The Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance reported that one of the key elements of good Overview and Scrutiny, highlighted by the Centre for Public Scrutiny, was horizon-scanning, looking ahead to future changes in local government in order for the Council to have sufficient time to adapt to them. She indicated that as part of the reorganisation of Scrutiny within the Council, the scrutiny support team was now located alongside the Council’s Policy unit to ensure those areas were joined up more effectively. She presented a Policy Briefing to enable Members to review new areas of policy and the government initiatives that would impact on local government in the short to medium term and requested Members to consider whether there were any items that could be included in the Committee’s work programme.

Resolved – That the report be noted.