Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 29 July, 2015 were signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of Councillor Dr R Auluck, Deputy Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities

Councillor Dr Auluck and Councillors Caan and Clifford, Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services have been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee considered a Briefing Note which updated the Committee on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Coventry, together with an update on national measures implemented in relation to FGM. It provided an update on the prevalence of FGM in Coventry and progress against the recommendation’s endorsed by Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee last year (Minute 21/14 refers). The Briefing Note also informed the Committee of local measures taken to eliminate the practice of FGM.

The Chair, Councillor Duggins, on behalf of both the Committee and the whole Council, placed on record his sincere thanks to Councillor Gingell for the ground breaking work carried out by her in relation to FGM. In particular, Councillor Duggins referred to the way that Councillor Gingell has raised the profile of FGM, moving the issue up the national political agenda and ensuring that Coventry had led the way on this issue.  Members of the Committee and officers paid tribute to all of the work carried out by Councillor Gingell.

Following a comprehensive presentation by Councillor Dr R Auluck, Deputy Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities, and officers, the Committee sought further information/clarification on the following issues:-

?Work carried out with Primary Schools and School Governing Bodies on this issue. The Committee noted that there was a resource pack available to schools and that letters are sent out from the Cabinet Member for Education to all Headteachers highlighting the higher risk to girls during the school holidays.

?Work undertaken to engage with communities. In particular, the Committee noted and welcomed the appointed of “community champions” from practising communities who have been trained in FGM to enable them to educate their peers on the practice and offer support to women and children at risk of or affected by FGM

?Data collected from GPs and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and how that data

?Resources available to tackle this issue, including investment from partner organisations

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee:-

(1)  Notes and welcomes the progress detailed in the Briefing Note and reported at the meeting

(2)  Recommends that the Cabinet Member for Education requests that:-

(i)  All school governing bodies have Female Genital Mutilation on their agendas as a safeguarding issue, with special regard to the changes to the law regarding mandatory reporting.

(ii)  That officers from Public Health be invited to attend both Primary and Secondary Head’s meetings to raise the important role schools can play in addressing and preventing Female Genital Mutilation.

(3)  That Councillor Gingell be sent a letter from the Committee paying tribute to all of the work carried out by her on this issue.

Presentation and Briefing Note of the Director of Place

Councillor Khan, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, Sports and Parks has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with Gary Hall, Culture Coventry and Joanne Reid, Belgrade Theatre.

RESOLVED that this item be deferred to the meeting of the Committee to be held on 21 October, 2015 (Minute xx below refers)

The Chief Executive will report at the meeting

Councillor Lucas, Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee received an oral update at the meeting from both the Leader of the Council, Councillor Mrs Lucas, and the Chief Executive, Martin Reeves on progress on the Combined Authority. The Committee noted:-

?The recent decision of Warwickshire County Council that they would prefer to team up with Coventry and form a smaller Combined Authority and the fact that the County Districts were still considering this matter.

?The fast pace at which this issue is progressing and negotiations and discussions that are taking place with the other local authorities and government officials.

?Critical timelines that, if approved by the local authorities involved, would enable the new Combined Authority to be vested as near to 1 April, 2016 as possible.

?How it was envisaged that the Combined Authority would be serviced, both politically and administratively, noting that this would not create another level of bureaucracy.

?Issues relating to the possibility of a Metro Mayor

RESOLVED that progress on this issue be noted.

Councillor Duggins, Chair of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, attended Cabinet on 11^th August, 2015 and agreed that the decisions were urgent and call-in should not apply. In accordance with the Constitution the reports are submitted to inform the Committee of the reason for urgency which are that consultation on both proposals needed to commence at the earliest opportunity.

Copies of the reports are attached for information:-

The Committee noted that the following two reports of the Executive Director of Resources had been considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 11 August, 2015:-

  (1) Public Consultation – Local Council Tax Support Scheme

  (2) Improving Accommodation for Older People

Councillor Duggins, Chair of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee had attended this meeting and agreed that the decisions were urgent and that call-in should not apply.

In accordance with Paragraph 19.4 of Part 3E of the Council’s Constitution, the reports were presented to Scrutiny Co-ordination Committeeto inform them of the reasons for urgency. The reasons for urgency were that consultation on both proposals needed to commence at the earliest opportunity.

All outstanding issues have been included in the Work Programme

The Committee noted that all outstanding issues had been included in the Work Programme for the current year.

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Committee considered their Work Programme for 2015/16.

RESOLVED that the meeting of the Committee identified as “if necessary” and scheduled for 21 October, 2015 take place to consider the following items and that the Work Programme be updated accordingly:-

  1) The Ricoh Arena railway station

  2) Cultural Trust Review

3) Update on Combined Authorities (deferred from 14 October,

  2015)

Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as a matter of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of public business.