Agenda and minutes

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

There were no substitutions made.

(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 terms of reference were noted.

To consider the attached Government Consultation Document and to formulate a response to the 16 questions in the document.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has authorised this Panel to report direct to the Cabinet meeting on 9 March 2009 so that the latter also has an opportunity to comment.

The closing date for representations is 12 March 2009.

This particular meeting of the Panel had been arranged at the request of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 29 January 2009, to examine in closer detail the Government consultation document on the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity which had been put before that meeting. The consultation document, with 16 questions, was discussed by the Committee. The questions and the Panel’s responses to them are listed below:

Question 1     Is there other guidance, (additional to the Publicity Code), that councils consider creates a barrier to the provision of publicity or support, or that needs clarifying?

Panel Response:      The Publicity Code needs to take into account the provision of publicity material for foreign languages and appropriate use of translation services.

Question 2     Is there a requirement for different codes to apply to different types of authority?

Panel Response:      The Publicity Code should apply equally to all elected bodies.

Question 3     Should the Publicity Code specifically address the presentation of publicity on an authority’s website?

Panel Response:      The Publicity Code should not be technology specific, as technology is changing regularly. Local authority constituted meetings, such as planning meetings and Full Council, and the webcasting of these meetings, should not be covered by the code as they are a Council function, directed by law.

Question 4     Does anything need to be added to or removed from the list of matters an authority should consider in determining whether or not to issue publicity on a certain subject?

Panel Response:      The Publicity Code should make reference to community leadership, community wellbeing and the Chairman of Council’s new role of promoting local democracy. Publicity will no longer be strictly limited to the Council’s own functions.

Question 5     Should the Publicity Code specify the different criteria local authorities should use to determine whether or not publicity can be judged to be cost effective?

Panel Response:      There was, currently, a plethora of assessments on cost effectiveness within the Council. All costs were monitored and assessed through Use of Resources assessment and the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) process together with value for money requirements.

Question 6     Is there any aspect of the cost section that is not required or anything which should be added?

Panel Response:      Same as 5.

Question 7     Should the Publicity Code contain advice about ethical standards, or should this be left to local authorities to judge for themselves?

Panel Response:      No the Publicity Code should rely on Members’ Code of Conduct standards.

Question 8     Is there any aspect of the content section that is not required or anything which should be added?

Panel Response:      Same as 7.

Question 9     Should the Publicity Code be modified to specifically address the issue of privacy and the dissemination of unsolicited material?

Panel Response:      No change thought necessary.

Question 10   Is there any aspect of the dissemination section that is not required or anything which should be added?

Panel Response:      Same as 9.

Question 11   Is there any aspect of the advertising section that is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

The next programmed meeting of the Panel is on 6 April 2009 at 7.30p.m.

The next meeting of the Panel would be held on 6 April 2009 at 7.30p.m.