Welcome to Your Council
Scrutiny working group reviews 2007 to 2008
Each scrutiny committee has set up a working group to review the
following:
Community Safety and Social Inclusion
- The effectiveness of Young People's Crime Prevention Delivery
- Social Inclusion – low or no skilled review
- Review of marketing strategies to support public confidence
Corporate Performance
- Equality and Diversity (workforce)
- Customer services (business transfer) review
- Contact centre (call priorities) review
Economy and Employment
Education, Training and Culture
- JAR update (looked after children, youth and play, attendance)
- Future schooling BSF
- Transition from KS1 to 2 (literacy)
- Culture (cultural partnership, towards an excellent service, library review)
Environment and Housing
Health and Social Care
- Health inequalities – closing the gap – cardio vascular disease
- Older people review
- Annual health check
The effectiveness of Young People's
Crime Prevention Delivery
Deferred until the JAR feedback comes in
Social inclusion
- low or no skilled review
Starting November 2007
Review of
marketing strategies to support public confidence
Starting January 2008
Equality
and Diversity (workforce)
The main aim of this review is to determine how the council can
improve the diversity of its workforce and look at what more can be
done to attract and retain employees from under represented
groups.
Customer Services (business transfer)
review
Starting September 2007
Contact Centre (call priorities)
review
Starting January 2008
Town
Centre Vitality
This working group was established to
consider issues around ‘Town Centre Vitality’ in the
Borough’s three town centres. Members of the working group
were advised of current town centre management operations and
resources together with the service’s key roles and
responsibilities, and their ability to influence the vitality of
the borough’s centres.
Members have undertaken site visits to each of the centres and are
working on the final report.
Public
transport
Starting September 2007
Shakespeare
North
Starting November 2007
JAR update (looked
after children, youth and play, attendance)
No details at present
Future schooling
BSF
This review will look at the following:
1. Marketing (linked to pupil flow)
2. Community access to learning centres
3. Governance - linked to the Education and Inspections Act and
future roles for governing bodies
Transition from KS1 to 2
(literacy)
No details at present
Culture
(culture partnership, towards excellent service, library
review)
No details at present
Health
inequalities - closing the gap - cardio vascular
disease
Life expectancy in Knowsley is demonstrably lower compared to the
national average, with the gap between Knowsley and the national
average actually widening over recent years. Heart disease and
stroke are the major causes of death within the borough and given
that 80% of Cardiovascular disease deaths are related to lifestyle
and therefore preventable this area is one where targeted action
could deliver significant results.
The purpose of this review is therefore to gain an understanding of
Cardio Vascular Disease (heart disease and stroke) in Knowsley,
identify what services we are currently providing and if these are
fit for purpose and developing actions for improvement.
Older people
review
Starting November 2007
Annual
health check working group
To meet in February or March 2008
Climate
change
This review is to determine whether Knowsley
is making adequate progress in addressing climate change.
Climate change is currently receiving a high media profile, with scientific consensus that most of the global warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to emissions of greenhouse gases from human activity.
The Government has stated that climate change is the greatest
long-term challenge facing the world today. This is evident in
recent Government documents such as the Local Government White
Paper, Code for Sustainable Homes and Draft Climate Change
Bill.
Local Authorities are seen as at the forefront of the UK’s
efforts to cut Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions and it is likely that
tackling climate change will be part of the performance assessment
framework from 2008.
This study is being conducted to review Knowsley Council’s
response to this high-profile, cross-cutting agenda, and to
determine whether further action is required.
Climate change links closely to work being undertaken on the
council’s Environmental Policy and Action Plan and also with
a range of initiatives and services across the council, for
example, energy conservation, travel, sustainable procurement,
environmental education, land use planning, waste management. The
council has signed up to the North West Climate Change
Charter.
Empty
homes
Starting September 2007 and inviting Economy
and Employment
Who to Contact
Telephone: 0151 443 3107
Write to or Visit:
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council,
PO Box 21,
Archway Road,
Huyton,
Merseyside
L36 9YU
Email: scrutiny@knowsley.gov.uk