Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

            On 1 April 2009, the Council had approved a Calendar of meetings for the 2009/2010 municipal year. The calendar had been subject to consultation with the Leader of the Council, Committee Chairmen and Management Team. The meetings listed for Cabinet and Council had been approved previously by Council on 9 December 2008. 

            A small number of Members had indicated that they were facing difficulties balancing their Council duties with employment arrangements, particularly in relation to morning meetings, as these meetings could easily run beyond lunchtime.

            The Leader of the Council had therefore asked the Corporate Scrutiny Committee to look into this issue, with a view to making recommendations in respect  of the 2010/11 calendar. 

            The majority of the Council’s meetings currently began at 2.00pm, the only exceptions being Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Licensing and Standards Committees

            Attendances at committee meetings had on the whole been good with an average attendance rate during the period May to August of just over 80%.

            The Scrutiny Chairs Group (SCG) had discussed the matter on 3 August 2009 and had concluded that in view of the number of visitors that would be required to give evidence at future meetings, it was important that O&S committees continued to meet during the day. However, the SCG did consider that start times should be left for individual committees to decide.

RESOLVED – 

            (a) That, the Leader of the Council be informed that this Committee recommends that subject to individual Chairmen having discretion to start meetings earlier in the day to meet specific requirements, meetings of all committees should begin at 2.00pm with effect from the beginning of the 2010/11 Municipal year.

        (b) That wherever possible, the Borough Solicitor be requested to take note of the meeting arrangements of outside organisations such as the Fire and Police Authorities when compiling the meetings schedule for subsequent years.