Maidstone Borough Council

Scrutiny Coordinating Committee

Thursday 28 November 2013

Visiting Members – Discussion Item

Report of: Christian Scade, Senior Corporate Policy Officer

1.          Introduction

1.1        One of the recommendations from the Cabinet and Enhanced Scrutiny Model Report (April, 2013) was that Overview and Scrutiny Chairmen should be encouraged to include Visiting Members at Committee meetings.

2.          Recommendation

2.1    That the Committee consider the role of Visiting Members, in view of experiences this municipal year, making recommendations as appropriate.

3.          Background

3.1    The Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules, set out in Part 4 of the Constitution, state:

“Visiting Members should be allowed to speak as of right at any Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on a given agenda item (for example where they have an interest or expertise in a particular manner) subject to the following conditions:-

·         that Visiting Members can appear before the Committee but that Visiting Members limit their comments to the specified item or items; and

·         that Visiting Members are not allowed to vote or to be involved in the general discussion of the Committee.”

3.2     Should the Committee decide amendments to the Constitution are required this would require a recommendation to be agreed at full Council.        

4.      Background Documents

4.1     None