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Contact: Carol Johnson 01597 826206
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Apologies for Absence To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors L Brighouse, K Healy, H Hulme and DW Meredith and County Councillor G Breeze who was on other Council business. |
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Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 58 KB To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee as a correct record. Minutes: The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 9 January 2023 as a correct record.
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Declarations of Interest To receive and consider declarations of interests from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest.
The Public Participation Strategy was taken next.
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Public participation strategy PDF 95 KB To approve the revised strategy following public consultation. Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee considered the Public Participation Strategy which had been updated following a 12-week public consultation. The Committee welcomed the opportunities for the public to engage with the Authority.
RESOLVED that the Powys Public Participation Strategy be approved for publication and distribution through our main communication channels. |
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To receive and consider the report of the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer. Minutes: The Committee considered the report on the proposals for the revisions to the scrutiny committee structure and number of seats on committees.
The Committee noted the various reasons for the proposed changes and the discussions which had taken place, as detailed in the report.
Pensions and Investment Committee, Governance and Audit Committee and Finance Panel. It was moved and duly seconded to recommend to Full Council that no changes should be made to the Pensions and Investment Committee, Governance and Audit Committee and Finance Panel.
Scrutiny Committees
The Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer advised that Group Leaders had agreed that the number of seats on scrutiny committees should be 11 or 12. However, he advised that the Conservative Group Leader had advised that he does not accept that he had agreed to such changes.
The following comments were made: · The level of scrutiny should not change because some members have outside employment and a member’s work on the Council should not come second to this. In response, officers advised that it was important that the Council should reflect the population and the diversity agenda sought to attract people from all walks of life to become members. · Although the largest group has vacancies on committees, a large number of its members are on the Cabinet and so ineligible to serve on committees and so the number of members available to sit on committees is reduced. · The active involvement and engagement of members on committees is more important than the numbers on committees and the quality of scrutiny was important. · There are sometimes clashes with other council meetings or work in wards. · The work level of non-aligned members should be considered. In response, the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer advised that groups had offered vacant seats to non-aligned members after the annual meeting in May 2022, but this needs to be actively promoted. · The workload for each committee varies considerably. · Online meetings now make it easier for members to attend meetings and then do other work in their wards, rather than having to travel to meetings. · Attendance details at committee meetings was not available.
It was moved and duly seconded to recommend to Full Council that the numbers of seats on all three scrutiny committees should be reduced to 11 Members, plus the addition of co-opted Members where required.
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New Ways of Working PDF 173 KB To receive and consider the report of the Head of Transformation and Democratic Services Minutes: The Committee considered the report.
Comment was made that committees should have flexibility to determine how they meet, either face to face, online only or hybrid.
Resolved to: i. continue with the current working arrangements, ii. task Scrutiny Chairs to determine, with their committee, how they would like to work and iii. that each Committee meet at least twice a year face to face.
It was considered that due to the small number of members remaining in the meeting that a recommendation should be made to Full Council.
It was moved and duly recommended to recommend the New Ways of Working to Full Council.
Resolved to recommend the New Ways of Working to Full Council.
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