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Scrutiny Management Board - Tuesday 17th June, 2025 7.00 pm

June 17, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

The Scrutiny Management Board was scheduled to meet to welcome new members, discuss the scrutiny work programme for 2025-26, and consider training for scrutiny members. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Council Chamber, Corby Cube, and was available for the public to view live on YouTube.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2025-26

The Scrutiny Management Board was scheduled to discuss the development of the Scrutiny Workplan for 2025/26. According to the council's constitution, the Scrutiny Management Board is responsible for the direction and management of scrutiny, ensuring non-executive members contribute to the improvement and development of the council and its services.

As part of this responsibility, the board develops a Scrutiny Workplan that guides the work of the four Scrutiny Committees. An indicative workplan had been created, and the board was scheduled to discuss running a workshop involving scrutiny and executive members, along with directors, to identify key issues and priorities to further inform the workplan.

The report pack broke the development of the workplan down into three stages:

  • Stage 1: adopt a first draft workplan comprised of standing scheduled items and carry-over items from the previous year.
  • Stage 2: survey all scrutiny members to invite them to recommend issues for scrutiny.
  • Stage 3: hold a workshop with scrutiny chairs and vice chairs, members of the executive, and relevant directors to understand the administration's emerging priorities.

The report pack included an indicative Scrutiny Workplan for 2025/26, which included the following items for consideration:

Corporate Scrutiny Committee

  • Budget Forecast Update
  • Capital and Revenue Forecast Outturn
  • Key Performance Indicators
  • Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Annual Report
  • KPI Set and Updated Performance Management Framework
  • Annual Budget Scrutiny
  • Corporate Plan
  • Residents Survey

Health Scrutiny Committee

  • GP Performance and Availability
  • Dentistry Performance and Availability
  • Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Quality Report
  • Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – Quality Report
  • North Northamptonshire Director of Public Health Annual Report
  • Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults Board (NSAB) Annual Report
  • East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) Annual Report
  • The Orchard Project: Dementia Research
  • Health Protection - Winter Preparedness
  • Substance Misuse

Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee

  • Cultural Masterplan
  • Review / Update of Waste Collection Policies
  • Highways Contract Extension (tbc)
  • Anti-Social Behaviour Policy
  • Strategic approach to Traveller sites
  • Car Parking Strategy
  • Home to School Transport Policy for Students of Statutory School age (5 to 16 – Reception to Year 11)
  • Stock Condition Survey Report

Children, Young Persons and Education Scrutiny Committee

  • Special Education Needs Strategy
  • Northamptonshire Children's Trust (NCT) Quarterly Performance Update
  • Northamptonshire Children's Trust (NCT) Annual Report
  • School Exclusions/ Homeschooling
  • Family Hubs

The report pack also included the Executive Forward Plan June – September 2025. The Scrutiny Management Board was scheduled to review this plan to ensure it fulfils its obligations for 'pre-scrutiny' and to positively influence Executive decisions.

Training for Scrutiny Members

The Scrutiny Management Board was scheduled to discuss the design of scrutiny training as part of the Member Induction Programme 2025, and to make the board aware of wider member training opportunities.

The Scrutiny Management Board has responsibility for overseeing the co-ordination of scrutiny members' learning and development. As part of the member induction programme, scrutiny training was scheduled to be provided during June and July 2025. The training was scheduled to be delivered over two repeat sessions:

  • Session 1 'An introduction to Scrutiny'
    • What is Scrutiny
    • The basic principles
    • The role of Scrutiny
    • Governance structure
    • Overview of the 5 Scrutiny Committees
    • The relationship with the Executive
    • Statutory powers
    • A good Scrutiny culture
    • The Scrutiny Work Programme
    • The essential documents
    • Timeline of a Scrutiny committee
  • Session 2 - 'Scrutiny in Action'
    • What to consider before undertaking Scrutiny
    • The Scrutiny checklist
    • Creating a questioning strategy
    • Questioning and listening to evidence
    • Effective listening
    • Types of questions to ask
    • Drawing on information, advisors and witnesses
    • Work programming
    • The Call-in process

The sessions were scheduled to be delivered in person in the Council Chamber at the Corby Cube by Chris Stephenson, Scrutiny Manager, and the two Scrutiny Officers. Returning members who have previously sat on Scrutiny Committees were also scheduled to be invited to share their reflections on the process of Scrutiny and the impact it can have.

Welcome, Introductions and Overview of Scrutiny Management Board

Chris Stephenson, Scrutiny Manager, was scheduled to provide an overview of the Scrutiny Management Board to the new membership. The purpose of the report was to welcome the new members and advise them of the board's purpose, responsibilities, and terms of reference.

Following the local elections on 1 May, a new membership of six members was appointed to the Scrutiny Management Board at the Annual Council meeting on 22 May. The report provided a brief overview of the board's role, responsibilities, and terms of reference, with more information available in the Scrutiny Procedure Rules – Part 7 of the Council's Constitution.

The Scrutiny Management Board has strategic responsibility for the scrutiny function and overall responsibility for the direction and management of scrutiny. The board is made up of six members, typically the chairs and vice chairs of the Scrutiny Committees.

The board has specific responsibilities, including:

  • Overseeing and managing the council's scrutiny process
  • Developing and approving an annual scrutiny workplan
  • Monitoring progress of panel work
  • Monitoring the council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions
  • Commissioning panel work and considering resource implications
  • Undertaking regular dialogue with Executive Directors and Executive Members
  • Considering scrutiny agenda requests and allocating them to the relevant committee
  • Undertaking an annual assessment of scrutiny
  • Overseeing the co-ordination of scrutiny members' learning and development
  • Developing and approving the Annual Scrutiny Report
  • Determining which committee a matter should be considered at
  • Determining call-in requests
  • Developing, approving, and keeping under review a Scrutiny / Executive Protocol.

Decisions to be made in this meeting

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Trevor Conway
Councillor Trevor Conway  Reform UK •  Oakley
Profile image for Councillor Leon Gibbs
Councillor Leon Gibbs  Reform UK •  Barton Seagrave and Burton Latimer
Profile image for CouncillorHelen Howell
CouncillorHelen Howell  Conservative Party •  Raunds
Profile image for Councillor Chris Kellett
Councillor Chris Kellett  Reform UK •  Rothwell and Mawsley
Profile image for CouncillorVinnie Whitrow
CouncillorVinnie Whitrow  Reform UK •  Hatton Park
Profile image for Councillor Ben Williams
Councillor Ben Williams  Green Party •  Ise

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.