will be
reflected in the Committees work programme.
|
Additional documents:
|
9. |
Minutes PDF 43 KB
Minutes of the meeting held on 27th
November 2012
|
10. |
Dates of Future Meetings
The Committee is scheduled to meet on the
following dates:
Wednesday 3rd April 2013
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