Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/094

Contact: Glenn Watson, Principal Governance Officer Tel: 07776 997946

Report by Director of Law & Governance (CA10).

On 11 July this year, Full Council agreed to ask Cabinet to work with Political Group Leaders to bring forward a plan for implementing revised political governance arrangements.  The impetus was to ensure that the Council’s governance arrangements are transparent, inclusive and reflect the political dynamics of the Council. The timescale envisaged for implementation of any new structures was ‘as soon as practicable’. 

In order to gauge more fully the views of current County Councillors, an online survey of members was undertaken in August and September.  The headline results are outlined below.

This report sets out:

a.      the potential range of outcomes - changes to the form or structure of decision making

b.      the responses from the councillor survey

c.       the setting up of a cross-party task group to work up options for Political Group Leaders and Cabinet – working within an agreed timeframe and to specific terms of reference

d.      the potential use of comparative costs and benchmarked examples

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)         agree that the governance review should also include a review of potential improvements to the existing arrangements, in the interests of completeness;

(b)         note the headline themes arising from the councillor survey;

(c)         agree in principle to the setting up of a Governance Review Task Group in accordance with paragraphs 16 -18 of this report;

(d)         note that Group Leaders will be asked to make appointments to a Task Group (once Cabinet has agreed to its constitution and terms of reference);

(e)         agree that the Task Group report back to Political Group Leaders and to Cabinet with recommended options for change.

An amendment to delete paragraph 21 and Annex 3 relating to the indicative timetable was proposed and seconded and lost by 1 vote for to 7 against.

Recommendations agreed (by 6 votes for with 2 abstentions).

On 11 July this year, Full Council agreed to ask Cabinet to work with Political Group Leaders to bring forward a plan for implementing revised political governance arrangements.  The impetus was to ensure that the Council’s governance arrangements are transparent, inclusive and reflect the political dynamics of the Council. The timescale envisaged for implementation of any new structures was ‘as soon as practicable’. 

Cabinet considered a report that set out:

a.      the potential range of outcomes - changes to the form or structure of decision making

b.      the responses from a councillor survey

c.       the setting up of a cross-party task group to work up options for Political Group Leaders and Cabinet – working within an agreed timeframe and to specific terms of reference

d.      the potential use of comparative costs and benchmarked examples

Councillor Richard Webber, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, referring to the proposed Task Group commented that their Group felt less represented than they might wish and that there should perhaps be an independent member included. He was disappointed with the 62% response from councillors to the survey and asked Group Leaders to consider why this was so. He considered that if every group was able to be heard on each committee then this could reduce the need for Group briefings.

Councillor Brighouse, Opposition Group Leader speaking in support of the recommendations and urging the introduction of a committee based system stressed that it was not about going backwards to a committee system. It was about going forward and making the Council work better for everyone. The ruling group would still have a majority on committees but there would be better opportunity to engage all 63 councillors in policy and decision making.  Councillor Brighouse agreed that a committee system would reduce the duplication of Group briefings.  Councillor Heathcoat, Deputy Leader, responding suggested that in the past Groups had preferred to be briefed separately and care would need to be taken to ensure group preferences were heeded.

Responding to a question from Councillor Bartholomew Councillor Brighouse stated that the Cabinet system was not inclusive and she did think that as a Council we should be including as many members as possible in our decision making. Currently some had a bigger voice than others. Responding to the same question Councillor Webber recognised that it might be possible to come up with a hybrid system and it was important to keep an open mind.

Councillor Hudspeth in moving the recommendations commented that he did believe that there was a need to look at the existing structure to provide engagement and to look at enabling member engagement with their locality. Cabinet supported the need to consider all options. Various views were expressed that would be considered as part of the review.

Councillor Bartholomew commented that the timetable set out in Paragraph 21 and Annex 3 was unrealistic as May 2018 was not achievable. He suggested that the earliest possible date for any changes was May 2019. Cabinet members whilst accepting that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79