Overview & Scrutiny Review Library

Details of reviews undertaken as part of the Overview and Scrutiny process at Redditch Borough Council can be accessed on this page.

Please click on the links below to download the relevant reports.

Date Review Completed	Overview and Scrutiny Review
March 2018	Civil Contingencies The Councillors investigated the Council's readiness to deal with unexpected events in terms of emergency planning and business continuity
September 2017	Short Sharp Review on Homelessness The Councillors investigated the issues facing homeless persons living in the Borough and steps the Council could take to address the problem of homelessness
March 2017	Mental Health Services for Young People The Councillors reviewed support services available to young people experiencing mental health difficulties in Redditch.
April 2016	Access for People with Disabilities to Redditch Taxi Fleets The Councillors investigated action that could be taken to improve the taxi services provided to customers with disabilities travelling in the Borough of Redditch.
December 2015	Leisure Services Options Report and Appendix 6 A Short, Sharp Review group investigated current arrangements for providing leisure services and alternative service delivery models that could be utilised to deliver leisure and cultural services in the Borough.
July 2015	Provision of Support Networks for the LGBT Community The Councillors investigated the support that was available to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community living in Redditch and identified additional support services that could be provided.
March 2015	Tackling Obesity A Task Group investigated actions that could be taken to tackle obesity levels amongst residents living in Redditch Borough.
November 2014	Proposals for Change by Tudor Grange Academy The Overview and Scrutiny Committee launched a review of changes proposed by Tudor Grange Academy Redditch to change their school's admissions policy. The review was launched in response to a significant amount of public interest in the subject. Members focused on the process that had to be followed to make these changes.
September 2014	Football Provision Part 1 and Part 2 Members completed a review of football provision in the Borough. An interim report was presented in April 2014 and a final report in September 2014. The recommendations were approved.
July 2014	Voluntary and Community Sector A review of the support that the Council provides to Voluntary and Community Sector organisations was conducted in 2013/14. The Councillors investigated the Council's grants programme, other sources of support provided to the sector by both the Council and partner organisations and additional action that could be taken to help Voluntary and Community Sector groups to thrive in the local community.
June 2014	The Abbey Stadium A small group of Councillors reviewed the Abbey Stadium, the main leisure centre in the Borough, and the actions that could be taken to develop the services on offer at the venue to the benefit of local customers.
June 2014	Joint WRS Scrutiny Task Group A review of Worcestershire Regulatory Services was conducted jointly by representatives of every Council in Worcestershire, including Redditch Borough Council, in 2013/14. The attached document outlines the group's findings and recommendations.
April 2014	April 2014 Landscaping and April 2014 Appendix In 2013/14 five Councillors reviewed the Council's approach to undertaking landscaping works in Redditch Borough. This review coincided with the introduction of two new and innovative approaches to landscaping in the Borough; a fresh approach to maintaining trees and a locality based approach to managing the total environment in a specific area. The Councillors' recommendations were designed to facilitate further improvements to the Council's services.
July 2013	Housing Density and July 2013 Appendix In 2013 a Task Group completed a short review of housing density requirements in local planning policies. The Councillors' recommendations had implications for the content of the Council's Local Plan.
April 2013	Arts and Culture Centre In 2012/13 a group of Councillors investigated the potential to introduce an arts centre in Redditch. The Councillors also scrutinised current arts provision within the Borough and identified opportunities to promote the arts in Redditch.
March 2013	Redditch Market Elected Members completed a thorough review of the town's market in 2013.
December 2012	Concessionary Rents The Council's approach to leasing properties to third sector organisations formed the basis of a short review completed in December 2012.
November 2012	Sickness Absence Policy Review and Sickness Absence Appendix Two Councillors completed a Short, Sharp Review of the Council's Sickness Absence Policy for staff over a period of two months.
August 2012	Access for Disabled People The Access for Disabled People Task Group completed a thorough investigation of access for people with all types of disabilities to Redditch town centre.
May 2012	Promoting Sporting Participation, Promoting Sports Participation Appendix A, Promoting Sports Participation Appendix B The group explored appropriate ways to communicate sporting opportunities to residents and existing barriers that discouraged participation in sporting activities in the Borough.
April 2012	Youth Services Provision Main Report, May 2012 Appendix B, May 2012 Appendix C, Summary A group of six Councillors reviewed the youth services provided to young people in Redditch in 2011-2012. The exercise coincided with an internal review of youth services that was undertaken by Worcestershire County Council and which resulted in a decision to introduce a commissioning process for the delivery of youth services in the county. Many of the group's recommendations were designed to influence the implementation of this commissioning process in Redditch.
March 2012	Increasing Rates of Recycling Final Report IRRR The review was focused on arresting the steady decline of the Council's recycling rates in recent years. Over a period of four months, a group of five Borough Councillors undertook a thorough review of the recycling process in Redditch and made a number of final recommendations to help move the Council's recycling rates back in the right direction.
May 2011	Work Experience Final Report The work experience opportunities available to young people living in Redditch formed the focus of this eight month review. The councillors investigated the impact that work experience had on young people's employment prospects and actions that could be taken to improve work experience in future years.
April 2011	April 2011 Gritting Short, Sharp Review Final Report , Gritting Short, Sharp Review Appendix A and Gritting Short sharp review Appendix A ,Sharp Review Appendix B The heavy snow fall in 2010 had a disproportionate impact on the highways in Redditch Borough. The short, sharp review focused on what improvements could be made to highways maintenance arrangements in future years to the benefit of local residents and businesses.
March 2011	Promoting Redditch Final Report March 2011, March 2011 Promoting Redditch Appendix B and March 2011 Promoting Redditch Executive Summary (Report Front Cover ) In 2010/11 a review of Redditch and measures that could be taken to promote the Borough more effectively formed the subject of a review. The Councillors undertaking this review investigated the various ways in which both leisure tourism and businesses could be promoted locally to the benefit of the local community.
December 2010 (Final report)	External Refurbishment of Housing Stock Final Report The external appearance of the Council's housing stock and the surrounding environment on the Council's housing estates was the subject of a review in 2010. This exercise was completed as a short, sharp review in a period of one and a half months. The Councillors involved in this review focussed on conditions in the Greenlands ward as an example of conditions across the town, though many of the Group's final recommendations applied to Council houses situated in other parts of the Borough.
November 2010 (Final report)	Dial-a-Ride (Redditch Community Transport) Dial-a-Ride Final Report In 2009-2010 a review of the Council's community transport service, Dial-a-Ride, was undertaken. The Group proposed a number of recommendations regarding the future delivery of the service in November 2010.
March 2010 (interim report) August 2010(main report)	Local Strategic Partnership Interim Report The Redditch Partnership, the Local Strategic Partnership in the Borough was the subject of a review in 2010. In March the Group produced an interim report which aimed to enhance the accountability and transparency of the Partnership. A number of the Group's recommendations required immediate changes to Council practices following the local elections in May and are in the process of being implemented. Final Report Aug 2010 and Executive Summary Aug 2010 In August 2010, the Group produced further recommendations concerning the operation of the Partnership and suitable arrangements for monitoring the performance of the body.
November 2009	Neighbourhood Groups Neighbourhood Groups Executive Summary and Neighbourhood Groups Final Report, Neighbourhood Groups Appendix E, Neighbourhood Groups Appendix F and Neighbourhood Groups Appendix G. The Neighbourhood Groups Task and Finish Group reviewed the local public meetings that took place across the Borough three times a year. They came to the conclusion that alternative methods could be utilised by the Council to communicate and consult with local residents
July 2009	Council Flat Communal Cleaning The Council Flat Communal Cleaning Task and Finish Group looked at ways of improving the cleanliness of the communal areas in Council flats. The Group found that some of these areas were already cleaned by the Council where others were not. One of the main recommendations of the Group was that the Council should provide cleaning for all of the communal areas in Council flats.
July 2009	National Angling Museum The National Angling Museum Task and Finish Group reviewed the potential to establish a Museum in the Borough dedicated to promoting the town’s fishing tackle heritage
January 2009	The Role of the Mayor The Role of the Mayor Task and Finish Group reviewed the role of the mayor within the town; how this role could be enhanced to facilitate greater appreciation of the opportunities available within the Borough; and how the mayoralty could be utilised to promote the history of Redditch.
December 2008	Third Sector Executive Summary and Third Sector Final Report The Third Sector Task and Finish Group reviewed the Council's process for awarding grants and donations to Voluntary and Community Sector organisations. The Group made a number of recommendations with a view to shaping the Council's grants process from 2010/11 onwards.
April 2008	Communications The Communications Task and Finish Group reviewed the Council's profile and reputation and made recommendations on how to improve the organisation's communications process.
April 2008	District Centres The District Centres Task and Finish Group reviewed ways to enhance and improve Matchborough, Winyates and Woodrow District Centres.
April 2008	Fees and Charges The Fees and Charges Task and Finish Group reviewed the charges levied by the Council. During the course of the review the Group developed a draft Charging Policy for the Council. This Charging Policy was approved at a meeting of full Council in June 2008.
July 2007	Civil (Decriminalised) Parking Enforcement The former Environmental Overview and Scrutiny Committee scrutinised arrangements for parking enforcement in Redditch.
June 2006	Preventing Homelessness The former Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee focused on the provision of homelessness prevention services by Redditch Borough Council.
December 2005	Anti-Social Behaviour The former Social Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Council's approach to tackling anti-social behaviour.
November 2005	Jobs, Employment and the Economy The former Leisure, Tourism and Employment Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the challenges and priorities in the Redditch economy as they affect employers, the people working here, and those who will be seeking jobs in Redditch in the future.

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