Completed in-depth reviews
Overview and Scrutiny Committees can develop their own programme of in-depth reviews, which allows them to investigate issues in innovative ways. Much of this work is undertaken by informal task 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 record of all the in-depth review reports produced by Medway Council's overview and scrutiny committees since they were established in 2001.
Review |
Terms of reference |
Date completed |
Committee |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | |||
Early Help (Parenting) Task Group | To review the availability of parental support |
December 2020 | Children and Young |
2019 | |||
The Impact of Social Isolation in Medway | To review progress to date in Medway and opportunities to enhance existing work as well as considering the national picture to ensure that Medway’s approach is aligned with the emerging national picture. It is recognised that the voluntary sector and local communities are both critically important to addressing the causes of social isolation and to promoting community connectedness and it will therefore be important to consider the views and contribution of community groups as part of the evidence gathering. |
January 2019 | Health and Adult Social Care |
2018 |
|||
Employment opportunities for 18 to 25 year-olds (including apprenticeships) |
To consider the NEET rate for 18-25 year olds in Medway and the contributory factors
|
February 2018 |
Regeneration, Culture and Environment / Children and Young People |
2017 |
|
|
|
How far has Medway gone in becoming Dementia Friendly (pdf 1,664KB) |
To assess how far Medway has gone in developing a dementia friendly community and make recommendations on potential further areas for action with a view to Medway achieving national recognition by the Alzheimer’s Society as a dementia friendly community by 2020 in line with the (former) Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia. |
May 2017 |
Health and Adult Social Care |
2016 |
|
|
|
Housing - Demand, Supply and Affordability (pdf 1,957KB) |
To review the demand, supply and affordability of housing in Medway in the context of the key social and economic role that housing plays, particularly for those who are struggling to access housing. |
May 2016 |
Business Support |
2010-2015 |
|
|
|
Support for Care Leavers (pdf 1,910KB) |
To review how Medway can further support Medway’s care leavers to have a stable and productive adult life being positive and active citizens |
March 2015
|
Children and Young People |
(pdf 1,485KB) |
|
September 2014 |
Business Support |
Health Inequalities Task Group (pdf 9.83MB) |
Health inequalities across Medway wards and how to direct investment where it is most needed. Subsequently The Cabinet agreed the recommendations taking on board suggested alterations from the Health and Wellbeing Board which can be found here. |
February 2014 |
Health and Adult Social Care |
Mental Health Task Group |
A broad scrutiny review of mental health services across Medway, with a focus on user and carer |
January 2014 |
Health and Adult Social Care |
De-cluttering streets in Medway (pdf 980KB)
|
The task group agreed the following terms of reference:
|
July 2013 |
Regeneration, Community and Culture |
(pdf 383KB) Please note: This document is no longer draft |
|
November 2012 |
Regeneration, Community and Culture |
Fair access to credit (1) (pdf 643KB) |
To examine and bring forward recommendations on:
|
September 2012
|
Business Support
|
Fair access to credit (2) (pdf 643KB)
|
To examine and bring forward recommendations on:
|
September 2012 |
Regeneration, Community and Culture |
Effective challenge of underperformance in schools (pdf 214KB)
|
A task group of members carried out a review looking into ways of improving Key Stage 2 attainment in Medway, as well as identifying barriers to improvement and interventions to overcome them. The task group made a number of recommendations which were endorsed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 17 April 2012. |
March 2012 |
Children and Young People |
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.
|
March 2011 |
Children and Young People |
2005-2010 |
|
|
|
(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 |
Regeneration, Community and Culture |
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 |
Regeneration, Community and Culture |
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. |
November 2010 |
Health and Adult Social Care |
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 Adults |
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 |
Business Support |
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. |
March 2009 |
Health and Adult Social Care |
(pdf 2,102KB) |
To review the provision of youth facilities in Medway run by both the council and other organisations. |
October 2008 |
Children And Adults |
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 |
Community Services |
(pdf 1,776KB) |
To review the cemetery regulations, current policies and other service issues. |
September 2007 |
Community Services |
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 and Development |
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 |
Regeneration and Development |
(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. |
February 2007 |
Children's Services |
(pdf 21KB) |
To investigate the introduction of half-price bus fares for children travelling to and from school. |
February 2007 |
Children's Services |
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. |
November 2006 |
Children's Services |
2002-2005 |
|
|
|
14-19 Task Group (pdf 11KB) |
To consider issues in the 14-19 education inspection and contribute to the production of the action plan and monitor its progress. |
December 2005 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
(pdf 228KB) |
To evaluate the sheltered housing stock, taking into account specific elements set out in the terms of reference. |
December 2005 |
Community Services |
Parliamentary Election (pdf 132KB) |
Review of the arrangements for the last parliamentary election. |
November 2005 |
Business Support |
Raising attainment at Key Stage 2 (pdf 231KB) |
To investigate and identify ways to improve attainment at Key Stage 2. |
February 2005 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
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 |
Community Services |
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 |
Environment and Front Line Services |
Greenspaces Regeneration Strategy (pdf 52KB) |
To oversee the process of policy development and project implementation and encourage partnership working and community participation. |
September 2004 |
Environment and Front Line Services |
Youth Services (pdf 62KB) |
To review services provided to young people and to review the council's performance against national standards. |
May 2004 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
Youth Justice Plan update (pdf 129KB) |
To contribute to the production of the Youth Justice Plan. |
March 2004 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
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
|
Community Services |
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 Services |
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 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
(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 |
Community Services |
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 |
Business Support |
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 |
Community Services |
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 and Lifelong Learning |
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 |
Education and Lifelong Learning |
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 |
Community Services |
(pdf 44KB) |
To consider issues of inclusion, behaviour and special educational needs |
February 2003 |
Youth and Education |
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 |
Environment |
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
|
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 |
Environment
|
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 |
Youth and Education |
Parking charges (pdf 23KB) |
To explore changes to the parking tariff structure and differential changes in the towns. |
July 2002 |
Environment |
School Organisation Plan (pdf 19KB) |
To scrutinise the draft School Organisation Plan. |
July 2002 |
Youth and Education
|