Agenda item

(Internal Resources Portfolio Holder) The Cabinet recommends to the Council:

(1)        To approve the proposed changes from the Constitution Working Group to the Council’s Scrutiny Committee structure; and

(2)        To adopt the Calendar of Meetings for 2023/24.

The Chairman of the Constitution Working Group, Cllr P Bhanot, presented a report on proposed changes to the Council’s Scrutiny Committee structure for 2023/24. This involved the Stronger Council Select Committee being amalgamated with the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, and the two remaining Select Committees being renamed the Communities Scrutiny Committee and the Place Scrutiny Committee. In addition, it was also being proposed that nominations for all three Scrutiny Committees should be undertaken by the Appointments Panel in future, and that the position of Chairman for all three Scrutiny Committees should be filled by a member outside of the majority group.

The Internal Resources Portfolio Holder, Cllr S Kane, presented the rest of the report which sought agreement for the Calendar of Meetings for 2023/24, and that only the Chairman of a Committee should receive a paper copy of the agenda in future.

Cllr C Whitbread proposed an amendment to recommendation 1(f), seconded by Cllr J Philip, such that only the Chairman of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee need be chaired by a Member outside the majority group not all three Scrutiny Committees. Some Members felt that all three Scrutiny Committees should be chaired by a Member outside of the majority group, as originally proposed by the Constitution Working Group, and one member suggested that this should be referred back to the Constitution Working Group for further consideration.

The amendment was carried.

Cllr C Whitbread proposed an amendment to recommendation (3), seconded by Cllr J Philip, such that the frequency of meetings for Area Plans Sub-Committees East and South should remain at their current four weeks. Both Sub-Committees met regularly and had full agenda for their meetings, and therefore it was sensible to retain their current four-weekly cycle. Area Plans Sub-Committee West and the District Development Management Committee would change to a six-weekly cycle of meetings as originally proposed.

The amendment was carried.

A small number of Members questioned the need for only the Chairman of a Committee to receive a printed copy of the agenda, and not the other members of the Committee as well. However, it was highlighted that the provision of paper agenda to Councillors incurred a cost to the Council and that it was time for Councillors to go digital.

            Resolved:

            (1)        That the following proposed changes from the Constitution Working Group to the Council’s Scrutiny Committee structure be approved:

                        (a)        That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be retained on the                        Council’s Committee list;

                        (b)        That the Stronger Council Select Committee be removed from              the Council’s committee list and its work programme be absorbed by               the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

                        (c)        That the Stronger Communities and Stronger Place Select                            Committees be retained on the Council’s committee list and their work              programmes continue to be aligned with the corresponding key themes               within the Council’s Corporate Plan;

                        (d)        That the two select committees be renamed as the Communities

                        Scrutiny Committee and the Place Scrutiny Committee;

                        (e)        That nominations for all three Scrutiny committees be                                    undertaken by the Appointments Panel and recommended to the                                 Annual Council meeting for approval each year – therefore, the first                         meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in June would not be              required;

                        (f)         That the position of Chairman for the Overview and Scrutiny                Committee should be filled by a member outside of the majority group               but experienced in scrutiny matters;

                        (g)        That the position of Vice-Chairmen for all Overview and Scrutiny

                        Committees need not all be filled outside of the majority group; and

                        (h)        That the Monitoring Officer be delegated authority to make the

                        necessary revisions within the Constitution to implement the changes

                        above;

            (2)        That only the Chairman of Committees receive paper copies of agenda        for their meetings from 2023/24; and

            (3)        That, as attached at Appendix 1, the draft Calendar of Council Meetings        for 2023/24 be adopted, subject to the following changes:

                        (a)        Area Plans Sub-Committee East to meet every four weeks; and

                        (b)        Area Plans Sub-Committee South to meet every four weeks.