On Wednesday of this week, the first ever meeting of Dundee City Council's Scrutiny Committee took place. The Scrutiny Committee was established following criticism by the council's external auditors (Audit Scotland) of the council's arrangements for policy scrutiny, but there was considerable concern raised by opposition members at the committee, not so much about what was on the committee agenda, but what was missing.Various reports by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) were discussed - reports on schools across the city - and largely very positive reports and where issues were raised in the reports, we were given detailed information by the Director of Education about how these are being addressed. What was missing from the agenda was the HMIE report on child protection - a report which should in my view should be subject to public scrutiny. Alex Stephen, the City Council's Chief Executive, made clear that it was not intended to bring the report to the Scrutiny Committee.
As reported in today's "Courier", after the committee meeting I wrote to the Chief Executive in the following terms :
"I was very surprised at the information given at the above committee today that it was envisaged that the HMIE report on child protection would not be discussed at Scrutiny Committee.
"I had genuinely assumed given the terms of reference that any HMIE report where there were Dundee City Council services involved would automatically be considered by the committee. The explanation that child protection is delivered in partnership with NHS Tayside and Tayside Police is not in the spirit of what was agreed when the Scrutiny Committee was set up - in short Dundee City Council service provision is involved and the report should and must go to Scrutiny Committee given the terms of reference.
"I want to see the Scrutiny Committee succeed and address the scrutiny concerns raised by Audit Scotland but would ask that an all-party informal discussion now takes place to see if agreement can be reached on terms of reference that allow the committee to function in a proper scrutiny role."
This afternoon, the Chief Executive e-mailed all council political groups to propose a meeting of Political Group Leaders and Senior Officers to discuss the role of the Scrutiny Committee and its Terms of Reference.
I agree with the Chief Executive's proposal to have an all-party meeting to discuss the Scrutiny Committee remit but further have reiterated to him that the issues arising out of the child protection report should be scrutinised in detail at the Scrutiny Committee.