Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/080

Contact: Peter Clark, County Solicitor & Monitoring Officer Tel: (01865) 323907

Report by County Solicitor & Monitoring Officer (CA12).

In April 2013, the Council adopted new governance arrangements which came into effect following the May 2013 elections.  The Council asked its Monitoring Officer to review the effectiveness of these decision-making arrangements a year after their coming into operation, along with the underlying Constitution. His recommendations will be considered by Full Council on 9 December. This report therefore summarises the emerging issues from the Monitoring Officer’s review.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider and endorse the direction of travel of the review.

Recommendation agreed.

In April 2013, the Council adopted new governance arrangements which came into effect following the May 2013 elections.  The Council asked its Monitoring Officer to review the effectiveness of these decision-making arrangements a year after their coming into operation, along with the underlying Constitution. His recommendations will be considered by Full Council on 9 December. Cabinet had before them a report that summarised the emerging issues from the Monitoring Officer’s review.

Councillor Brighouse, Chairman of Performance Scrutiny Committee, commented that in her view the Performance Scrutiny Committee was beginning to work in a way that was really useful for the whole of Council. It appeared that some Members were not keeping up with the pace of change. The Committee had held seminars on the pathways to care. They would do more in the future but it needed people to participate for things to move forward. She asked Cabinet to encourage Councillors to get engaged so that they were in a position to contribute to issues such as those on the agenda today: outcome based contracting, deprivation of liberty safeguards and the Better Care Fund.

Peter Clark, County Solicitor and Monitoring Officer highlighted the key issues.

The Leader commented that he had made efforts to ensure that Cabinet meetings are more open but was open to suggestions about how to encourage debate which he preferred to see at Cabinet before a decision was made rather than later at Council. In the spirit of openness he invited Councillor Jenny Hannaby who was in the public seating to give her comments.

Councillor Hannaby stated that it was about engagement and getting information. When not part of the formal opposition it was not always possible to access information. She felt that for members of the public attending Cabinet it was not easy to become engaged in the meeting as most of the discussion was held elsewhere. Communication was important with few private meetings and reports being open about risks. Councillors should be encouraged to attend.

During discussion Cabinet endorsed the positive impact of locality meetings, noted that the positive development of Cabinet Advisory Groups rested with Cabinet Members who needed to share issues and encourage councillor involvement. Cabinet noted that there was a tremendous amount of information available for councillors on the web site or from libraries. Having considered the report Cabinet:

RESOLVED:    to endorse the direction of travel of the review.