Scrutiny Training Delivered a bespoke Scrutiny Development Programme for Members to provide them with core competency skills to perform the Scrutiny Member role effectively. Ensured senior officers understood the role of scrutiny and the need to respond effectively to scrutiny requests through concise and balanced reporting. A range of training sessions were provided to Members on: The Scrutiny Challenge Scrutinising Performance Financial Scrutiny Effective presentations and questioning strategies in a Modern Council Environment An additional session was provided to Senior Management Team (recommended by Members): The Scrutiny Opportunity / Raising the Bar in Scrutiny The Children and Young People’s Directorate also received training on Political Report Writing. A guidance note on political report writing was produced as a specific outcome of the training. Both Member and officer training sessions were well attended and feedback indicates attendees found the sessions very useful. The addition of officer training during 2015-16 has improved the quality of reports being produced for scrutiny. There has been a marked improvement in Member’s questioning and their analysis of performance and financial information. Investing in Member development and officer training delivers a vital, yet intangible, return on investment through more effective scrutiny. The WAO peer evaluation on scrutiny completed on 29th May 2014 evidenced our “comprehensive training programme” for scrutiny and study observations of scrutiny meetings reflected “excellent questioning skills by Members” and “effective chairing”. The WAO Corporate Assessment 2015 evidences that Members are clearly supported, the report stating that “a range of guidance and training is made available to Members. An area where this is clearly demonstrated is in relation to the scrutiny function. Select Committee Members say they are well supported by training opportunities but that take-up is low. Extensive training is provided for scrutiny members, which is organised and co-ordinated by the Scrutiny Manager”.
Evaluation of performance during 2015-16 Activity Progress Impact Evidence Scrutiny Self-evaluation The Scrutiny Chairs Liaison Group led a stocktake of our scrutiny arrangements to ensure scrutiny processes were effective prior to our Corporate Assessment. Ensured all Forward work programmes are publicly accessible on the Council website. Reduced agenda size for Select Committees Special meetings to manage workload / scrutinise emerging issues Pre-meetings for all Select Committees Improved the quality, timeliness, relevance of information being brought to Scrutiny Introduced a more focussed scrutiny approach Produced a Scrutiny Handbook Implemented a Scrutiny and Executive Protocol Developed a Scrutiny website The group agreed that the key improvements made to the function during 2013 and 2014 were proving effective as follows: Greater co-ordination between political arenas is enabling scrutiny activity to align to corporate priorities Pre-meetings ensuring more constructive challenge and ability to hold to account Better balance of scrutiny activity - pre-decision scrutiny and holding to account Additional meeting enabling the opportunity for in-depth scrutiny Greater public attendance and participation in scrutiny work. Scrutiny was reflected positively in the WAO Corporate Assessment 2015, the WAO stating “Scrutiny is improving and has come a long way from an earlier low base. In 2010 a Wales Audit Office review of Monmouthshire’s scrutiny arrangements concluded that ‘Scrutiny is beginning to provide a more robust challenge and is starting to have a positive impact on the business of the Council’. The WAO acknowledge in the Corporate Assessment the range of scrutiny guidance (which includes the Council’s Scrutiny and Executive protocol and the Scrutiny Handbook) which “provides practical support” for Members. Scrutiny Chairs Liaison Group Ensured that the group played a fundamental role in agreeing the direction and focus of scrutiny development. The group met every 8 weeks and assisted the Scrutiny Manager by agreeing: the Budget Scrutiny Process the Process for Scrutiny of the Risk Log Areas for joint scrutiny The Scrutiny Handbook The Scrutiny Website The Scrutiny Manager has benefited from an agreed focus for scrutiny development. Chairs have advised that meetings are highly effective in terms of agreeing scrutiny processes and exchanging practice and experience. Evaluation of performance during 2015-16
specifically by the Council’s policy and Performance Team, the Scrutiny Chairs Liaison Group and the Head of Democratic Services. by the Scrutiny Manager to further improve scrutiny in Monmouthshire had been delivered. The Scrutiny Service Plan has been scrutinised by the Council’s Audit Committee (14th Jan 2016) which was satisfied that the Council has appropriate and effective scrutiny arrangements in place. The function was also scrutinised by the Democratic Services Committee in June 2016, which was also satisfied with its performance. The risk therefore continues to be LOW. Potential that the Council fails in terms of its safeguarding responsibilities in respect of children and vulnerable adults as a result of ineffective scrutiny of policy and performance. O It relates specifically to the responsibility of Scrutiny Members and is therefore volatile. 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 Low Low Low Hazel Ilett, Scrutiny Manager The appropriate Select Committees review the performance within their remits on a quarterly basis to ensure any concerns are highlighted at an early stage. The Council’s Annual Reporting Framework allows a joint presentation to Scrutiny upon the performance within Social Services as a whole, which seeks to prevent issues falling between the remit of the scrutiny committees. Improvements to the way in Select Committees monitor risk (holding Cabinet Members directly to account) should ensure Following the Estyn inspection, the Council has revised its Safeguarding Policy, which has been scrutinised several times over the last 2 years and the Children and Young People’s Select Committee receive quarterly reports on safeguarding practice. The Select Committees are ensureign that Safeguarding is prioritised and is considered across the wrok of the COucnil. E.g. The Future Play Porposal was
that performance is monitored robustly to ensure that actions are taken to mitigate key risks. referred back tio Oficers for further work to enaure safeguarding protection sctivities could be evidenced. Potential that Members fail to challenge effectively and hold Cabinet Members, Officers and Partners to account for and performance. O It relates specifically to the responsibility of Scrutiny Members and is therefore volatile. 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 Med Med Med Hazel Ilett, Scrutiny Manager The Scrutiny Member Development Programme is a rolling programme of training specifically designed for MCC’s Scrutiny Members and they are encouraged to attend. The WAO Corporate Assessment evidenced that attendance at training is an area for concern, so the the to be undertaken during the autum of 2016 will seek to identify training needs and training preferences in roder to raise attendance levels. The Scrutiny Mnaager provides advice during Select Committee as to how to levvy challenge in the approptruiate direction – e.g. Rationale and justificnation for decisions being taken to Cbaient Members with officers only providing technical support. Members are encouraged to seek evidence to collaborate staements made about our performance rather than rely on reassurances. I The Future Generations Act places wider responsibilities and specific duties for the scrutiny function, for which it will not be S The Future Generations Act requires local government scrutiny to hold the Public Service Board to account. 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 High High Med Hazel Ilett, Scrutiny Manager It is too to speculate the ramifications of the legislation, so the Scrutiny Manager will keep a watching brief and advise as and when necessary.
directly funded or supported. The risk level was high in previous years because legislation that was being considered at that time placed a wider duty on scrutiny to scrutinise the public sector. This has not materialised and as such, this risk has lowered, however, officer and member capacity remains an issue to be monitored. The new responsibilities have implications for the scrutiny function, in that it has required a designated appropriate arranagement (a new Select Committee) to be established. This will have implications for Members in terms of their capacity and also for scrutiny support.