Agenda and minutes

Minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2017, previously circulated.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 2 February 2017 be signed as a correct record.

Items which in the opinion of the Chairman should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There was no item raised as a matter of urgency.

County Solicitor to report on the requirement for the new Council to review the Constitution to ensure that the exercise of Council, Cabinet and ‘local’ functions, the various Codes of Practice and Governance Framework are up to date and relevant, including Rules of Procedure and Working Practices.  The appointment of the Council Leader and appointment and composition of the Cabinet and Committees would, in the first instance, be reported to or approved at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 25 May 2017.  The Committee is asked if it would wish to express a view on any procedural or operational issues relating to the democratic process that the new Council might usefully re-consider or review alongside it’s consideration of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee’s Spotlight 360 Review (CS/17/4) to be considered by Cabinet on12 April 2017 on the impact of that Committee over the last 4 years and possible improvements in the effectiveness of health scrutiny in the new County Council.

The County Solicitor reported on the requirement for the new Council to review the current Constitution to ensure that the exercise of Council, Cabinet and ‘local’ functions, the various Codes of Practice and Governance Framework were up to date and relevant, including Rules of Procedure and Working Practices and on the timetable for so doing, with democratic structures being reported to and or approved at the Annual Meeting of the Council on 25 May 2017. 

Members acknowledged the need for Group Leaders to meet early in the life in the new Council to address and take forward any relevant structural, procedural and/or operational issues relating to the democratic process including those in an indicative summary circulated at the meeting.  While affirming, in particular, the benefits and effectiveness of increased public participation introduced over the preceding 4 years, the need to look at difficulties experienced with variable deadlines was recognised as was the desirability of looking at the effectiveness of and relationship between the current procedures for Members’ Questions and Cabinet Member Reports or and future budget scrutiny arrangements

The Committee also received and welcomed the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee’s Spotlight 360 Review (CS/17/4), to be considered by Cabinet on 12 April 2017, on the impact of that Committee over the last 4 years and possible improvements in the effectiveness of health scrutiny in the new County Council and were also made aware of and provided with copies of the submission made by CfPS and the Scrutiny Network to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee on the effectiveness of overview an scrutiny in local government  and existing legislation.

The current Chairman of the Independent Allowances Remuneration Panel has indicated his intention to stand down in the Autumn and the new County Council will necessarily need to recruit/appoint another Panel Member. Informal soundings are being taken through the current Panel but the Committee may wish to also to suggest possible candidates, including, for example, current Members of the Council who will be standing down in May.

Similarly there is a vacancy for a co-opted member of the Council’s Standards Committee and again while informal soundings are being taken through current co-opted members and without wishing to prejudge any decisions of the new Council, the Committee may wish to suggest or canvass possible candidates.

The Committee noted that the current Chairman of the Independent Allowance Remuneration Panel had indicated his intention to stand down in the Autumn of this year and the new County Council would necessarily need to recruit/appoint another Panel Member.  Informal soundings were being taken through the current Panel but Members were also invited to suggest possible candidates, including, for example, current Members of the Council who would be standing down in May.

Similarly the Committee noted that there was a vacancy for a co-opted member of the Council’s Standards Committee and again while informal soundings were being taken through current co-opted members and without wishing to prejudge any decisions of the new Council, Members of the Committee were again invited to suggest or canvass possible candidates.

(An item taken under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972).

The Chairman reported that this would be the last meeting of this Committee to be attended by Councillors Westlake and Owen who were not standing for re-election in May and thanked them for their contribution to the work of the Committee and wished them well for the future.