Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Ms Hunt and Councillors Butcher, Mrs Robertson and Younger.

There were no Substitute Members.

Councillors FitzGerald and Mrs Wilson indicated that they wished to speak on the joint report of the Head of Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer on the Review of Committees.

There were no disclosures.

Councillors Marchant and Vizzard indicated that they had been lobbied in respect of the report on the Review of Committees.

RESOLVED: That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 April 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed subject to Minute 80 being amended so that the words “and all Independent Members” are added after “Mr Wright” in the last sentence.

2.  That any matters arising be considered at the next meeting.

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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 96.

4.30 p.m. to 5.55 p.m.