Agenda item

Each chair (or nominated rep) is asked to provide a formal update on the activity of their task and finish group. Chairs will be supported by the Scrutiny team to produce this but updates are to be in written form and published in the OSMB papers. Updates are then presented verbally during the meeting.

The updates are then used to form the content for the monthly OSMB newsletter to all members.

Update on the initial meetings of the Task and Finish Groups.

-          Some groups are heavily over-subscribed, this meaning it is impossible to set a meeting date for which all members can attend. Practicality dictates setting a date and some members will be unable to attend. Proportionality will be retained in some form where possible.

-          Parks – Cllr English – attendance was light, probably due to diary issues as already discussed. There is £1.56m of savings to be made. Ideas to realise these savings are happening at the next meeting. Proposed to have two meetings, one of which was open to interested parties. Confirmed that there was a limited budget to hold events, and they should be held in City Hall.

-          Council Commissioning and Contracts – Cllr Alexander – first meeting was well attended and positive, was about determining remit. Will exclude Adult Social Care, but will cover the Financial Regulations and Contract Procedure rules in the Constitutional Review, Social Value (especially SMEs) and how Members can be involved in Commissioning process at an earlier stage. Suggested that an up to date Contract Register should be included in the work stream, as this would indicate when members can get involved.

-          Demand on Social Services – Cllr Massey – Adults: examination of the 3 Tier model, along with bed blocking, rehab pathways and the role of Public Health. Agreed on the need to get user feedback. Children: looking at family support and social work model, seeing whether early help works properly, new Ofsted framework, child protection and root causes for demand.

-          Council Assets – Cllr English – Have not met since last OSMB, have asked for a position paper and the current policy but this has not been supplied. Also not clear when the Your Neighbourhood consultation findings will be published.

ACTION: request current Council Asset policy / positioning paper.

ACTION: confirm consultation timeline and circulate to OSMB members.

-          CribbsPatchway New Neighbourhood – Cllr Brook – had meeting with officers and Cabinet Member to discuss aims and scope. Working out where we can input. Priority is works on Crow Lane roundabout, envision a long-standing group that will flex in activity depending on the development. Important to involve South Gloucestershire colleagues.

-          Air Quality – Cllr Keen – This is tagged onto a pre-existing work stream for Defra, but officers have hit a problem due to change in national rules, meaning they could miss deadlines. Kerry McCarthy MP is helping. Is a Clean Air Plan rather than Clean Air Zone, so the remit is wider.

-          Children’s Centres – starting end of Sept/early Oct

-          Libraries – Cllr Bolton – meeting about alternative models and how that might work, we will be going through the results of consultation at next meeting. Concern about timeframe and how much influence the group can have. Extended access pilots will not have a chance to report back. Vision needed before decisions. Also concerns about losing buildings and not being able to use them for any kind of service provision. Some people will be put off responding to consultation due to closure being only option. Public may not realise the benefit that libraries bring, due to no library promotion activity. Footfall should be considered, closing some well-used libraries. Cost should also be considered, some libraries are rented and cost more. In some areas the library is the only community space available.

ACTION: establish mechanism for OSMB to have access to all consultations as information items and discuss if members think it suitable.

-          Fire safety – Cllr Bolton – deferred until Grenfall Inquiry interim report will be received in Easter.

-          MTFP – Cllr Morris – first tomorrow and another near Christmas

-          Youth Council – Cllr Keen – meeting in Oct.

ACTION: investigate possibility of producing a document for the website / newsletter that sets out what the Task and Finish Groups are doing.