Issue - meetings

To consider the recommendations from the Corporate Policy Committee.

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Corporate Policy Committee in respect of the Review of the Committee Structure.

The Corporate Policy Committee, at its meeting on 21 March 2024, had considered the report and made recommendations to Council, as set out on page 45 of the agenda pack.

RESOLVED:  That

1.             the Scrutiny Committee be retained.

2.             the functions of the School Governor Nomination Panel be delegated to the Executive Director of Children and Families in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Children and Families Committee.

3.             the Cared for Children and Care Leavers Committee remain in place.

4.             the General Appeals Sub-Committee remain in place.

5.             the General Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Act Sub-Committee be amalgamated to form one sub-committee.

6.             normally, only Directors, Regulatory or Statutory Officers (as required by good practice) should attend committee meetings.

7.             working Groups and Boards be supported by the relevant service area and not Democratic Services.

8.             reports “for noting” should not normally be placed on agendas, unless there is a statutory requirement to do so, or where they relate to Performance Monitoring, Finance, Risk or LGO complaints. Instead, they be placed on the Members’ Bulletin, stored on the Councillors hub and made available to the public on the Council’s Open Data and Transparency Webpage; and

9.             the Director of Governance and Compliance be empowered to make any necessary changes to the Constitution to reflect the resolutions of full Council.

To consider a report on proposed improvements to the committee system.

The Committee considered a report which provided an update on progress with delivering the MTFS saving to reduce the cost of democracy, and which proposed a number of recommendations to Council to improve the future functionality of the committee system.

Members expressed support for the retention of the Scrutiny Committee.

It was felt that the chair of a committee should have discretion to allow a report for noting if they felt there was something about which the committee needed to be informed.

The Head of Democratic Services and Governance undertook to provide a written response to a question from members on how much of the planned budget savings of £135,000 in relation to the cost of Democracy had been achieved to date.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That Council be recommended that

1.   the Scrutiny Committee be retained;

2.   the functions of the School Governor Nomination Panel be delegated to the Executive Director of Children and Families in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Children and Families Committee;

3.   the Cared for Children and Care Leavers Committee remain in place;

4.   the General Appeals Sub-Committee remain in place;

5.   the General Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Act Sub-Committee be amalgamated to form one sub-committee;

6.   normally, only Directors, Regulatory or Statutory Officers (as required by good practice) should attend committee meetings;

7.   working Groups and Boards be supported by the relevant service area and not Democratic Services;

8.   reports “for noting” should not normally be placed on agendas, unless there is a statutory requirement to do so, or where they relate to Performance Monitoring, Finance, Risk or LGO complaints. Instead, they be placed on the Members’ Bulletin, stored on the Councillors hub and made available to the public on the Council’s Open Data and Transparency Webpage; and

9.   the Director of Governance and Compliance be empowered to make any necessary changes to the Constitution to reflect the resolutions of full Council.