Agenda item

The Committee considered the joint report of the Head of Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer on the review of Committees and in particular the recommendations included in the report to Council which was attached. The Committee agreed the response to each of the individual recommendations to Council.

RESOLVED: That the evaluation of the Committee in respect of the following recommendations being presented to the Council is as follows:-

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

That option 3 of 3 Committees based on the Council’s new strategic priorities as detailed in the attached Terms of Reference be adopted as described in section 1.3.3.

Evaluation

The Committee agreed with the recommendation with the amendments that Health and Partnerships be added to the terms of reference of the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee and that all the Committees would have the power to call in decisions for their Committee delegations. 

Planning Committee

That, with effect from the start of the Municipal Year 2011/12, the number of Members on Planning Committee be reduced from 13 to 11.

Evaluation

The Committee did not support the reduction in the number of Members on the Committee from 13 to 11.

Licensing and Licensing Act 2003 Committees

That no changes are made to the Licensing and Licensing Act 2003 Committees.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Employment and Development Panel

That the terms of reference of the Employment and Development Panel be expanded to include responsibilities currently undertaken by the Joint Consultative Committee and the Investigatory Committee.

That the functions set out below delegated to the Employment and Development Panel be dealt with as follows:-

(a)  Appraisals - to be delegated to a Sub-Committee of 5 Members

(b)  Acting as an Investigatory Committee in disciplinary matters for staff on the JNC Conditions of Service for Chief Officers of Local Authorities - to be delegated to a Sub-Committee of 5 Members

(c)  Hearing and determining of appeals under the disciplinary procedures for staff on the JNC Conditions of Service for Chief Officers of Local Authorities – to be delegated to a Sub-Committee of 5 Members who must be different to those Members appointed to serve on (b) above.

That the delegation to the General Purposes Group as set out below be transferred to the Employment and Development Panel:-

“To advise the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and the Head of Human Resources on Member development priorities where appropriate.”

That to accommodate the additional delegations and to appoint the Sub-Committees the membership of the Employment and Development Panel increase from 8 Members to 12 Members and include at least 2 Members of the Executive.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendations.

Local Development Document Advisory Group

That the Local Development Document Advisory Group is disbanded and that its role of giving advice to the Cabinet and the Cabinet Member for Regeneration on the Local Development Documents and Local Development Framework is transferred to the appropriate body within the Overview and Scrutiny function.

That a Task and Finish Panel, appointed by the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee and which is politically balanced by nominations from Group Leaders, is established to take on the advisory function to the Executive during the Local Development Document process as well as the role of Overview and Scrutiny within the policy framework process.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendations.

Strategic Housing Advisory Committee

That the Strategic Housing Advisory Committee is disbanded.

That a new Housing Consultative Board comprising 7 Members is created with terms of reference as recommended by the Cabinet on 9 March 2011 and that the Housing Consultative Board is established initially for a period of 12 months from May 2011 as an Advisory Sub-Committee to the Executive to be appointed by the Leader on the nomination of Group Leaders but with the Board being politically balanced.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendations.

Joint Consultative Committee

That the Joint Consultative Committee is disbanded and that its terms of reference are transferred to the Employment and Development Panel.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Investigatory Committee

That the Investigatory Committee be disbanded and its terms of reference are transferred to the Employment and Development Panel and that the function be delegated to a Sub-Committee of 5 Members as detailed in section 1.2.4 above.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Joint Transportation Board

That the Joint Transportation Board be retained and reviewed in the context of the establishment of a Locality Board for Maidstone.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

General Purposes Group

That the General Purposes Group be retained, with a reduced membership of 6, and that its terms of reference be amended as set out in section 1.3.18.2.

Evaluation

The Committee did not support the proposed retention of the General Purposes Group albeit with a reduced membership and amended terms of reference, but favoured the option of disbanding the Group and reallocating its terms of reference to other bodies.

Planning Referrals Committee

That the Planning Referrals Committee be retained with a membership of 3.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Audit Committee

That the Committee be retained.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Standards Committee

That the future of the Standards Committee is looked at separately taking into account legislation currently being considered in parliament and what the Council would want to do locally.

Evaluation

The Committee supported the recommendation.

Constitution

In accordance with Article 15.02 (a) of the Constitution, the Standards Committee has evaluated the proposed amendments to the Constitution arising from the Review of Committees and believes that, subject to the points raised above, their implementation will help to ensure that the aims and principles of the Constitution are given full effect by putting in place a structure which will enable decisions to be taken efficiently and effectively and which creates an effective means of holding decision makers to public account.