Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22

Wiltshire Council is run by councillors elected by the people of Wiltshire. A small number of them form the cabinet (also referred to as the executive) which sets the direction, determines the priorities and takes important decisions. The councillors in the cabinet hold powerful positions and it is important that they are held to public account for their actions. This is done through a system called Overview and
Scrutiny and is undertaken by the non-executive councillors.

This is common to most local councils. Overview and Scrutiny ensure that decisions are taken based on good evidence including the views of those with an interest in the matter and are in the best interests of the people of Wiltshire. Overview and Scrutiny is selective in what it  looks at so that it can add value to the most important services provided by the council, its partners and contractors. Wherever possible it helps to shape policy through early Overview and Scrutiny as well as scrutinising proposals before they are finally agreed. A list of the matters which will be considered by OS is published in its forward work programme (opens new window).

There is an OS management committee and three specialist select committees covering the following main service areas:

• Health (including the NHS, public health and adult social care)
• Environment (including highways, waste and transportation)
• Children (including education, vulnerable children, youth services and early years)

The management committee, as well as coordinating the work of the select committees, covers internal matters such as finance, performance and staffing. Most of the work is done by small groups of elected members from across the political parties reviewing single specific issues in detail. These groups then report to the select committees and make recommendations for improvement to the cabinet and others as necessary.

The work programme focuses on the commitments given by the council in its Business Plan 2022-32 and approaches its work in the following way:

• Better outcomes for the people of Wiltshire
• Adding value to the way decisions are reached
• Working constructively with the cabinet
• Challenging positively as a critical friend
• Basing its findings on good evidence
• Learning from others.

As we all know, this has been an unprecedented and challenging year and the ripples caused by the pandemic will be felt for some time to come. Every department of the council has been involved in supporting the residents of Wiltshire through the pandemic and Overview and Scrutiny has needed to adapt its approach to support that effort.

In normal circumstances, Overview and Scrutiny operates four committees, all meeting regularly and providing 'critical friend' input on most decisions taken by the council's executive. However, as the pandemic situation began to unfold in April 2020 it was agreed that Overview and Scrutiny should temporarily switch to a streamlined model, maintaining scrutiny's crucial role while allowing officers to focus on the urgent day-to-day challenges. The streamlined model comprised the following:

• Wiltshire COVID-19 Response Task Group: A dedicated working group of 7 members who met regularly with the Leader, Chief Executive and Corporate Leadership Team to receive updates on the pandemic and scrutinise the council's response.
• Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee: The council's lead Overview and Scrutiny committee continued to hold public meetings online throughout the pandemic and oversaw the work of the Wiltshire COVID-19 Response Task Group.
• Children's, Environment and Health Select Committees: To allow officers to focus on the incident response, formal meetings of these committees were paused between April 2020 and January 2021. However, they continued to meet informally, discussing issues of local concern and agreeing key questions for the Executive and officers. These were then taken forward by the COVID-19 Response Task Group and OS Management Committee.
• Briefings for select committee chairmen and vice-chairmen: The lead Overview and Scrutiny members were provided with regular  briefings on proposals coming to the council's Cabinet, during the temporary pause of select committee meetings.

While COVID-19 remains in our lives, since March 2021 the council's full select committee structure has been back in place and has been providing Overview and Scrutiny input across the full Cabinet work programme and beyond.

Cllr Jon Hubbard is Chairman and Cllr Jacqui Lay is Vice Chairman.

Key items we have looked at and what we have achieved

Provision of accommodation for young people at transition time

Conducted a gap analysis of the council's provision of accommodation for young people, ensuring that gaps and needs are considered when the council develops its strategies.

Traded Services

The committee's standing Task Group considered the first annual report from the Traded Services Team, ensuring a clear direction for Traded Services and robust future reporting to the committee.

Getting to Outstanding

Reviewed the council's intention and strategy for achieving a rating of Outstanding from Ofsted. Ensured the committee remains fully involved with this crucial work through a clear, practical and focused reporting mechanism.

Cllr Jerry Kunkler is Chairman and Cllr Bob Jones MBE is Vice Chairman.

Key items we have looked at and what we have achieved

Leisure Service Insourcing

Scrutinised the process of bringing leisure centres under direct council control and will continue to look at the effect upon services and the outcomes for service users.

Future Bus Strategy - Connect Wiltshire

Reviewed the development of the county's Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), the outcomes of which will continued to be monitored.

Highways

Considered the effectiveness of the highways service over the last 12 months, looking at road maintenance, drainage and traffic management issues.

Climate Strategy

The Climate Emergency Task Group following publication of its recommendations, formally responded to the strategy consultation, and commented on early drafts.

Cllr Johnny Kidney is the Chairman and Cllr Gordon King the Vice Chairman. 

Key items we have looked at and what we have achieved

Community Diagnostics

Scrutinised the national diagnostics programme and opportunities for future community-based diagnostic centres within Wiltshire.

Future Health and Care Model

Reviewed and contributed to the new model being developed across the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) system

Adult Social Care

Considered the ongoing transformation of the service, including rapid scrutiny reviews of grant-funded clubs and housing-related support.

Cllr Graham Wright is the Chairman, and Cllr Christopher Williams the Vice Chairman.

Key items we have looked at and what we have achieved

Business Plan

Reviewed the council's new ten-year business plan, submitting detailed comments from all of the select committees

Financial Robustness

Scrutinised council budget proposals as well as opposition group amendments to ensure that they were sound and reviewed potential impacts on services

Area Boards

Provided scrutiny input into proposed changes to how the county's 18 area boards should function in terms of grant funding criteria, working groups and priority setting.

Covid-19 has placed significant new financial pressures on local authorities, on top of existing demographic challenges and rising costs of care for vulnerable children and adults. In Wiltshire, Overview and Scrutiny will contribute to meeting this challenge by acting as a 'critical friend' to decision-makers, supporting innovation in how the council and its partners deliver services and acting as the voice of the people when important decisions are being made.

In February 2022, the council agreed a new ten-year business plan. OS will be using the plan as a guiding document, working to ensure that all of the priorities agreed in the Plan are achieved. There will be an increasing focus on using data to monitor whether public services are delivering real outcomes for Wiltshire residents.

Since its introduction in 2000, OS has become an integral part of decision-making at the council. We will be working to ensure this remains the case, with all significant executive decisions receiving prior OS input and as many elected representatives as possible contributing to OS's work.

Overview and Scrutiny welcomes suggestions from councillors and members of the public regarding issues that could be investigated. If you would like to suggest an issue that Overview and Scrutiny should look into, please contact us via the details at the end of this report.

Members of the public can also get directly involved by attending committee meetings, submitting a question before a meeting or giving notice to make a statement on an item on the agenda.

Contact Henry Powell, Democracy and Complaints Manager 

Tel 01225 718052

Email henry.powell@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).