To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2016 (SC.16 - SC.20), previously circulated.

THE DECISION:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 1 September 2016 (SC.13 - SC.15), previously circulated, be signed as a correct record.

Report of the Chief Executive

The Director of Finance (Acting) (s151 Officer) submitted a report setting out the Council Performance for Quarter 2 of 2016/17 which provided details on progress against the Council’s priorities and information on actions to address under performance.

The Committee asked a number of questions which were responded to at the meeting and where further information was requested it was agreed that the Committee would be provided with this information separately.

THE DECISION:

That the Council Performance for Quarter 2 of 2016/17 be noted.

Report of the Director of Finance (s151 Officer) (Acting)

The Director of Finance (Acting) (s151 Officer) submitted a report presenting a quarterly update on the strategic risks affecting the Council.

To ensure that strategic risks were appropriately measured and that suitable actions were undertaken to mitigate the effect of each risk it had been agreed that the Scrutiny Committee would receive a quarterly monitoring report.

The report included the two key improvements requested by Audit, Governance & Standards Committee as detailed in the Annual Governance Statement at the June 2016 meeting:

a)    Strategic risks fully identified

b)    Project strategic risks are determined

The Committee asked a number of questions which were responded to at the meeting and where further information was requested it was agreed that the Committee would be provided with this information separately.

THE DECISION:

That the quarterly report reviewed  the strategic risks and project strategic risks affecting the Council together with the actions that are in place to mitigate the impact upon the Council of each risk be noted.

Report of the Chairman

A report of the Chairman of the Committee was considered which reminded the Committee of the terms of reference of the review and of information which had been identified in the Project Plan.

Stephen Lister, Head of Service – Leisure and Communities and Dominic Passman, Health and Safety Risk Manager, North Yorkshire County Council, attended the meeting to provide evidence.

(A full account of the questions raised and responses is available as part of the Committee’s records).

The Committee was satisfied with the information provided and agreed that no further witnesses were required at this stage.  The Committee would review the evidence gathered at their next meeting to determine whether it had received all the information it required to conclude the review.

THE DECISION:

That:-

(1)        the information provided so far be received; and

(2)        the evidence gathered so far be reviewed at the next meeting of the Committee in order to determine whether to conclude the policy review.

Report of the Chairman

A report of the Chairman of the Committee was considered which reminded the Committee of the terms of reference of the review and of information which had been identified in the Project Plan.

The Committee considered the memorandum of evidence attached to the report and identified some further questions it would like to address before concluding the review.  The Committee requested that a further meeting be arranged if possible prior to Christmas in order to discuss these matters and that the Director of Economy and Planning (Acting) be invited to attend that meeting.

THE DECISION:

That:-

(1)        Mrs Helen Kemp, Director of Economy and Planning (Acting) be invited to the next meeting of the Committee to assist with the Policy Review; and

(2)        the evidence gathered so far be reviewed at the next meeting of the Committee in order to determine whether to conclude the policy review.