Swingeing Decision to Cut £3 disregard payments in Coventry to go before Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader of the Labour Group on Coventry City Council has sent us the following message:

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding the ceasation of the £15 per week disregard to people with learning difficulties.

I would like to inform you that all members of the Labour Group of Councillors voted against this proposal at the meeting of full Council. In addition to this we have "called in " the item and insisted that the Cabinet Member appear before Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee to answer questions and account for the decision.


The meeting will be held at 1-00 p.m. on Wednesday 22nd. November will be held in public ( at Council House, Earl Street , Coventry CV1 5RR , see map below and check room number on Notifications Board opposite 1st Floor lift on day ) which means that yourself and anyone else that is interested can attend and listen to the debate.


I hope that interested parties do their best to attend.

Yours sincerely,

John Mutton,
Leader of the Labour Group.
Coventry Council Council House



click to enlarge


The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee & its Roles

The city council has established four Scrutiny Boards and an over-arching Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee. These are made up of Councillors from across the political parties. Some of the Boards include co-opted members of the public.

The roles of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee are to:

Develop and manage Scrutiny in the Coventry City Council

Co-ordinate and monitor the work of the four Scrutiny Boards

Undertake cross-cutting reviews

Consider 'call-ins' - where Councillors want to discuss in more detail decisions that have already been taken by the Cabinet.

Current Membership of Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee & Contact Details

Councillors:

M Asif


G. Duggins George.Duggins@coventry.gov.uk

N Lee

J. Mutton John.Mutton@coventry.gov.uk

B. Patton Brian.Patton@coventry.gov.uk

Here is the agenda from the Coventry City Councils CMIS webpages


Agenda - Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee

Time and Date 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 22nd November, 2006 PLEASE NOTE START TIMEDIFFERS FROM ABOVE
Place Committee Rooms, Council House, Coventry

1Public Business

1 Apologies and Substitutions
2 Declarations of Interests
3 Minutes of the meetings held on 25th October (attached)
4 Consideration of Call ins

4.1 Call ins Stage 2

To consider the following call in from the Members shown. In accordance with the
Scrutiny Procedure Rules, these Members have been invited to attend the meeting for
the consideration of their call in and at least one of them must attend the meeting or the call-in will fail.

4.1.1 Cabinet 31st October, 2006 (Councillor H Noonan)

Delivering Modernisation and Efficiencies in Social Care in Order to
Balance the Budget in Learning Disabilities Services Joint Report (attached)
Called in by:-(1) Councillors Mutton, Kelly and Clifford

The reason for the call in is, "To better understand how lowering peoples income helps to promote independence."


(2) Councillors Maton, Kelly and Clifford

The reason for the call in is, " To understand the impact of the day care
review for older people and its impact on service users given the anticipated
saving of £223,000. To assess the reality of being able to achieve paid for
real work opportunities for the client group – the availability of appropriate
jobs, access to appropriate training and the existence of agencies to provide
job brokerage and in-work support to enable this aspiration to be delivered.
To understand why there is anticipated to be a reduction in demand for
supporting people staff at a time when client group numbers are increasing.

To also understand the implication of the reduction in posts in the
Performance Improvement Unit at a time when savings are anticipated in
the Social Care budget through improved performance. To understand the
nature of Contract Efficiency Savings – when the report highlights the
difficulty in delivering such efficiencies in the past. To understand the
impact of cuts in services through withholding inflation allowances. To
review the implications of maintaining, through the increased management
of vacancies, more unfilled posts."

(3) Councillors Nellist, Windsor and Ms McKay

The reason for the call in is, " To question the strategy that 'independence
will be promoted' by the measures proposed and to explore the necessity of
the deletion of posts."

NOTE: (i) The Cabinet amended recommendation 2.1 of the report considered by
the addition of the following to the end of the paragraph:-
"subject to any further consultation with the appropriate Trade
Unions, and that any amendment to the proposals be submitted to
the Cabinet Meeting on the 12th December, 2006."
The Cabinet noted that Paragraph 5.8.1.5 of the report should be
deleted and replaced with the wording set out on report 4.1.1(a)
attached.

(ii) All Members calling in the decision indicated above have indicated that
attendance by the relevant Cabinet Member is required for the Stage 2
consideration of this item.

(iii) All Members calling in the decisions indicated above have indicated that
they wish the matter to be referred on to the relevant Scrutiny Board
after consideration by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

4.1.2 Cabinet 31st October, 2006 (Councillor Ridley)

Review of Library Buildings
Report of the Director of Community Services (attached)
Called in by Councillors Nellist, Windsor and Ms McKay
The reason for the call in is, "To further understand the rationale behind the
closure proposal and the suitability of alternative provision for the residents of
the area."

NOTE: (i) The Members calling in the decision indicated above have indicated that
attendance by the relevant Cabinet Member is required for the Stage 2
consideration of this item.

(ii) The Members calling in the decisions indicated above have indicated
that they wish the matter to be referred on to the relevant Scrutiny Board
after consideration by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

2 4.1.3 Cabinet 31st October, 2006 (Councillor Blundell)

Lease Terms for New Academy to Replace Woodway Park School
Joint Report (attached)

Called in by Councillors Nellist, Ms McKay and Windsor
The reason for the call-in is, "To understand why it is proposed to grant a 125
year lease on the Woodway Park Site."

NOTE: (i) The Members calling in the decision indicated above have indicated that
attendance by the relevant Cabinet Member is required for the Stage 2
consideration of this item.

(ii) The Members calling in the decisions indicated above have indicated
that they wish the matter to be referred on to the relevant Scrutiny Board
after consideration by the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee.

4.2 Call ins - Stage 1
The Director of Legal and Democratic Services will report on any call ins that have been received.

In relation to each call in received:- a) to determine whether or not it is appropriate, using the agreed criteria. b) if it meets the criteria, to decide which Cabinet Members/officers should attend when the call in is considered.
5 Scrutiny Annual Report

Report of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee (attached)

6 Outstanding Issues Report of the Director of Legal and Democratic Services (attached).

7 2006/07 Work Programmes

7.1 To give consideration to the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee's Work Programme
for 2006/07 (attached)

7.2 To note any changes to the work programmes for Scrutiny Boards (1), (2), (3) and
(4). 8 Any other items of public business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

Private Business

Nil
3
Christopher R Hinde, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Council House, Coventry Tuesday 14th November, 2006

Notes: 1) The person to contact about the agenda and documents for this meeting is Alison Townsend, Council House, Coventry. Telephone 7683 3080, email alison.townsend@coventry.gov.uk.

2) Substitutes - Council Members who are not able to attend the Meeting should notify Alison
Townsend (tel. 7683 3080) as soon as possible and no later than 12 noon on Wednesday,
22nd November, 2006, giving their reasons for absence and the name of the Council Member (if any) who will be attending the meeting as their substitute.
3) Scrutiny members who have an interest in any report referred to at this meeting, but who are not members of this Committee are invited to notify the Chair by 12 noon on the day before the meeting that they wish to speak on a particular item. The Member must indicate to the Chair their reason for wishing to speak and the issue(s) they wish to raise. Membership: Councillors Asif, Bains, Clifford (Co-opted Member), Duggins, Lee, Mutton, Ridge (Deputy Chair), Sawdon (Chair) and Williams

If you would like this information in another format
or language please contact us:-
Telephone: (024) 7683 3080
Fax: (024) 7683 3024
e-mail: alison.townsend@coventry.gov.uk
4