Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) Task and Finish Group on the outcome of their study on the Council’s scheme of appointments to outside bodies and Internal Drainage Boards.

Executive Councillor: S Conboy.

The Cabinet has agreed to

(a)  implement a proper reporting process;

(b)  identify the relevant Officers to take ownership of the relationship between the Council, Councillor and Organisation or Board;

(c)  establish regular communication between Officers and nominated Councillors to ensure consistency and clarity;

(d)  develop a job description to establish clarity and consistency for appointed Councillors;

(e)  set clear expectations for Members and ensure they are able to fulfil the duties of the role when appointed;

(f)  review the list of organisations and boards appointed to; and

(g)  ensure that appointments are non-political and are made taking Ward and specialist expertise into account.

Consideration was given to a report by the Democratic Services Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) summarising the background, justification, process, conclusions and recommendations arising from the Overview and Scrutiny Task and Finish Study on the Council’s scheme of appointments to outside bodies and Internal Drainage Boards.

The Managing Director reminded the Cabinet of the background to the study which reviewed representatives appointed to outside bodies, which included the Internal Drainage Boards. The recommendations proposed sought to provide clarity and consistency in the current process.

Having welcomed the report and its findings, in particular, the implementation of a reporting process that would enable appointed representatives to feedback on the organisations/bodies to which they were appointed to and in noting the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth), the Cabinet placed on record their thanks to the Task and Finish Group and Officers for their work commenting that the recommendations proposed would strengthen and provide more robustness in the current process. Whereupon, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

(a)  to implement a proper reporting process;

(b)  to identify the relevant Officers to take ownership of the relationship between the Council, Councillor and Organisation or Board;

(c)  to establish regular communication between Officers and nominated Councillors to ensure consistency and clarity;

(d)  to develop a job description to establish clarity and consistency for appointed Councillors;

(e)  to set clear expectations for Members and ensure they are able to fulfil the duties of the role when appointed;

(f)  to review the list of organisations and boards appointed to; and

(g)  to ensure that appointments are non-political and are made taking Ward and specialist expertise into account.

The Review of Representations on Outside Bodies and Internal Drainage Boards is to be presented to the Panel.

By means of a report by the Democratic Services Officer (Scrutiny) (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book) the Review of Representative on Outside Bodies and Internal Drainage Boards Report was presented to the Panel.

Councillor Gardener thanked all members and external bodies involved in the report, a sentiment which was shared by the Panel.

Having discussed the reasons behind the recommendations, it was thereupon

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be encouraged to endorse the recommendations within the report.