Quorum: 4 Each Panel meets: 5 times per year Do not have executive powers
Please note: both Panels may appoint one or more Task Groups to examine specific issues as directed by the parent Panel.
Task-Group Quorum - one quarter or 3, whichever is the greater.
COMPOSITION :
Policy Development Panel: 16 members appointed in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990.
For details of current group memberships to the Policy Development Panel, you can visit the council offices, call us on 01775 761161 or see the Council's website at www.sholland.gov.uk
Performance Monitoring Panel: 15 members appointed in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 (if a political group fails within a period of 3 weeks to express its wishes for the appointments of its members to seats allocated to it or indicates that it does not wish to nominate members to fill all of the seats allocated to it, the Council shall make appointments as it sees fit).
For details of current group memberships to the Performance Monitoring Panel, you can visit the council offices, call us on 01775 761161 or see the Council's website at www.sholland.gov.uk
NOTE:
- No member of the Cabinet shall be a member of the Panels
- There will be no co-option of non-members onto the Panel. However, non-members may be invited to give evidence at Panel meetings
- Two members of the tenants' group may be invited to attend meetings of the Panel, in a non-voting capacity, where housing issues are to be discussed.
Substitution: Substitution of members will be for individual meetings only and will be appointed by group leaders or their representatives from the panel of substitutes. Notice of a substitution by a group leader or his/her representative must be submitted to the Head of Customer, Legal and Member Services by noon on the day of the meeting. The panel of substitutes comprises those members who are not members of the Cabinet or the relevant Panel.
Substitute members will have all the powers and duties of any ordinary member of the Panel but will not be able to exercise any special powers or duties excercisable by the person they are substituting (this relates to a situation where the person substituted is currently the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Panel).
Substitute members may attend meetings in that capacity only to take the place of the ordinary member for whom they are the designated substitute, and where the ordinary member will be absent for the whole of the meeting.
TERMS OF REFERENCE:
(a) General:
(i) The functions and powers of Overview and Scrutiny Committees (known as the Policy Development Panel and Performance Monitoring Panel) are set out in detail in this part of the Constitution. Most of these functions and powers are set out in Section 21 of the Local Government Act 2000 and Regulations under Section 32 of the Act.
(ii) The conducting of best value reviews in accordance with the provision of any order for the time being having effect under Section 5 (best value reviews) of the Local Government Act 1999.
(iii) It should be noted that the work of the Panels may well cross over. This means that the Performance Monitoring Panel may undertake work which leads to policy development, and the Policy Development Panel may need to examine performance when reviewing policy.
(b) Policy Development Panel
(i) assist the Council and the Cabinet in the development of its budget and policy framework by in-depth analysis of policy issues;
(ii) conduct research, community and other consultation in the analysis of policy issues and possible options;
(iii) consider and implement mechanisms to encourage and enhance community participation in the development of policy options;
(iv) question members of the Cabinet and/or committees, chief officers and Heads of Service about their views on issues and proposals affecting the area;
(v) liaise with other external organisations operating in the area, whether national, regional or local, to ensure that the interests of local people are enhanced by collaborative working;
(vi) make recommendations to the Cabinet, a committee of the Cabinet and/or Council arising out of the analysis of policy issues; and
(vii) report annually to the Council on the work programme (see Article 6.09).
(c) Performance Monitoring Panel
(i) review and scrutinise the decisions made by and performance of the Cabinet and/or committees of the Cabinet, individual portfolio holders and council officers or a decision made under joint arrangements both in relation to individual decisions and a series of decisions over time, and:
- recommend that decisions be reconsidered by the person who made it;
- arrange for the Council to review or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the Cabinet;
(ii) review and scrutinise the performance of the Council in relation to its policy objectives, performance targets and/or particular service areas - this will be assisted by officers submitting quarterly Performance Indicator reports to the Panel;
(iii) question members of the Cabinet and/or committees, chief officers and Heads of Service about:
- their decisions and performance generally in comparison with service plans and targets over a period of time;
- their decisions and performance in relation to particular decisions, initiatives and projects; and
- their decisions and performance in respect of items which have been called-in;
(iv) make recommendations to the Cabinet and/or Council arising from the outcome of the scrutiny process;
(v) review and scrutinise the performance of other public bodies in the area and invite reports from them by requesting them to address the Panel and local people about their activities and performance;
(vi) question and gather evidence from any person (with their consent);
(vii) consider progress reports and the outcome of Best Value Reviews and submit reports to the Cabinet;
(viii) conduct research, community and other consultation in the analysis of performance monitoring;
(ix) liaise with other organisations operating in the area, whether national regional or local to ensure that the interests of local people are enhanced by collaborative working;
(x) Revisit a number of implemented planning decision (see Article 6.04 c x);
(xi) report annually to the Council on the work programme (see Article 6.09); and
(xii) receive the annual audit letter.
