Agenda and minutes

To agree the notes of the last meeting of the Panel held on 30 June 2008.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the last meeting of the Panel on 30 June 2008, be agreed, subject to Councillor Mrs M Sartin being entered on the minutes as a Portfolio Holder, when she was on the Panel in her primary capacity as a District Councillor.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

Noted that Councillor J Whitehouse was attending the meeting as a substitute for Councillor Mrs J Whitehouse.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interests were made pursuant to the Member Code of Conduct.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review both documents.

The OSC is about to formulate next years OS work plan incorporating a programme for this Panel. In view of this, the Panel may wish to bring forward suggestions/ideas on topics for inclusion in its work programme for next year.

The Assistant to the Chief Executive informed the Panel that item 3 of the Work Programme, Review of Contract Standing Orders – Engagement of Consultants, was being moved from the current meeting date of 8 September 2008 to the next Panel meeting date of 3 November 2008, as it had not yet been completed.

Item 6 on the Work Programme, Government White Paper on Empowerment was being amalgamated with item 7 (b) Review of Constitution – Local Government Act 2007, Overview and Scrutiny. It was unclear as to when these items would be discussed at the Panel. There were parts of the Local Government Act 2007 which were not yet in force and its impact on Overview and Scrutiny was as yet unclear.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To  consider a report (to follow) following a review of contract standing orders in respect of consultants.  This matter is being brought forward in advance of the annual review.

The report on Use of Consultants had not yet been completed and was going to a future meeting of the Panel.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To consider the attached consultation document.

Attached are responses through the Council’s website and the Council Bulletin.

The Assistant to the Chief Executive presented a report to the Panel regarding the Ministry of Justice’s consultation document on Weekend Voting. The government was concerned about low turnouts in elections, a current initiative to raise voter turnout was to provide for weekend voting instead of the more traditional weekday polling day. The District Council had publicised the consultation on its website, but there had been little response.

The Panel discussed the questionnaire from the consultation document which consisted of nine questions:

Q1.      Do you think that polling day should be:

a weekday,

a Saturday,

a Sunday, or

take place over both Saturday and Sunday?

The Panel were concerned that voter turnout on weekends would be affected by both days being a Sabbath. Weekends were also leisure days for much of the public who would be less inclined to vote during their time off. Councillor J Markham thought that politics needed to be made more attractive to voters; currently there was a lack of interest. The Panel noted that there would be resource problems in having weekend voting with increased staffing costs, it was also believed that any change to the voting arrangements may be met by public hostility and that consequently, this would lead to a fall in turnout.

Q2.      Who would be affected by changing the voting day to a weekend and how?

Members commented that religious observance would be affected by weekend voting, and there would be a reduction in the number of party members who would be available for canvassing during the immediate run up to the election. The Assistant to the Chief Executive advised the Panel that there would be difficulties in booking polling stations and bookings would be at a premium on weekends, and schools would be closed as well. Postal voting arrangements would also be a problem on weekends. Those public buildings that could be utilised would also be using up energy which would not otherwise be used because those premises would normally be closed at weekends. This would have environmental consequences. Councillor J Whitehouse informed told the Panel that some European countries had voting on Sundays. However he felt that staffing in this District would be a problem. The Panel were also advised that some voters may be disenfranchised by a limited access to public transport at weekends. There would also need to be a police presence and this would be more expensive on Saturdays and Sundays.

Q3       Do you think that greater access to advance voting in polling stations should be made available alongside weekend voting? Please explain why?

Members felt that there was already a certain amount of confusion regarding polling days coupled with a general mis-understanding about postal voting. This scheme may well cause more confusion.

The Panel was advised that there was no evidence from previous pilots that voter turnout was enhanced through this scheme. There were other considerations such as security of ballot boxes. These would have to be stored at the Civic Offices and transported  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive) To consider the attached scoping report

The Senior Democratic Services Officer, Mr S Hill, presented a scoping report for Civic Ceremonial Review, to the Panel. The review was to concentrate on the operation of the Office of the Chairman, the functions of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, and aspects of the management of the civic aspect of full Council meetings.

The report was covering:

The role of the Chairman of Council

·                     A response to the report of the Councillor’s Commission

·                     A review of the Council’s Protocol and the Status of the Chairman and Vice Chairman

·                     A review of the member accountability statements contained within the constitution

·                     How could the Chairman and Vice Chairman be better promoted

Annual Council

·                     Civic and Business aspects of the Annual Council

·                     Changes in 2009

The Annual Civic Events

·                     A review of their: timing, type, relevance and affordability

·                     What other authorities do

Issues from other reviews

·                     An update on the last review

·                     Issues from Audit reports: Gifts and Hospitality, Account Handling, Bank Account Processes

The scoping report was to better promote the Chairman’s role as ambassador for the District Council. The Panel wanted past Chairmen and Vice Chairmen to provide feedback to the Panel on their experiences and to receive fresh ideas on the future role of the Chairman of Council.

Councillor D Stallan suggested that it would be useful to find out how other local authorities use their Council meetings, were they more civic orientated as opposed to processing practical Council business.

RESOLVED:

That the scope of the Civic Ceremonial Review be approved as outlined above.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

The following report was going before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29 September 2008:

Weekend Voting plus copy of responses to questionnaire.

To note the dates of future meetings of the Panel:

3 November 2008

12 January 2009

6 April 2009

The following, future dates of the Panel, were noted:

3 November 2008

12 January 2009

6 April 2009