Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to report.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Ben Knight, Scrutiny Officer, which set out this Panel’s terms of reference and suggested areas for an outline work programme for the 2010/11 municipal year that included the key matters for scrutiny known to date and incorporated those areas identified by the Panel at previous meetings, suggested agenda items, items for quarterly updates, all of which were structured broadly in line with the Local Strategic Partnership theme boards.

It was also suggested that Members may also find it useful to request a report from the Safer Rotherham Partnership which from 1^st April, 2010 included the Probation Service as a responsible authority with its duties expanding to include reducing re-offending.

In terms of Scrutiny Reviews, the panel was currently conducting a review into Devolved Budgeting and, with the Regeneration Scrutiny Panel, into the Perception of Rotherham.  Members were, therefore, invited to suggest any further areas for review.

In the main the Scrutiny Panel were happy with the suggested content of the Work Programme and were in agreement that at some point in the year consideration be given to the content and access to the Council’s website, further reports arising from adoption of the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review into Debt Recovery and possibly external funding.

It was noted during the course of the discussion that an evaluation of the recent emergency planning exercise was requested and should be made available to all Members.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel’s Terms of Reference be noted.

(2)  That the draft work programme and its priorities with suggestions for the coming year be approved.

(3)  That areas for review to be undertaken in the 20010/2011 municipal year be forwarded onto the Chairman and the Scrutiny Team.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Colin Earl, Director of Internal Audit and Governance, which drew attention to the Corporate Debt Policy, produced following a scrutiny review of debt recovery arrangements and after consultation with relevant parties.

The Corporate Debt Policy was to be submitted to Cabinet for approval, subject to any comments by the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel.

The Corporate Debt Policy was part of a suite of four key documents explaining the approach and procedures relating to the collection of debt. The policy stated the over-riding principles applying to each area of debt collection. It was supplemented by three additional information notes covering the main areas of income collected by the Council, i.e. council tax and business rates, housing rents and sundry accounts.

The Corporate Debt Policy explained the Council’s principles that would be applied in the recovery of all debt

The Corporate Debt Policy provided details of advice and support services available to help residents in debt and had been subject to wide consultation.

Comments from a range of stakeholders have been taken into account in drafting the policy, including:-

·              Members of the original Scrutiny Review Group.

·              Voluntary Action Rotherham - ‘Advice In Rotherham’.

·              Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

·              Relevant Council Services.

·              Bailiffs.

When approved, the Corporate Debt Policy would be included on the Council’s website and copies and/or links made available to relevant organisations to publicise its existence.

The additional information notes also provided more detail on arrangements for collecting debt in each of the specific areas.

A discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and subsequently clarified:-

·              Selling on the Council’s debt to bailiffs.

·              Triggers and early intervention/advice for vulnerable groups and the inclusion of “carers”.

·              Debt breaks.

·              Impact on the capacity of advice centres.

·              Possibility of bringing the bailiff service in-house.

·              Recovery arrangements.

·              Trial of personal contact arrangements for those people experiencing difficulty for Council Tax.

·              Recovery performance.

·              Monitoring and evaluation of the bailiff service with further reports to this Scrutiny Panel.

·              Amount and kind of debt owed to the Council.

·              Debt accruals and process of debt repayment.

Jane Woodford, Financial Inclusion Manager (VAR), was involved with the original scrutiny review and applauded the Council on the clear and sensitive proposals for debt recovery now being taken forward.

Resolved:-  (1)  That Colin Earl be thanked for his report and the information provided.

(2)  That comments on the Corporate Debt Policy be provided prior to the report’s submission to the Cabinet for approval.

(3)  That further information be provided on debt breaks, kind and amount of debt owed to the Council and the process of debt repayment.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Jane Woodford, Financial Inclusion Manager (VAR), which updated the Panel on the progress of the financial inclusion project, its links with the Council’s Credit Crunch response and plans for the future of financial inclusion in Rotherham post March, 2011.

All the factors together reinforced the need for financial inclusion work to continue, in particular in relation to working in partnership with key organisations, sharing information within the Financial Inclusion Network and to the wider public and more effectively co-ordinating activities. 

The report set out more clearly the key achievements, including those of the Financial Inclusion Team, the Credit Crunch Partnership, RIEP and future plans.

Further information was provided on the work now being undertaken on the 2011-2014 Financial Inclusion Strategy, the influence that financial inclusion work had had on the investments in Rotherham, sub-regional links, importance of improvements to financial capability training, priorities for 2011, economic arguments for financial inclusion, core elements and targeting of resources for deprived communities and vulnerable groups.

A discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and subsequently clarified:-

·              Timing of the Financial Inclusion Strategy and the impact it had had.

·              Money and debt advice to schools.

·              Financial capability training and money advice.

·              Excellent partnership working.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received and the contents noted.

(2)  That the achievements of the Financial Inclusion Project be noted, as outlined in the “Quids In” document, in particular, the productive joint work with:-

·              The Council’s Credit Crunch Response Initiative.

·              Sub-regionally with the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership.

(3)  That the activities of the Financial Inclusion Team up to and beyond the life of this current project which has secured funding until March, 2011 continue to be supported and promoted.

(4)  That a further update of the Financial Inclusion Project be submitted to this Scrutiny Panel in approximately six months time in conjunction with the updated Financial Inclusion Strategy for 2011-2014.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel held on 10^th March, 2010 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman, subject to Councillor Currie being included in the list of apologies.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet Member for Community Development and Engagement held on 8^th March and 12^th April, 2010.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 26^th March, 2009.

Discussion ensued on the availability of the minutes to Members and what action could be taken to assist in the reduction of paper.  This would be subject to further discussion to ascertain the best solution.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

(2)  That discussion take place on how the minutes of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee could be made available to Members to prevent any unnecessary reproduction of paper copies.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings of the New Arrivals Working Party held on 31^st March, 2010.

It was suggested that the Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Panel be asked to review the action plan of the Scrutiny Review of Newly Arrived Children and that this information be shared with Members of this Scrutiny Panel.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

(2)  That this Scrutiny Panel be informed of any information following a review of the action plan from the Scrutiny Review of Newly Arrived Children.

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings of the Members’ Training and Development Panel held on 25^th March, 2010.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.