MERTHYR TYDFIL COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN

Main Tel: 01685 725000 www.merthyr.gov.uk

REPORT TO SCRUTINY

Date Written 20th August 2012

Report Author Howard Jones

Service Area Scrutiny

Committee Date 18th September 2012

To: Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT:

To advise the Committee on developing a Work Programme.

1.0 BACKGROUND A copy of this report was submitted to the committee at its last meeting.

At that meeting the committee agreed to invite the Director of Customer Services and senior officers to today’s meeting to go through their directorates main priorities and risks.

1.1 Setting a Work Programme for each of the scrutiny committees is an

important stage in the Scrutiny process. An effective Scrutiny work programme will identify the key topics that Scrutiny will consider over the coming year. A well planned Scrutiny Work Programme will help both Members and Officers plan their workloads as well as providing a clear picture to the public of planned Scrutiny activity.

1.2 “Effective work programming is the bedrock of an effective scrutiny

function. Done well, it can help to lay the foundations for targeted, incisive and timely work on issues of local importance, where scrutiny can add value. Done badly, scrutiny can end up wasting time and resources on issues where the impact of any work done is likely to be minimal.” (Centre for Public Scrutiny).

1.3 Scrutiny is a Member-led function within the Council and as such it is

up to the scrutiny committee itself to determine its work programme. It is vital that members of Scrutiny take responsibility for both drawing up and managing their own work programme. The Work Programme is not approved by any body other than the Scrutiny Committee itself. The work programme is a document that is subject to change and Members can add, subtract, and defer items as necessary.

1.4 Some key principles for setting work programmes are:

• Topics should add value and support corporate priorities

• Where appropriate involve partners, stakeholders and the public

• Allow some flexibility to enable topics to be included as they arise

• Seek improvement in Service provision

• Be achievable within available resources

1.5 Sources of information to identify key topics. Topics for the work

programme come from a wide range of sources including:

• Suggestions made by Council Members

• Suggestions made by senior management

• Suggestions made by members of the public

• The Council Cabinet's Forward Plan

• Corporate performance monitoring reports

• Suggestions made by partners and stakeholders

• The Council's Corporate Plan / Corporate Priorities

• Topics from budget monitoring reports

• Issues from audit and inspection reports

1.6 As well as the topics identified as per above Scrutiny Committees have

standing items that they regularly consider, such as service area operational and strategic plans / performance monitoring, and budget monitoring.

1.7 The Welsh Government considers public engagement in scrutiny is

vital in improving the design and delivery of local services from a citizen-perspective. In the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 the WG has introduced a number of areas that it wants local authorities to promote. One of these is that scrutiny committees should consider sending copies of their Work Programme to organisations such as; local voluntary sector organisations; Police and Crime Panels (when established; Fire and Rescue Authorities; Community Health Councils; Youth Councils; Communities’ First Areas; National Parks; and Town and Community Councils.

1.8 The Welsh Government is also keen to encourage the enablement of

members of the public to engage in scrutiny activity. Such mechanisms include a member of the public requesting that an item be placed on an agenda for consideration by a scrutiny committee (providing this is of immediate relevance to a topic included on its Work Programme); and submit evidence (oral or written) to a planned or ongoing scrutiny review or investigation.

1.9 We are in the process of developing mechanisms to better enable this

requirement e.g. web based form for completion suggesting items for scrutiny to look at and publishing of the Work Programme on the

Internet. However there still needs to be more work to be done and the requirements of the Welsh Government will be taken into account.

1.10 Appendix I shows an example of a work programme that this scrutiny

committee prepared in the past. When drawing up the Work Programme, the Committee will have considered:-

• Its areas of responsibilities / remit (see APPENDIX II)

• the Councils Corporate Priorities for Improvement (see APPENDIX III). It is always suggested that committees take into account the corporate priorities when you consider a work programme. These pages are from the Corporate Plan that went to Council on 18th July. These pages reflect the 4 priorities. You will note that none of these priorities relate directly to this Scrutiny Committee, but it is worth being made aware of them.

• the views of committee members, Senior officers, Cabinet members etc,

• the roles that scrutiny undertakes i.e Holding the Cabinet to account; Policy Review and Development; Performance Monitoring; and External Scrutiny

and then decided on a work programme taking into account these considerations.

1.11 I have also provided some further documents to assist the Committee

in drawing up a Work Programme. APPENDIX IV Scrutiny Work Programme. A blank document to use

when drawing up a work Programme. APPENDIX V Scrutiny Topic Selection. This can assist the committee

sift through suggestions and try and ensure that it is looking at appropriate topics. Scoping template. When commencing a review the committee may wish to use this to help plan how to progress matters e.g who to meet with, what documents required etc.

APPENDIX VI Examples of reviews. I have found these documents

that provide a list of scrutiny reviews (not just topics under this committees remit) that have been undertaken across the country. This is merely to give members of an idea of what can be done.

1.12 This report is merely an introduction to the development of a Work

Programme for the Scrutiny committees. Further work will take place over the coming meetings to prepare and develop a work programme.

2.0 RECOMMENDATION 2.1 That the Committee receives this report and notes its contents.

HOWARD JONES SCRUTINY OFFICER

BACKGROUND PAPERS

APPENDIX I

APPENDIX II

Corporate Plan 2012/13 Corporate Priorities for Improvement.

Priority Outcome 1: People in Merthyr Tydfil benefit from a strong, sustainable and diverse economy.

Priority Outcome 2: People, who live, work in and visit Merthyr Tydfil are safe and feel safe and are supported to enjoy a healthier and better quality of life.

Priority Outcome 3: People enjoy a vibrant, attractive and sustainable environment in which to live, work, play and visit.

Priority Outcome 4:

People in Merthyr Tydfil have the opportunity and aspiration to learn and develop their skills to maximise their potential.

APPENDIX III

Priority Outcome 1: People in Merthyr Tydfil benefit from a strong, sustainable and diverse economy.

We want Merthyr Tydfil to have a fast growing and sustainable economy, making the most of our unique geographic position, delivering jobs and effective skills and training to improve employability. We will support development of a thriving, engaged and competitive business sector that provides high quality employment opportunities. We will concentrate efforts on those places in greatest need and on creating opportunities which reduce the need for people to leave Merthyr Tydfil in search of jobs elsewhere.

Our priorities over the next 12 months will be:

We will be improving our Town Centres through the Town

Centre and Taf Bargoed Regeneration programme. A key

element of which is the Building Enhancement Scheme

which aims to bring back in to use vacant and derelict

properties whilst improving existing properties including

replacing shutters with reinforced glass to improve the

appearance and public perception of the area. This is an

investment of £3.79 million grant funding.

Key

projects

The work will start on Penderyn Square in the Town

Centre and the construction of the Multi Storey Car Park

which will improve access and development opportunities

for the Town Centre. This is an investment of £3million

made up from grant funding bodies.

Customer

services

Measuring our Performance

Baseline 2011/12

Target 2012/13

Number of building frontages refurbished within Merthyr Tydfil Town Centre.

6 4 (100%)

Square meters of building frontages refurbished within Merthyr Tydfil Town Centre.

1328 m² 4462m²

Number of building frontages refurbished within the Treharris Town Centre.

n/a 6 (100%)

Square meters of building frontages refurbished within the Treharris Town Centre.

n/a 170m²

Priority Outcome 2: People, who live, work in and visit Merthyr Tydfil are safe and feel safe and are supported to enjoy a healthier and better quality of life. We want people to enjoy active, healthy and fulfilling lives. We will value the contribution made by people of all ages. We will empower Merthyr Tydfil’s older population to live independently, maximising the control they have over decisions that affect them. With our partners in health, independent and voluntary sectors we will ensure people have high quality modern services, which promote independence and offer choice. We will help tackle health inequalities across Merthyr Tydfil and work with partners to reduce the causes of poor health, such as smoking, poor diet and excessive alcohol consumption. We want to make sure that our communities in Merthyr Tydfil are made safer, stronger and more inclusive by helping more people get involved and make a difference to the place they live, confident that everything is being done to reduce crime, Anti-Social Behaviour, fire deaths and road casualties. We want Merthyr Tydfil to be cohesive, empowered and active – where people from all backgrounds, cultures, ages, genders and abilities feel part of their community, able to express their individual needs and be respected.

Our priorities over the next 12 months will be:

Through the Get Merthyr Active Plan, the Local

Authority will aspire to be the most physically active

Authority in Wales by 2020. This is a whole

population programme encouraging children and

adults to participate in physical activity so that they will

improve their longer term health and wellbeing. The

Project also provides employment, training and

volunteering opportunities throughout the range of

activities. This project is financed by a Sport Wales

grant of £266,000.

Customer

Services

Key

Projects

The Homes for Life project will see the build of two

new care homes. Part of the funding for these

projects will be reinvested in to the wider social care

services such as telecare equipment that enables

older people maintain their independence in their own

homes and for us as a local authority to monitor

activity for customers’ personal safety. This is major

investment of £9.7 million.

Customer

Services/

Social

Services

and Social

regeneration

Measuring our Performance

Baseline 2011/12

Target 2012/13

Target 2012/13

Number of visits to leisure facilities. 9,520 10,792 Customer Services

Number of new coaches, sports leaders and volunteers.

n/a 100 Customer Services

% of 11 year olds who are learning to swim.

72% 77% Customer Services

Number and percentage of self contained flats occupied within Extra Care Scheme.

n/a 60 (100%) Social Service and Social

regeneration

2 new care homes are completed and operation in Gurnos and Treharris.

0 2 Customer Services

Number and percentage of rooms occupied in the new homes.

n/a 64 (100%) Social Service and Social

regeneration

Priority Outcome 3: People enjoy a vibrant, attractive and sustainable environment in which to live, work, play and visit. We recognise that a vibrant, attractive and sustainable environment is not just about tackling waste, improving recycling and the visual built environment; it’s about developing the community where people feel that Merthyr Tydfil has a lot to offer those who live here and those who visit. Our ability to sustain a base of tourism, secure developments in employment and attract people to live here, will be greatly influenced by how successful we are in achieving this outcome.

Our priorities over the next 12 months will be:

Due to the current Biffa Trecatti Landfill contract coming to

an end in March 2013 we need to ensure that the Council

finds an alternative cost effective solution for treatment and

disposal of waste and reduce the risk of financial penalties.

The Residual Waste Project will identify a residual (non-

recyclable) waste facility for the short term period of

approximately two years.

Key

Projects

Through the introduction of the Littering Enforcement project that tackles littering and dog fouling we will improve the cleanliness of our streets. This project will be self financing.

Customer

Services

Measuring our Performance

Baseline 2011/12

Target 2012/13

Reduction in disposal costs per tonne agreed

£34 per tonne

Reduced cost to be agreed for 2013/14

The % presence of dog fouling in the streets inspected

11.5% 10%

Measures of cleanliness - STS005a: Cleanliness Index

69.6% 71%

Measures of cleanliness - STS005b: % of highways and relevant land inspected of a high or acceptable standard of cleanliness

99% 99%

Customer Services

Priority Outcome 4: People in Merthyr Tydfil have the opportunity and aspiration to learn and develop their skills to maximise their potential. The future of Merthyr Tydfil lies with its children. As a Council we aim to ensure that all children, young people and adults achieve their full potential. We know that the experiences that children have with their families particularly in their early years, shape the rest of their life. Our focus is on supporting families and education to enable children to have the best start, achieve their full potential and contribute to the success of our County Borough. We want to improve the quality of learning and skills for all. We want all children and young people to have a first class education with the best possible start in life. This means that young people should have the skills, attitudes and aspiration that employers are looking for and that will also help them be enterprising. As a Council we want Merthyr Tydfil to be a centre of learning where young people and adults have fair access to education and employment.

Our priorities over the next 12 months will be:

‘Merthyr Reads Ü Merthyr Succeeds’ is an exciting

initiative that aims to increase literacy levels

throughout the County Borough. The project

requires a great deal of partnership working and is

aimed at children and adults alike. Over the next 12

months in addition to a range of exciting projects

within the Local Authority and the community you will

see all teachers, support staff, Portfolio members

and the Director for Community Services being

trained in Synthetic-Phonics, a tool that has proven

to raise standards in literacy skills nationwide.

This is an investment of a minimum of £166,000 that

is a combination of grant and core funding.

Schools

Key

Projects

The Access to Employment project seeks to

improve skills to increase employment opportunities

and targets those residents of the County Borough

furthest from the labour market.

This is an investment of a £1.782 million made up

£1.482 million and European and Welsh

Government grant funding and £300,000 of Council

funding.

Social

Service and

Social

Regeneration

Measuring Our Performance Baseline 2011/12

Target 2012/13

Number of teachers and Number of Additional Practitioners trained up to the beginning of year 7

New 464

Number of schools to appoint a reading manager

New 28

Number of school improvement officers trained

New 3

Schools

Number of individuals into employment 563 300

Number of people engaged to participate in employability projects

4113 2250

Number of people into work experience 375 250

Number of people we aim to get qualified up to level 2 (not in f/t education)

669 500

Number of referrals from one employment service

New 500

Social Service and Social Regeneration

APPENDIX IV

APPENDIX V

APPENDIX VI