Issue - meetings

The action sheet arising from the meeting of the Regeneration Scrutiny Committee held on 9^th December, 2019 was submitted, whereupon:

Action Sheet – 14^th November, 2019 – Leisure and Culture Service Review

A Member expressed his disappointment that the Chair of Community Services Scrutiny Committee had declined the request to allow all Scrutiny Members to participate in the discussion relating to the Leisure and Culture Service Review at the Committee’s meeting in February 2020.

It was noted that at the time that the original proposal to establish the Leisure Trust had been presented, a meeting of the relevant Scrutiny Committee had been opened up to all Scrutiny Members to discuss the proposal (with only those Members appointed to the Committee allowed to vote on the proposal).

The Member continued by pointing out that a Working Group had undertaken a considerable amount of work over the last 12 – 18 months in respect of this issue and that it was unfortunate that as the Members of the Working Group were not Members of the Community Services Committee, they would be unable to participate or provided with the opportunity to provide feedback to the newly established Task and Finish Group on the work undertaken to date.

It was noted that the Wales Audit Office had commented previously that the review of Leisure Services lacked timely and meaningful Scrutiny Member involvement.

The Member concluded by reiterating his disappointment that the request for a Joint Scrutiny Committee had been declined and suggested that even if the Members of the original Working Group were not invited to the Committee at the very least, the Chair - Councillor P. Edwards should be invited to attend that meeting.

The Scrutiny Officer suggested that a proposal be made to the Chair of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee i.e. that Councillor P. Edwards (Chair of the Working Group) be invited to the February Committee to participate in the discussion in respect of the Leisure and Culture Services Review.

The Corporate Director of Regeneration & Community Services confirmed that the work undertaken by the Working Group had been incorporated within the final Leisure and Culture Services Review report.

The Committee AGREED, subject to the foregoing, that the action sheet be noted.