Issue - meetings

To receive the Scrutiny Committees’ annual report on their activities during 2019/20.

Agreement on the recommendation was by consensus. No formal vote was taken. All Committee members indicated they were in favour of the recommendation, no one indicated they were against it. It was;

RESOLVED :-  That the Democratic Service Committee not the Annual Report of the Scrutiny Committees for 2019/20.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs Group (CSCVC), Councillor Graham Timms introduced the report (previously circulated), to seek members’ comments prior to its submission to Annual Council.  

It was noted that previous annual reports had highlighted key areas of Scrutiny work. It was highlighted this annual report had included concise information on the work of each Scrutiny.

Members were informed of a new feature within the report. This section had focused on the work Scrutiny had done linked to the Corporate Plan. The CSCVC stated this had been received well with the group and showed the important work done by Scrutiny.

Particular reference to the late Councillor Huw Jones had been made within the report, paying tribute to his commitment to his Council work. Thanks to Councillor Hugh Irving for chairing the Performance Scrutiny Committee during the past year had also been noted.

A report on the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been included which emphasised the difficulty observed arranging these meetings. It was hoped these meetings would continue and develop over the next year. The CSCVC explained brief reports on the task and finish groups and their findings, the scrutiny of Audit Wales Reports and community engagement had been included in the overall report.

Members wanted to offer thanks to the Scrutiny Co-ordinator for the time, dedication and hard work that had been put into the report and the ongoing Scrutiny arrangements.

The Scrutiny Co-ordinator (SC) emphasised the difficulty of arranging the Joint Overview Scrutiny. It was confirmed that a meeting had been scheduled for November to be held remotely. It was hoped that this delivery method may be easier for members to attend.

During discussion members were reminded that the role of Scrutiny was to assist and challenge Cabinet and the decisions Cabinet and officers made. Members felt the work of Scrutiny to be very valuable. The SC emphasised the Task and Finish Groups had influenced policies and procedures within the Council.  

It was explained that the formal meetings prior to the Covid-19 pandemic had an obligation to publish agendas and papers before the meeting. Those formal meetings had to be made accessible to the public. The committee was reminded that Denbighshire’s Welsh Language Standards required public meetings to facilitate bilingual contributions through the use of an interpreter. Until the council was in a position to hold public meetings again the local democracy reporter was being invited to attend Council and committee meetings.

Confirmation was provided by the SC that the Chairs and Vice Chairs group had reviewed the Forward Work Programmes of scheduled reports. Confirmation was given that no reports had been removed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members were pleased to hear that as familiarity with remote meetings grew the pre-meeting briefings for Scrutiny members would recommence. 

RESOLVED, that the Democratic Service Committee note the Annual Report of the Scrutiny Committees for 2019/20.