Issue - meetings

To consider revisions to the Terms of Reference of the Sub-Committee.

At its last meeting the Sub-Committee had requested that the Terms of Reference be revised in order to make them clearer; it wished its remit to be more precise and to take into account the way in which it had evolved from its original format as a Task Group to being reconstituted as a Sub-Committee. 

The report included the terms of reference as originally submitted, the revised terms of reference, to be read in conjunction with the procedure for adding new organisations to the list, and the criteria to be followed when making appointments to outside organisations.

In discussing the proposed revisions to the Terms of Reference a question was raised regarding the establishment of the Sub-Committee in accordance with the rules of political proportionality, and also its application to the allocation of some appointments as referred to in the appointments criteria.  A question was also raised concerning the allocation of positions in those instances where the organisation covered more than one ward.  With regard to the allocation of positions it was stressed that at all times the most important consideration was that the person with the greatest knowledge or interest in the organisation concerned should be appointed to it and this was the prime consideration of the Sub Committee.

Point (i) of the revised Terms of Reference referred to Member Training and the Sub-Committee requested that the Senior Member Development Officer be asked to ascertain whether newly appointed Members were satisfied with the information they had been supplied with concerning appointments to Outside Organisations or whether they would appreciate some additional training.

RESOLVED

That approval be given to the revised terms of reference of the Sub-Committee as submitted and that they be referred to the Constitution Committee for ratification.