Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor G Breeze.

 

 

2.

Minutes of Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 65 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 9 July, 2018 as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 9 July, 2018 as a correct record.

 

 

3.

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.

 

 

4.

Scrutiny committee structure pdf icon PDF 90 KB

To consider a report and recommendations from the Scrutiny Development Board meeting on 12 November, 2018 on the future scrutiny structure for recommendation to Council on 20 November, 2018.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This Committee considered the recommendations of the Scrutiny Development Board relating to a revised scrutiny committee structure.

 

Audit Committee

The Committee noted that it was recommended that the Audit Committee should undertake regulatory functions only and no longer have a scrutiny function. 

 

Recommendation to the Full Council

Reason for recommendation

i.        that the Audit Committee should undertake statutory regulatory functions only, and that the scrutiny functions be transferred one of the new scrutiny committees. (See Appendix 2 – Column 4 for the amended Terms of Reference).

To review the scrutiny committee structure.

 

The Committee considered the Committee size and it was noted that the Scrutiny Development Board had recommended that the membership be reduced from 21 to 9 plus the Lay / Independent Member(s).  The Board had considered that this would encourage only those Members with an interest being involved in the Committee and would enable them to develop and gain expertise.  It was acknowledged that in some cases Members are put on Committees to fill places but with reducing the opportunities for membership some backbenchers may not be involved on any committees.  It was noted that it was proposed that working groups would be established for Scrutiny Committees to undertake specific pieces of work and Members, if not on the Scrutiny Committee, could be co-opted to these.

 

It was proposed and duly seconded that the Committee be comprised of 9 Members on a politically balanced basis (plus the Lay / Independent Member(s)).  An amendment was moved and duly seconded that the Committee be comprised of 14 Members on a politically balanced basis (plus the Lay / Independent Member(s)).

 

Recommendation to the Full Council

Reason for recommendation

 ii.         that the Committee be comprised of 14 Members on a politically balanced basis (plus the Lay / Independent Member(s)).

To review the scrutiny committee structure.

 

Recommendation to the Full Council

Reason for recommendation

iii.        that the Committee determines its own schedule of meetings (approximately 6 per year).

 

To review the scrutiny committee structure.

iv.        that in principle, meetings of the Audit Committee should be webcast, subject to a review of the financial implications of webcasting additional meetings.

To review the scrutiny committee structure.

 

Finance Scrutiny Panel

The Committee noted that it was recommended that the Finance Scrutiny Panel should undertake a strategic role. 

 

Recommendation to the Full Council

Reason for recommendation

   i.        that the Finance Scrutiny Panel be retained but that it be renamed Finance Panel (“FP”).

 ii.         that the Terms of Reference be amended to reflect that the Panel scrutinise strategic financial issues only i.e. MTFS, development of the overall Council budget, budget out-turn, rather than service specific financial issues which would be within the remit of individual scrutiny committees. (See Appendix 3 for the amended Terms of Reference).

iii.        that the composition of the FP remains as at present (i.e. not politically balanced) with the addition of the Portfolio Holder for Finance as a member of the Panel. (See Appendix 3 – amended Terms of Reference)

iv.        that the Terms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.