PAPER B

CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE - 2 MARCH 2005

INVOLVEMENT OF TOWN AND PARISH COUNCILS IN OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

HEAD OF SELECT COMMITTEE AND REVIEW TEAM

REASON FOR CONSIDERATION

To consider processes for the involvement of Town and Parish Councils in the Council’s overview and scrutiny function.

ACTION REQUIRED BY THE COMMITTEE

To agree a course of action which would enable the involvement of Town and Parish Councils in the work of Select Committees.

BACKGROUND

An issue that was raised during the follow-up visit by the Improvement and Development Agency in September 2004 was widening the membership of Select Committees to include Town and Parish Councillors.

At present there is a process for consultation contained in the Consultation Protocol between Parish/Town Councils and the Isle of Wight Council. This however would need amending if arrangements were to be made to include representatives of the Councils in the work of Select Committees.

The views of the Co-ordinating Committee are sought on what processes should be adopted to enable Town and Parish Councils to become engaged in elements of overview and scrutiny so that there is a clear understanding.

An initial step could be to seek the comments of each Town and Parish Council on items for inclusion in the workplans of each Select Committee. As part of the 2004 process all members were asked to identify a service area for scrutiny and a policy which needed reviewing or developing. This process could be extended to Town and Parish Councils.

The involvement of a Town or Parish Council representative in any Select Committee meeting would have to be considered very carefully if this is to add value.

The type of issues that need to be considered include :-

• Appropriate training for Town and Parish Councillors;
• How to limit the number of representatives;
• How representatives should be chosen;
• Should involvement be extended to Task Groups;
• Voting rights.

To assist in the Co-ordinating Committee’s discussions a representative of the Town and Parish Council Association has been asked to attend.

RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

The Parish Protocol is part of the Council’s Constitution.

CONSULTATION PROCESS

Any process should be agreed with the Association of Town and Parish Councils.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS

There is no legal requirement for Select Committees to include a representative of a Town or Parish Council.

There would be a small financial implication in relation to additional copies of agendas and supporting papers being made available. The cost of any training would have to also be taken into account.

BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT

Follow-up report from the IDeA Local Government Improvement Programme.

Council Constitution

Contact Point :Paul Thistlewood, Select Committee Manager, ' 823285, e-mail paul.thistlewood@iow.gov.uk.

ALISTAIR DRAIN

Head of Select Committee And Review Team