Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

Page 57ensure that all had an opportunity to determine and ‘own’ the scrutiny agenda. Accordingly inadvance of each themed meeting, pre-sessions were held at a stage that could seek theinput of all councillors appointed for that theme and a relevant site visit was arranged as apre-scrutiny opportunity to further understand issues, meet with partners and explore matterswhich might not be covered in the limited time available at the formal session. It was alsoperceived that this would be a baseline year to understand the key issues and performancedata for discrete topics and scrutiny would follow up year-on-year to track and evidenceimprovements or challenge progress as well as refer issues in-year to the relevant group ofmembers appointed for an OSC theme.Councillors, officers and partners were also invited to suggest matters which could benefitfrom a more detailed review and for follow up through a short-life scrutiny commission.Whilst several existing commissions were signed off in 2014/15, staffing capacity within thescrutiny team meant that new commissions could not begin until late into the year.5. Public engagementAn aspiration in 2014/15 was for greater public involvement in overview and scrutiny andhearing directly from members of the public on their experiences of the service issues etc.under scrutiny to help inform debate and committee deliberations/recommendations. Withscrutiny now meeting as a single committee that covers both a theme based approach tolocal service issues and the council’s statutory responsibilities for health services andcommunity safety, it was appropriate to take scrutiny out of the town hall and for thecommittee to hold its meeting in locations around the borough.During the year OSC met in each of the five neighbourhoods in Lambeth. In addition to theformal OSC session, at each neighbourhood venue an informal advisory session was held inthe hour preceding committee when members of the public could come along to talk withcouncillors and officers/partners on matters associated with the meeting theme and raisematters informally, get advice etc.In most instances external meetings were well attended so creating a greater awareness ofscrutiny and strengthened community engagement whilst also providing scrutiny councillorswith citizens’ perspective on the issues, proposals and performance information beingpresented to OSC by cabinet members, officers and partners.Total public attendance at scrutiny events over the year was around 250 people – anincrease on 2013/14 involvement and a key achievement in the circumstance of aconsiderable reduction in the number of scrutiny meetings that took place year-on-year.6. The Overview and Scrutiny CommitteeThe committee held six scheduled meetings in 2014/15, as well as the induction session anda call in meeting. Key issues that the committee considered during the year are set outbelow. Full details of reports and minutes of the meetings can be found by visitinghttp://moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk/mgCommitteeDetails.aspx?ID=1135