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Completed in depth reviews

The main roles of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees are to:

  • discuss and make recommendations on the development of council policies and the budget;
  • hold the Leader of the council and the cabinet to account for their actions;
  • play a key role in considering matters of local concern;
  • undertake in depth reviews; and
  • scrutinise the work of other agencies, including the health trusts serving Medway.

Overview and scrutiny committees (OSCs) can develop their own programme of in depth reviews which are prioritised by the Business Support OSC as part of its co-ordinating role. This allows them to investigate issues in innovative ways. Much of this work is undertaken by informal sub-groups of councillors who are able to call on advice from experts and evaluate best practice.

When an overview and scrutiny committee has completed its investigations, it can make recommendations to the council's decision-makers. The cabinet or full council is obliged to consider these recommendations and provide a response back to the committee.

Below is a comprehensive library of all the policy review reports produced by Medway Council's overview and scrutiny committees since they were established in 2001.

Business Support

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Property and Property Services (pdf 89KB) Review of the non-operational holdings, premises used to support service delivery (operational portfolio) and services and systems used to manage the property portfolio. November 2003
Parliamentary Election (pdf 132KB) Review of the arrangements for the last parliamentary election. November 2005
Support for people in temporary accommodation (pdf 7161KB) Review of the position in Medway with regard to support for people in temporary accommodation. October 2009

Children and Adults 
(decommissioned November 2010)

Review Terms of reference Date completed

Youth facilities in Medway (pdf 2,102KB)

To review the provision of youth facilities in Medway run by both the council and other organisations.

October 2008

Healthy eating among children and young Children and people (pdf 1,259KB)

To review the service and interventions available to support and encourage children and young people to follow a healthy diet and healthy lifestyles.

September 2010

Children and Young People

Review Terms of reference Date completed

Countering bullying (pdf 2538KB)

This report provided the committee with a background to countering bullying and information on the work and findings of the countering bullying task group.  The committee held a themed meeting on 1st March, involving a number of external agencies and children and young people, to discuss the issues of bullying and identify good practice in tackling and preventing bullying and bad behaviour.  To read the minutes of this meeting please click on the following link.

1 March 2011

Children's Services 
(decommissioned April 2008)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Fostering Task Group (pdf 18KB)

To review payment structures, training of providers and the out of hours pilot scheme. To also consider the restructure of the Carer Supervision Policy.

30 November 2006

Final report (pdf 42 KB)

To consider issues in the 14-19 education inspection and contribute to the production of the action plan and monitor its progress.

Final report February 2007

Bus fares (pdf 21KB)

To investigate the introduction of half-price bus fares for children travelling to and from school.

20 February 2007

Community Services
(decommissioned December 2008)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Review of the 24-hour economy (pdf 183KB) To investigate ways the council can develop the economy by making services, entertainment and facilities more widely available at times and venues which suit the needs of all age groups and backgrounds, taking into account changing work patterns. March 2003
NHS Renal and Vascular Services (pdf 126KB) To participate in a Joint Panel with Kent County Council to respond to the consultation on the future configuration of renal, vascular and interventional radiology services in Kent and Medway. August 2003
Effectiveness and evaluation of referral and initial assessment systems (pdf 279KB) To investigate the referral and initial assessment systems and identify any weaknesses. To ensure that systems exist to inform senior managers of important issues affecting teams that provide direct services to children and families. December 2003
Community Learning Service (pdf 256KB) To investigate how the service can be enhanced and improved to provide quality services, responsive to the needs and lifestyles of all areas of the community and to take the service into the 21st century. December 2003
Library Services (pdf 251KB) To investigate how Medway is developing community-based learning and leisure facilities, to look at schemes currently offered and to consider how increased provision could be offered to communities. December 2003
Delayed discharges from hospital (pdf 379KB) To investigate the reasons for delays and identify the strategies and services which the NHS and the council are adopting to limit the delays. December 2004
Sheltered housing (pdf 228KB) To evaluate the sheltered housing stock, taking into account specific elements set out in the terms of reference. December 2005
Bereavement Services (pdf 1,776KB) To review the cemetery regulations, current policies and other service issues. September 2007
Day care services for adults with a disability (pdf 4,145KB) To review day care services, investigating how services can be improved and modernised. April 2008

Education and Lifelong Learning
(decommissioned December 2006)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Housing provision for vulnerable young people (pdf 405KB) To investigate increasing the number of dedicated beds available to young people known to the Youth Offending Team and to develop working links with the Supporting Young People Programme. April 2003
Understanding the work of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) (pdf 152KB) To review the LSC's relationship with the council, its roles and responsibilities for the education of 14-19 year olds, funding arrangements, participation and performance and to explore the skills gap in the local economy. June 2003
Education of looked-after children (pdf 22KB) To explore the educational achievements of Medway's looked-after children, the support provided and ways to improve their chances of success and progression. December 2003
Youth Justice Plan update (pdf 129KB) To contribute to the production of the Youth Justice Plan. March 2004
Youth Services (pdf 62KB) To review services provided to young people and to review the council's performance against national standards. May 2004
Raising attainment at Key Stage 2 (pdf 231KB)  To investigate and identify ways to improve attainment at Key Stage 2. February 2005

14-19 Task Group
Interim report (pdf 30KB)
Addendum report (pdf 11KB)

To consider issues in the 14-19 education inspection and contribute to the production of the action plan and monitor its progress.

Addendum report December 2005

Environment
(decommissioned December 2003)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Parking charges (pdf 23KB) To explore changes to the parking tariff structure and differential changes in the towns. July 2002
The future development of air transport in the United Kingdom (pdf 761KB) To review the consultation document The Future Development of Air Transport in the UK, particularly those elements associated with the option of establishing a new airport at Cliffe. October 2002
Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) domestic services (pdf 212KB) To participate in a Select Committee with Kent County Council to review CTRL domestic services and to identify the best service pattern for the communities of both areas. January 2003
Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) freight services (pdf 144KB) To participate in a Select Committee with Kent County Council to review CTRL freight services and to identify the best service pattern for the communities of both areas. January 2003

Environment and Front Line Services
(decommissioned December 2005)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Greenspaces Regeneration Strategy (pdf 52KB) To oversee the process of policy development and project implementation and encourage partnership working and community participation. September 2004
Access for All - Local Transport Plan (pdf 312KB) To investigate the issues around accessibility in relation to work, education, health care, leisure and shopping, to examine potential solutions to problems and identify prospective partners to work with to help deliver those solutions. December 2004

Health and Adult Social Care

Review Terms of reference Date completed
Third party commentary to the Health Commission (pdf 500KB) This review related to the extent to which Medway NHS Foundation Trust was now able to demonstrate compliance with core standard C20a - safe and secure environment, a standard that had been qualified by the Healthcare Commission in the 2007/08 annual health check. 26 March 2009
Carers' review

On 18 November 2010 the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee held a second themed meeting on carers' support. The idea of the meeting was to consider what progress had been made since the last themed meeting on the topic held on 23 March 2010. A number of carers attended the meeting and put forward further issues. A small member task group will be meeting in the new year to consider the issues put forward and to look at the performance of the Carers' Centre and Crossroads who are commissioned by the council to provide support to carers.

It has been agreed that a report on progress will be considered by the committee in the autumn of 2011.

18 November 2010

Regeneration and Development
(decommissioned December 2008)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
The future provision of water in Medway (pdf 1,177KB) To determine whether adequate plans and associated resources are in place to meet Medway's future needs for drinking water, taking into account the planned growth in Medway and the surrounding area. July 2007
Alleygates (pdf 48KB) To carry out detailed work into long-term solutions, including giving consideration to community safety issues and the environment. September 2007

 

Regeneration, Community and Culture

Review Terms of reference Date completed
The provision of residential on-street disabled parking bays (pdf 731KB) Following changes in the legislation for disabled drivers "blue badge" criteria in 2008, a task group was convened to review the existing on-street disabled parking criteria and provide a new fit for purpose Medway policy in line with the new criteria. October 2009
The effectiveness and future of PACTs (pdf 3,630KB) A task group undertook this review to evaluate the effectiveness and future of Partners and Communities Together (PACTs) in Medway. November 2010
Winter services (pdf 433KB) A task group of members looked into current winter highway services and recommended future provision of gritting and snow clearance services in Medway from 2010-17. November 2010

 

Youth and Education
(decommissioned March 2003)

Review Terms of reference Date completed
School Organisation Plan (pdf 19KB) To scrutinise the draft School Organisation Plan. July 2002
SEN - Home to School Transport (pdf 21KB) To review the criteria on Special Educational Needs (SEN) - Home to School Transport for children with an SEN statement. September 2002
Behaviour and SEN (pdf 44KB) To consider issues of inclusion, behaviour and special educational needs. February 2003

For more information contact us by telephone: 01634 306000 / 01634, 332013 or 332104 or by email: democraticservices@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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